The Issue of Civil Wars and the Role of Social Worker - Essay Example

Civil War Abstract Many scholars have observed that civil war usually present complex situations with which to deal. At the onset of a civil war, the immediate aftermath is usually death and other forms of atrocities. Many civil wars have been caused by the desire to wield power. Civil war exposes people to untold sufferings. Women and children are usually the hardest hit since they are highly vulnerable. Using secondary sources analysis and first hand observation, results indicate that civil wars cause emotional suffering, psychological suffering, and mental suffering. There are also cases of physical suffering where people are maimed forever. The roles of social workers, therefore, become pertinent. Such roles should also include counseling since many victims of civil wars usually end up with psychological torment. Introduction: Critical Self- Reflection Back in the last decade of the 20th century, Somali was engrossed in a civil war. The mood on the ground was that the government of Siad Barre becoming too harsh to the people. Whether such claims were true or not, what followed was one of the longest and perhaps bloodiest civil war ever witnessed on the African continent. Probably the only country that had also been through such a long period of war is now the newly independent Southern Sudan. Thanks to Kenya and AMISOM (African Mission in Somali) troops, the Somali people recently voted in a new parliament that successfully voted in a new president. Things appear to be poised for changes but that is for history to judge. It is vital to analyze the context of the civil war in Somali prior to the recent developments. Such an analysis will take into consideration the humanitarian crisis and sporadic attacks that both the citizens and UN social workers have suffered (Munene, 2012). Even so, this is not to imply that the process towards a stable Somalia had been a smooth transition. The Somali civil war case has been one that has had far-reaching effects immediate after the overthrowing of Barre’s government in 1991. Being a country that is made up of clans, what erupted in the initial period was a contest for dominance by all the major clans. It was almost practically impossible trying to persuade any clan lord to visualize a united Somali with him on the periphery. I use "him" because under sharia law, some positions of leadership are gender governed and Somali being a predominantly Muslim nation, the rule applies (Munene, 2012). The last attempt by western forces to intervene in the ensuing conflict was by US marine forces in 1991. They too have a story to tell with the crash of Eagle-One helicopter. Probably that as served to act as a warning to the whole world that the Somali case had escalated to a civil war defined by regionalisms but which posed forces with which to reckon. It has also probably sent shock waves that with that kind of lawlessness, the position of humanitarian crisis and social worker was not guaranteed inside the rebel-controlled territories. The term “rebel” is acceptable because former government soldiers had all retreated to their clan defense lines. The concept of nationalism had perished, although the seven stars in the national flag remained as a reminder that probably one day the seven clans would unite and build Somali afresh (Munene, 2012). My personal relationship with the matter is that Somali is my country and I was there when the civil war began. I lost my mother in the war as a young boy during the initial escalations of the conflict. During the onset of the war, I was staying with my new family after my mother had divorced and got married to a lawyer. Being powerful in the old government, he had guaranteed us security. Besides, my mother’s religious belief was another hope with which we lived during the onset of the war. As fate would have it, my mum was to meet her death later on when one of the fighters from the opposing clans bombed the house where she was. Since then Somali had witnessed a bloody battle that oscillated from mainland attack on social workers, cross-border attacks on refugee camps in Kenya, and piracy on the high seas. Unlike in many counties, the civil war in Somalia has caused suffering both to social workers who were periodically abducted and from time to time. It was a situation of power relations in the hands of rebels, later called Al-Shabaab. In the later period, the Al-Shabaab militia forged links with the Al-Qaeda terrorist group that officially recognized the outlaw group (Munene, 2012). Research The purpose of this research is to show that there has been increasing humanitarian crisis in Africa’s conflict zones. What has emerged has been untold emotional, psychological and mental sufferings by the masses in conflict zones. This research paper therefore proposes that social workers should be empowered through trainings to do counseling to victims in conflict zones. To understand the necessity in doing this, this paper shall analyze selected cases in conflict zones and the horrors of war with which locals have had to deal. The selected cases will be based from Africa and Somalia in particular as the major country for analysis. To give it a global perspective, the current occurrence in the Middle East