Practical. Local.Vocal.
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Jul 2010Sudan: In the wake of conflict comes health and celebration LESS - “After many years they sent us a ‘medical caravan’ because they know now that there is no tension and the area is calm.” Naema - a local midwife
Last month in MOREa dusty village in South Kordofan a healthcare ‘caravan’ arrived to provide medical services to two tribes. The caravan stayed for three days and as the people received care and attention they told stories of the hardship they had suffered. A young woman named Handi told of her sadness of loosing her baby after bleeding for seven days before anyone could find transport to take her to the nearest health service.
Sudan suffers some of the most extreme poverty on earth. In these remote villages people live in grass huts and there is no sanitation, health service or formal education. As Handi’s story shows a traveling healthcare caravan provides a life saving service, and yet this is the first time in over 5 years that the caravan has been able to visit. Conflict had torn the communities apart and made it unsafe for anyone to travel through the area.
Up until the end of the civil war these two tribes had lived side by side, they shared land, water and married between tribes. But cattle raiding between the two tribes became common and farmers armed themselves to protect their scarce resources. The true tragedy of this story is there is a water dam in the land between the two tribes and the surrounding land is the most fertile in the area. For over five years women had to walk over 8 miles each day to find an alternative source of water, and the land which could have fed both of the tribes lay unfarmed.
The Collaborative for Peace in Sudan set up a Peace Committee in the area, and was quickly approached by community members from both tribes. They all spoke of huge gatherings in the past, the dancing and celebrations when they saw each other, and they asked the committee to help this happen again.
“ We saw you come from far away to help us. We said to ourselves, we should feel ashamed, we are here we should work seriously for peace” Dawood – village teacher
On 7 April the committee arranged for the two tribes to meet again. Vehicles are uncommon in the area, and most people travel by donkey, camel or on foot, so the committee organised for trucks to help transport the people. Over 500 men women and children made the two hour journey to visit their neighbouring tribe – a journey none of them had made in over 5 years. Over two days the people of the two tribes talked, discussed and found solutions. The talks were lengthy but as one tribal elder said, ‘ This is our chance to change our community with our own hands.’
At the end of the two days, the Collaborative gave each tribe some funds to buy seeds so that in May they were able to plant their land. The two communities number about 5000 people and this land can provide enough crops to feed their families and some extra to sell at market.
Rasha El Fangry, the co-ordinator for the Collaborative returned to the area earlier this month, the benefits of peace could be seen everywhere. She learnt of how the two tribes had together approached the local commissioner to petition for the health caravan to visit and of how they were working together to make real improvements in their lives.
“Now I am able to take my goats and move from one place to another with no fear. I am happy.’ Mahamood – village iman
A basic economy is beginning to thrive and members of the different tribes are able to travel freely to visit one another. A ‘family day’ was organised for all communities in the district to come together in celebration, and people from neighbouring communities, including the media, are able to visit, so their region does not get lost to conflict.
“My son has come from the city to help me with farming” Halima – village singer
It cost less that £2000 for the Collaborative to fund this intervention – just 40 pence for each of the 5000 people who have benefitted so much from the peace it has bought.
The Collaborative for Peace in Sudan has set up 8 peace committees like this across Blue Nile and South Kordofan. Over the next year they plan to set up 8 more. Please make a gift today and help these communities to lead themselves out of conflict.
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Jul 2010Islands of Peace in Kashmir LESS -
It has been a diffcult summer for Ashima with demonstrations and curfews across the Kashmir Valley. Since June 11 Indian police and paramilitary forces have been accused of killing 15 civilians – 4 MOREof them women. The curfew has bought the valley to a standstill, and for Ashima this means not only heightened insecurity but also that she is unable to push ahead with plans to expand the samanbals.
However as Ashima talks about the samanbals and particularly about some of the individual women her passion and belief that women can and will be the change-makers in the peacebuilding process comes across stronger than ever.
“When the woman in the family is not healthy, when she can only feel fear, then how can you expect the family, the community to be happy. The samanbals provide women with these small islands of peace so that they can build their own life. It may just be minute dots on the peacebuilders map, but they mean so much to the individual women.”
It has been 8 years since Ashima established the frst samanbal in the Kashmir valley. There is now one in each division of Kashmir, and the women come daily. Each samanbal provides the women with a space they can call their own, where they can learn income generating activities to provide for their children, gain respect from their families and which together builds the political conscience of the women.
