The impact of armed conflict in Nigeria

The impact of arm participation in Nigeria more countries in sub-Saharan region in Africa capture been plagued with pagan and religious strifes. Nigeria has non been immune to such(prenominal) conflicts. The verdant has and continues to witness high levels of heathenish and anti-sate violence. Ever since independence from Britain in 1960 the African nation of Nigeria has been torn apart(predicate) by wars, violence and heathenish conflicts. This paper centers on the effect of such conflicts on Nigerian wo workforce with a charge on the conflict in Jos, the capital city of plateau arouse. The city has continually been rocked by brutal and relentless howlers in 1994, 2001, 2008 and al close belatedly in January 2010. These conflicts leave brought about extensive last of lives and properties. Most significantly, the conflicts have brought about gross man veraciouss misdemeanors perpetrated against civilian populations, particularly women and children who app atomi c number 18ntly arrange up the most vulnerable group.Considerable pass has been done regarding women and gird conflicts. Much of this work has been done by institutions concerned with human rights violations, particularly violations against women. Unfortunately, much of this work has foc apply on sexual violence against women and has more often than not ignored another(prenominal) important aspects of violations against women.The purpose of this paper is to consider and cozy up a range of ways in which women atomic number 18 alter by armed conflicts (in addition to sexual violence). Using responses from interviews conducted with women who have experienced the most recent conflict in the capital city of Jos in Nigeria, we point that there is a wide range of ways in which women atomic number 18 affected by armed conflict. For example, armed conflict exacerbates inequalities. These inequalities continue unconstipated by and by the conflicts cease. Our findings show that wo men experience economic hardships during and subsequently conflict. Furthermore, women ar excluded from tranquility building initiatives that take place during and after armed conflict.Keywords-Armed conflicts, cultural conflicts, human rights violations, religious conflicts, and womens rights.INTRODUCTIONThe frequency of conflicts leading to violence and extensive destruction of lives and property especially since the early 80s in many countries of the world can, without exaggeration, be traced to many divisors. Some of these factors are governing bodyal, economic, ethno-religious conflicts and land boundary issues. Most of these conflicts are often presented as either ethnical or religious in nature, and oftentimes slightly(prenominal). However these seek findings indicate that the underlying fundamental factor that facilitates such ethno-religious conflicts revolves around prevailing economic and policy-making crisis. This is the basic dais for most of the recurrin g predicaments.Unfortunately, ethno-religious conflicts remain the political, economic and social legacies of three decades which involves perceive marginalization, mal-governance and disrespect for the constitution. The greedy and selfish ways in which the Nigerian political leaders embarked on, in acquiring power at all cost, has confused the true federal constitution negotiated by the founding leaders. This reveals some of the unproblematic basis for the violent crisis in Jos, Plateau State of Nigeria.BACKGROUNDIn 2001, a major crisis occurred in Jos, the capital city of Plateau State in the northern part of Nigeria, leading to the destruction of properties and loss of lives. there was overly another crisis in 2004, 2008 and the most recent in 2010. The causes of these conflicts are seen as political, ethno-religious and indigenes settlers dispute. In most cases, it is tough to describe the Jos crisis from expert the ethnic perspective without observing the political, econo mic or religious aspect. They are not mutually exclusive.The recurrent crisis in Jos especially the one that occurred in 2010 leftover a fatal impact on the caller. Many people including women and children were killed. The 2010 Jos crisis enter the highest casualty of women and children in comparison to the previous ones. About 500 women befogged their lives in unpleasant circumstances term other women lost their husbands and children as well as their means of livelihood.It is rather unfortunate and unlikely that the leaders of the present government will be able to take the absolute step to assume required constitution changes to douse the festering ethno-religious tensity and violence in many parts of the country.Nigeria is a complex society with a wide variety of religious and cultural allegiance and susceptibility. The to the lowest degree one could do is to come to terms with the reality of the multi-religious status and therefore recognize and ensure that the rights of all Nigerians are equally protected. The city of Jos had venomous riots in 2001, 2008 and 2010, and the communal/religious crisis that erupted in Jos (Plateau) in 2001 still causes a lot of clashes in the State till date. It was shocking to many Nigerians that had suckled the notion that Jos was a safe haven for most Christians from other ethnic nationalities who fled from the States dominated by the Islamic Sharia laws. We likewise observed that most of the conflicts are located in urban areas, and that generally women and their children suffered the most. Those not killed during the conflict are left to feed and fend for themselves and their children.STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMMany of these contestations between indigenes and settlers result in violence. As noted, Jos and most of the townships in Plateau State in 1994, 2001, 2004 in which the Beroms, Afizere and others who claim to be indigenes oppose the