HOW TO CHOOSE A DANCE PARTNER - INSIGHT ON PEACEBUILDING www.peacedirect.org
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HOW TO CHOOSE A
DANCE PARTNER
INSIGHT ON PEACEBUILDING
www.peacedirect.org
INSIGHT ON PEACEBUILDING
INTRODUCTION
Peace Direct finds, funds and promotes local peacebuilding
initiatives in conflict areas. We believe these initiatives hold the key
to lasting peace and want them to be central to all strategies for
managing conflict.
We want to see local organisations treated as equal partners with
‘outsiders’ such as international NGOs, or multilateral agencies such
as the UN. While most people engaged in peace building and conflict
resolution do too, it’s not happening often enough in reality. One of
the most common reasons given by ‘outsiders’ for not forming such
equal partnerships is the difficulty of knowing who to work with –
how to find the genuine and effective organisations - when many
countries have spawned a whole industry of ‘briefcase NGOs’ with
no substance behind them.
This collection of interviews with people who’ve gone through the
process, or observed others doing so, is intended to show how people
have found the right partners, and the way that working with these
partners enables a wholly different kind of peacebuilding work to
develop. What comes through in all these perspectives is that there
is no “right” way, but there are common elements – a judicious
mix of instinct and due diligence, flexibility, humility, patience and
pragmatism.
Of course, Insight on Peacebuilding would not have been possible
CONFLICT. without the co-operation and support of all those who generously
RESOLUTION. gave their time to share their perspectives, and the financial support
from Polden Puckham Charitable Foundation. Our profound thanks
Peace Direct, Development House, are due to all of them.
56-64 Leonard Street, London, EC2A 4LT.
T: +44 (0) 20 7549 0285 F: +44 (0) 20 7549 0286 CAROLYN HAYMAN OBE
E: info@peacedirect.org W: www.peacedirect.org Chief Executive, Peace Direct
Peace Direct is a registered charity number 1123241.
INSIGHT ON PEACEBUILDING
CONTENTS
JOAN LINK Page 6 - 9 ALLA SKVORTOVA, Page 28 - 30
Former Head of Conflict Issues Group, FCO. Head of Moldova Country Office, DfID
“Seek to work with your local partners as collab- “It’s important to remember that there are no
orators, on an equal footing, and with humility.” two similar conflicts in the world.”
BEN HOFFMAN, Page 10 - 15 MAUD ROURE, Page 31 - 34
Canadian International Institute of Applied Interpeace
Negotiation “...the curtain had come down and “…it takes time to find the right organisation
we had no idea of what was going on behind...” and to build the trust...”
CAROLYN HAYMAN OBE, Page 16 - 20
ROXANNE MYERS, Page 35 - 38
Peace Direct
Independent Consultant
“Motivation and competence are the key things
“The elections were the first in living memory to
we look for.”
take place without violence.”
LT COL STUART GORDON, Page 21 - 23 LIDIJA SKARO, Page 39 - 42
British Army International Commission on Missing
“If the community can begin to articulate and Persons
define its needs... then you build social cohesion.” “...respond to the needs expressed by grass roots
local organisations...”
SQUADRON LEADER GORDON SUMMERS SERENA RIX, Page 43 - 46
Page 24 - 27, RAF Search for Common Ground
“The key to peacebuilding is gaining and “You form a partnership when together you can
maintaining local consent and support.” do more than you could both do alone.”
been the bureaucrat pressing for
INSIGHT ON PEACEBUILDING proper procedures to be applied
in these circumstances. So I don’t
“I UNDERSTAND
FOREWORD
want to dismiss the pressures on
those who go into complex post
THESE PROBLEMS.
conflict situations to try to help.
Working in a meaningful way with
I’VE BEEN THE
JOAN LINK
local people seems risky and makes BUREAUCRAT
Former Head of Conflict Issues Group, FCO.
everything even more complicated.
It’s safer – some might say easier PRESSING FOR
“Seek to work with your local partners as collab-
in these difficult environments
- to bring in more international
PROPER
orators, on an equal footing, and with humility.” personnel, or use local people to
deliver projects developed mainly
PROCEDURES.”
by donors, international agencies,
Local peacebuilding, engaging laid down by donor governments, and the World Bank. While efforts are similar issues to think about
with local people, ensuring you the rules of international are made to engage local people when seeking such fundamental
take account of local context – organisations, and NGO they often feel decisions are made engagement with local people:
all are mantras in development Boards of Trustees, to meet for other reasons and by everyone
aid theory, all the more so stringent Western standards of except the people who have to live Who are the people to work with
when donors and international financial propriety and project with the consequences and try and how can they be found?
organisations are working in management. to hold peace together when the
conflict countries. So why do outsiders have gone home. If projects are to succeed in
international efforts in these • The ‘capacity’ in country seems polarised and divided post conflict
countries so infrequently turn fully weak and doesn’t work in the ways This first edition of Insight on societies they need to be led by
into real collaboration between we are used to or want to impose. Peacebuilding shows that proper local people who are respected
international actors and local engagement with local people can and listened to by all sides, who
people, the sort of collaboration • It can take a long time to get the be done, at a very basic level on carry weight with opinion formers
described in the interviews in this necessary impetus in a country a small scale, but also on a bigger and officials, both governmental
booklet? where day to day life is shattered scale over a longer period of time, and international. Perhaps the
and trust between different groups by donor governments, NGOs and key requirements are that they
The answers lie in these is limited. But time is critical other bodies. It can be effective must have a deep felt motivation
interviews. to spend donor money in the and is increasingly seen as essential to rebuild peace, whatever their
timeframes dictated by donor to longer term success. original agenda, and a genuinely
• It’s hard work finding suitable budget processes and Ministerial altruistic approach – they need to
partners in such confused and interest. The perspectives also show that be in the process for the greater
chaotic situations. Suitable that in a range of different countries good, not just their own profile.
is, in terms of the requirements I understand these problems. I’ve separated by many miles and A major local figurehead who is
great differences in culture, there
6 7
trusted by many will help the work for a longer term peace. So work with who didn’t meet your connections or delivering action
succeed and also give the external organisations engaged in this work original criteria but who comes across the community has proved
partner a person to use as a trusted need to be patient and willing recommended by local networks. very useful, including in the use
adviser to help decide who else to explain to their governments Risk taking might also include of village meetings (shura) in
might be effective collaborators. and Boards why this longer funding risk, where it might be Afghanistan or traditional local
engagement is needed. better to disburse small funds systems of justice in Rwanda.