I can sense Ashima smile as she tells me about 23-year-old Abida, a young woman who when Ashima met her ‘did not dare to open her mouth for fear of being heard.’ Affra is now teaching computer workshops at the Samanbal in the Kashmir Valley. She has told Ashima, “Now I am like a man of the house, I am treated equally as my brother.”
And the samanbals are beginning to spread. In the far corner of Jammu along the line of control – too far for Ashima to visit regularly - a group of women has set up their own samanbal. Ashima has helped the women to forge links with other organisations that will help to sustain them, and is now watching them grow. Before the curfew bought the valley to a standstill, Ashima had begun talks with the Women’s Development Co-operation about fnding sources of funding for this and other satellite samanbals.
This year has seen the Domestic Violence Act passed in Kashmir, and it is now, at its nascent stage that there is opportunity for the women of the samanbals to make their mark on the bill – to ensure that it refects the needs of women from all regions.
This is where Ashima’s vision for the samanbals become clear, where rather than small islands, she sees these spaces as a network that brings women together across ethnic, religious and political divides and she is so eager for the curfew to end so that they can continue to spread. She wants to strengthen the existing samanbals – to create leadership at the community level, and make this collective of women an agency for change. And ultimately she wants the government to adopt the samanbals, so that all women are able to access a space they can call their own.
“The future is very difcult, but hope lies in women and youth – if change is possible it will come through them.”
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Jul 2010From Local to National Peacebuilding LESS - Many professionals working in conflict areas recognise that peacebuilding and statebuilding ultimately depend on the efforts of local people and institutions. Yet local peacebuilding is often equated with community-level projects that are MOREtoo small for governments to handle and that can only have a limited impact.
Peace Direct believes that locally led peacebuilding can operate on a large scale. Its concept paper, Ripples into Waves, uses four external case studies to show how local peacebuilding initiatives have succeeded on a national scale and made a real impact on violent conflict.
Click here to download Ripples into Waves (pdf) (http://www.insightonconflict.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Ripples-into-Waves-concept-paper.pdf)
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Jul 2010Rebuilding lives in DR Congo LESS - Omari spends his days working the land and running his own small business in the city of Rugenge, in eastern DR Congo. Behind what appears to be a quiet and MOREpeaceful life, is the story of a man who spent more than a decade fighting in the bush as a rebel soldier and who would likely be dead if it were not for the help of local peacebuilder Flory and his dedicated team of volunteers.
Omari’s family, desperate for his return, contacted Flory’s Clubs of Peace to help them convince Omari to lay down his weapons and leave the armed group. After listening to what they said Omari agreed to return to his family.
Omari was a member of the Mai Mai militia group – a group that strongly believes in black magic. All Mai Mai are forbidden from eating cassava leaves as these are believed to rob them of their magic powers to deflect bullets. So for Omari’s family it was a sign that he had completely turned away from a life of gunbattles and violence when he began to eat the leaves again. But for his old comrades it was an act of betrayal and the Mai Mai leader ordered that Omari be killed
The community was afraid, not just for Omari, but equally because of the threat of reprisals if Omari was to be attacked – they called on the Clubs of Peace to intervene again.The representatives went to speak to the Mai Mai leader, they spoke of the need to rebuild the community, for the war had only destroyed the village and left people dead, and of how every person has the right to decide their own path in life. The leader, believing the truth of these words, supported Omari’s decision to abandon the rebels.
This story, and Omari’s freedom to live in peace, is a testament to the power of local expertise, peaceful intervention and dialogue to transform minds and free people from conflict.
You can support the Clubs of Peace by making a donation today, and help Flory and his team stop violence before it starts.
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Jul 2010Resolving conflict in South Kivu LESS - In Kiromoni, a village in eastern Congo, two women had threatened to kill each other because of a past debt. Their communities had been drawn into the conflict which had grown intense MOREin recent months over the dispute. This community, torn apart by bloody conflict and suffering intense poverty, was failing to solve this escalating argument in a peaceful way and could have been on the verge of violence.
However, as a result of mediation from one of the barazas – community forums - set up by Flory Kazingufu, the debt is being repaid and the communities are in the process of settling the dispute without violence. This is just one of many conflicts that have been diffused as a result of communities requesting help from the ‘clubs of peace.’
In Kavinvira this month the positive work of Flory and his organisation Foundation Chirezi has begun to make a real contribution to peace. Reports are coming through about conflicts resolved from the different clubs of volunteers for peace, and more and more people are attending the baraza workshops and reporting various conflicts arising in their areas.
“I have realised from this seminar that it is possible for all people of different tribes to be one and live together. Let other people also know this.’
Nturo, a village elder.