may be mentioned as just examples of the need for a hastened response. Thesis statement that shall guide this research shall be: Conflict zones in any part of the world potentially present complex humanitarian crisis that warrants counseling. One may observe that even as the war is still going on, mere moving of refugees to a safe location does not end their sufferings. Many are tortured mentally, emotionally, and psychologically given what they have witnessed or gone through because of the conflict. Probably many have lost either someone close to them or even a relative. In other scenarios, some have been forced to witness horrible scenes happens The objective of this research is to show that there is human suffering occasioned by civil wars in a manner that requires social workers to serve as double agents. This is to imply that they must move beyond supply of food and medication to provide other services aimed at helping refugees or internally displaced persons adjust to normal health even as they await the conflict to recede. This research shall therefore seek to answer the following research questions: 1. What kind of human sufferings do people in civil war zones go through? 2. Are persons in countries in civil war exposed to emotional suffering? 3. Are persons in countries in civil war exposed to psychological torture? 4. What sorts of humanitarian responses are necessary in a country experiencing civil war conflicts? 5. What exact humanitarian responses have been offered, what is missing and how can it be resolved? 6. What assistance measures are necessary in post-conflict zones are what challenges are there? Many scholars have noted that many civil wars in Arica have been fought in Sub-Saharan Africa. Scholars such as Barbara Heron (2005) observe that post independent Africa was a period characterized by many civil wars and military coups. She observes that the pace of change has been particularly rapid from the period preceding 1990s. Although this may not be the case in all areas, she succeeds to underscore the fact that there have been major civil strife prior to the last decade of the 20th century. Such previous conflicts had served to impoverish the continent (Heron, 2005). She observes that many people in many sub-Saharan Africa have remained poor because of the civil wars the continent has gone through. Barbara Heron’s research shows that due to poverty in the region as a result of civil conflicts, many economies have nose-dived between the years 1980-2002. Social workers have since then been targets for robbery in the ensuing rise in crime occasioned by poverty levels (Heron, 2005). Jennifer Bourassa (2009) analyzes what she calls psychosocial intervention when responding to a large number of people that have been displaced. Although her work does not focus on civil war, it offers insight of potential measures that may be necessary for social workers. She observes that when a large number of people have been displaced, the prevalence of health hazards is likely to be on the rise. This is because there is usually overcrowding brought about by limited resources to cater for the huge numbers (Bourassa, 2009). She therefore asserts that social workers have a duty to perform psychosocial role. Her analysis also proposes that there should be need for social workers to be trained on how to use psychosocial models. Such models, she says, will be useful in helping social workers make decisions on which approach to undertake. She mentions clinical models and community development models in a bid to move away from trauma focused and trauma related frameworks. Her work shows that there is need to give hope to victims of civil war. She also highlights that the major aim of all social work is to make sure that doctrines of equity prevail and that there is social inclusion of everyone. Bourassa also notes that relief and developmental aid agencies should consider the psychological and social implications in people displaced from their usual dwellings (Bourassa, 2009; Pupavac, 2004)). Perhaps social work with victims of genocide offers a more close relationship with Somalia than other researches (Kreitzer and Jou, 2010). Linda M. Kreitzer and Mary Kay Jou conducted a research on the role of social workers in reconciliation process after violence. Rwanda and Burundi were in one of the bloodiest conflict in which the Tutsi and the Hutu differed on principles of governance. Kreitzer and Jou observe that social workers may be incorporated in reconciliation efforts. They observe that reconciliation needs to include a psychological consideration between the parties concerned (Kreitzer and Jou, 2010). Kreitzer and Jou’s research offers guidelines about how to go about how to go about reconciliation. They highlight that areas that need change have to do with goals that the society had set, understanding of the adversary group and the in-group. They also add that there is need to work toward changing intergroup relations and lastly foster the concept of peace. They postulate that such sequential reconciliation stages will move the society from what they term as a conflictive ethos to a peace ethos. Kreitzer and Jou maintain that the process should also be guided by cultural considerations, but only to the extent that they facilitate the process