Nigeria's Jos District Needs Longterm Peacebuilding

Violence in the Nigerian city of Jos which has killed between 150 and 200 people looks on the surface to be classic Muslim vs. Christian violence. Like so often when these troubles spiral out of control, we simplify it to understand it. But all evidence points to a more complex, long-term issue for Nigeria. If residents feel they are forced to choose a side, the conflict could only get worse.

However, if the Nigerian government (with support) instead deploys a long-term peacebuilding strategy, there may still be time to give residents other options for moving forward. What this means is bringing in third party facilitators to develop community projects specifically shaped to bring people from different, perhaps politically-opposed sides, together to address challenges in common interests.

While the government does need, as Human Rights Watch recommends, to hold perpetrators of violence accountable, the peacebuilding effort can create a third space where people of different political sides and those who do not wish to choose sides can build or rebuild relationships critical to future stability.

For example, while the justice ministry may try accused killers in public trials, it may be productive for third parties to hold a conference on developing guidelines for the shared use of common resources like a water treatment plant, hospitals, or something both sides depend on.

Meanwhile, journalists presenting the stories (including this writer) will do better to describe the conflict with clarity and nuance rather than simplifying it into a black and white issue in which people on the ground begin to feel they must identify with one side or another.

For more, here's an introduction on Jos by Nigerian professor Kabiru Mato, a news flash, and recommendations to the Nigerian government from Human Rights Watch.

Photo credit: Airpanther (Lagos city)