The organisation is growing, with five new clubs of peace established in Kiliba this month, a second conflict management training workshop in Kiliba and many people volunteering to become members of different bazaras. Flory was delighted to see that many of these volunteers were women, many of who have participated in the workshops.
“What has challenged me is to see that it is possible for people to live together while managing their problems... This workshop has really challenged me.”
Florence, a 20 year old student.
With the funding from Peace Direct, Flory plans in the coming months to continue the peacebuilding efforts of Foundation Chirezi by conducting a third conflict management training workshop, collecting reports from the conflict mediations in the bazara, and by visiting all the clubs of Volunteers for Peace. He has organised a soccer tournament for peace in June and has invited different authorities and tribe leaders for the prizewinning ceremonies.
By helping communities find their own solutions to conflict by working together Flory and Foundation Chirezi are bringing tribal communities together and helping to solve their differences.
“It is exciting to see the role that our clubs of peace are playing in communities.”
Flory Kazingufu
Flory needs funding to run the conflict management workshops and establish the baraza that are so important in bringing communities together. Please support him in helping communities in the Congo by making a gift today.
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- Jul 201050 years of Independence in DRC LESS
- WALL OF HOPE.
June 30 was the anniversary of 50 years of Independence in D.R. Congo and local peacebuilder Henri Ladyi worked with the local community in Beni to celebrate with MOREa peace procession involving the national police, state services and all members of the community.
Traditional music and dance brought the community together and Henri's organisation ran speeches and workshops on the rights of the child, and the need for peace in Congo's future.
The unveiling of the Wall was a central part of the day and the Mayor has declared it a permanent memorial to children. The Wall is part of a campaign that has used the personal testimonies of children who have been victims of forced recruitment into armed groups, as well as messages of support from Peace Direct supporters.
In just three weeks Henri has reached 3299 people, including 1172 children. He has held 4 conferences on child protection and ran 15 workshops in rural villages using projected messages from Peace Direct supporters for the children of Congo. Eight of the 30 children who were rescued by Henri in May have helped to connect with those children who are still members of the militia, to show them that they do have an alternative.
Henri plans to erect another wall in Butembo and to run more workshops, so if you haven't done so already, please leave your message of hope for the children of Congo.
THE FIGHT FOR PEACE.
Tragically on June 30 what should have been a day of joy became a night of fear. Fighting broke out between government forces and a Ugandan rebel group just 50 km away from Beni. The streets of Beni began to fill with people fleeing the violence, who told of shops destroyed and houses ransacked. In the last week the militia soldiers have started leaving letters in the villages warning communities to leave as they will attack and kill anyone who stays. The number of people arriving in Beni is growing by the day.
The new arrivals are coming with nothing, and they are dependent on the people of Beni to help them. Over the last 5 years a lot of Henri's work in Beni has focused on reducing tensions between those who have been displaced and the host community. So far many people in Beni have opened up their homes to offer food and shelter and town and army officials are keeping the people informed on what is happening.
In Congo there are over 2 million people who have been forced to flee their homes because of violence and who arrive in neighbouring villages with no way to support themselves. Across eastern Congo Henri has set up teams of former militia members and local leaders to perform reconnaissance visits to check that it is safe for people to return to their villages, and then accompany them through the bush to ensure they are not attacked enroute. In the coming weeks their role will be crucial to the future of the people who are currently sheltering in Beni.
"Building peace in Congo is a bit like washing a pig, just when you think, you've got him clean, he's wriggled free and is squelching in the mud again. But that doesn't mean you give up." Henri Ladyi
Henri, and the local peacebuilders like him, have the determination, the contacts and the moral legitimacy to make a real difference in their communities - you can give them the one thing they urgently need - your support. Please make a gift today and show the people of Congo that, like Henri, you won't give up on peace.
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- Jun 2010Job Vacancy: Finance Assistant – 4/5 days a week LESS
- Wherever there is conflict – Sudan, Nepal, DRC…- there are also local people working for peace. Peace Direct believes that their work must be at the heart of any strategy for managing MOREconflict. We find and fund incredibly inspiring and committed people, some of whom are risking their lives to carry out work that they believe in passionately. We promote their work, and seek to bring learning from their work back into the UK.
Because of expansion in our activities we are looking for a Finance Assistant to help our Head of Finance. Initially you would be responsible for processing donations, grants and invoices, and in carrying out reconciliations. However the role is expected to expand as you become more experienced, to take on more responsibility for accounting for the overseas projects that we fund. This role would suit someone who wishes to gain or increase their book-keeping experience. Training will be given if necessary.