It can take time – be ready to lots of local groups knowing
sometimes for a long haul. The process is often as that some will fail in the next few Finally, a message which comes
important as the outcome. years, rather than waiting to find through from these personal
Some of these perspectives show out which survive, and then losing experiences and many others:
that it can take some years for It’s hard to explain to donors opportunities to begin to work
this work to be successful. It can from target driven (Western) locally. Seek to work with your local
take months even for an external cultures that such work does not partners as collaborators, on an
partner to find the right local always have specific and concrete Look hard at your own systems equal footing, and with humility.
partners. Getting together a outcomes. But it is clear that and local ones.
critical mass of people willing to unexpected results can come All external support to a country
stand up to those who are content from the slow building of new Common ground is found recovering from conflict needs to
to see conflict resume takes time. or mended relationships across throughout the personal be given in the knowledge that
It can involve training and support different components of society experiences in Insight on those local people who want to
which takes time. It needs to build and a habit of cooperation. It Peacebuilding about the need to rebuild their country and keep it
trust again between communities, makes sense in psychological deliver projects under satisfactory peaceful face enormous pressures.
a difficult and prolonged task, terms of course – relationships controls, and this must be right. There are risks to their own lives
but essential as the foundation come from frequent contact on a It may mean helping to build the and those of their loved ones and
common agenda. financial and other management local people are often dealing with
systems of local partners, so loss on a scale we can’t quite come
“LOCAL PEOPLE Be willing to take unexpected
opportunities, to be flexible and
external partners need to take
account of this right at the
to grips with.
ARE OFTEN to take risks. beginning in setting budgets and
timelines. But they might also
As a former colleague of mine
who has worked in several such
DEALING WITH LOSS All the studies show that the
external partner has to be flexible
want to look at their own systems
to make sure they are not overly
countries says, “what they need
from the international community
ON A SCALE WE in their approach to meet the
emerging ideas from local people,
demanding in the standards set.
The relative, and usually small
is respect not arrogance, support
not pity, and for their views and
CAN’T QUITE whether by funding work on amount of the spend might allow ideas to be acted on, not pushed
COME TO GRIPS mosques as well as schools and
hospitals, or by renovating army
greater risk to be taken if urgent
demands show that the possible
aside because we know better.”
And external partners need to
WITH.” barracks to shore up a general
who is trying to maintain peace,
gain is significant for shoring
up peace. In the wider arena,
develop a habit of working with
local partners on all that they do.
or by accepting a nominee to use of local systems for making Joan Link, 2009.
8 9
INSIGHT ON PEACEBUILDING GUINEA-BISSAU
BEN HOFFMAN This multi-ethnic West
African country had seen
much of its infrastructure
destroyed by conflict in the
BEN HOFFMAN late ‘90s leaving a legacy
Canadian International Institute of Applied
of extreme poverty, huge
Negotiation.
income inequality, low human
development, high levels of
“I felt I was back in a Latin American country,
state debt, and government
watching a Shakespeare play. Caesar had been
reliance on aid to pay
stabbed, the curtain had come down and we
soldiers, teachers and other
had no idea of what was going on behind the
public servants.
curtain…”
The International Peace and Program at The Carter Center. and damage its fragile post-1999 he found not one but two. Gigi
Prosperity Project (IPPP) was After careful consideration, recovery even further. Foreign aid Goodhart was running the US
born out of the perceived failure consultation and a process of donors had left the country and economic development NGO,
of the international community to elimination they identified Guinea indeed, even the US & Canadian Enterprise Works, in Guinea
respond early or effectively enough Bissau as the country they’d go to embassy staff had retreated to Bissau, was married to a local man
to events that trigger violence for what Hoffman calls “a scouting Senegal, but Hoffman’s team and knew whom to contact and
in poor and politically unstable mission.” gleaned enough information from whom to avoid. Hoffman takes up
countries. them to have a starting point for the story:
“We wanted a country where contacts in Guinea Bissau – the
In 2002, retired American business government wouldn’t object to us first round of “must see” people. “Gigi was very quickly able to
executive Milt Lauenstein invited operating there, where there was identify people in civil society
a small, multinational group of nascent civil society and where no Looking for a dance partner – who weren’t connected to
specialists to help him design a regional superpower had too heavy establishing who was operating government. She was aware of
small project to counter that and a footprint.” there indigenous groups, key contacts
find a different approach. The at the remaining consulates
team included political scientists, a Guinea-Bissau was highly To find out if there really was an and other people involved in
logistics expert, an anthropologist vulnerable to recurrent social effective civil society, Hoffman economic development and
and was led by Ben Hoffman, then and political tensions that could knew they needed what he calls she put us in touch with “The
Director of the Conflict Resolution spark destructive ethnic violence “a dance partner”. By hapchance Queen Bee” - Macaria Barai - a
10 11
pre-eminent local player in civil country. was going on behind the curtain.
society, the Chair of one of two
local Chambers of Commerce, Behind the curtain – making
So, my assessment was that we
were dealing with a group of
“PEOPLE MUST
a businesswoman and a peace
activist... She’d founded Soldiers
judgments. elite actors who were prepared to
engage the military to do violence
HAVE THOUGHT
for Peace - a thousand strong
women’s group which included the
Ten days before the team was due
to fly out, the Head of the Armed
and unless and until we could get
behind the curtain and deal with
WHO ARE THESE
wives of military personnel which Forces in Guinea Bissau was these elite actors we could achieve PEOPLE, WHAT ARE
was the reason I later got to see assassinated. Hoffman’s team was nothing.”
the General. She is a remarkable cautioned against going at all but THEY DOING HERE,
human being.” they did and found a country in
confusion but superficially calm.
