CHAPTER THREE: DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL GOVERNANCE _____________________________________________________________________ (1993), Zaire (1995), the Central African Republic (1997, 1999), the DRC (2000) and Sudan (2007), and sent civilian police agents to the Comoros, Haiti, the DRC, the Central African Republic and Sudan. Burkina Faso also contributed to the peaceful settlement of certain domestic or international crises: the Touareg conflict in Niger (1994, 1995), the crisis in Togo (1993), the EthiopiaEritrea conflict (1998), the Liberian conflict, the conflict in Chad (2003), the inter-Togolese dialogue (2006) and the direct inter-Ivorian dialogue (2007). 157. Regarding conflict management and prevention mechanisms, the mission was able to identify several types of mechanisms: 158. Traditional mechanisms. The CRM noted the existence of such mechanisms in rural areas. Among these contributing factors are what are termed a ‘joking relationships’. For Batiana Boniface, president of the Association for the Promotion of Joking Relationships (AB3P), “Joking relationship is a matter of national expertise, part of a transnational phenomenon that can be useful for peace in the subregion”. Joking relationships have led to the rapprochement of peoples who were able, through popular jokes, to maintain a social identity. Thus, two ethnic groups linked by a joking relationship are able to create bonds of brotherhood and camaraderie in their respective communities that transcend age and conditions. Such relationships, which can be observed in certain areas of West Africa, cement inter-ethnic relationships and constitute factors of peace and stability. Box no. 3.2: Joking relationship: a factor of peace and communion The phenomenon of joking relationship is to be observed in many parts of West Africa and, more specifically, in Burkina Faso, with the aim of such relationship being to strengthen ties of brotherhood and solidarity and to contribute to peace between different ethnic groups. The humoristic exchanges that take place between members of different ethnic groups have the great advantage of being able to untangle conflicts and serve as an outlet. For Marcel Mauss, who was the first to use the expression ‘joking relationship’, the purpose of such attitudes is to allow ‘relaxation which is a release and compensation necessary to the life of the group’. In this way, individuals play with their differences instead of engaging in direct confrontation. This complicity also enables both sides to settle their disputes in a diverted manner. “Sometimes one gets the feeling that things are really burns, but, thanks to the code of the joking relationship, one is protected and can make fun of each other for hours!”, says Ibrahim, a restaurant owner of 30 years. This is provided, of course, that the rules are kept to and that prohibited insults such as ‘bastard’ – the supreme insult – or insults against another’s mother are avoided. The joking is never based on serious or substantive issues. The genesis and the object of the joking must imperatively lead to a smile. Minor faults and habits of an ethnic group generally provide a pretext for the joking. The habits and customs that are mocked are known to all and belong to popular culture. The joking relationship is the cement of unity and brotherhood between communities. 92