Salary will be £20,000 - £25,000 pa for full time position, depending on experience. We can be flexible on hours, and would consider people wishing to work a reduced day/week, with a minimum of 25 hours over not less than 4 days/week.
Main Responsibilities
To maintain Peace Direct’s financial systems.
Key Tasks
a) Financial Records
Maintain all accounting records
Recording donations and grants
Processing reclaim of Gift Aid
Making grant payments against overseas project budgets
Paying invoices
Monitoring of banking arrangements, current and deposit
Reconciliations
Bank Accounts
Petty Cash
Raiser’s Edge
Payroll
Pensions premiums
Tax and NIC
Maintain fixed asset register
Insurance
b) Management Reports
Monthly management accounts
Provide monthly information to budget holders
Reports to
Head of Finance & Systems.
Person specification
Essential
Highly numerate
Either:
- Previous experience in a financial role, or
- At least level 3 (eg A Level, BTEC) qualification plus at least six months relevant work experience, or
- Degree in relevant subject
Fast Learner
Experience of working with Excel or similar packages
Resourceful and systematic approach
Ability to work on own with minimal supervision
Desirable
Interest in peacebuilding
To apply, please email Robert@peacedirect.org with your CV and a covering letter stating why you believe you are a candidate for this position. Deadline for application 12 July 2010, interviews in week beginning 19 July 2010.
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Jun 2010Race For Peace LESS - "I saw the Peace Direct cheerers along the route - it was great to have their support. I am happy to have contributed to such a worthy cause"
Dave Kirkman - Peace MOREDirect runner
As the sun comes out and the long evenings stretch ahead of us what better time to start getting fit and making the most of the great outdoors, so why not join the Peace Direct running team.
We've got places in the fantastic 10 mile Great South Run in Portsmouth on October 24th. It’s a fabulous fast and flat run with lots of local support on the day, all making for a brilliant atmosphere.
The race is now fully subscribed, so you can only enter as a charity runner, and Peace Direct would love to have you on the team. Join our team today and we can offer training plans, fundraising tips and lots of on the day support.
"I support Peace Direct because I believe the only way to achieve real peace - not just the absence of armed conflict - is to empower civilians on the frontlines of war"
Sirine Rached, Peace Direct supporter
If you care about peace worldwide and you want to stand shoulder to shoulder with local people working on the frontline of conflict, do something amazing. Join the Race for Peace team today
Contact Helen on 0207 549 0285 or Helen@peacedirect.org today.
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Jun 2010Burundi Election Update (1st June 2010) LESS - I’d like also to share a bit on the situation in Burundi, one week after the district elections. The points below are based on conversations I’ve had with a different people including MOREreporters, election observers and members of civil society who have followed the closely.
The turn-out was massive: 92%, I think it’s among the records for participation in a free and fair election.
There were a number of logistic and organisational problems that caused the polls to be postponed twice, and even as the voting went ahead last Monday, some problems were observed here and there.
The result has been a total surprise for everyone, including the ruling CNDD-FDD party which didn’t expect to win by such a large margin (provisional results suggest they won around 70% of the vote). Of course the opposition has rejected the results claiming that there has been massive fraud. However, they have yet to provide any proof and all the observers, media, churches and civil society have not noticed anything suspicious or abnormal at a large scale during the vote and the counting. A few problems were noticed here and there, but nothing large enough to affect the overall trend.
There may have been intimidation, rumours and corruption of voters during the campaign. The ruling CNDD-FDD party has a lot of facilities and means, the current president has tried to be close to ordinary citizens as often as possible, playing football with them, participating in simple activities in remote areas to gain popularity. This means that some people could, for example, attend for an opposition rally of the MSD or FNL, knowing they would be voting for the CNDD-FDD in privacy of the voting booth.
Another point to be noticed is what I call the “Burundian cultural attitude”. It is really difficult to know what a Burundian is thinking deep in his or her heart, there is a kind of hypocrisy that can confuse you. One political party may think it has a lot of followers while in reality it’s not the case. Questioned for what party they will vote, many Burundians used to say: ”It’s our secret”. With such uncertainty, it is impossible to predict the result of an election.
12 opposition parties are now threatening to boycott the rest of the polls due to be held over the summer, and are demanding the electoral commission resign. But they are isolated in their protests, and I don’t think their demands will be heard.
On the ground, the situation is calm, with nothing alarming to mention. Let’s hope it will be like this for the rest of the electoral marathon and the Electoral commission will be able to clarify all the irregularities reported for a future free and transparent vote.