Change partners – adapting the
way IPPP operated FUNDED BY A
“Queen Bee” – who’s since been
nominated for the Nobel Peace “It was a very raw moment for Hoffman’s team pulled out after
RICH AMERICAN?”
Prize is widely recognised for her Guinea Bissau. We weren’t even three days and waited in Dakar
contribution to peace and stability an NGO and people must have before returning to the US where
in Guinea Bissau and now works thought who are these people, they “sounded the alert”, shared
as the IPPP’s liaison officer in that what are they doing here, funded their initial report with others
by a rich American? But people and prepared to return to Guinea
sought us out, one being an Bissau two months later.
informant from the army in
civilian clothes who set up a “We were committed to the the Armed Forces was using the
clandestine meeting in which he country and there were so few word reconciliation – I seized on it,
said, “you’ve got to blow a whistle, who were working with a handful but our lack of resources and clout
this assassination is act 1 in a 2 of key players, so we showed was bad. We had a handpicked
act play and the 2nd act is a full commitment by being vocal, by team with lots of experience,
coup d’état. Let the international our advocacy on their behalf which including a former Zimbabwean
community know there’s more to gave us credibility when we went freedom fighter - a really good
this.” back.” team but we had no real clout and
no carrots and sticks to deliver.”
MACARIA BARAI Hoffman, a veteran of peace
talks, diplomatic missions and
On their return the new Head
of Armed Forces was making Sunny Streets – what went well?
“SHE IS A international crises says, statements in the media saying
that he believed reconciliation was Hoffman knew from his experience
REMARKABLE “I felt I was back in a Latin
American country, watching a
essential. with the Carter Center which
did have clout and access but no
HUMAN BEING” Shakespeare play. Caesar had been
stabbed, the curtain had come
“I found it remarkable that a
former rebel freedom fighter, an
money that it was essential to gain
credibility if they were to engage
down and we had no idea of what illiterate man installed as head of
12 13
meaningfully in Guinea Bissau. or be overtaken by events. Funds difficult local relationship proved distancing from them. As it turned
could be made available quickly challenging. IPPP had engaged a out we were shifting gears in terms
“At the Carter Center, we lost to help nip conflict in the bud, local NGO to provide evaluation of our focus. I went to some NGOs
credibility because we couldn’t for example, by making a small of their project but discovered that and said if you find us less visible,
even give five cents to a project. grant available to the army for the NGO was way out of its depth don’t take it as an insult… we have
We had to simply abandon quick repairs to their dilapidated and the relationship had to be to work with the political elite to
classical conflict analysis. I knew barracks which showed support ended. get stabilisation.”
that having some discretionary for the General and helped
capital can do things so we him foster professionalism and “At a technical level we disengaged
targeted our limited resources very neutrality among his troops. As a with one of our civil society actors.
strategically.” key member of the team said, it I tried to do it frankly, in an open
was remarkable that IPPP meant way, but it hurt the NGO - they ORGANISATION DETAILS
Hoffman asked their funder, Milt “jam today” instead of the “jam needed the work, they were new in Canadian International Insti-
Lauenstein for $80,000 small tomorrow” of bureaucracy heavy town so there were reputational tute of Applied Negotiation.
grants fund which could be used organisations, aid agencies and issues and of course the sense www.ciian.org
to help small, local NGO’s which NGOs. that local people suffered by our
would otherwise wither on the vine
Rocky roads – not so good
IPPP prides itself on its flexible,
“FUNDS COULD agile and collaborative approach
to conflict resolution and the very
MUST READ
BE MADE AVAILABLE fragility of Guinea Bissau meant
they found themselves engaged “A clear understanding of each other’s capacities and
QUICKLY TO HELP with a different set of people and
organisations than they’d perhaps
limitations and a willingness to reveal those to each other
and start from a realistic point of departure. Trust, from
NIP CONFLICT IN envisaged. doing what you say and saying what you do, sharing the
conceptual framework that drives our behaviour so there’s
THE BUD.” “We didn’t screen anyone out in less hard feelings and endorsement when it’s time to
the first stages of engagement but move on rather than build a co-dependency. I suggested
we found we had less to do with we abandon that term and we should say collaborators –
certain groups simply because Partners is corporate patina, too much nurture. Actually
Guinea Bissau was so unstable so
we’re peace guerrillas too.”
we were working more with UN
forces, government officials and
the military. To start with, we were
more concerned with peace than
prosperity.”
That change of emphasis and a
14 15
INSIGHT ON PEACEBUILDING SUDAN
CAROLYN HAYMAN In 2005 Sudan ended a 21
year civil war between North
and South Sudan in which 2
million people died. The
CAROLYN HAYMAN OBE Comprehensive Peace
Chief Executive Peace Direct Agreement (CPA) has many
good provisions but has only
“Motivation and competence are the key things been partially implemented.
we look for. If people have made personal The North and South already
sacrifices to work for peace, and they know function in many ways as
what they are doing, you can pretty much trust seperate countries.
them to carry things forward.”
