Conciliation Resources

Last updated
Conciliation Resources
Founded1994
FounderAndy Carl and David Lord
TypeInternational Peacebuilding Organisation
Location
Website c-r.org

Conciliation Resources is an independent, global organisation working with people in conflict to prevent violence and build peace, providing advice, support, and practical resources. [1] It also takes the lessons learned to government decision-makers and others working to end the conflict to improve peacebuilding policies and practice worldwide.

Contents

History

Conciliation Resources was established in 1994 by Andy Carl and David Lord, supported by a group of advisors and volunteers. Its earliest project work began in Fiji in 1995 with the newly formed Citizen's Constitutional Forum. As news of its launch spread to a wider audience, its connections and range of work increased. Soon the NGO started working also in the midst of the war in Sierra Leone and Liberia with local intermediaries and journalists reporting on the conflicts. Currently, Conciliation Resources works with partners in the South Caucasus, East and Central Africa, Southeast Asia (the Philippines), [2] South Asia (Jammu and Kashmir), Pacific (Fiji and Bougainville, an autonomous region in Papua New Guinea), Latin America (Colombia), the Horn of Africa (Kenya and the Ogaden region of Ethiopia - also known as Somali Regional State) and West Africa.

Accord

Described by Johan Galtung as an "indispensable source", [3] Accord is a series of publications that "informs and strengthens peace processes by documenting and analysing practical lessons and innovations of peacebuilding". Its first edition was released in 1996, documenting the Liberian peace process from 1990 to 1996 and exploring why "13 separate peace accords collapsed in half as many years". A representative of the International Negotiations Network in Liberia, Dayle Spencer, praised the first publication as "useful to scholars and policymakers". [4] Conciliation Resources published another 25 editions addressing specific conflicts in Colombia, Lebanon, Northern Uganda, Somalia, Sudan and Indonesia, and peacebuilding themes including "cross-border peacebuilding", "engaging armed groups" or "public participation", with articles written by a wide range of experts. The September 2020 version was called Pioneering peace pathways, describing what CR considers to be essential ingredients for peace dialogue to emerge in violent conflict, using case studies including Colombia, the Basque Country, southern Thailand and the Somali Region of Ethiopia.

ICG in Mindanao

"The parties expressed their appreciation to President Aquino for his commitment to a just and lasting peace in Mindanao (...) They also extended their gratitude to the members of the International Contact Group, namely Japan, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Republic of Turkey, the United Kingdom, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), Conciliation Resources, Muhammadiyah, and The Asia Foundation (TAF)." [5]

Composed of four states and four international NGOS, the International Contact Group (ICG) was established in 2009 by the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). On 15 October 2012, after four decades of armed conflict and 15 years of negotiations, the parties signed a framework peace agreement. [6] It is the first-ever hybrid ICG and its functions are: attend and observe negotiations on the invitation of the parties and facilitator; provide discreet advice; provide expert assistance on specific issues; meet any of the parties upon request to help resolve substantive issues; and INGOs were additionally requested to "act as a bridge between parties, ICG, facilitator, and local partners in support of the peace process". [7]

Conciliation Resources' involvement in Mindanao dates back to 1999 when it documented its peace process in the Accord publication, Compromising on Autonomy [8] and its approach is framed by a commitment to women empowerment.

Fiji

The involvement of Conciliation Resources (CR) involvement in Fiji dates back to 1995, when it began working with the newly formed national group the Citizens' Constitutional Forum (CCF). CR also worked with the Pacific Centre for Peacebuilding and Dialogue Fiji. CR states that it contributed to a gradual shift in attitude towards dialogue as a means of resolving conflict, along with a greater understanding and acceptance of human rights, good governance and multiculturalism in Fiji. CR states that it helped build relationships between different ethnic and political groups in Fiji at local and national level. [9] [10] [11]

Funding

Conciliation Resources receives funding support from a wide range of donors and publishes its latest audited accounts, in accordance with UK Charity Commission Regulations, on its website. [12] [13]

Board of trustees

Conciliation Resources’ board of trustees is composed of the following members: Diana Good, Jamille Jinnah, Liz Muir, Dorothee Hutter, Lucy Moore, Christine Cheng, Nesta Hatendi, Jo Kemp, George Graham, Tayyiba Bajwa, Andrew Peck. [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moro Islamic Liberation Front</span> Group in Mindanao, Philippines, seeking Moro autonomy

