Exploring the dynamics of the Alavanyo-Nkonya conflict for peace-building

Abstract

One of the key attributes of ethnic conflicts is that they could be complex and intractable. The Alavanyo-Nkonya conflict is one such conflict that presents traits of a complex conflict since the first violence was recorded in 1923. To understand such complexity, a qualitative research design was employed to study the conflict. Primary data was collected through in-depth interviews of six key informants selected purposively from among conflict parties and mediators. Secondary data from 1923 to 2015 was collated from news reports and a temporal analysis was conducted on the secondary data whilst the interview transcripts were subjected to thematic content analysis to identify issues of dynamics. The study found that overall, the trend of the conflict indicates that violent incidents and the peace-building efforts have both increased but intervention efforts have generally superseded the violence, which is probably why this conflict has not blown out into a full scale war. The study also found that various dynamics related to land, ethnic mobilization and generational turnover are playing-out in the course of the conflict. These dynamics bring complexity to the Alavanyo-Nkonya conflict and these dynamics also make the conflict complex. The study recommends that state agencies and mediators adopt a modified peace-building approach that transforms the conflict, pays attention to original conflict actors and pursue the possibility of amicably setting aside the hurdle of previous court rulings. Further and wider research is also important for understanding the relationship between conflict complexity and protraction in Ghana.