Public Participation: Three Modes of Public Participation in Peacemaking

Multi-party negotiating forums to decide the political future of the country — create deliberative / decision-making bodies
Recognition of need to develop broad political consensus as basis for durable agreements
Existing system of multi-party politics as channel for promoting constituency interests & values — able to consult members
Opportunities to create space for new political voices
Selection of parties & representatives: parity, elections, others?
Decision-making procedures & process design: often contested, always important

Consultation Processes (e.g. Guatemala’s Civil Society Assembly & Philippines National Unification Commission)

Typically engages organized civil society, often on multi-sectoral basis — heterogeneity in society means antagonistic groupings involved in same forum
Focus is on identifying conflict issues & making recommendations on strategies for addressing causes — results could shape the negotiating agenda & substantive agreements
Processes have potential to bring debates outside elite political circles and into the public sphere, thus helping to open the process to ordinary people and contribute to social consensus on the peace process and agreements
Concerns regarding ‘representativeness’ of participants and strength of their links to wider public

Direct Participation (e.g., Malian inter-community meetings, Colombian municipal constituent assemblies, South Africa’s local and regional peace committees)

Engaging all those with an interest in the process of reaching & implementing an agreement
Generally situated in a local context and typically aimed at creating a ‘pragmatic peace’ between those in inter-dependent communities by addressing issues within their control
These localised processes can help to generate a new kind of politics and create spaces conducive to national reconciliation

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