I hope this will contribute to enlighten you on the situation post-election. I will continue to keep you informed about this for a better understanding of the context in Burundi.
Landry, Amahoro Youth Club, Burundi
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May 2010Preventing Political Violence in Nepal LESS - Four years after the peace agreement which ended the civil war, Nepal is moving towards the end of the political process to build the foundations for a stable peace in Nepal. But, MOREreaching a concrete agreement for a new constitution before the May 28th deadline is proving difficult. The Maoists are particularly unhappy with the situation, and at this crucial time for the future of the country, tensions are high.
Around the beginning of April, the situation began get worse. At meetings and gatherings of the UCPN-M – the main Maoist party – there was talk of a “final war” against the government, the fourth stage in the “revolution”, and of overthrowing the government. There were reports of children being forced to attend weapons and explosives training, schools were being shut down, and people were being forced to donate to the UCPN-M. In one case, teachers were being asked to donate a whole months wages. Things got more tense as May Day approached, the UCPN-M had called for an indefinite general strike, beginning on May 1st, demanding the resignation of the government.
Peace Direct funds the Youth Alliance for Peace and Environment (YAPE), a grassroots organisation that is building peace on the ground in the districts around Kathmandu. In partnership with it’s allies, YAPE began work to avoid major escalation and potential violence. YAPE chairs the Human Rights Defender Network for Peace and Conflict Management (Network) – a network of organisations from across Nepal committed to the success of the peace process. Through Network, YAPE is able to translate it’s grassroots knowledge into national action.
As May 1st approached, YAPE and Network began putting pressure on the UCPN-M to return to the peace process. YAPE’s unique links to people at local, national and international levels, provided it with tremendous opportunities for influence. YAPE’s representatives met with officials from both the UN mission in Nepal (UNMIN) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (ONHCR). They made appearances on radio stations calling for peace. And they resolved local conflicts whilst the strike was in effect, to ensure the situation stayed as calm and peaceful as possible. In one case the local Maoist party, in defiance of central party orders, had blockaded milk delivery trucks on their way to sell in town. The situation could easily have resulted in violence, but YAPE was able to step in, and, using their contacts on both sides, negotiate a peaceful resolution.
YAPE was central to the meetings between Network and other prominent members of Nepalese society (lawyers, doctors, etc) in district of Kavre. The culmination of the efforts of YAPE, and other groups right across Nepal, was a huge peace rally in Kathmandu organised by the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI). Tens of thousands of people came from all over the country to demonstrate their commitment to the peace process.
With the combined pressure at local, national and international level, and the massive show of peace in Kathmandu, the UCPN-M ultimately called off their general strike, and agreed to return to the negotiations. YAPE’s unique position as both a credible, respected grassroots organisation, with links to people at national and international level, put it in a unique position to act on all levels in the building of a movement for peace. Whilst at a local level, YAPE's interventions meant that nobody was injured in the Kavre district during the strike.
The coming weeks are critical for Nepal’s future. 10 years of civil war has left thousands dead, and many more forced to leave their homes. The work of YAPE and it’s allies is now more important than ever before; to ensure that the Nepalese people’s commitment to peace is not overshadowed as political parties vie for power.
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- May 2010Burundi Election Update LESS
- On Monday, Burundi held its municipal elections, the first in a series of 5 over the next few months, and the first since the last rebel group put down their weapons and MOREended the civil war.
Problems with insufficient voting papers in some polling stations meant the vote had been delayed from Friday 21st. The vote proceeded peacefully, with a huge turnout – official figures suggest around 90% of Burundian’s voted – and many queued from the early morning to ensure they had a chance to cast their vote.
Provisional results show a clear victory for the ruling CNDD-FDD party, receiving an average of 80% of the vote in the constituencies that have declared. However, opposition parties have expressed concern over the vote. An alliance of 8 parties have signed a joint statement alleging fraud, their main points are:
Election observers from opposition parties were refused access to the vote count in some areas.
In some places there were reports of ballot boxes being tampered with by election officials.
The postponement of the poll gave an opportunity to manipulate the results.
The National Electoral Commission has denied these allegations.
Attending the vote, I noticed some administrative problems – mistakes were made in the lists of voters, and there was a lack of voting cards in some place. Also, the margin of victory for the ruling party is so large, that it raises the question of whether these were truly multi-party elections, and if the vote was free and fair.
In many ways the election was a success, they were peaceful and there was a huge turnout. But, questions over the counting, the transport of ballot boxes, and the size of the CNDD-FDD victory, need to be answered if Burundians are to be sure the elections are credible.
