52 How to Cite: Raharjo, W.A. (2022). Ethical Issue in Religiously Affiliated Disputes: SantÉgidio’s Mediation in Mozambique and Algeriad Humanism. (1(2)).52-65 Volume 1 Issue 2, 2022 Ethical Issues in Religiously Affiliated Disputes: Sant’ Egidio’s Mediation in Mozambique and Algeria Wahyu Arif Raharjo Department of International Relations – Universitas Islam Indonesia Email: wahyu.arif.raharjo@uii.ac.id Abstract: Despite its potential, the use of mediation as a conflict resolution mechanism in a religiously affiliated conflict entails a problem in terms of ethical challenges. Both religion and mediation carry its own ethical standards, where, if both collides, might jeopardizes the efficacy of mediation as conflict resolution tool. This article discusses in detail ethical challenges in mediation where religion persists in various manners. Religion might exist in the conflict (1) as the main ideologies of mediator and/or disputants, (2) as the substance being disputed and (3) in the use of religious values as peacemaking resources. Problems may arise in terms of impartiality, conflict of interest, sense of fairness and directiveness, however often it can be seen as situated concept of neutrality especially when the mediator possess profound understanding of the context. As an empirical proof, it is evident Sant’Egidio has faced problems in perception of impartiality, that affected result in both Algeria and Mozambique. This paper further suggests that appropriate pre-mediation assessment in determining the religious dynamic on the dispute is a crucial stage to tackle possible ethical problems to implement mediation in religiously affiliated conflict. Keyword: religiously affiliated dispute; mediation ethics; Sant’Egidio; Mozambique; Algeria. Introduction The crossroad between religion and mediation can be found way back in world history. Confucius teachings have influenced Western Zhou Dynasty to integrate mediation into its administrative governmental administration 2000 years ago (Boulle, 2005). Jewish, Christianity, Islam, Hindu, and Buddhist have incorporated religious practices akin to mediation in each own form (Boulle, 2005). These practices conform to contemporary definition where a third party, who is a respected person like clerics, imam, pastors, rabbi, etc. intercedes problem-solving discussion, sometimes with substantial intervention (Cox & Philpott, 2003). In contemporary context, conflict oftentimes involves people of religious affiliations, or it probably occurs due to religious claims, or simply religion has been used as instrument of mass mobilization (Cox & Philpott, 2003). On the other hand, the use of mediation is still widely found in many conflicts. Understanding that both the existence of religions in many conflicts and the importance of mediation as dispute resolution, the intersection between both is to be expected in the future. The problem is that literatures on mediation have not explored the effect that religious dimension of conflict might have on mediation’s ethical consideration. Bercovitch and Kadayifci -Orellana discussed legitimacy and leverage as factors determining the success or failure of faith-based mediators and the role that faith-based actors have in resolving disputes (Bercovitch & Ayse- Kadayifci-Orellana, 2009). Hurst observed issues regarding religion and mediation in general, reaching a little discussion about impartiality but leaving it largely undefined (Hurst, 2014). Nevertheless, ethical issues serve as limits to distinguish the right from wrong in mediation and for quality measurement, therefore, it is necessary to investigate the relation between religious dimension of conflict and ethical standards in mediation (Spencer & Hardy, Principles of Dispute Resolution, 2009). Exploring Sant’Egidio’s mediation practices has been conducted, but it is important to hi ghlight its potential of ethical dilemmas considering various contexts that Sant’Egidio has been involved in. Sant’Egidio has played a role in becoming in-between for RENAMO and FRELIMO in Mozambique, strengthening the argument that Sant’Egidio is based on civil society that it approaches disputants using religious