Mozambique: Plurality of religion, plurality of justice?

Since the dawn of mankind religion and religious ceremonies have been important for people to explain the unexplainable and come to terms with the hostile world surrounding them. In today’s society religion still plays an important role in most people’s lives. Although a decline of religiousness was expected until a few years ago, societies throughout the world show a remarkable revival of religion. Not only in spiritual sense but also in a more worldly sense. One of these spheres in which religion seems to be gaining momentum is the sphere of law, government and conflict resolution. Examples can be found throughout the world; the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa under incentives of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Shari’a courts that gain legal recognition in a number of countries, religiously oriented political parties that come into power in secularized states.
In this research I investigate the role of religion in disputing processes in Gorongosa district, Central Mozambique; a rural district that is known throughout the country as an area where traditional religion remains especially strong. Its first permanent (Catholic) mission post was founded in 1947. This meant the start of Christianization in the area. Today, over 60 different church denominations are officially registered in the district. Despite sprouting Christianity, traditional religion is far from fading and the number of traditional healers is even on the rise. Part of the research’s focus is on the changes in the organization of daily life since part of the population started to convert to Christianity and had to find a new equilibrium, adhering to Christianity, but often maintaining parts of tradition as well. Normative orientations on how to organize live are today found in both traditional religion and Christianity and can help people to prevent conflicts from occurring.

In a society where religion plays an important role, religious leaders obviously have an important role as well. This project compares the modes of dispute management applied by church leaders on the one hand and traditional spirit mediums on the other hand. It is suggested that both usually aim at reconciling the disputing parties. Yet, the paths towards reconciliation are different. Fight against witchcraft is a common denominator. Mediation however is often restricted to the ‘own’ group of adherents. Within this group, legitimacy of religious leaders is high.
Another part of the research looks into more detail at the ways in which government authorities, like the police and the district court officials, are engaged in dispute management. Special attention has been paid to the way in which religious arguments enter in these secular ‘rooms’ of disputing at various stages of the process [think of: I had to go hunting in the National Park, because the hunting spirit of our family told me]. Government officials however, are generally reluctant to take up such spiritual arguments despite the fact that they often share similar beliefs. Local community courts and traditional authorities are less reluctant to consider religiously-oriented arguments. Positioned outside the formal statutory framework of justice, they are even able to raise such arguments themselves.
Despite Mozambique’s laic status, government officials sometimes use religious leaders to mobilise people or to get a message across, as religious leaders are able to reach a large audience. State’s legitimacy seems to be lower than the legitimacy of religious leaders, but the state can rely on its legal monopoly over violence to impose its power. Religious leaders can only count on punishment from above; either via God or via the spirits.

Overall, the research suggests that religion, i.e. religious norms, ideas, arguments, and leaders, play an important role in processes of disputing and contribute to the plurality of justice, a plurality that is even recognized in the Mozambican constitution. The normative order of religion is able to complement, juxtapose, or even replace other normative systems under certain circumstances.