In January 2006, Carolyn Hayman Sudan Development Organisation A real thirst in what she thought should be
and a colleague went to Sudan (SUDO): discussed at the September
ostensibly for a civil society “By the time we’d visited meeting, and what the Sudanese
conference organised by the “… an amazing human rights Khartoum and Nairobi, it was wanted.
African Union and to recruit a activist who’d been imprisoned clear that there were so many local
local researcher. They returned many times. It was pretty clear Sudanese organisations doing Jumping in the dark
to the UK with a new peace that anyone he introduced us to similar work but in isolation.
organisation in an embryonic state would be someone trustworthy. We could see that if they could “They were at an earlier stage
and by September of that year, We also ‘talent-spotted’ at the civil come together nationally, their than me. They really cared about
peace builders from the North society conference, which became work would be stronger. It was so disseminating the Comprehensive
and South of Sudan had come increasingly surreal as government obvious that there was a real thirst Peace Agreement first. It was
together for the first time and the stooges piled in and dominated the for talking to people in other parts difficult to change my views, to
Collaborative for Peace in Sudan discussion. Those few brave people of the country so we decided to try face the fact that actually it wasn’t
was formed. who took the microphone to say and bring them together.” appropriate for me to think about
what they really thought – well, what the meeting should be about.
Through a Sudanese contact we made sure we made contact Not only had the original purpose I was being over directive to the
who travelled with Peace Direct, with them. And we made use of of the visit taken a back seat, point that I even resented the
Hayman was introduced to Dr Amnesty’s database of contacts in Hayman soon realised that there delegation from the South putting
Mudawi, the founder of the the South as well.” was a fundamental difference in an extra person who I hadn’t
16 17
chosen. I was so wrong. It really a three day meeting (even though “At the time, the Northern groups so much common ground.”
underlined why it is so difficult the team from the South arrived had almost no funding for their
for local people to get funding for a day later than planned.) Within peace work, while the South Sudan Tearing the veil
what they think is needed.” 48 hours the participants had delegates were smartly dressed and
elected a Steering Committee for well resourced - they had a bit of Hayman recalls what George
“We were jumping into the the Collaborative and presented a swagger when they arrived at the Ngoha, one of the delegates said at
dark. But as we were still a very a nine point plan to a number of hotel. But appearances aside, we the time “It’s not just that we are
unknown organisation, so we donor governments, including were struck by how similar they coming to the North for the first
didn’t have a reputation to lose, Canada whose Charge d’Affairs were, how passionate they were time in 20 years, but it’s also to
and no-one was putting up a lot of Alan Bones commented “You and just how much they’d done find that our brothers in the North
money for the event, I tried not to have achieved in 3 days what themselves. They were all do-ers, are doing the same work as we are
worry too much. It was reassuring others would have taken a year to not talkers, they’d demonstrated doing in the South. The veil has
to be working with PACT, an accomplish.” their own commitment, made been torn down.”
organisation well established in personal sacrifices and there was
South Sudan, and we found two
absolutely brilliant African women
facilitators from the Interaction
Leadership Initiative.”
FIRST MEETING OF
Support at a practical level came
too from the British Council in THE COMMITTEE
Khartoum.
“TO FIND OUR
“They went way beyond the call
of duty in providing a safe place
BROTHERS IN THE
for the meeting - we’d seen what
had happened previously with
NORTH ARE DOING
security services and government
snoops.Then, when the Director
THE SAME WORK
said he would host a reception at AS WE ARE DOING
his house as well, I realised that we
had done everything we could to IN THE SOUTH. THE
make the event a success – the rest
was up to the participants. We just
VEIL HAS BEEN
had to make sure they arrived.” TORN DOWN.”
48 hours
And they did - 18 organisations at
18 19So, in a country almost ripped in co-ordinator has earned a cent so
two by over twenty years of war,
peacebuilders from across Sudan
far – establishing the Collaborative
as an organisation that people put
INSIGHT ON PEACEBUILDING
are working together. in to, rather than taking from.
LT COL STUART GORDON
Two and a half years on, Peace Direct still has a seat on the
the Collaborative has held Collaborative Steering Committee.
workshops on disseminating the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement,
ORGANISATION DETAILS LT COL STUART GORDON
trained warring tribes in conflict
Peace Direct British Army
resolution, brought oil companies “If the community can begin to articulate and
www.peacedirect.org
and communities together, and define its needs and can communicate these to
Collaborative for Peace in
built peace networks in two of the government, then you build social cohesion.”
Sudan
most volatile states. The Steering
www.insightonconflict.org/
Committee members have given
collaborative-for-peace-in-
their time generously – no-one
sudan/
except the paid
MUST READ AFGHANISTAN
“Working in an oral culture where people don’t write things
down makes it hard to know exactly what’s going on but you In Afghanistan’s Helmand
have to accept there are different ways of working. You have province, local peace
to trust people – if they have the motivation and the passion, building organisations and
are smart and have given their time and effort for no reward, international NGOs are
then that’s a pretty good basis for trust.” thin on the ground. Poor
infrastructure means that
“We’ve learned that it’s important not to come with fixed local engagement has to be
ideas. People may be reluctant to challenge the ideas of through “government blessed”
Westerners, even when they are not the best ones, so you civil society structures such
have to have sensitive antennae up the whole time as to what as Community Development
the situation really requires. You can’t micro manage from Councils.
afar, you have to let people get on with it, take calculated
risks, and hope that you’ll leave something behind to build
on.”
