News
Jul 2011
In Tbilisi, together with staff from the Caucasus Research Resource Centers, this July we launched a survey of people's attitudes towards internal displacement. By taking part in the survey, Georgians who were displaced from their homes by the 1992–93 war in Abkhazia had the opportunity to express their views on conflict, return and justice. The results provide some important new insights into an often overlooked community.
Jul 2011
Women from grassroots organisations across three countries affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) have participated in a Conciliation Resources visit to formerly LRA-affected parts of northern Uganda. The women – from the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Central African Republic – visited a rehabilitation centre for former abductees and the home village of the rebel leader, Joseph Kony.
Jul 2011
Conciliation Resources staff took part in an all-day mediation simulation in July focusing on the current day Israel–Palestine process. Facilitated by TRACK4, we explored the issues and steps involved in negotiation. "It was a real eye opener," commented one participant, "In the simulation you can really see the pressures at play and how problems require trade-offs as well as creative and inclusive solutions."
Jul 2011
July saw a key meeting in Entebbe of cultural and religious leaders from the four countries affected by the presence of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). As a result of the two-day discussions, organised by Conciliation Resources, the leaders, as well as being better informed about the reality in each state, produced a plan of action to take back to their communities.
Jun 2011
It is a year since the US Supreme Court ruled in the Holder vs. Humanitarian Law Project case. In doing so they upheld the constitutionality of a law that makes it illegal for US citizens or organisations to engage in many ways that are crucial to conflict transformation. Speaking at a seminar in Sweden, Andy Carl marked the ruling's anniversary by highlighting the serious implications for peacebuilding of anti-terrorist and material support laws.
Jun 2011
The views of local people living on either side of the River Nistru are reflected in a new report and briefing paper on the Transnistria conflict, produced by Saferworld as part of the People's Peacebuilding Perspectives (PPP) project. The findings were generated from consultations which, for the first time, brought together separate representative groups on either side of the divide.
Jun 2011
Conciliation Resources was one of six civil society organisations that took part in the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding in Monrovia, Liberia in June. We took the opportunity to emphasize that participatory and inclusive political dialogue and planning should run through the objectives being developed.
Jun 2011
Conciliation Resources recently organised workshops in Senegal and Nigeria, which brought together civil society organisations, academics and state officials to examine key issues around several local conflicts. Focusing on the Casamance conflict in Senegal and the Jos and Niger Delta conflicts in Nigeria, the workshops were an opportunity for participants to focus on underlying causes and possible solutions. A number of suggestions emerged from the sessions, which will be used to form the basis of recommendations to EU policymakers.
May 2011
Tahir Aziz, Project Manager for Conciliation Resources’ Kashmir Programme, participated in an international conference entitled 'Kashmir in Emerging Global Perspectives', which was organised by the Azad Jammu and Kashmir University in Muzaffarabad. Significantly, he used the opportunity to bring two Kashmir programme partners from the Indian side on a rare visit to Islamabad and Muzaffarabad on the Pakistan side of Kashmir, to participate in the conference and partner meetings.
May 2011
As part of Conciliation Resources’ participation in the International Contact Group on the Mindanao peace process, the organisation recently invited Professor Christine Bell, a leading scholar-practitioner on peacebuilding, on a one-week visit to Manila and Mindanao. Christine focused on the issues of constitutional reform, human rights, and women's participation in peace processes - three of the most relevant peace topics in the Philippines.