Bosco, Amahoro Youth Club, Burundi
- May 2010Burundi Bikers mobilise LESS
- STOPPING VIOLENCE BEFORE IT STARTS.
BIKERS MOBILISE FOR FREEDOM & TRANSPARENCY.
16 volunteers from the Amahoro Youth Club lead a peace parade of over 100 bikers across the MOREcity of Bujumbura.
The bikers, on cycles and motorbikes, are the taxi drivers of the city, young men who in previous years have been used as pawns in outbreaks of political violence.
Burundi’s second general elections begin later this month, and there is great concern that the relative peace of the last year will be threatened by political manipulation. Many people have not received their ID papers and already people are reporting stories of violence and beatings at political meetings.
The 100 strong bike parade, supported by police offices, crossed the city, stopping traffic and drawing crowds of onlookers. Each biker wore a T-shirt with the words ‘carnaval de paix ‘ and handed out leaflets amongst the crowds, calling on people to work together for the reconstruction of Burundi.
The parade culminated in the public gardens at the centre of the city. The bikers and the gathering crowds came together to listen to speakers discussing the threat of increased violence in the upcoming burundi elections. The speeches covered issues of the history of democracy in Burundi, the reasons for voting and the dangers of political violence. Videos were projected across the square; showing the violence that ripped through Kenya in 2008, and a documentary following the fates of young men who had been used by rebel leaders and political leaders in previous elections.
The day ended with songs of peace and words of hope for free, transparent and non-violent elections.
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May 2010Young Visionaries celebrate new beginnings LESS -
"This was the first time in my life I have seen all three communities celebrate and share an event together" Saheer – Kattankudy
This huge New Year MOREfestival happened just last week in the remote village of Keledivuluwela and for the first time 70 young people from Tamil and Muslim backgrounds travelled to share the festivities with the Sinhalese locals from the nearby villages.
Young people in Sri Lanka have grown up in a bloody civil war and their communities have been divided by a lifetime of violence. Although the government announced a military victory in May 2009, divisions of ethnicity, religion and language remain and it is vital these are addressed so they do not sow the seeds for militancy in the generation to come.
“ Young visionaries mean creating good people for society, developing good youths and explaining how we can solve conflicts by finding better, positive approaches”
S nanthini – Thirukovil
The Young Visionary project is a national youth network working to promote peace and reject violence. At the end of 2009 forty young people from Tamil, Sinhalese Buddhist and Muslim backgrounds had been trained as Young Visionaries – and in the first few months of this year they have been joined by a further 195 young people. Throughout February and March the Young Visionaries (YVs) attended workshops across the country to explore the root causes of the conflict that has threatened their communities for so long, and develop projects to address those conflicts.
“ I did not know myself before this workshop; I had no hope. But now I understand that together we can help our community and our society”
Asith Kekirawa – Anuradhapura
The New Year festival was organised by the YV group in Anuradhapura and was a celebration of the diversity in Sri Lanka. It was a beautiful sunny day and religious leaders from each of the three communities came to bless the festivities, whilst the young people and the villagers shared many traditional games and music. After 25 years of brutal civil war that has left an estimated 70,000 people dead, this simple festival is a huge achievement and just shows the potential of the young visionaries to promote social change and build a future not divided by the past.
“I talked to the people from the village, and they listened to me, and shared their feelings and experiences, without ever considering my ethnicity or religion”
Rodney - Batticaloa
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- Apr 2010Students against violence LESS
- In the last two days 60 students from across Burundi have come together to put a stop to election related violence – before it starts.
Burundi faces elections this May, and MOREthe great fear is that political parties may use youth groups as military guardians for the leaders. If Burundi is to avoid what Kenya experienced in 2008 it is vital that young people, constituting 60% of the population, become the partisans of democratic, peaceful, transparent and fair elections.
The Amahoro Youth Club has organised this week’s training with 60 students to prepare them to spread this message amongst their friends and families. The training is a mixture of activities and talks from key players, such as the Coalition of Civil Society for Electorial monitoring (COSOME).
Following this training the students will set up ‘Amahoro committees’ in their universities to take this message to more and more people.
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- Apr 2010news LESS
- In a village desecrated by years of war in eastern Congo the local village carpenter, Mr Padir welcomes his neighbours to join him as a Volunteer of Peace. As bloody conflict has MOREtorn his community apart and left people struggling in abject poverty, just keeping his family safe has been challenge enough. Yet Mr Padir knows that the only way his community can find its own solutions to conflict is by working together and he was one of first to sign up when Foundation Chirezi set up a community forum in his village.
