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- Jan 2010A look back on 2009 LESS
- I hope 2010 is shaping up to be a good year for you. It's going to be a very exciting year at Peace Direct. Our supporters have enabled the peacebuilders we fund to MOREmake real achievements in 2009 and to build on these for the coming year. I wanted to share with you just some of their amazing achievements.
Sudan: A dispute over oil company compensation could easily have turned into full scale tribal warfare as neighbouring tribes in South Kordofan armed themselves. The Peace Committee set up by the Collaborative for Peace negotiated between the tribes and the oil company and found a peaceful solution.
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Sri Lanka: 40 young people from divergent communities have been trained to be leaders and advocates for peace in their communities.
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Zimbabwe: Envision Zimbabwe have set up an exciting new project to counteract the entrenched culture of violence with a culture of peace amongst young people.
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Congo: CRC's Peace Education programme aims to help communities find non violent solutions to conflict. They have trained 60 teachers and ran sessions with over 1000 young people and 5,700 church goers.
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Nepal: YAPE acts to calm violent conflict. Their standing as well known human rights activists means opposing parties are confident their side of the story will be heard without bias or vested interest.
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Kasmir: The samanbals are going from strength to strength – with another 3 being setup around Kashmir – and Athwaas is beginning to be recognised as a legitimate voice in the Kashmiri peace process.
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2010 will bring many challenges, with elections set to take place in Sudan, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, it will be a highly charged year. The work that our peacebuilders do on the ground has never been more vital. You can add your voice to their call for peace.
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- Jan 2010A look back on 2009 - Nepal LESS
- The situation in Nepal is still very fragile, only last month a general strike called by the Maoists brought a part of the country to a halt. At the beginning of the MOREpeace process in 2006 the UN estimated there were 32,000 rebel fighters still armed, to date only 19,000 have given up their weapons. With 128 rebel groups still at large in the south, the task of building peace in Nepal is far from complete.
But, there is still hope for Nepal. Peace Direct funds the work of YAPE in the south of country, who intervene in conflicts before they are able to threaten this fragile peace process. YAPE works to bring justice to people who have suffered human rights abuses to challenge the culture of violence as well as responding to conflicts as they arise.
In October of this year Peace Direct’s Head of International programmes, Tom Ghilespy visited Nepal. YAPE’s representative Bhoraj Timilsina took Tom to meet the people who had suffered through Nepal’s years of conflict. Tom met a widow who talked painfully of her husband’s abduction by Maoists. The rebels extorted money and valuables from her through threats to her missing husband’s life. Only after two years did she find out he was already dead. Bhoraj has bought this case to court, and whilst the case remains ongoing, by demanding justice YAPE is taking the first steps to bringing an end to the cycle of violence.
YAPE in action
In September a disagreement between local people and Maoist affiliated trades unions threatened to enthrall a whole town in violent conflict. Local youths began gathering in the town centre armed with knives, spears and iron rods, whilst on the other side of town the union members were preparing for a fight. The police became involved and arrested some of the youths, which only provoked the situation further as townspeople swarmed the police station accusing the police of caving in to the Maoists by arresting people who were just looking to protect their communities from attack.
Bhoraj Timilsina from YAPE was invited to intervene. As a well known human rights activists the opposing parties were confident their side of the story would be heard without bias or vested interest. At the police station Bhoraj held mediation talks between the community and the transport workers that resulted in the opposing sides signing a pledge to live in harmony.
- Jan 2010Tune in to Truce LESS
- Our peacebuilders were live on air this Sunday 10 January 8-10pm.
You can listen to the programme here
BBC London interviewed peacebuilder Albino Forquilha from Mozambique and three young people, MORESohail, Isha and Arnaud, from our Truce programme in Newham. Listeners phoned in with questions and encouragement and you can access the programme online.
Albino visited the Truce project in November and The Independent newspaper covered his trip. Read the article to find out more about Albino's work in post conflict Mozambique and what he and the Truce young people learnt from each other.
- Jan 2010Brighton Marathon LESS
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18 APRIL 2010
Imagine running the streets of Brighton, amazing coastal views, a fabulous town with a fabulous atmosphere and live bands along the route, all as part of the Peace MOREDirect running team. April 18 2010 will be the first ever Brighton Marathon, and it promises to be an incredible day. The fast and flat course runs through the city and along the sea front, taking in much of Brighton's charms. Peace Direct has limited places, that we need to fill fast, so if you're interested in really challenging yourself in 2010, and in raising lifesaving funds to help local people building peace in war zones around the world, contact Helen today or call 0207 549 0285
To join the Peace Direct team all we ask is that you aim to raise £500 or more and that you pay a registration fee of £50. As part of our team you will recieve training plans, fundraising hints and tips, a training run in March, a Peace Direct T shirt, heaps of encouragment throughout your training and lots of cheerers on the day.
We can promise a real team atmosphere, and we want you to be part of it.
To register, contact Helen today or call 0207 549 0285.
Photo credits: Neil Hootings
uploaded under Creative Commons Licence
