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Political crisis in Fiji Following Fiji’s court of appeal ruling that the military government appointed after the December 2006 coup was unlawful, President Iloilo in consultation with Fiji's army chief annulled the Constitution and declared a state of emergency. Conciliation Resources supports our Fijian partners’ calls for him to reconsider this decision, and for the UN and Commonwealth Secretariat mediation team to move swiftly to help Fiji's political parties and civil society negotiate a new settlement.
UK peacebuilding funding cuts On 25 March the UK announced large funding cuts to conflict resolution, prevention and peacebuilding work. Reasons given were a weak pound and planned increases in UN and EU peacekeeping contributions. The UK and its Conflict Prevention Pool support many NGOs and civil society peacebuilding initiatives worldwide. This decision will adversely affect such work including that already planned for 2009 by CR and partners in West Africa, Sudan, Uganda, DR Congo and the Caucasus.
Cross-border peacebuilding conference In March we brought together over 70 civil society leaders from areas affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army conflict in Uganda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo to discuss ways to end the violence and protect their communities. They are calling on the Ugandan government and LRA to return to peace talks and for the international community to support the process. Read their recommendations in English or French.
Cross-border security meeting in Liberia In March we held a consultation with senior government officials and security sector decision makers from the four Mano River Union countries of Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Cote d’Ivoire. Discussions focused on how to improve security for communities living in border areas. This will inform a new public information campaign to increase awareness of these issues among civilians, security forces and local officials.
New Accord project on Somalia For nearly two decades Somalia has defied all attempts by the international community to rebuild a functional state. Many Somalis continue to suffer chronic violent conflict and humanitarian catastrophe. Our latest Accord project will explore the peacebuilding challenges and inform the development of more effective and complementary strategies. more…
The Karabakh trap The conflict between Armenians and Azeris over Nagorny Karabakh continues to pose serious dangers to the South Caucasus’s future but is still low on the international agenda. A new paper by Conciliation Resources programme associate Thomas de Waal analyses the current situation and argues for more long-term strategic thinking on how to move forward one of the world’s most closed and confidential peace processes.
Operation Lightning Thunder Conciliation Resources is deeply concerned about the death and displacement of civilians in the eastern Congo (DRC). As part of the inter-agency Northern Uganda Advocacy Partnership for Peace we urge the international community to do all it can to keep open the path for a negotiated solution. We are calling for an end to military action, given that the forces of DR Congo, South Sudan, Uganda and the UN Peacekeeping Mission appear unable to protect local people from reprisal attacks by the Lord’s Resistance Army. more…
Perilous borders: Sudan-Uganda We recently published the first study into how decades of conflict by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and other armed groups has affected Sudanese communities living along the Sudan-Uganda border. It gives an insight into local people’s views and some of the profound challenges for peacebuilding and statebuilding in Southern Sudan and its border areas. Download the pdf report...
Northern Ugandans visit Sierra Leone In late October we took a group of Ugandans from the war-affected northern region to see how peace in Sierra Leone has fared since war ended there in 2002. They met and shared experiences with government officials, activists, lawyers, traditional leaders, former child soldiers, students, academics and ordinary citizens. They also visited the Bo Peace and Reconciliation Movement peace monitors. Read more about the trip, listen to a radio discussion or view a photo journal.
Nagorny Karabakh peace process Conciliation Resources and two other NGOs are calling on the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, along with the three co-chairs of the Minsk Process tasked with mediating the Nagorny Karabakh conflict, to allow civil society a greater role in the peace process. This follows the Moscow Declaration signed by the presidents in early November, which has given new impetus to the talks. Read the joint press release in English [pdf] or Russian [pdf].
Improving governance in conflict zones In October we began a five-year project to help conflict-affected communities voice their needs and engage effectively with politicians and policymakers in decision-making on issues that impact upon their lives. Working with our partners in Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, Uganda, Georgia-Abkhazia and Fiji we aim to improve government accountability and responsiveness to deal with the unmet needs and contested issues that cause conflict. more...
Crisis in the Caucasus The seismic changes in the political landscape of the Caucasus following the war in August over South Ossetia pose huge challenges for peacebuilding. Despite efforts to deal with the immediate consequences, conflict resolution appears more elusive than ever. Much work is needed to support our regional partners in coming to terms with the new geopolitical reality and situation on the ground. New approaches are needed to resolve the old problems at the heart of the crisis and to find a long-term solution that enables everyone in the region to live together peacefully.
