By Loretta B Manele
Today, people may experience structural drivers of conflict without actually knowing they are.
Raki Tuiloma, programmes assistant for Transcend Oceania shared his experience at the “Peacebuilding and Security Dialogue”, funded by UK-Integrated Security Fund and facilitated by Transcend Oceania and Conciliation Resources late last month at the King Solomon Hotel.
Speaking of “structural drivers” of conflict, he said this involves things like uneven distribution of resources, differing values, perceived threats, poor communication and social inequalities.
Tuiloma added that these situations can lead to a conflict as groups of people fight for control.
He took the opportunity to share his own experience with participants at the dialogue.
Tuiloma said for him, he originally came from a village located up in a mountain called “Mount Washington”, also the second largest mountain in Fiji.
“So, just right at the side of the mountain, that’s where my ancestors first settled.”
Tuiloma went on to explain how life was when things were being colonized back then.
He said when colonization occurred, the structure of how they were living also changed.
Tuiloma expressed that during this time, they were asked to move to a village located at the bottom of where the mountain is located.
After that move, life was not the same.
He said living in a new village, when they would do or say things they were told to keep quiet because they weren’t from that village.
Tuiloma mentioned that they weren’t even allowed to say anything during village meetings.
“So, sometimes it’s became a challenge for us.”
Tuiloma pointed out that situations like this is an example of structural conflict.
He emphasized that when there is social inequality, significant disparities in wealth, power and opportunity, this can lead to create sentiment and fuel conflict with lack of social mobility.
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