Water users’ associations: an effective approach for conflicts resolution among water users in Punjab, Pakistan

This study aimed at assessing the role of water users’ associations (WUAs) in conflicts resolution among water users. A sample of 100 executive members of WUAs was selected purposefully from twenty randomly selected registered and improved watercourses. The data was collected through a detailed, validated and pre-tested interview schedule and analysed through SPSS. Findings showed that social conflicts (x̄=2.00), repair and maintenances of watercourse (x̄=1.91) and disputes on watercourse design, route and section to be lined (x̄=1.81) were the top most causes of conflicts among the water users. Uprooting of trees (86.0%), payment of farmers’ share (79.0%), quality of materials used (73.0%), section of watercourses to be lined (71.0%), working of farmers’ labor (70.0%) and provision of labour (69.0%) were the important reasons for differences among water users. Satisfaction level of water users regarding contribution of WUAs in conflict resolution (x̄=3.98) was lying between medium to high tending towards high while, effectiveness of WUAs in conflict resolution (x̄=4.17) was lying between high and very high tending towards very high. There exist a stronger association between the role of WUAs as dependent and strategy to resolve the conflicts as independent variables while, the role of WUAs was strongly dependent on their response to the complaints and it was also dependent on determining the causes of these conflicts. Thus, WUAs must be promoted at every level for enhancing their role for conflicts resolution through regular trainings to improve their conflicts resolution abilities on modern lines and must be made more powerful in terms of authority to decide common conflicts at the spot.

Identifying root causes of conflicts at farm level and conflicts resolution strategies in Punjab, Pakistan

The present study was conducted in three districts of the Punjab province. Muzaffargarh district from southern Punjab, Gujranwala district from center, and Attock district from North were selected randomly from three different zones (South, North, and Central Punjab) of Punjab, Pakistan. In each district, 200 farm families (100 male and 100 female) were selected purposively (involved in the conflict) for data collection rationally with help of key informants hence the total sample size was 600 in three selected districts. A well-planned and well-structured interview schedule was prepared for the collection of data. Two focus group discussions were planned for an in-depth discussion in each district. Each focus group consisted of 8 to10 members. Results indicate that passageway among agricultural land (x̄= 3.73), water distribution at farm level (x̄= 3.64), crop destroyed by the animals (x̄= 3.47), and burning of crops (x̄= 3.34) were the major causes of conflicts at the farm level as perceived by the respondents. Wastage of money and time (x̄= 3.74), affects daily routine life (x̄= 3.72), affects child education (x̄= 3.63), affects the marriage of the family members (x̄= 3.52) and less farm production (x̄= 3.32) and family break up (x̄= 3.27) were the consequences of farm-level conflicts. Participation of elder family member (x̄=3.69/5.00), negotiation among the conflicted parties (x̄=3.49/5.00), use of local politicians (x̄=3.41/5.00), social relationship (x̄=3.35/5.00), involvement of informal judiciary (panchayat) (x̄=3.20/5.00) were the modalities used by the local communities for conflicts resolution as perceived by the respondents. It was recommended that local panchayat and local administrative bodies should be promoted in the conflict management process.

SOCIAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION THROUGH EMPOWERMENT OF LOCAL WISDOMS

Ethnic, religious, race, and cultural diversity, as well as a large number of populations, are a treasure and strength for the Indonesian people, but on the other hand, it can be potential social conflicts that jeopardize the national integrity. Local wisdom which lived generations by generations and owned by the various local community is a social asset that can be empowered in social conflict resolution. Local wisdom plays an important role, not only preventing social conflict but also providing breakthroughs to resolve conflicts that occurred. Law Number 7 of 2012 concerning Social Conflicts Resolution which reflects the principles of local wisdom, it should be more empower those principles into reality. This empowerment can be done by actualizing the values and institutionalize of local wisdom in social conflict resolution that is implemented at the stages of conflict prevention, termination of the conflict, and restoration of post-conflict.

Prevention and resolution of constitutional conflicts: concept and methods

The subject. The article is devoted to different methods of constitutional conflicts resolution, classification of constitutional conflicts, genesis of constitutional conflict diagnostics theory as a system of different measures for constitutional conflicts prevention.The purpose of the article is to confirm or disprove hypothesis that methods of constitutional conflicts resolution and prevention may be classified by different bases.The methodology of the study includes general scientific methods (analysis, synthesis, description) as well as sociological and economic approaches. The main results and scope of their application. The author describes different groups of conflict resolution methods, it’s types and system. The optimal way to resolve the constitutional conflict is systematic application of the following principles: 1) the legality of measures; 2) priority of human and civil rights and freedoms; 3) ultimo ratio (last resort); 4) proportionality of measures; 5) the effectiveness of measures, aimed at resolving the constitutional conflict. Conclusions. Constitutional conflicts are resolved by special legal methods. Depending on the enforceability of such methods for the conflicting parties, such methods can be classified into: - enforcement methods, that are based on the constitutional power of legal enforcement to be applied to one side of the conflict by the other party or by the actor of the constitutional-legal conflict (measures of constitutional enforcement, the mechanism of checks and balances); - cooperative methods, which are understood as mechanisms for resolving constitutional conflicts, enshrined in the norms of constitutional law and based on cooperation, mutual assistance of the parties to the conflict on a parity basis (various forms of coordination, such as negotiations, mediation, conciliation). Methods and mechanisms of conflicts prevention are not the part of methods of resolving constitutional conflicts, since the first methods are applied before the appearance of constitutional and legal conflicts. A constitutional conflict diagnostics as a method of constitutional conflict prevention is based on risk management system and represents a system of legal and organizational measures, aimed at identifying risks of constitutional conflicts and legal monitoring.