20 21Channelling development funds a problem. The CDCs have to in the principles of common sense engagement by appropriate
through local structures means reflect the composition of a village and pragmatism, there are times civilian institutions?”
that funds are more likely to be but you’ve got to work with who when those qualities can be tested.
spent on things of real value to the you can work with.” But, you’ve got to ask what the Lt Col Gordon is in no doubt
community. In addition, where alternatives are. If the environment that it’s patience and pragmatism
there’s a possibility of using local As the funds come from the UK is so dangerous you simply can’t that will pay off in the long term
labour it will be done, thereby Stabilisation Aid Fund, much of have civilian participation what rebuilding of Afghanistan.
helping to make a dent in the huge the paper work is done by the UK do you do? Have the military
problem of youth unemployment. military and there is a relatively delivering a largely kinetic
high level of oversight - by DfID or strategy and expect that to deliver ORGANISATION DETAILS
Community Development the military. peace that’s sustainable, or use British Army
Councils are meant to represent the military both to contain the www.army.mod.uk
70 percent of the local community, “We try to create an environment military threat posed by the
include female representation and where Afghan officials can visit and Taliban and Al Qaeda but also
abide by quorum rules. Those begin the process of developing to try and create a pathway for
criteria are something the Afghans some political settlement with
have put up along with the communities, so a big part of
National Solidarity Programme Provincial Reconstruction Team
but, Lt Col Gordon says, each work has been literally putting
CDC is different. people on helicopters, flying them
to Musa Qaleh, finding conditions
MUST READ
Taliban where they can engage, allowing
people to define their priorities,
“The interesting thing is while engaging with what passes for “The logic is quite straightforward. If the community can begin
the institutions are part of civil societies and using the UK to articulate and define its needs and can communicate these
formally blessed government, stabilisation funding to facilitate to government, then you build social cohesion, that’s what
the composition of CDC’s is that.” you’re doing. It’s not the building, it’s the process surrounding
massively variable – in some cases, it that’s key and it’s that time consuming engagement,
Taliban run them, in some cases Risk Taking hearing voices from community, reconciling interests within
there are Taliban sympathisers and the communities which builds up a “ habit of co-operation”
government people, and others “It’s a much more risk taking within communities and …. with provincial and district
where the Taliban have intimidated and pragmatic environment, so government. It’s that engagement that’s the essential part.”
them and they’ve disbanded. you need to ask if money’s going
to a community, who are you
It’s a different institutional empowering, what impact will it
topography. Community access have on the conflict ....sometimes
is a real problem - this is a hugely that’s a really difficult assessment
active war zone so generating and while the average British
any element of civil society is serviceman or woman is steeped
22 23people able to properly convey diplomacy and the willingness
INSIGHT ON PEACEBUILDING the feelings of the village with
authority.”
to accept what other societies
consider important come to the
fore. For example, elders will
SQUADRON LEADER GORDON SUMMERS Enduring democracy sometimes ask for improvement
to mosques even though bridges
“One thing that particularly struck & wells urgently need repairing
me when, during clearance ops and to Western minds this would
SQUADRON LEADER GORDON SUMMERS in Nad Ali we got the district seem a far more pressing need …
Royal Air Force governor into a newly liberated you have to see it from the local,
village, was the enormous residual national perspective rather than
“The key to peacebuilding is gaining and main- power that you’ve got within the your own. Ghurkas are particularly
taining local consent and support.” traditional and ancient Pashtun good at this, they generally
shura system. Within a couple of come from similar village based,
hours of us entering one village he agricultural societies so they’re
did a quick trip round and - whilst very good at picking up what the
we estimated that there were no local dynamics and imperatives
more than 400 families remaining are.”
For the British military, engaging insurgents.”
- he brought 150 -200 local adult
with local civil society in the midst
males to shura within about thirty In practical terms, soldiers will
of a “hot conflict” like Afghanistan At district level, the Military
minutes. It was quite staggering - sometimes find themselves in
presents a whole different set Stabilisation Support Teams
the power and enduring appeal of the role of advisers and project
of challenges. Squadron Leader working for the UK civilian
this democratic system.”
Gordon Summers returned District Stabilisation officer are in
from Afghanistan at the end of daily contact with the local District
The job for the Military
2008 after a period running the
operational Military Stabilisation
Governor and his staff. But for
troops on the ground, the first
Stabilisation Support Teams and
indeed all troops is to assess the
“ALL TROOPS HAVE
Support Teams there. challenge is to identify the people
they need to engage with.
needs of a village by speaking THE IMPORTANCE OF
“All troops have the importance of
engaging with the local population “If you go to a village and simply
with the elders as well as the
wider village society on patrol, to ENGAGING WITH THE
heavily stressed upon them. The
British Army has drawn a lot from
ask who the village elders are,
there are normally people hanging
prioritise spending and recruit
and deploy cash for work teams to LOCAL POPULATION
experiences in Northern Ireland around and they’ll tell you. If
make good any damage through
the Afghan Ministry for Rural
HEAVILY STRESSED
and Bosnia, and those lessons are
applied where appropriate. You
you ask who can call a shura, (a
village meeting) you’ll be shown
Reconstruction to, for example,
make good wells or irrigation
UPON THEM.”
have to be both accepted and where the elders live. Normally
systems.
trusted by the local population in a formal shura, only elders will
if you are to effectively counter speak since they’re regarded as
“This is where interpersonal skills,
24 25managers, even running “claims “Everything works back from for both the legitimate Afghan the fine line between help and
clinics” to tutor the locals within that. There are different tribes, government and the Taliban.” encouraging a dependency culture
their own villages. Local people are inclinations, codes and leanings which ultimately stifles initiative.”
