NGO Launches Manual to enhance Transitional Justice in Northeast
By Ladi Dapson, Maiduguri
The Green Advocacy for Conflict Prevention and Resilience Building (GACRB) has launched a manual titled “Sulhu Sai DaAdalci” (Reconciliation Requires Justice) as part of its efforts to promote transitional justice in Northeast Nigeria.
Speaking at the launch ceremony on Thursday, the Executive Director of GACRB, Professor Mala Mustapha, said the manual was designed to facilitate local-level dialogue and reconciliation in communities affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.
According to him “The recent changing context and dynamics of the insurgency necessitated the need for facilitating local-level dialogue and reconciliation leveraging on Sulhu as a traditional justice mechanism to change community misconception and negative narratives as a pathway to ending the conflict cycle and sustainable peace,”
He further noted that the manual, which is the first to be published by GACRB, is expected to strengthen the knowledge capacity and skills of beneficiaries to become community-based peace interlocutors.
Explaining the group’s funding, Mustapha said “GACRB is one of the sub-grantees and beneficiaries of the Africa Transitional Justice Legacy Fund (ATJLF) legacy phase funding initiative”
He revealed that the Organization intends to train 100 cohorts of community stakeholders in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states in the coming weeks
“It will also include the selection of 60 participants who will undergo a 6-month certification course on transitional justice, employing a “Training of Trainers” model.
“Graduates will conduct step-down training in nine selected communities across the three states, promoting dialogue and rebuilding trust in the aftermath of insurgency,”Mustapha added
Other components of GACRB’s according to him is the transitional justice work which include partnering with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to establish a Sexual Offender Register and sponsoring radio jingles to raise awareness on the importance of registering with the National Social Register to access reparations.
The Commissioner of Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar represented by the Special Adviser on Security to the Governor, Gen. Abdullahi Ishaq (rtd) stated that the GACRB project aligns with the Borno Model for for peace, reconciliation and development as well as the programme of DDRR for ex-Boko Haram combatants.
“We are happy to collaborate with GACRB on this project, which aims to address challenges such as community resistance to reintegrate efforts and equip youth with alternative narratives to prevent radicalization. Above all, we aim to develop a framework for TJ and nurture a critical mass of TJ professionals to support the process” added Prof. Tar.
The project is expected to bring forth an enhanced local-level dialogue, improved community ownership of transitional justice processes, and the creation of a sustainable framework for peacebuilding in Borno State and the North East region.
The event was attended by many stakeholders including the Executive Secretary of Security Trust Fund, Alhaji Shettima Ali Marte; State Coordinator, National Human Rights Commission, Barr. Jummai Mshelia; and Prof. Adam Ajiri of the University of Maiduguri, General Manager, Peace FM Radio, Hajiya Fatima Audu Yusuf and among many others.
