Tradition- & Faith-Oriented Insider Mediators (TFIMs) as Crucial Actors in Conflict Transformation

This study on tradition- and faith- oriented insider mediators (TFIMs) has been produced using both existing knowledge on insider mediators and tradition- and faith-oriented local peacebuilding, and original data acquired through field studies.

Authors

Mir Mubashir, Luxshi Vimalarajah

Conflict transformation and peacebuilding processes are a mélange of the efforts of a diversity of local, regional1 and international actors with their own (unique) attributes, resources, capacities, strengths, scopes and influences. For these processes to be sustainable, it is necessary that all actors recognise this diversity and see it as an opportunity for strategic networking, collaboration and mutual support. This creates the conditions for better coordination, complementarity, and convergence of the efforts. Localised and low-profile peacebuilding efforts of certain types of local/insider actors often escape the radar of the larger peacebuilding machinery of international and state actors.

This can be seen as a missed opportunity, since the unique strengths and potential of the former – if identified, recognised, made use of, and reinforced—may actually prove to be beneficial to the latter and to peacebuilding processes. In fact, as research in the last decade have shown, it is imperative for sustainability of processes that they evolve from the inside out – beginning at the local level and then iteratively connecting the national, regional and global/international levels – so as to render a collaborative peace support structure that is organic and communicative.