As part of Salaam Junub’s focus on peace building and community empowerment through livelihood support program in the conflict-ridden counties of Terekeka, Yirol West, and Mvolo region, a creative activity dubbed Take Tea Together (TTT) was conducted in Tindilo Payam of Terekeka County in CES on 12th/June/2021 just as in the payams in the region, aimed at promoting community cohesion, peace and reconciliation in the community and encourage community dialogue and home-grown solutions to local conflicts. During the TTT activity, 100 participants were brought together from the 5 bomas of Rume, Mundari Bura, Somaring, Guloronga, and Bureny in the payam to discuss the problems caused by high dowry payment during marriage in Tindilo Payam, and what solutions can be found to resolve it, and the causes of conflict erupting during wrestling competition, and the recommendations to resolving them. They include Payam government officials, church leaders, Chiefs, elders, women, and the youth. The participants were divided in to two groups. The first group tackled the topic of high dowry payment, and the second group dialogued on wrestling. After the groups discussed separately for an ample time given, they converged together again and a representative from each group presented to the gathering the reasons and solutions to the problems of topic given to them – all the while taking tea together ushered by Salaam Junub volunteers.
The members of group one raised the following reasons causing conflict during marriage ceremonies due to high dowry demands:
- Poverty
- Misinterpretation of statements during negotiations
- Charges for unnecessary traditional beliefs
- Introduction of marriage practice foreign to the community in Payam
- Youths overriding the elders’ decisions during marriage procedures
- Introduction of the US dollar rates to determine the amount of money and animals to be paid in marriage matters
- Dishonesty from either party during negotiations
- Impregnating a girl and refusing to pay cows even when they are available
- The high price leads to some youth resorting to cattle raiding which results in to deaths and revenge attacks
- Humiliating an impregnated girl by taking her to the chiefs in order to settle matters.
And the following are the solutions suggested in order to resolve the points raised above:
- The youth have to obey their parents and go along with the elders’ decisions on marriage matters
- Men should stop using short cuts by impregnating girls. They should approach the girls’ parents in the traditionally acceptable norms and practice of the community
- The youth should not go without being accompanied by their parents and to marriage settlements
- People should not settle marriage demands and negotiations while under the influence of alcohol
- The man’s family should pay at least half of the dowry demand when a girl has been impregnated
- Community members should desist from copying marriage practices from other cultures and resort back to marriage norms and practices of the community in the payam or Terekeka County
- Community members have to focus and work hard in their farms
- In-laws should stop cheating the girl’s parents paying less cows while uttering infuriating statements when they have enough to settle the stated heads demanded
- People should stop mentioning the words dollars during marriage negotiations as it has no place or reasons to use for determining dowry prices
- Both parties should respect each other during negotiations
Meanwhile, the representative of group two gave the following reasons and points for resolving conflicts erupting during wrestling competitions:
- Provocations from the girls who cheer their wrestler after having thrown his opponent to the ground
- High stakes in the competition
- Songs sung by supporters to humiliate the opposing wrestler
- Some community members lack good character. The take such gathering to cause commotion show how fearless and tough they are
- There is a likelihood of reigniting old clashes when there had been one before
And the recommendations they suggested for sot the above cause for conflict during wrestling competitions are the following:
- Wrestling should be done in a secure neutral place, and in the presence of government law forces
- Opposing moral boosters and supporters should stop singing to offend their rival supporters and wresters
- Avoid carrying arms and traditional weapons to a wrestling ground
- Avoid drinking alcohol when going for a wrestling.
After the presentation of the points by the two groups, several government officials, community elders and chiefs, youth leaders and women representatives gave brief speeches to the participants gathered as far as the two topics are concerned. They all agreed on the points raised against the causes of conflict by the two themes of the TTT activity. One standout address was from the Director of Tindilo Payam, Mr. Emmanuel Ryomot Awan who thanked Salaam Junub and the funding partner UNDP. The Director said Salaam Junub is and always welcome to the Payam. He advices the local organization to target not only a certain section of the community but to offer equal support to all. Mr. Emmanuel suggested that whenever a TTT activity is planned, it be prearranged to last for at least three days so that the topics given is fully exhausted and the resolutions reached is put in to action. He further appealed the support to farming groups ought to reach all of the 5 bomas. The Director talked on the importance of extending the agricultural funding and backing to schools by starting school demonstration farms. Additionally, the Payam Director entreated Salaam Junub and UNDP to consider supporting the payam through construction of water catchments to conserve water during the dry season, and solving issues of bad roads and mobile networks communication that hinder them with normal running of activities both for the community there and the relief organizations, as well as government activities.