Pukhtun's :Hidden Custom (Nanawate) & Conflict Resolution

Among the Pakhtun's tribe of Afghanistan and Pakistan Jirga and Nanawate (a custom) is the active and effective mechanism of conflict resolution. Nanawate as a time-honored mechanism does not only resolve many local, tribal, and national conflicts efficiently and in cost-effective ways, but also acts as a powerful channel of communication among the Pakhtun's tribe. It, therefore, plays a central role in strengthening social solidarity among Pakhtun's tribal system and contributes significantly to the maintenance of social order in Pakhtun's society. It is obligatory to grant acquiesce and peace and to extend shelter and protection when somebody "seize the skirt" (Laman Newul) in front of the victim. However, the extent of the usefulness of Nanawate as a mechanism of conflict resolution depends on the extent to which it is perceived as justifiable by the various parts of the Pakhtun's people. There is a continued need for practice of Nanawate in resolving many existing local, tribal and national conflicts. Current and past experiences shows there is believe among Pakhtun's that Nanawate has the capacity to bridge tradition with modernity and to cope the challenges of the 21st cent..

Autorentext

El autor es doctor en Sociología Rural por la Universidad de Agricultura de Peshawar, Pakistán, y activista de desarrollo comunitario con 16 años de experiencia laboral en diferentes organizaciones humanitarias nacionales e internacionales. Tiene conocimientos más diversos en el campo de la gestión de conflictos con la colaboración de 24 artículos.

Klappentext

Among the Pakhtun's tribe of Afghanistan and Pakistan Jirga and Nanawate (a custom) is the active and effective mechanism of conflict resolution. Nanawate as a time-honored mechanism does not only resolve many local, tribal, and national conflicts efficiently and in cost-effective ways, but also acts as a powerful channel of communication among the Pakhtun's tribe. It, therefore, plays a central role in strengthening social solidarity among Pakhtun's tribal system and contributes significantly to the maintenance of social order in Pakhtun's society. It is obligatory to grant acquiesce and peace and to extend shelter and protection when somebody "seize the skirt" (Laman Newul) in front of the victim. However, the extent of the usefulness of Nanawate as a mechanism of conflict resolution depends on the extent to which it is perceived as justifiable by the various parts of the Pakhtun's people. There is a continued need for practice of Nanawate in resolving many existing local, tribal and national conflicts. Current and past experiences shows there is believe among Pakhtun's that Nanawate has the capacity to bridge tradition with modernity and to cope the challenges of the 21st cent..