Muhammad Danial Azman
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Email: mda5
st-andrews.ac.uk
Biography
Danial joined the Centre of Peace and Conflict Studies and the School of International Relations at the University of St Andrews in 2010 as a PhD student. Danial is also afiliated to the Royal African Society (RAS), British Institute for Eastern Africa (BIEA), International Studies Association (ISA), British International Studies Association (BISA), and the International Political Science Association (IPSA).
He completed his Masters in African Peace and Conflict Studies from the Department of Peace Studies, University of Bradford (2008-2009). He has a Bachelors degree in International and Strategic Studies (minor in East Asian Studies), from University of Malaya, Malaysia (2004-2007).
Prior to joining St Andrews, he convened undergraduate modules on ‘AUEA 1101: Introduction to International Relations’ and ‘AUEA 3308: Conflict Analysis’, at the Department of International and Strategic Studies, and member to the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences’ Committee for the Bachelor of Arts Curriculum Review and Examination Timetable at the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.
Danial also previously attached as a part-time researcher to Dato’ Dr. Mashitah Ibrahim, Secretary of Parliament to Minister on Islamic Affairs, at the Prime Minister’s Department of Malaysia on the Civilizational of Islam (Islam Hadhari) Project (2004-2007). He worked on Islamic society issues, multiculturalism and internationalization of Malaysia in the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).
He involved in a wide range of projects such as 2006 Dialogue on ‘Civilizational of Islam and the Role of OIC’ in Cairo (Egypt), Amman (Jordan) and Damascus (Syria), that hosted by the Prime Minister’s Department of Malaysia and Al Azhar University, Egypt; 2007 Workshop's Facilitator for the Global Youth Symposium, Asia-Europe Institute of Malaysia; 2008 Harvard University Project for Asia and International Relations (HPAIR) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and 2009 UK Peace Jam Conference hosted by the 2003 Nobel Peace Laureate, Shirin Ebadi at Bradford, UK.
He is also a freelance journalist for Malaysian’s magazines and newspapers.
Thesis Title
Why Reconciliation is Attainable, but Not Sustainable? A Study of Preconditions for an Effective Implementation of Transitional Justice in Kenya
Supervisor
Thesis Summary
Various post-conflict nations throughout the world are facing the dilemma of how best to come to terms with a past grievance through a Transitional Justice (TJ) mechanism. The focus on the rule of law sends a clear signal to civilian and combatant that there will be security and stability in post-conflict reconstruction period. The increasing emphasis on peacebuilding and the rule of law is evident in the UN Secretary-General’s 2004 reports. Indeed addressing past legacies of human right violation and post-conflict grievance through criminal prosecution and truth commission (while the precise combination varies), have become a contemporary debate of global peace and justice. Despite decades of debate on whether it ameliorates sustainable reconciliation in deeply divided societies, TJ has not only become an international norm to promote sustainable peace after civil wars but has been, implemented following the post-electoral power sharing agreement in a few of sub-Saharan African nations, especially Kenya. Moreover, when Kenyans agreed to end the intensifying electoral violence in 2008, they set out a list fundamental issues to be included as part of reforms agendas negotiated in the power sharing agreement. Among the core elements included from the start was the pressure of criminal prosecution of electoral violence’s perpetrator and the formation of the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC).
Kenya illustrates a new TJ trend in Sub-Saharan Africa following the power sharing arrangements the Kenyan policymaker made in 2008. Almost all previous TJ experiments in Africa have followed armed conflicts - as the case of Burundi, D.R. Congo, Rwanda, Liberia, Sierra Lion and Uganda - and not electoral crisis. Although the TJ experiment in South Africa does not belong to the categorisation of TJ after civil war but the South Africa’s TJ experiment is a product of mutual bargaining and inclusive consensus between the black majority and white minority – the TJ’s restitution and compensation packages - was specifically chattered in the 1994-1996 of post-Apartheid constitutional arrangement.Furthermore, South Africa’s TJ experiment is a product of post-Apartheid period with a clear regime change. In contrast, the TJ measures that adopted following the Kenya’s NDR agreement are not inclusive and mutually agreed by every stakeholder. Indeed the TJ measure is a product of unclear regime transition and was diplomatically pressured by the AU Eminent African Personalities. Kenya’s TJ measures were enforced following the postelection power sharing agreement.The TJ measures that applied in the aftermath of fragile peace agreement is misguided because the idea of justice that pursued by the signatories of the NDR peace (power sharing) agreement, implies that country moving away from a problematic past will necessary make the transition toward democracy and reconciliation, when in fact few actually do so. The power sharing settlements that end postelection violence gave rise to the strife persist and effort to deal with the past can give rise to the new tensions. The circumstance in which Kenya’s power sharing was negotiated is likely affected the effectiveness of the TJ measure. At best it pushes the country on the verge of renewed violence.
