Bridging the Gap Diaspora engagement in peacebuilding in the Horn of Africa Robert Veldwijk Studentnumber: 3053563 Radboud University Nijmegen Nijmegen school of management Centre for International Conflict Analysis and Management (CICAM) Master of Science Human Geography Specialization ―Conflicts, Territories and Identities‖ Supervisor: Dr. W.M. Verkoren Nijmegen, August 30, 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................ 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................... 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................... 4 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 7 RESEARCH PROBLEM .............................................................................................................. 7 RELEVANCY ........................................................................................................................ 8 METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................... 9 OVERVIEW OF THE CHAPTERS ................................................................................................... 12 2 THE HORN OF AFRICA .................................................................................................. 13 THE HORN OF AFRICA ........................................................................................................... 13 2.1 SOMALIA ................................................................................................................. 15 (Possible) diaspora engagement in Somalia ..................................................................... 17 2.2 ETHIOPIA ................................................................................................................ 19 (Possible) diaspora engagement in Ethiopia ..................................................................... 21 2.3 ERITREA ................................................................................................................. 23 (Possible) diaspora engagement in Eritrea ....................................................................... 24 3 DIASPORAS, HOME ASSOCIATIONS AND INVOLVEMENT IN PEACE AND CONFLICT ..... 27 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 27 Diasporas .................................................................................................................... 28 Diaspora, home associations and globalisation ................................................................. 30 Old and New wars ........................................................................................................ 32 The role of diasporas in conflict and peace ...................................................................... 34 POST-CONFLICT PEACEBUILDING ............................................................................................... 39 Three tracks in peacebuilding ........................................................................................ 40 Civil society and peacebuilding practices ......................................................................... 41 negotiation and mediation ............................................................................................. 42 economic development ................................................................................................. 43 grassroot mobilization ................................................................................................... 44 concluding remarks ...................................................................................................... 46 4 DIASPORA IDENTITIES AND DIASPORA ENGAGEMENT IN PEACEBUILDING ................ 47 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 47 4A SOMALIA ................................................................................................................... 50 PART 1 MAIN CAUSES OF CONFLICT AND DIASPORA IDENTIFICATION WITH THE HOME COUNTRY ..................... 50 1.1 Causes of conflict ................................................................................................ 50 1.2 Diaspora identification ......................................................................................... 52 PART 2 MOTIVATIONS, CAPABILITIES AND POSSIBILITIES FOR DIASPORA ENGAGEMENT .............................. 53 2.1 Motivations for diaspora engagement .................................................................... 53 2.2 Diaspora capabilities ........................................................................................... 54 2.3 Opportunities and restrictions ............................................................................... 55 PART 3 ACTIVITIES ........................................................................................................... 57 3.1 Activities in the home country ............................................................................. 58 3.1.1 community (re)building ..................................................................................................... 59 3.1.2 social inclusion and education ............................................................................................. 59 3.1.3 knowledge transfer ........................................................................................................... 60 3.2 Activities in the Netherlands ................................................................................. 61 3.3 Other actors ....................................................................................................... 62 1 PART 4 DIASPORA EFFECTS ON PEACEBUILDING ........................................................................... 63 PART 5 CONCLUDING REMARKS ............................................................................................. 65 4B ETHIOPIA .................................................................................................................. 68 PART 1 MAIN CAUSES OF CONFLICT AND DIASPORA IDENTIFICATION WITH THE HOME COUNTRY ..................... 68 1.1 Causes of conflict ................................................................................................ 68 1.2 Local and regional factors for conflict ..................................................................... 69 1.3 Diaspora identification ......................................................................................... 70 PART 2 MOTIVATIONS, CAPABILITIES AND POSSIBILITIES FOR DIASPORA ENGAGEMENT .............................. 71 2.1 Motivations for diaspora engagement .................................................................... 71 2.2 Diaspora capabilities ........................................................................................... 72 2.3 Opportunities and restrictions ............................................................................... 74 PART 3 ACTIVITIES .......................................................................................................... 75 3.1 Activities in the home country ............................................................................. 75 3.1.1 stimulating social inclusion ................................................................................................. 76 3.1.2 educational projects .......................................................................................................... 77 3.1.3 (International) awareness raising projects ........................................................................... 78 3.2 Activities in the Netherlands or aimed at the Netherlands ......................................... 79 3.3 Other actors ....................................................................................................... 80 PART 4 DIASPORA EFFECTS ON PEACEBUILDING ........................................................................... 81 PART 5 CONCLUDING REMARKS ............................................................................................. 83 4C ERITREA .................................................................................................................... 86 PART 1 MAIN CAUSES OF CONFLICT AND DIASPORA IDENTIFICATION WITH THE HOME COUNTRY ..................... 86 1.1 Causes of conflict ................................................................................................ 86 1.2 Diaspora identification ......................................................................................... 87 PART 2 MOTIVATIONS, CAPABILITIES AND POSSIBILITIES FOR DIASPORA ENGAGEMENT .............................. 88 2.1 Motivations for diaspora engagement .................................................................... 88 2.2 Opportunities and restrictions in the Netherlands .................................................... 88 2.2.1 opportunities .................................................................................................................... 89 2.2.2 restrictions ....................................................................................................................... 89 2.2.3 diaspora specific input ......................................................................................................