Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit Case Study Series Community-Based Dispute Resolution Processes in Nangarhar Province Deborah J. Smith Funding for this research was provided by the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) December 2009 Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit Editor: Laura Kim Layout: Jay Lamey © 2009 Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit. Some rights reserved. This publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted only for non-commercial purposes and with written credit to AREU and the author. Where this publication is reproduced, stored or transmitted electronically, a link to AREU’s website (www.areu.org.af) should be provided. Any use of this publication falling outside of these permissions requires prior written permission of the publisher, the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit. Permission can be sought by emailing [email protected] or by calling (+93) 799608548. Community-Based Dispute Resolution Processes in Nangarhar Province About the Author Deborah J. Smith is a Senior Research Manager at the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU). Since joining AREU in February 2006, Deborah has managed a research portfolio that includes: community-based dispute resolution; the representation of women’s interests in the Wolesi Jirga; gender mainstreaming in government ministries; the problem use of psychotropic drugs; and family dynamics and family violence. Previously, Deborah worked at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine where she conducted health policy research in Malawi and Zambia. She has a PhD from the London School of Economics and Political Science, for which she conducted field research on gender issues in Rajasthan, India. About the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit The Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit is an independent research organisation based in Kabul. AREU’s mission is to conduct high-quality research that informs and influences policy and practice. AREU also actively promotes a culture of research and learning by strengthening analytical capacity in Afghanistan and facilitating reflection and debate. Fundamental to AREU’s vision is that its work should improve Afghan lives. AREU was established in 2002 by the assistance community working in Afghanistan and has a board of directors with representation from donors, the United Nations and other multilateral agencies, and non-governmental organisations. AREU currently receives core funds from the governments of Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Specific projects have been funded by the Foundation of the Open Society Institute Afghanistan (FOSIA), the Asia Foundation (TAF), the European Commission (EC), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and the World Bank. Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit Acknowledgements First and foremost I would like to express my gratitude to the residents of the villages in Nangarhar Province where this research was conducted, who willingly gave up their time to talk to the research team. Without these people’s knowledge, understanding, and insights into their own lives and community histories this research would not have been possible. Their support, however, went beyond simply reporting the details of community-based dispute resolution in their communities, but also included the hospitality they showed the research team in terms of endless cups of tea, introductions to other members of the community, and invitations to attend social events in the villages. Similarly, I would like to acknowledge and express my gratitude to those district-level officials with whom the research team spoke, for their time, candour and knowledge of the districts where they work. While my name appears on the front cover of this report, other members of the research team played at least an equal part in conducting the research for this report. Fauzia Rahimi, Jamila Wafa, Zia Hussain, Shafiq Ziai and Baser Nader were responsible for the collection of data in the field and played varying roles in the analysis of the data collected. Fauzia Rahimi also made significant contributions to the writing of Section 2. Shelly Manalan should also be acknowledged for the support she gave to the research team. Deborah J. Smith November 2009 Community-Based Dispute Resolution Processes in Nangarhar Province Table of Contents List of Boxes, Tables and Charts ..................................................................vi Glossary ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� vii 1. Introduction ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 1 2. Research Methodology and Site Selection ������������������������������������������������� 5 2.1 Research Methodology .................................................................... 5 2.2 Site selection: District and village context ............................................ 6 3. Authority and Coercion: Exercising Power in Community-Based Dispute Resolution Processes ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 9 3.1 Understanding power: Authority and coercive power ............................... 9 3.2 Village actors in community-based dispute resolution processes ................. 10 3.3 District-level actors in community-based dispute resolution ...................... 16 3.4 Change over time: How corruption, insecurity and coercive power restrict the exercising of authority ..................................................................19 4. Processes, Relationships and Participation: Between the State and the Community ��� 27 4.1 Relationships between district- and village-level actors ........................... 27 4.2 Choosing between the state and the village ......................................... 33 4.3 Gender determining access to and participation in dispute resolution bodies .39 5. Practices, Principles and Outcomes: Resolving and Regulating Disputes to Keep the Peace ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 45 5.1 Change in practices and principles across time and space ......................... 45 5.2 Key practices used in community-based dispute resolution processes ...........49 5.3 Keeping the Peace ........................................................................ 53 5.4 Outcomes of Dispute Resolution Processes ........................................... 58 6. Processes, Principles, Choices and Gender Equity: Concluding Comments ����������61 Annex 1: Disputes Cases �������������������������������������������������������������������������� 63 Recent Publications from AREU ������������������������������������������������������������������ 83 Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit List of Boxes, Tables and Charts Box 1: The desirable attributes for jirgamaran .............................................11 Box 2: Jirgamaran’s authority coming from qawmi status and ancestry ................ 13 Box 3: Women as decision-makers and dispute resolvers.................................. 14 Box 4: Women’s lack of participation as decision-makers ................................. 15 Box 5: Why approach the woliswal first ..................................................... 17 Box 6: Acceptance of the woliswal as gatekeeper by other district level officials ....17 Box 7: State actors corrupting the jirga system ............................................ 20 Box 8: A more materialistic society creates corruption ................................... 21 Box 9: Learning corruption from Pakistan ................................................... 21 Box 10: It was better in the past ............................................................... 22 Box 11: Coercive power in the jirgee .......................................................... 24 Box 12: Commanders as part of wider qawmi dynamics .................................... 24 Box 13: Men’s perspectives on Taliban dispute resolution .................................. 25 Box 14: Women’s perspectives on Taliban dispute resolution .............................. 26 Box 15: The woliswal referring disputes back to the village for resolution .............. 28 Box 16: The recording of dispute outcomes .................................................. 29 Box 17: “Big” disputes are first referred to the woliswal .................................. 31 Table 1. Big and small disputes .................................................................. 31 Box 18: Translation of mawad sang agreement between the Shinwaar Qawm and the woliswal .................................................................................. 34 Box 19: Choosing a jirga: Jirgamaran’s insider knowledge of disputes ................... 36 Box 20: State justice takes too long ........................................................... 37 Box 21: Shame and social expectations constraining access to the state justice sector ...38 Box 22: Respondents reporting women’s lack of access to and participation in jirgee 40 Box 23: Shameful for women to attend jirgee ............................................... 40 Box 24: Women are not capable of participating in jirgee ................................. 41 Box 25: Women without male family members who can represent them in a jirga ....42 Box 26: Differences in how Pashtunwali is practiced ......................................