Hausa/Fulani tribes who are regarded as settlers from the era of the c olonial masters who by and large came in to Jos town as miners and merchants.Jos Crisis A crisis triggered by inequality. It can easily be traced to the robust inequalities in the society.In 2004, a state of emergency was declared in Plateau State (of which Jos is the capital) after which over 200 Moslems were killed in the attacks by Christian militia.In the November 2008 crisis, over 340 people were killed and properties worth billions were destroy when Muslim opposition supporters went on the rampage over alleged election irregularities after they had heard their candidate to head a council had lost to a Christian.In January 2010, being the most recent crisis, more than 500 people were killed mostly women after the Christians protested the construction of a mosque in a Christian area, and after Muslim protesters attacked a Catholic church.It is ironic that such catastrophic and bloody(a) encounters have occurred in Jos, a city which derives its name from an acronym for Jesus Our Saviour. Perhaps, the ocellus of Jos a former enclave for colonial missionaries and its geographic location aptly expound by some as a de facto fault line separating Nigerias in general Muslim northern part from its mainly Christian southern region.Nigeria is a country of strong prejudice between indigenes and non-indigene natives and settlers, the Nigerian constitution hitherto empowers this ethnic affiliation by giving credence to the State of origin and likewise some political appointments are based on ethnic and state of origin. The crisis in Jos is not immune to the State of Origin gizmo the Christians are the natives, while the Muslims are the settlers. Hence the belief remains that the natives are threatened by the increasing population and prominence of the settlers. The natives are incomplete as well keen to share their lands with the settlers nor offer their hands in partnership on the political outfit. The settlers on the other hand, feel cheated and threat ened too by the natives whom they feel have failed to recognize them politically and socially patronage having co-existed for decades. The fact that the two are on the opposing sides of the religious secern certainly does not help. The cumulative effect of these factors the aftermath of cultural and societal inequality is what has been happening in Jos over the years.METHODOLOGYThis research work is based on qualitative analysis methods. The principle method used is structured in-depth interviews conducted within and outside the conflict zones. Reports were drawn from rural dwellers and persons affected by the conflict including women and youths were interviewed at disaccordent times. Reports from government commissions inquiry and other investigation by setup groups were to a fault utilized. The report of the Plateau serenity Conference 2004 was very useful for this paper. Reports from assigned committee at the work for Peace and Conflict Resolution after visits to the conflic t town were as well very useful for this journal work.Some other researchers from the empyrean who were withal staff of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies similarly gave their report from the field work. Newspaper reports, textbooks and the web were also consulted for the completion of this paper.ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS rageIMPACT ON THE ECONOMYIn general, the political instability engendered by frequent communal disputes riots, armed confrontation and breakdown of law and effectuate cannot be attractive for local or foreign investors. Jos, as it is right now from what we physically observed remains a ghost city with houses, market places, factories and company burnt down to ashes.We had met with and interviewed a business tycoon, Alhaji Busari who was a car dealer and narrated his ordeal amidst tears. He express how can this Jos riot be a forgotten incident to me when I practically lost all what I have worked and lived for in life in just one day. Billions of Naira w as burnt down, the showroom where cars are parked for display was burnt down to ashes and all the cars on display were destroyed and burnt by the rioters.IMPACT OF THE CRISIS ON WOMENGender is thus a socially constructed identicalness through which roles are assigned at different levels and which can differ according to culture and can be changed by circumstances such as conflict. While the entire community suffers the dire consequences of armed conflict and terrorism, women and girls are particularly affected because of their status in society and their gender. Parties in conflict often assault women with impunity sometimes using systematic rape as a tactic of war and terrorism.A youth active remarked as follows The conflict inflicted psychological and emotional pain on both genders. However, the plight of women was particularly pronounced. There was the case of about twenty women and girls captured by the Boghom people and taken to a village called Kangyal in Kanam Local gov erning body Area. The women and their daughters suffered the worst form of sexual abuse as their captors took turns on them every(prenominal) evening for three months. When they were eventually rescued, five of them were pregnant and tested confirmative to HIV/AIDS test.THE IMPACT OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMENThis also has to do with violation of human rights of women, in such situation as experienced by women of all ages, who suffer displacement, loss of homes and property, involuntary disappearance of close relatives, poverty, family separation, licentiousness and those victims of acts of murder, terrorism, torture, sexual slavery. These spell out the prevailing human right violations and policies of ethnic cleansing in the war-torn and occupied areas. These practices have created inter alia a mass flow of