recruited and employed in Cash but Afghans are fundamentally a “Plans have been mooted for
for Work teams to rebuild and very pragmatic, ethnically diverse creating women’s networks built “The military tends to be driven
maintain villages to counter the people. People think of Afghans around for example, the small, by pragmatism and achieving
issue of unemployment. primarily as fighters but they’ve agricultural practices that are results so we are particularly able
been international traders living divided on gender lines according to accept things for what they
“Experience taught us that locals within the crossroads of Asia for to the crop being grown. But really are and determine what’s
will take compensation money if centuries and that means most this has to be approached with achievable. We have to develop
it’s simply paid as a lump sum and of them want to see a prosperous kid gloves because the Afghan human capacity which at the very
then run away to live elsewhere rather than a poor economy....For male psyche is used to control least means mentoring Afghans in
with relatives, leaving their villages instance, if a bazaar has been run of its women and anything that effective and honest governance.”
depopulated. Trying to regenerate down by conflict, once security might conceivably be perceived to
depopulated villages became a returns the locals will invariably threaten that is a speedy route to
real issue around Musa Qaleh, kick start the bazaar very quickly alienation.” ORGANISATION DETAILS
for instance. In that location, to with minimal support and that will RAF
counter Taliban intimidation we pull agricultural produce back into Pragmatism www.raf.mod.uk
encouraged the local Chief of the centre of the village.”
Police to remind people of their “However, you have to walk
Islamic duty to co-operate with the NGOs and other bodies that may
government and instead of simply have access and links to different
giving them compensation money sections of the local community
we gave assistance and materials
whilst maintaining a military
are thin on the ground in
Afghanistan, certainly in Helmand,
MUST READ
presence but did it all visibly which means military personnel
through the Afghan authorities to have to constantly draw on
increase their credibility. The key diplomacy and pragmatism. “Military training is all about pragmatism, about finding the
to our exit strategy is nurturing best solutions to a huge range of issues under a huge variety
credible Afghan government.” Women and children of circumstances. If you can think tactically you can probably
find your way round civilian issues as well because it really is
Understand “Women still remain the dominant the application of good logical thought processes, common
influence on children and getting sense and judgment coupled with a willingness to accept a
Squadron Leader Summers women on side to persuade their rather different pace to what you are accustomed to within the
believes the most important children to not join Taliban should
military.”
thing for “outsiders” is to try and not be a hard sell but it’s access to
understand what drives the local them that’s extremely difficult. The
people and what’s important to male age group between 15-20
them. years is a crucial influence target
26 27INSIGHT ON PEACEBUILDING MOLDOVA
The Transnistrian conflict
ALLA SKVORTOVA started during the break-
up of the Soviet Union
and Moldova’s move to
independence which sparked
ALLA SKVORTOVA
fears among the Russian
Head of Moldova Country Office, DfID
speaking population on one
side of the River Nistre of
“It’s important to remember that there are no
the possible unification of
two similar conflicts in the world, therefore any
Moldova with Romania and
work that just borrows an approach from else-
the introduction of Romanian
where stands a high risk of failure.”
as the official language.
In 1991, the Eastern regions programme managed jointly by hatred but the political and range of their work and by going
of Moldova called Transnistria DfID and FCO. Civil society cultural differences are growing. to NGO events, talking to other
declared independence from organisations offered the only way We were looking for organisations donors who’d worked with civil
Moldova and sporadic violent to work on both sides of the river, that already had working contacts society organisations we were able
clashes between Moldovan in the absence of contacts between in Transnistria and we wanted to make a judgement about who to
police and Transnistrian militia public administration bodies from to screen out politically biased work with.”
led to a short war in June 1992. the both sides. Alla Skvortova organisations that didn’t follow the
Transnistria developed all the explains: principle of tolerance, were known Crossing the lines
State attributes – the President, to have used hate language, or
Parliament, Government, border Bridging the river were unwilling to acknowledge the Skvortova’s organisation was
and customs services, army, need for concessions towards the working with journalists, against
banking system, currency, and “Although at a personal level, opposite side.” a backdrop of a media industry
flag. A ceasefire agreement, and contacts between people from used to sticking to the “official”
negotiations mediated by Russia, either side of the river remain “Moldova is a small country, and line, which meant that the conflict
Ukraine, OSCE, EU and the USA strong, based on kinship - families information is shared freely. We was only discussed publicly from
failed to achieve any results, and live on both sides - friendship, already knew about Moldovan two rigid government positions.
the conflict is still “frozen”. and business, there are no official and Transnistrian NGOs through
contacts. Even informal contacts the UK Small Grants Programme “We were aiming in the first
In 2003, the UK Government are discouraged by politicians. managed by DfID. This gave us instance to train journalists
started a conflict resolution There is no religious or ethnic a good insight into the whole in investigative reporting and
28 29conflict sensitive journalism. We deliver it, and this element of the
had interns from Transnistria
working in Moldova for 2-3
programme had to be closed. But,
Skvortova believes that positive
INSIGHT ON PEACEBUILDING
weeks, in both radio and print and results in other areas meant more
we put journalists from the two
sides together in small groups,
donors were encouraged to fund
and she says, the lessons from
MAUD ROURE
who jointly authored stories and Moldova are clear.
multimedia pieces.”
MAUD ROURE
However, working with local Interpeace
ORGANISATION DETAILS
public administration bodies
Department for International
proved almost impossible “…it takes time to find the right organisation
Development
largely due to the fact that the and to build the trust that is necessary for good
www.dfid.gov.uk
organisation that put forward collaboration. Part of the partnership building
the programme, which was quite
is also strengthening the partner organisation’s
experienced, proved unable to
capacities.”
MUST READ BURUNDI
“To establish clear rules of work, to jointly agree on the Interpeace had been working
targets and milestones and to establish an effective in Rwanda on a dialogue
monitoring mechanism. It’s important to remember that and research programme for
there are no two similar conflicts in the world, therefore any three years when in 2004,
work that just borrows an approach from elsewhere stands a the Burundian Ambassador
high risk of failure. Lessons learned from elsewhere should asked them to start a similar
be adjusted to the particular situation.” programme in Burundi. After
the 2005 elections in Burundi
they started looking for a
partner organisation.