“People need to create peace in order to live in peace” Mr Padir, village carpenter
Situated in eastern Congo – the gateway to the worst of the violence over the last 15 years, kavinvira has extremely high levels of poverty and illiteracy, and the community is divided by accusations of witchcraft. Yet as of today there are 50 people – from religious leaders and tribal elders to Mr Padir – trained as mediators to help settle disputes without violence.
In the past two months, with funding from Peace Direct, Flory Kazingufu director of Foundation Chirezi has set up two barazas – community forums – in the villages of Kavinvira and Kiliba. The forums are set up in collaboration with, and on the wishes of local authority and tribal leaders – ensuring they provide what the community needs most.
“ For the first time an organisation is involving us, and asking for our views about peace in our community – whenever you need us, call us and we will come”
Amisi, Tribal chief
Starting with Kavinvira, Flory has recruited and trained 50 members of the community to be ‘volunteers of peace’. These volunteers will lead activities in their communities to encourage tolerance of others, as well as providing a forum where people can air their grievances and find solutions to violence.
“I am sure that if these peace seminars can be multiplied in all villages of South Kivu, we will restore lasting peace and all the conflicts between tribes and people can end” Ali, Muslim leader
Over the next month these 50 volunteers will recruit more and more of their neighbours to join them, and mediate in the conflicts which threaten the fragile peace they and their neighbours depend upon. And in the village of Kalibi, a community divided by tribal difference and lack of job opportunities, Flory will train a further 50 volunteers. It costs just £13 per person to provide the training that can give people like Mr Padir the opportunity to help his neighbours find their way out of poverty and violence. Will you help Flory reach more people across eastern Congo?
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- Apr 2010Meet our new peacebuilders LESS
- For the past few years Landry Nintereste and Flory Kazingufu have been reporting on local peacebuilding initiatives in Burundi and Congo for our Insight on Conflict website. During this time we have MOREseen the quality of their work and their dedication to helping their communities live without violence, and we are delighted to support their work and welcome them as partners.
Landry Nintereste was just nine years old when civil war broke out in Burundi and having grown up in the shadow of violence he is determinde to support the Burundian peace process. In 2007 he, and other students set up the Amahoro Youth club.They are entirely volunteer led and their projects range from peer to peer education of street kids; workshops with university students to challenge ingrained beliefs; and working with young people who do not have access to education – those most likely to be targets for political manipulation. With funding from Peace Direct Landry will work with young people to prevent violence in the build up to the elections starting in May. Find out more
Flory Kazingufu is a man with a clear vision – to build peace and change lives. He and four others set up the Foundation Chirezi in eastern Congo in 2002. They started with nothing but hope giving free education to vulnerable children under the shade of a tree. Their school now has nine buildings and over 500 children come to class each day. As the school has grown so has the foundation, and they use a traditional structure of community forums – Baraza – to reach villages across South Kivu through the commitment of trained community volunteers of peace and community parliaments. With funding from Peace Direct Flory will set up two new Baraza and reach out to hundreds of people in the local community. Find out more
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- Apr 2010Nepal: School reopens after vicious attack LESS
- The school bus winds along the mountain road in the remote village of Kavre, Nepal. The bus is filled with the laughter and chatter of teenagers as they make their way to MOREschool, their exams are over and for now they can relax a little. But just a few weeks ago, when their school was forced to close down, they weren’t even sure they would be able to take their exams. At the end of February their school principle was accused of raping a 13 year old student. Two weeks later the accusation led to a vicious attack, forcing the school to close and leaving the students in fear and confusion.
The school of 600 pupils was attacked by an unidentified group; the group set fire to the school bus and caused mass destruction to school property, setting fire to the school computer, smashing windows and kicking doors down before chasing and attacking the school principle. 177 of the students are residential, and had no safe home to run to as the chaos ensued.
Peace Direct funds YAPE – the Youth Alliance for Peace and Environment – a local NGO which stop conflicts from escalating into full scale violence. As the students came under attack YAPE’s representative Bhoraj called the police and the fire brigade to bring the situation under control. They called the local community development organisation and worked with them to coordinate the safe rescue of the children caught in the midst of the violence.
The girl who had been raped had attempted to take her own life in despair and the attack on the school was seen as retaliation for her suffering. The Principal was arrested, and the girl taken to hospital where she could get the care she needed, but the school remained closed, and tensions in the town remained dangerously high.
