Merging Ethiopian Wise-Counsel Mediation and Facilitative ...

Stage 7: Limited DestructionAs it is unlikely that either party would fulfil the demands, the threats have to be carried out and the parties start to inflict limiteddestructive blows on each other. They are "limited" because they are not meant to completely destroy the other system physically,economically or socially. They are rather supposed to be painful warnings to make the other one give up. Sometimes, parties actdesperate about this: "We really hate to do this! We just don’t have another option unless you give in!" Both parties suffer from seriouslosses and damages now (lose-lose), but in their lopsided way of thinking they feel like winners only if the others have bigger losses.The other side is dehumanised in the public debate: they are labelled as the enemy, rats, parasites and so on. The reprisals are seen asappropriate in the cultural context. Some examples might be: an eye for an eye; one man=30 cows; one man=one family; one killing=onehelicopter attack,…etc.Sample case: The bridges are blocked. Trade has come to a complete halt. Power is cut off. GC has to spend a great deal of their savings forgenerator fuel. People from another community living on the other side flee, are beaten up, expelled or arrested as alleged collaborators.Their money is confiscated, their houses are burned.XXX??X84 Mediation Trainer’s Manual