30 31The essence of the programme to bottom of society. Interpeace is Checking lists finding proposals that would be
was to work with civil society an unusual organisation, in that it acceptable to the majority of the
organisations to build trust and can either work as an NGO or as a “We read their reports analysing people of Burundi.
collaboration within Burundian UN organisation. In this case they the political situation, and thought
society, and help people identify chose the former. they were very balanced and Success
and find solutions to problems straightforward. We also spoke
standing in the way of peace. “It took about a year to find the to their donors and another Roure says Interpeace was
Centre for Alert and Conflict international organisation they fortunate to find such a genuinely
Open minds Prevention (CENAP), our were working with. CENAP was impartial and established
eventual partner. Our search small – only 5 permanent staff – organisation as CENAP:
Maud Roure says Interpeace had involved trying to meet as many but there was a good fit because
an open mind about who to work people as possible – Burundian they were already doing dialogue “This is especially difficult in
with as long as they had the same authorities, donors, civil society work and research.” post-conflict contexts where the
approach and goals as Interpeace, organisations and others – both crisis has often polarised society.
were neutral and seen as such and in the capital and outside it. Once CENAP and Interpeace carried For example in Rwanda (2000
had “convening power” from top we’d identified a shortlist, we out a mapping phase, holding – 2001) we did not manage to
sought views on their capability consultations across the country, at
from people who knew them.” different levels, about obstacles to
“IT CAN BE But, says Roure, Interpeace was
peace. The results were presented
to a ‘national group’ made up of “IT TAKES TIME
DIFFICULT mindful of sensitivities while
searching for a suitable partner.
200 people from government, civil
society and universities as well as
TO FIND THE
DEALING WITH “It can be difficult to deal
representatives of the local groups
consulted.
RIGHT
ORGANISATIONS with organisations that aren’t ORGANISATION
chosen, so we were careful not This group prioritised 4 out of 15
THAT AREN’T to focus explicitly on our search peacebuilding challenges : AND TO BUILD
CHOSEN” for a partner when we met local
organisations. Some of those not • Disarmament of civilian TRUST THAT IS
chosen have nevertheless played a
valuable role in the programme.”
population
• Transitional justice
NECESSARY FOR
CENAP was established in
• Unemployment
• The Presidential elections
GOOD
2002 and initially focused on
strengthening the role of media The CENAP team then began to
COLLABORATION.”
in conflict prevention but evolved work with four groups, one for
to conflict resolution relating to each priority, tasked with finding
demobilisation and land issues. and testing possible solutions with
a wider audience, in the hope of
32 33find an organisation that was seen
ORGANISATION DETAILS
as neutral. There we adopted a
different approach, identifying Interpeace INSIGHT ON PEACEBUILDING
individuals who were interested www.interpeace.org
and open, who then, over the next
two years, formed a new NGO
ROXANNE MYERS
with whom we are still partnering.”
ROXANNE MYERS
Independent Consultant
MUST READ “...it created a sense of alternatives to violence
at the time of the 2006 elections – people were
inundated with peace messages from every
“It takes time to find the right organisation and to build direction. The elections were the first in living
the trust that is necessary for good collaboration. Part of memory to take place without violence.”
the partnership building is also strengthening the partner
organisation’s capacities. In this case, for example, we helped
them set up financial systems, policies, and training.”
“For Interpeace, the Board of the chosen partner is very GUYANA
important – to provide political protection, and access as the
programme is quite politically sensitive. CENAP’s Board had
a more traditional role and did not play much of a political Guyana was facing elections
protection role. Our first idea was to enlarge the Board with in 2006 against a backdrop of
2-3 additional members, but as an outside organisation we political stalemate. A political
weren’t in an easy position vis-à-vis the Board members who system built on ethnic lines,
were effectively the organisation’s founders. In the end, we ongoing conflict between
left the Board as it was, and created an informal network to two ethnic groups – those of
fulfil the same purpose.” African descent and those
of East Indian descent - and
entrenched stereotyping were
rife.
34 35In Guyana attempts to develop donors pooled resources to enable more broadly which they did with while the young people were
either a single cross party national the UN to manage a single conflict a threefold strategy: able to engage some of their
identity, or multiple identities resolution/violence prevention ‘harder to reach’ contemporaries
had failed. The opposition was programme, aimed at ensuring • Recognising that there was in communities that were
boycotting parliament, there peaceful elections, allowing almost no local capacity in experiencing less conflict, in
were widespread street protests all groups to feel included in mediation skills in Guyana, they some of the most conflict prone
and a real fear that Guyana was national decision making and their identified key people across all communities it was more difficult.
becoming a failed state. community development and to organisations who had a personal
start to feel there was a common interest in conflict resolution Hard to reach
Almost 2 years before the shared future for the whole and conflict transformation
elections, the Governance and country. including trades unions, faith “The programme was a wide
Democracy programme of UNDP communities, NGOs, and local ranging attempt to introduce
had initiated a project in which Growing frustration government ministries. They were conflict resolution skills across the
invited to conflict resolution and
Myers says that although the UN transformation training and some
had gone through the processes, of them went on to train others in
“BOTH THE very little had been achieved: their own organisations. “THE ELECTIONS
INTERNATIONAL “The UN held widespread • Local governments were asked WERE THE FIRST
consultations, with the university, to identify young people in their
DONORS AND trades unions, media, business communities who had leadership IN LIVING
GENERAL PUBLIC sector, youth and womens’
associations, religious leaders
potential, who would reach out to
their peers involved in violence, MEMORY TO TAKE
WERE FRUSTRATED and human rights activists who
identified the main problems and
and engage with them using the
skills they had learned in conflict
PLACE WITHOUT
WITH LACK OF proposed solutions. There was
support for the ongoing political
resolution and transformation. The
group represented different ethnic
VIOLENCE.”
