The Pivotal Role of Faith Leaders in Avoiding Violence

WHEN democracy is functioning well, vigorously but fairly conducted elections provide a powerful way of defusing a country's internal arguments. However loudly they denounce one another, rival politicians at a certain level work together to uphold a political system on whose rules they all agree. But in fragile democracies, and places where inter-communal rifts run deep, elections can have the opposite effect, stoking internal tensions to the point where violence explodes. Religious leaders often have a huge influence, for better or worse, as to which outcome prevails.