of healing and reconciliation. The most important thing that Kreitzer and Jou have shown is that social workers can be incorporated in healing and reconciliation (Kreitzer and Jou, 2010). Another research by Lena Dominelli (2005) in the publication Community development across borders, observes worrying trends in post conflict zones. Dominelli observes that while civil wars have occasioned the need for assistance, people who see NGOs as a means to enriching themselves have mismanaged them financially. Social workers, therefore, have found it increasingly difficult to respond to humanitarian crisis (Dominelli, 2005). Dominelli also observes power relations have thwarted effort of social work especially where there are no sound policies. He uses the sustain status quo model to argue that many people in positions of power may actually be radicals in voicing out concerns but fail terribly to initiate any change. His models show how various factors may works against responses in a post-conflict reconstruction (Dominelli, 2005). On the need to understand that refugees from countries experiencing civil wars suffer from trauma, Hilary Weaver and Barbara Burns (2001) offer a moving analysis. Weaver and Burns reveal that countries in civil wars have had cases of extreme human rights violation. Perpetrators of crime have intentionally acted to torture victims physically and psychologically. Reports by Amnesty International indicate that in certain instances, perpetrators had tortured victims psychologically by having them raped by animals. Other elements of torture included being forced to witness horrendous scenes that are unimaginable (Weaver and Burns, 2001). In the face of the above human suffering, Janet Whelan et al (2002) analyzes how social workers can be instrumental in counseling displaces persons. Whelan et al assert that degree of flexibility that allows counseling should be part of social workers mandate so that they can offer a holistic approach to human suffering occasioned by civil war. The note that although social workers may face challenges such as language barriers, counseling offers much more in terms of solution for post-conflict period or during actual conflict. According to them, there is a need to provide temporary havens for such displaces persons (Whelan et al., 2002). Given the nature of the topic under research, this paper shall rely on secondary source to gather information necessary to assess the scenario. It is from a critical analysis that this research will seek to answer the research objectives and research questions. The paper will also employ comparative analysis in order to analyze civil wars and the need of social workers to conduct counseling sessions. Practical Application Based on previous researches and other analysis, it has emerges that people in war-torn countries undergo a lot of suffering. The most notable group that feels the brunt of such wars is women and children. Since the civil war broke out in Somalia in 1990 after the collapse of Siad Barre’s government, the country has been in total chaos until recently. Clan lords had granted themselves powers with each region having its own regulations. When things worsened, a new group calling itself Al-Shabaab had emerged. Al-Shabaab was an extremist group, which perpetrated various acts of human rights violation (Gardner and El-Bushra, 2004). The group imposed taxation and ran terror on the Somalia people. The world has also had a taste of the group’s lawlessness especially concerning piracy attacks off the coast of Somalia. Since the war broke out, Kenya and Ethiopia have had to deal with the ever-increasing refugee influx in their territories. In fact, Kenya’s Daadab refugee camp is the world’s biggest refugee camp. Like in countries such as Rwanda, Burundi and the newly independent republic of South Sudan, Somalia refugees had gone through many sufferings. Victims had been exposed to horrendous scenes while some had lost their close family relations (Munene, 2012). This has undoubtedly caused emotional suffering from the refugees. In some cases, the Al-Shabaab militia had blocked locals from fleeing Somalia. Those who remained have been exposed to many emotional sufferings since they witness death and other torture from the war front directly. Such occurrences usually have extreme negative effect on a person for a long time. There is a need for counseling for such people, but the challenge is that Somalia rebels had refused to recognize social workers. In fact, there are instances when Somalia rebels had crossed border to abduct social workers from the Kenyan side of the Daadab refugee camp. Such abductions were what drew Kenya into war against the Al-Shabaab militia (Munene, 2012). Like the Rwanda-Burundi case back in 1994, the Somalia civil war has come with untold psychological sufferings. One may observe that in the ensuing conflict between Hutu and Tutsi in 1994, an estimated number of nearly one million people. This had brought untold psychological suffering to many people who witnessed death of close friends family and relatives. Similarly, the war in Somalia had caused unimaginable sufferings especially from women who watched as their children died on their arms. Some had to trek long distances with neither water nor food to seek refugee camps (Gardner and El-Bushra, 2004). At the refugee camps, people had to do with the little that was available, but which was never enough in many cases. All such sufferings have brought psychological torture. People lived day after day with no prospects of peace and reconciliation until recently. A similar scenario was also happening in the neighboring country of Southern Sudan. Before the current independent republic of Southern Sudan voted in a referendum to break from the Arab dominated north, it had also undergone a lot of human rights violation like Somalia. In their case, the Khartoum government is said to have sponsored the Janjaweed militias to wreak havoc on them. Somalia and any other country experiencing the brunt of civil war, either actively or in a post-war period, requires a balanced humanitarian response. The response should be balanced in the sense that it should recognize the practical scenarios in such conflict zones. While relief agencies plan to respond with food, medication, and shelter, they should also consider a provision for counseling. The facts that results have shown that a victim of civil wars is likely to have psychological breakdowns; there is a need to forge an appropriate response. Even in the event that an appropriate response is forged, there is a need to make provision to make sure that donor relief gets to the people it targets. As Dominelli observed, relief agency food should entrusted with reliable organizations such as the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Findings from secondary sources have also shown that although the war in Somalia has now receded, many refugees would rather remain at the refugee camps. Research shows that although many people are happy with the normalcy that is slowly returning, they are equally concerned with how they will start their lives afresh. They have little or no livelihoods to starts them off as they begin rebuilding their broken lives. The Somalia case is just an example of what civil war can do to a country. From the observations and findings of other scholars, one may observe that civil wars are potentially destructive. Apart from destruction of the physical infrastructure in a country, civil wars also destroy the basic unit of a nation, which is family. Families experience irrecoverable loss and emotional instability. For young children who happen to witness the horrendous scenes, such children may forever remain maladjusted. The common denominator in all areas that experience civil wars is that there is extreme emotional, psychological, and mental suffering. As social workers prepare to respond to such humanitarian crisis, there is need to prepare for psychological counseling. This therefore implies that social workers should be takes through counseling training so that they can deal with the issues on the ground as practically as possible. Examples from Somalia, Rwanda-Burundi, and Southern Sudan support the claim for such a need. The current crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Syria are also examples of scenarios that necessitate counseling given the human sufferings. To conclude the issue of civil wars and the role of social worker, this research observes the following. First, the research confirms the thesis statement that conflict zones in any part of the world potentially present complex humanitarian crisis that warrants counseling. Secondly, this research observes, from the roles of social workers, that there is a need to train all social workers in counseling as well a peace and reconciliation. That way, they will complement the efforts of other humanitarian bodies in pursuit for peace and a lasting solution (Dagne, 2011). References Bourassa, J. (2009). Psychosocial interventions and mass populations: A social work perspective. International Social Work 52(6): 743–755. Dagne, T. (2011).Somalia: Current Conditions and Prospects for a Lasting Peace. Washington D.C: Congressional Research Service. Dominelli, L. (2005). Community development across borders: Avoiding dangerous practices in a globalizing world. International Social Work 48(6): 702–713. Gardner, J., and El-Bushra, J. (2004). Somalia - The Untold Story: The War Through the Eyes of Somali Women. London: Pluto Press. Heron, B. (2005). Changes and challenges Preparing social work students for practicums in today’s sub-Saharan African context. International Social Work 48(6): 782–793. Kreitzer, L.M., and Jou, M.K. (2010). Social work with victims of genocide: The Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) in Rwanda. International Social Work 53(1) 73–86. Munene, A. (2012). Human Rights in Protracted Somali Refugees of Dadaab Camp Kenya: Impact of Protracted Refugees. Saarbrücken: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing. Pupavac, V. (2004) ‘Psychosocial Interventions and the Demoralization of Humanitarianism’, Journal of Biosocial Science 36(4): 491–504. Weaver, H., and Burns, B. (2001). ‘I Shout with Fear at Night’: Understanding the Traumatic Experiences of Refugees and Asylum Seekers. Journal of Social Work 1(2): 147–164. Whelan, J., Swallow, M., Peschar, Pru., and Dunne, A. (2002): From counseling to community work: Developing a framework for social work practice with displaced persons. Australian Social Work, 55:1, 13-23. Read More