PROGRESS.” dialogue process… however, after
eighteen months there had been
groups and included both men
and women.
very limited success, and both the
international donors and general • NGOs were invited to tender
public were frustrated with lack through adverts in the local
of progress and the rising violence newspapers to support the young
levels.” people in their work at community
level. Organisations were assessed
The UNDP decided to recalibrate and selected based on their past
the approach to focus on youth experience and capacity and were
and youth violence but to do this offered UN training.
they needed to involve civil society It was an ambitious project and
36 37whole society to create a ‘critical violence and the peacebuilding
mass’ of people who believed
peace was possible. Even though
initiative will always be seen as
having contributed to this.”
INSIGHT ON PEACEBUILDING
some of the most ‘hard to reach’
were left out of the project, enough
of the public were involved to
Changing language LIDIJA SKARO
overcome the remaining spoilers “While not all politicians
and make the project successful. acknowledged the impact of the
More specifically, it created a peacebuilding movement, there LIDIJA SKARO
sense of alternatives to violence at has been a change in their rhetoric International Commission on Missing
the time of the 2006 elections – that includes language such a Persons (ICMP)
people were inundated with peace “social cohesion, inclusion, unity “For organisations coming from the outside, the
messages from every direction. The and change,” a marked departure
most important thing is to try to respond to the
elections were the first in living from the divisive discourse of the
needs expressed by grass roots local
memory to take place without past.”
organisations, and enable these to actually
shape their strategy. If we don’t seek to under-
stand and address local needs, we will certainly
fail.”
MUST READ
“It inspired us to hope, to keep dreams alive for a more
peaceful country. But if we did it again we would want to put
BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
more emphasis on justice and reconciliation. For example, ICMP was set up in 1996 in
there had been mayhem in the period 2002-2004, with police order to address the problem
killing women and children, Indians being targeted and their of missing persons following
houses burned down. Because the courts were so clogged up, the conflict in Bosnia,
people weren’t able to have recourse to the justice system, Croatia, Serbia and
and now in some cases it is too late to gather the evidence Montenegro. Since then its
needed to bring forward cases.” mandate has expanded to
cover Kosovo and Mace-
donia and the 40,000 esti-
mated missing persons in
1996 have been reduced to
17,000.
38 39Rolf Ekeus, ICMP Commissioner their experiences, and that helps Now, ICMP is looking to involve
and OSCE High Commissioner
on National Minorities, states
ICMP. But we have also educated
them on more technical things,
new members of civil society such
as universities, journalists, artists “WHAT IS MORE OF
“The issue of persons missing
from armed conflicts, from
for example explaining what DNA
analysis is. They have taken on
and human rights NGOs to ensure
that the work over the last decade
AN ISSUE IS GETTING
abuses of human rights and from
other crimes against humanity
much of the role of explaining
to often suspicious relatives why
and the issue of missing remains is
sustained.
THE PEOPLE WE
is a global concern, and ICMP
is the only organisation in the
they need to give blood samples
for matching – and this has really “What is more of an issue is
WORK WITH, TO
world that specifically addresses helped to speed up ICMP’s work.” getting the people we work with, to WORK TOGETHER.”
the complexities of this problem work together.”
on a political, human rights and “Sometimes also they have helped
technical level.” to identify the sites of mass graves. Kid gloves
It’s a strange thing – when people
The ICMP believes family return to their homes, there are In order to promote understanding
associations are vital in helping three syndromes between them and encourage greater cooperation
to get to the truth about missing and neighbours of a different between different religious/
persons, and thus, treats them as ethnic group. One is denial that national groups on common groups of the same ethnicity, but
equal partners with government. anything happened. Another is advocacy issues, ICMP launched then the next phase involved mixed
deliberate turning their back on a pilot initiative and organised groups, to help people understand
Burdens of war the past. But there is a third, the “Paths to Reconciliation”, that all have common goals and
where people start to share their conference in 2003 which aimed to problems.”
Lidija Skaro says, “The members memories of what happened, create space for discussion, truth
of family associations, mainly and this can be very fruitful and seeking, justice and reconciliation Project grants have been made
women, are brought together provide useful information to through a series of round tables. to family associations, as well as
by the burdens they still carry relevant authorities.” A second project, “Victims as training and technical assistance.
from the war, and their day to Survivors: Dealing with the Past One of the priorities has been to
day struggles. Many lost sons or Raising awareness and Present”, was for family encourage networking, specifically
husbands, and are forced into associations to discuss very to engage family associations in
the position of heads of families ICMP has actively encouraged sensitive issues, such as atrocities effective regional multi-national
and wage earners. But even in public involvement and civil and disappearance of their beloved mechanisms that address the
these difficult circumstances, they society initiatives and has ones. specific rights and needs of family
have come together to discover established cooperation with an members with missing relatives.
the truth. First off, the family extensive regional network of more Skaro explains that the process has ICMP has also been active in
association office is a safe place to than 100 Associations of Missing to be handled sensitively, “ Topics raising public awareness so as
come, a place for a cup of tea and Persons. ICMP also works with of identity, prejudice, conflict, to improve understanding of
a shoulder to cry on when things other war victims-survivors groups communication and dialogue the issue of missing persons and
get overwhelming. It’s a place that such as civilian victims, and former are addressed through a series the situation of surviving family
makes it easy for them to share combatants. of workshops, first by organising members.
40 41You can also read
