“We need to strategize very well for this whole process to be seamless”…DIRAM
TJT: The NHRC and its partners are eager to see the successful implementation of the Project on Transitional Justice in the North East. What is your take on this? Can you see the project coming to fruition?
Barr. Diram:Well, It is a laudable Project and very timely too, but I must tell you it’s not as easy as we may think. There is this perception in the Communities that the insurgents are empowered when they surrender and this will make reconciliation difficult.
The way out of this predicament is to consider the victims first for any form of empowerment because they have been subjected to abject poverty by Boko Haram. They have turned IDPs in their own country and some of them are still on the run now because they feel threatened by those who want to forcefully initiate them into the crime. What they feel and see happen is that those traitors will be the ones to be empowered while they are left to continue to suffer the pain and penury that have been inflicted on them by the same people you want to empower. It can’t work because the victims are already staring at injustice on the face. Just think about it. No matter how holy anyone is, he will not be happy to see the person that has inflicted a lifetime pain on him being given any priority treatment over and above him.
If there is a mechanism to address the sufferings of the victims which will also include making them have a sense of belonging in any empowerment exercise or grant, then we can begin to say that the government may win their hearts and minds and they will begin to think of reconciliation, but if you think you can just come and begin to talk to them without any thing on the table you may not be too lucky to win their cooperation because the truth has to be said. These people are not happy and talking to them with ordinary verbal reassurance will only compound their anger. I am afraid we need to strategize very well for this whole thing to be seamless.
TJT: OK, from your analysis, how do you think we can achieve success? And where specifically would you advise us to focus on?
Barr. Diram:Well, to answer your two in one question, I have this to say; to achieve success, you must consider the victims first. This is very paramount like I said earlier and then you can involve the traditional and religious leaders. They will make the work a lot easier because they know everyone in their communities and they also know how to talk to them in order for them to agree with any form of reconciliation.
Secondly, having considered the victims, we must also talk to them to know what their worries are; they will tell us what they want and how they want the whole process to be. I am not saying they should dictate to us but let’s feel their pulse and know how we can effectively carry them along.
But there is a problem, the perpetrators, how do you get them? No one will agree to present himself before you and tell you he committed some heinous atrocities against you, but they are a major stakeholders in the whole project otherwise who do you want to reconcile? Although some of them have surrendered but getting their leaders to come out and accept their mistakes and surrender is not an easy task. In this case, collaboration is key when we work with organizations that are able to convince them to sincerely lay their arms and embrace peace, we may find the work a bit easy but when the who is who is still in hiding and carrying out atrocious acts, then there is a problem.
TJT: Talking about Collaboration, How will your Ministry help us to implement this project?
Barr. Diram Simple, the Ministry of RRR is already partly doing what the project is set out to achieve. The project will even assist us to deliver on our mandate better when we work together, we are everywhere in the community and we are used to the terrain. If you make us as an entry point as your partner, we will assist you in the delivery of your project’s mandate since rehabilitation and reconciliation is part of what we do. Your project will fall into our component of advocacy, sensitization and empowerment. Without government, you cannot effectively implement the project and in reaching out to the government, our doors are very open to collaborate with you.
TJT: What Is Your Message For The People?
My message for them is to embrace peace, no society can thrive in an atmosphere of war at the same time. Let us also know that it can kill to nurse grudges because what has happened has happened. We could have prevented it if we had the opportunity to do so because no sane person will advocate for the killing and destruction of his people. But since this is the situation we find ourselves, the only valuable thing we can do now is to think of how we can forge ahead. Forgiveness may be difficult in this instance but that is what is going to heal the wounds and mend the broken hearts. It is what is going to wipe away the tears of pain, sorrow and grief that is what will give us hope to build a better tomorrow as we play a pivotal role in nation building.
To those who are repentant, it is not enough to repent and seek for forgiveness, you need to be committed to your repentance by not going back to the wrong of the past, that is the only when you will have inner peace but if in your mind you still have the plan to repent and go back to your bad ways when you feel like, then there is going to be a huge problem and the wound you have inflicted on innocent people will never be completely healed.
The government is trying but it cannot do it alone, just the way the non-governmental organisations cannot also do it alone so all hands must be on deck for everyone to play the critical role of rebuilding the North East and creating a peaceful environment.
