By joshua 
A Community based early warning signs that is inclusive that would create the needed peaceful coexistence in mining communities have been advocated as panacea geared towards reducing mining induced conflicts.
Dr. Chris Kwaja, Executive Director, Centre for Peace and Security Studies, Modibbo Adama University Yola, Adamawa State, made the revelation at the day 3 of the ongoing training for critical stakeholders of Mining Host communities with the theme: “Rights, Responsibilities and Remedies”, organized by Global Rights on Fiscal Governance for Solid Minerals in Nigeria for members of the Federation, holding at K Class Hotel.
In a presentation on Community vigilance in the face of conflict: Utilizing early warning signals to Forestall mining related violence, Dr. Chris identified exploitation of minerals by the State without commensurate gains for the mining communities, the activities of criminal elements and other networks involved in mining that usually pitch them against Communities as well as violent confrontations between Community’s over access and control of mining activities as majorly the causes of violent confrontation in mining communities.
The session by Dr. Chris’s presentation which aimed at equipping participants with the skills needed to identify early signs of mining related intra or inter communal conflicts, was also to help the communities with the requisite skills for developing conflict early warning and early response systems for communities.
The environmental expert listed noise pollution, carbon emissions, erosion of soil and mine waste, effect of mine deworming, loss of wildlife, conflict, Violence as some major harmful impact on mining host communities in the country, advocated a community based early warning signs that should be independent impartial, objective, avoid conflict of interest, system must be legitimate with multi stakeholders focus with proper mapping and analysis as principles that should guide CBEWS and to protect members from mass atrocities.
Dr. Chris listed stages of having an acceptable CBEWS to include having a risk knowledge that involves the systematic collection of data, information in terms of actors, causes, trend’s and patterns, targets amongst others, stressed the CBEWS must be community focused, centered and driven by multi stakeholders has been advocated.
Still on the stages of having an acceptable CBEWS, Dr. Chris called for proper monitoring and prediction, preparation, dissemination and communication with a timely manner, response capability and conduct recovery and after action review, in order to determine what was done, how it was done, what went wrong and what went well.
Dr. Chris identified the key lessons in implementing CBEWS to include the use of technology as an enabler, stressed the traditional and new media as very important.
Similarly, CBEWS he explained helps in coordinating synergy between communities and government institutions, described accurate reliable and timely information as a sure way to effective Community response.
Furthermore, the key lessons in implementing CBEWS Dr. Chris observed creates a corresponding linkage between early warning and early response, allows for a good knowledge of the local context and conflict sensitivity, urged for the need for flexibility of the early warning system in ways that makes it easier for the community to adapt to changes.
In his conclusion, Dr. Chris mentioned some strategies for an effective CBEWS to include; increased education and knowledge, helps in harnessing local knowledge, urged that it should be part of community level peace infrastructure, said it is important to integrate both traditional and technology based mechanism, while equally bridging gap between decision makers as against the top bottom approach to decision making.