College of Law Borana Cross-Boundary Initiative for Peace Project Conducts Training on Customary and State Laws and Organizes Youth Camp in the Borana Zone
The College of Law has recently conducted a training program for customary court judges in the Borana Zone.
This initiative is part of the USAID-funded Borana Cross-Boundary Initiative for Peace Project, a multi-year activity aimed at improving conflict resilience through inter-community reconciliation and collaboration for conflict mitigation and peace-building across the Borana Zone and its immediate neighbors.
The training, led by College of Law staff, Mr. Gadissa Tesfaye and Mr. Bacha Daba, in collaboration with Borana Zone justice sector officials, was the second in a series designed to strengthen and support the recently inaugurated customary courts operating throughout the Oromia Region. The training covered customary court legislation, conflict mitigation, reconciliation, and prevention techniques, as well as state laws.
In addition to the training, the project team organized a youth camp in Yabello Town, Borana Zone. The camp, led by project Field Manager, Wario Dima, brought together youth from disparate ethnic groups. The camp modeled after the “Seeds of Peace” program, allowed youth from different ethnic groups to spend time together in a neutral location, learning from each other and building long-lasting friendships.
The youth, from Borana, Gabra, Guji, Garri, Konso, Arbore, and Wayyu, traveled together to Arba Minch where they engaged in various activities such as games, singing, poetry, and learning each other’s customs in a supportive environment. Before the camp, the youth were given an intensive lesson on inter-group interaction and the need for a positive and supportive environment by a trained camp counselor. Elders from the selected groups also accompanied the youth to provide additional support.
This camp is part of a series of such iterative youth camps given by the College of Law USAID-funded Borana Cross-Boundary Initiative for Peace Project, which aims to build long-term and lasting peace by establishing and building deep connections between youth groups. The camp participants expressed a renewed appreciation and respect for their ethnic counterparts and promised to continue promoting peace and understanding in their respective communities.
Haramaya University Public & International Relations Directorate