refugees. Such women and children become refugees that no longer have homes or houses over their heads i.e. they become internally displaced persons. According to the research fi ndings, women make up the highest group of casualties.The picture above shows women in Abuja carrying pictures of at peace(predicate) women and children. Mostly women and children constitute about 80 percent of the millions of refugees around the world. different refugees including internally displaced persons are deprived of their properties, goods and also deprivation of their right to emancipation of movement to return to their homes for hero-worship and insecurity. The degree of insecurity and disorientation was determine when the Institute for Peace and Conflict researchers went to the refugee camps in Bukuru, Jos (a south Local judicature Area of Plateau State) and were told that thirty-one pregnant women at the internally displaced persons (IDP) camps were delivered of their babies at different camps.Reports from their spokesperson in charge of women in the IDP camps said in an interview that the women who gave birth were earlier taking refuge at the police stations and premises of Bukuru central mosque onwards they were later taken to another house which was converted to serve as a makeshift maternity. Out of the 31 women that put to bed only two babies did not survive. However, the two mothers were in very good conditions. In a theme report, one of the nurses in charge of the maternity centers created mentioned that some bullets were removed from some of the pregnant mothers bodies who were shot during the crisis and they had to undergo some operations to stitch them.THE WOMEN eudaimonia Feeding and ClothingLack of nutritious food in the camps is imputable to their population, although some Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) and United Nations (UN) have visited some camp grounds to upraise the supply and distribution of food stuffs and clothing. Different groups have surfaced to donate generously for the refugees. Other repulsive experiences includeSnake bites in the bush while attempting to escapeHigh rate of widowhoodLoss of childrenP remature births due to fear and pressureMothers abandoning newly born babies due to lack of funds and unfitness to surviveForced marriagesThis picture shows some illustrations of the impact of the conflict on women in Wase, Yelwa-shendam and Langtang south local government in Jos.In an interview, Vonnan Dashe, electric chair of the Gani community development association, on 5th November 2004 mentioned that, Women were subjected to violence and hardship because they had to dumbfound about the fate of their children. Some of their children actually got killed and others were wounded while others were attack by the attackers. They were not only physically harassed but also sexually abused and degraded. It was also gathered from our research team that apart from the fact that women were raped, they were also divorced by their husbands, which facilitated a worse emotional stressful and painful condition. The resort to divorce by men whose wives had been sexually abused was a means of dealing with the humiliation acquired from the conflict.EQUAL RIGHTS evening though women were affected greatly by the conflict in obviously negative way, they have been unable to set up networks and support groups to promote their empowerment in the aftermath of the conflict. This includes the ability to participate in authorities and decision making forum. Most of their voices are heard through the voices of men or proxy groups. Women make an important but often unrecognized contribution as peace educators both in families and in their societies.In addressing armed or sectarian conflicts, an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies and programs should be promoted so that before decisions are taken an analysis is made of the effects on women and men respectively. work should be taken to promote equal participation and opportunities for women in government both at the Federal, State and Local Government levels.There were hundreds of women mostly dressed in black that took to the streets of Nigerias capital city of Abuja and also the central city of Jos in rallies against the Jos massacre. They subsequently demanded that the government put the essential infrastructure in place to improve on the protection of women and children.This research journal reveals to a large extent how women are streamlined in the policy making groups, politics and in general, all activities. Yet it has not told the whole story, the impact of conflict on women is too profound to be narrated. Most times, they live with the pain, agony, discomfort and under oppression for the rest of their lives.A lot needs to be done, the bridge that cuts across religious, ethnic and cultural is to have women group work together. However they will need to be empowered through capacity building and enhanced controlled communication before such roles can be played. Women need to be equally represent in organizations so as to be able to contribute adequately in matters and issues that have to do with protection of women and their children during and after such conflicts. lastIt is clear from all the above that women must be involved in matters that has to do with the protection of women and their children. They must prove to the community that they are also relevant and that equality should be practiced when matters that has to do with them comes up especially in politics and decision making.Women should be courageous and exhibit insolent independence in spite of all odds especially where human right issues are involved. Women are meant to bear the image of the community. In political matters, women should not shy away from their right and their voices must also be heard. In all, this must be the new wave. The culture must evolve.