Bhoraj began to collect personal reports of what had happened, for four days he talked to the students and the villagers to gain a full picture of the situation, and he collaborated with politicians and journalists to make sure that the attack and the rape would get the attention it needed. He discovered there were existing tensions with a neighbouring school, and it may have been them who carried out this attack. Both of the school authorities were affiliated to different political parties, and political manipulation may have played a role in the school attack.
The case is ongoing, and the Principal and his attackers remain in custody. YAPE is monitoring the school authorities and working with local communities to reduce the likelihood of violence. But through careful consultation YAPE has worked with the school authorities, the student’s parents and the local community to calm the situation. As a result the school reopened on 15th March, in time for the children to take their exams.
All it took was four days and the cost of car hire, accommodation and a few phone calls – in total less than £150 per day to ensure the children could continue their education without fear of further attacks. YAPE is entirely funded by donations from individuals, without your generous gifts Bhoraj could not have travelled to gather the personal reports and he would not be able to continue to monitor the situation.
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- Apr 2010Sudan elections: report from Jonglei LESS
- Election fever
In the thick of Jonglei many people turned out for the elections, many excited and yet at the same time sad and angry.
The excitement was caused by the MOREfurore around the elections, it is a first for many of us, and many of us since birth have never experienced such an exercise. There was also a lot of sadness and anger as many others could not get their names on the registers, and many people were left to walk many miles from centre to centre in search of their names. Those who found their names were made to stand in long queues, even women who had had no choice but to bring their babies with them. This so far is the most complex election exercise I have ever encountered within the region with individuals having to vote multiple times, and even with an extension, it was not enough to ease the burden.
There was and still is a very heavy police presence, and there are also some plaincloth security agents within the centres. We were met with brute force twice when my Coordinator Mr. Koang tried to take pictures of the exercise. Anyone who had a camera was supposed to have been given an ID by the NEC. It has been very frustrating especially to those who were meant to be monitoring and reporting on the elections since no one with a camera was allowed to get close enough to the voting centres. Even phones were being searched for cameras.
Yet even with the volatile state of Jonglei, the exercise went ahead and exceeded our expectations.
I am now on my way from Ayod County heading towards Juba; hoping that the announcements of the winners and victors of this exercise will not plunge us into deeper and murkier waters.
All that is left now is to wait and get the final and official confirmation, the rest will be left for us to judge and any comment stemming from the same will only serve to strengthen the resolve of the people towards a more democratic space and possibly a democratic government and leadership.
George O'Ngoha
SWIDAP/CfPS
Ayod south constutuency
Ayod county- Jonglei state
South Sudan
(Additional information and reporting done by John Koang and his JCEP team leaders)
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- Apr 2010Sudan elections: report from Juba LESS
- As the voting kicked off on the 11th of April many Sudanese voters turned up to cast their votes for the first time in the history of southern Sudan. However many of MOREthe polling stations did not open in time, some opening at 10am, others at midday, and still others not at all that day. Reasons given were missing ballot papers or missing voter registration books.
The delays led to frustrations as many voters were left waiting. Just finding your name in the huge lists outside polling station was challenge enough. It took me 3 hours and 6 different polling stations before I could find mine.
Plain clothed security personnel patrolled the polling stations, and on Tuesday in South Kator they arrested 19 of the domestic observers. We approached the head of security personnel and the observers were released – but no reason was given for their arrest.
Counting begins tomorrow and I’ll keep you up to date with progress.
Taban Kiston Santo
Collaborative for Peace in Sudan
Juba
- Apr 2010Sudan elections: report from the field LESS
- This Sunday will bring the first democratic elections in 24 years to Sudan. Local Peacebuilder Rasha El Fangry reports from Sudan:
In Khartoum there is a prevailing sense that the rolling MOREparty will win, and so the elections do not seem important. Yet outside of Khartoum there is more confidence that other candidates could win.
However as the leaders of the larger parties withdraw one after the other from the election process, that confidence is diminishing. Most of the large parties have now withdrawn from the process, with the exception of the Democratic Unionist Party. The Carter Centre has questioned the readiness of the Sudanese election officials and this question is reflected on the ground. Nobody know if the commision has everything prepared for Sunday.
Sudan's electoral commission has postponed local elections by two months in South Kordofan, the state which straddles the troubled Darfur region. There is concern that this is not for reasons of security but so that the governing party, the National Congress Party (NCP) can complete certain development projects – increasing their chance of re-election.
I have traveled all over South Kordofan in the last few weeks and across this vast area there is a lack of information, media coverage and transport. Many people do not know where to go to vote. Some say this is intentional – and that it is only supporters of the NCP who are fully informed of how and where to vote.
Rasha El fangry 09 April 2010
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