While there is general consensus among key partners in Kenya's government on the need to implement TJ measures, the government lack of a coherent approach, the impoverished and disjointed of TJ debate, will be exacerbated by the institutional constraints; following, the flawed and unstable power sharing agreement. Without a proper institutional arrangement and robust delivery system, a future efficacy of any TJ measures adopted - to achieve the four reforms agenda – may meet a premature end. Various TJ’s literatures focus on the impact assessment of its implementation; but, few examine the preconditions for an effective TJ implementation. Moreover, the alarming democratisation trend in Africa, there is possibility of similar TJ’s option in Kenya may inflict the Zimbabwe, Nieria and Cost de Ivory’s electoral crisis. Hence, the study will explore the likely condition for an effective TJ implementation in Kenya.
Research Interests
Danial's research primarily focuses on the dialectic relations between the political violence and the politics of reconciliation and the peace process following the 2007 post-election violence (PEV) in Kenya. He also interested in critical peace theories and post-liberal peace, Truth and Reconciliation Commissions (TRCs), transitional justice, political economy of post-conflict reconstruction policy, African diaspora, and political economy of violence and governance in Africa.
Conferences
'Why Reconciliation is attainable, but not sustainable? The Missing of “Everyday” Peace and Justice in Localizing Transitional Justice in Kenya,'African Studies Association of the United Kingdom Biennial Conference, Leeds University Centre of African Studies (LUCAS), 6-8 September 2012. (confirmed)
'An Indictment of Hate Speech: Trial by Media or International Criminal Court (ICC) - What Prompted the Judges Warning in Kenya?', Africa's Media and Democracy Conference of 2012, Accra Ghana, 15-18 August 2012. (confirmed)
'What is Wrong with Forgiveness in a Political Studies? The Missing of Restorative Justice Template in International Relations,' 5th Global Conference on Forgiveness (2012), Mansfield College, University of Oxford, United Kingdom, 11-13 July 2012. (confirmed)
'Seeking Justice and Reconciliation through Deveploment: Illusive Quest for Devolution and Institutional Arrangement after Kenya's New Constitution', Institute of Development Studies, University of Nairobi, Kenya, 15 February 2012.
'Why a Construction of African State is Antithesis to the Prospect of Democracy and Peace? Lesson from Kenya, Zimbabwe, Cote d'Ivoire and Nigeria', African Studies Seminar, British Institute for Eastern Africa (BIEA), Nairobi, Kenya, 8 February 2012.
'Why a Construction of African State is Antithesis to the Prospect of Democracy and Peace? Lesson from Kenya, Zimbabwe, Cote d'Ivoire and Nigeria', 2011 International Conference on the Challenges of Idigenous Knwledge and Africa's Modern Crisis in the 21st Century, University of Nigeria, Nigeria 17-19 Dicember 2011.
'Constitutional-Making in a Transitional Context: Lesson from Kenya', Constitutional Reading Group, James Wilson Centre for Global Constitutionalism, University of St Andrews, Scotland, November 2011.
'Transitional Justice Dilemma in Kenya: Reconciliation is Attainable, but Not Sustainable?’, 2nd Conference on Mass Violence and Genocide: Past, Present and Future, King Leopold Hotel, University of Sheffield, UK, 28-30 June 2011.
'Prospect and Challenge of Peace Education in Malaysia’, 2010 Japan Foundation Conference: Comprehensive Peacebuilding Initiatives of Young Leaders in Asia and Oceania: The Potentials of Culture and Education, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Okinawa, Japan, 1-14 March 2010.
Grants
Fieldwork stipend 2012, School of International Relations, University of St Andrews
James Wilson Centre for the Global Constitutionalism Studies’ fieldwork stipend 2011, University of St Andrews
Conference stipend 2011, School of International Relations, University of St Andrews
Japan Foundation’s travel and conference grant 2010, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan
Academic Training Scheme Fellowship 2010-2013, Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia
Bright Spark Fellowship 2010, University of Malaya, Malaysia
Academic Training Scheme Fellowship 2008-2009, Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia
Dato’ Panglima Kinta’s Gold Medal for the first class honors in Arts, The 2007 University of Malaya Graduation Ceremony, Malaysia
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Book Prize for the best undergraduate thesis in social sciences, The 2007 University of Malaya Graduation Ceremony, Malaysia
Undergraduate scholarship 2004-2007, National Higher Education Fund Cooperation, Malaysia
