Andries Odendaal

Andries Odendaal is an independent conflict transformation specialist. For his project at USIP, Odendaal proposes to look at the role of a category of local peace-building mechanisms known as Local Peacebuilding Forums [LPFs]. LPFs, which are gaining ground as primary local peacebuilding mechanisms, usually consist of representatives of local political stakeholders, government officials and civil society. Their mandate is to secure peace locally and prevent further violence, and they have substantial potential to impact post-conflict stability by enhancing mutual tolerance and resolving disputes. The project is the first major study of LPFs, and it aims to develop their methodology. He proposes to produce a comprehensive field manual for use by those institutions that are involved in the support of national peace processes.

Odendaal brings to the project experience gained from his work as a regional coordinator of the Western Cape Peace Committee during South Africa’s transition to democracy, where he interacted intensively with Local Peace Committees. Subsequently, he joined the Centre for Conflict Resolution at the University of Cape Town, where he coordinated the Centre’s projects in other African countries. Since 2005 he has worked independently, providing training in mediation and other conflict transformation skills to audiences in Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Uganda, Macedonia and Nepal. Prior to working on the Western Cape Peace Committee, Odendaal worked as an educator at both secondary and tertiary levels.

Odendaal received both his DTh from the University of the Free State, and his BA and BTh from the University of Stellenbosch.

Publications:

• “’You have opened the wound, but not healed it….’ The Local Peace Committees of the Western Cape, South Africa.” Peace and Conflict: The Journal of Peace Psychology. Vol. 3 (No. 2), 1997. (With Chris Spies)
• “Building Community Peace in South Africa,” in R. Herr and J. Zimmerman Herr, Eds. Overcoming Violence. Local and Global Strategies for Peacemaking. Scottsdale, PA: Herald Press, 1998. (with Chris Spies)
• The Political Management of Ethnic Conflict in Africa. A Human-Needs Based Approach. Track Two Occasional Paper, Vol. 11 (No. 4), 2002. (with Sam G. Amoo)
• “The Political Management of Ethnic Diversity with Specific Reference to the South African Constitution of 1996,” in Cedric H. Grant and R. Mark Kirton, Eds. Governance, Conflict Analysis and Conflict Resolution. Kingston, Jamaica: Ian Randle Press, 2007.