Ugandans reflect on the peace process In September our partners in Gulu, northern Uganda organized a reflection workshop on the Juba peace process. Guest speakers included the Ugandan High Court’s principal judge, Justice James Ogoola, who outlined plans to consult with Acholi traditional and religious leaders as part of the process of setting up a new War Crimes Unit, and invited feedback on how best to ‘blend’ traditional justice methods with the formal system.
New Accord issue on Indonesia-Aceh In September Conciliation Resources published its latest Accord publication about the peace process that ended 30 years of conflict between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). This analyses developments leading to the 2005 agreement and ongoing peacebuilding challenges for the region. It also includes interviews with the negotiators and Nobel Peace Prize-winning mediator Martti Ahtisaari, plus analysis by national and international experts.
Youth and security in Sierra Leone The words 'youth' and 'security' are often mentioned in the same sentence in Sierra Leone. Our Peace, development and security update (July 2008) illustrates the post-war challenges that young people face, with examples of how our Strengthening Citizens' Security project has helped them better understand national security structures and become part of the decision-making process.
Ugandan community leaders visit the UK In June we hosted five community leaders involved in northern Uganda's peace talks to take part in NUAPP workshops and meet with UK parliamentarians, officials and the Acholi diaspora. The group has been at the forefront of dialogue between the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and Ugandan government for 20 years. Amid uncertainty over the signing of a final peace agreement asked the UK and USA to support the peace process and avoid war. Read the Reuters interview with Rwot David Acana.
Policy seminars in London and New York In June we held a policy seminar in London on the role of incentives, sanctions and conditionality in peace processes. Speakers included former UK Northern Ireland minister Michael Ancram MP and Sudan expert Alex de Waal. Another seminar was held in New York on 19 June with the United Nations Mediation Support Unit for key staff in the Department of Political Affairs and other UN mediation experts.
Conflict and migration: Georgia-Abkhazia The Heinrich Boell Foundation, Conciliation Resources and the Center for Citizen Peacebuilding (University of California, Irvine) held a conference in Istanbul from 17 - 20 June on Conflict and migration: the Georgian-Abkhazian case in a European context. Georgian and Abkhaz participants were able to openly discuss some of the most delicate and pressing problems of the conflict and consulted international experts about possible progress toward solutions.
Breaking down barriers through film Making short films for a unique project on the conflict over Nagorny Karabakh has given young Karabakh Armenians and Azerbaijanis a rare chance to talk directly. A selection of their films is available on DVD and will be shown in the South Caucasus in 2008. Charting the hopes, fears and humour of people living with the consequences of conflict, “these films show that we might have different aspirations but war is not the way to solve our conflict.”
Powers of persuasion Conciliation Resources' latest Accord publication and policy brief, published March 2008, explore how the use of incentives, sanctions and conditionality can underpin or undermine peace processes. Drawing upon cases such as Darfur, Sri Lanka, northern Uganda, South Africa and Georgia-Abkhazia, it concludes these tools are rarely effective unless they form part of a wider strategy making support for a durable peace process its priority.
Building paths to peace Our recently published book about the extraordinary work of one of our partners, the Bo Peace and Reconciliation Movement (BPRM) is now available to read online. BPRM is recognized in Sierra Leone for its pioneering work to prevent and resolve more than 1000 cases of armed violence and community disputes. more...
Twelve artists, one town – calendar CR and Radio Soma, Abkhazia’s first independent radio station, have produced a 2008 calendar featuring a collection of paintings of the Abkhaz capital, Sukhum/i by Abkhaz, Georgian, Russian and Tartar artists who lived there before the war, with some of their thoughts on what the town means for them. more...
UN Peacebuilding Commission With more than 10 years' experience of supporting local peacebuilding in Sierra Leone, we recently brought policy concerns gleaned from our work to the UN Peacebuilding Commission's attention. This resulted in some of our recommendations on youth and peacebuilding being included in the final 'Peacebuilding Cooperation Framework' with Sierra Leone's government. Read our submission
Talking with the enemy Conciliation Resources (CR) helped organize a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Conflict Issues in December 2007 to discuss the importance of peace processes in dealing with violent conflict and offer ways of addressing shortcomings in the UK's current approach. With Roelf Meyer, former chief negotiator for the National Party in South Africa, and Catherine Barnes, author of Bridging the gap: improving UK support for peace processes.