Post-Apartheid Conflict Resolution: How a Once Estranged South Africa Used Communication to Unite a Nation
Post-Apartheid Conflict Resolution: How A Once Estranged South Africa Used Communication In Uniting The Nation
Mandhla Mgijima
Western Kentucky University
Post-Apartheid Conflict Resolution: How A Once Estranged South Africa Used Communication In Uniting The Nation
As widespread and overwhelming as conflicts have seemed in this course, one wonders how they ever cease to exist. While extremely complicated on an interpersonal level, dealing with conflict on a national scale with numerous groups that have millions of individuals within them, proves a daunting task. Many African nations have experienced colonization with conflicts of interest between minority foreigners and majority indigenous people. Most of these nations sought their independence by diplomatic means, and where diplomacy failed, guerilla warfare entered. In terms of harmony, fighting for independence and winning did not automatically resolve the issues at hand; opposite parties that fought one another now had to integrate and live with each other. In some cases, however, African leaders immediately expelled all countrymen not of African decent citing that the lives of the indigenous people would improve without them (Idi Amin of Uganda once expelled almost all Asian citizens and seized their property, claiming the common man as the major beneficiary of this extremely drastic act). In a case like South Africa, where a mass exodus could not possibly happen based on the sheer numbers of European-Africans already living there, its leaders had to find a way to harmonically integrate the once racially separated populations.
As oppressive and brutal as the apartheid regime behaved, an obvious expectation from external observers would include a substantial amount of bloodshed, retribution, and vengeance. This did not happen, not even to a fraction of the scales people expected it to. According to Gibson (2006, p 410), “a crucial factor in the success of their transition was the Truth and
Mandhla Mgijima
Western Kentucky University
Post-Apartheid Conflict Resolution: How A Once Estranged South Africa Used Communication In Uniting The Nation
As widespread and overwhelming as conflicts have seemed in this course, one wonders how they ever cease to exist. While extremely complicated on an interpersonal level, dealing with conflict on a national scale with numerous groups that have millions of individuals within them, proves a daunting task. Many African nations have experienced colonization with conflicts of interest between minority foreigners and majority indigenous people. Most of these nations sought their independence by diplomatic means, and where diplomacy failed, guerilla warfare entered. In terms of harmony, fighting for independence and winning did not automatically resolve the issues at hand; opposite parties that fought one another now had to integrate and live with each other. In some cases, however, African leaders immediately expelled all countrymen not of African decent citing that the lives of the indigenous people would improve without them (Idi Amin of Uganda once expelled almost all Asian citizens and seized their property, claiming the common man as the major beneficiary of this extremely drastic act). In a case like South Africa, where a mass exodus could not possibly happen based on the sheer numbers of European-Africans already living there, its leaders had to find a way to harmonically integrate the once racially separated populations.
As oppressive and brutal as the apartheid regime behaved, an obvious expectation from external observers would include a substantial amount of bloodshed, retribution, and vengeance. This did not happen, not even to a fraction of the scales people expected it to. According to Gibson (2006, p 410), “a crucial factor in the success of their transition was the Truth and
References: Gibson, J. L. (2006). ThContributions of Truth to Reconciliation. The Journal of Conflict Resolution, 50(3), 409-433. MURITHI, T. (2009). AN AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE ON PEACE EDUCATION: UBUNTU LESSONS IN RECONCILIATION. International Review of Education, 55, 221-233. Oetzel, J. G., Bibiana, A., Mabizela, P., Weinman, A. M., & Zhang, Q. (2006). The SAGE Handbook of Conflict Communication. (J. G. Oetzel & S. Ting-Toomey, Ed.). SAGE Publications. Ponte, Stefano, Simon Roberts, and Lance van Sittert. 2007. "‘Black Economic Empowerment’, Business and the State in South Africa." Development & Change 38, no. 5: 933-955. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed April 12, 2009).