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front is a group based in Mindanao seeking an autonomous region of the Moro people from the central government. The group has a presence in the Bangsamoro region of Mindanao, the Sulu Archipelago, Palawan, Basilan, and other neighbouring islands. The armed wing of the group was the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), although the name of its parent organization, the MILF, was often used to refer to the BIAF. In July, 2018, the Philippine government passed the Bangsamoro Organic Law, giving more autonomy to Muslims. In return, MILF announced that it would disarm its 30,000 fighters.

Kumar Rupesinghe was a Sri Lankan academic and activist involved in social issues, particularly human rights, development issues, processes of globalisation, conflict prevention/resolution, and conflict transformation in the light of peacekeeping and peacebuilding for a harmonious coexistence among all peoples in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue</span>

The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), otherwise known as the Henry Dunant Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, works to prevent and resolve armed conflicts around the world through mediation and discreet diplomacy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peacebuilding</span> Nonviolent intervention to prevent conflict

Peacebuilding is an activity that aims to resolve injustice in nonviolent ways and to transform the cultural and structural conditions that generate deadly or destructive conflict. It revolves around developing constructive personal, group, and political relationships across ethnic, religious, class, national, and racial boundaries. The process includes violence prevention; conflict management, resolution, or transformation; and post-conflict reconciliation or trauma healing before, during, and after any given case of violence.

Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society, abbreviated as CBCS, is the largest umbrella civil society organization (CSO) composed of 168 Moro non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and peoples organizations (POs) in Mindanao, Philippines.

Maradeka, is an emerging pro-democracy Muslim political organization espousing non-violent political action in the Philippines amidst the backdrop of over four decades of armed Muslim insurgency mounted by Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in their Moro Quest for self-rule after people dissenting Philippine government treatment of Muslim minority as second class citizens and suffering years of social, economic, and political inequities called Mindanao problem

The Mindanao Peoples Caucus (MPC) is a grassroots network of Indigenous Peoples, Bangsamoro and Christian communities and leaders who have common vision for peace in Mindanao. MPC is known to have stood up for the struggle to finally resolve the age-old armed conflict in Mindanao through a negotiated political settlement that contains the essentials acceptable to both negotiating parties and that addresses the historical oppression and forced marginalization of the native inhabitants and indigenous peoples of this island.

International Contact Groups are "informal, non-permanent international bodies that are created ad hoc, with the purpose of coordinating international actors in their aim of managing a peace and security crisis in a specific state or region (single-issue). They are founded and formed out of by states and/or International Organizations/Regional Organizations. They do not have own administrative structures, but are official announced and meet periodically." Since 1977, at least 27 ICGs have been formed.

Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP) is an accredited graduate-level program founded in 1994. It also offers non-credit training. The program specializes in conflict transformation, restorative justice, trauma healing, equitable development, and addressing organizational conflict. CJP is housed at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) in Harrisonburg, Virginia, which describes itself as "a leader among faith-based universities" in emphasizing "peacebuilding, creation care, experiential learning, and cross-cultural engagement." One of the three 2011 Nobel Peace Laureates, Leymah Gbowee of Liberia, earned a master's degree in conflict transformation from CJP in 2007.

In the late 1960s, an independence movement was founded in Mindanao, the Philippines to separate the Muslim majority-Moro areas from the rest of the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro</span>

The Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro is a preliminary peace agreement signed in the Malacañan Palace in Manila, Philippines on October 15, 2012. The agreement calls for the creation of an autonomous political entity named Bangsamoro, replacing the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) which was described by Former President Benigno Aquino III as "a failed experiment".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro</span> 2014 Philippine peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front

The Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro (CAB) is a final peace agreement signed between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front on March 27, 2014 at the Malacañang Palace in Manila. Under the agreement, the Islamic separatists would turn over their firearms to a third party, which would be selected by the rebels and the Philippine government. The MILF agreed to decommission its armed wing, the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF). In return, the government would establish an autonomous Bangsamoro. Power sharing was a central point to the autonomy redesign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1976 Tripoli Agreement</span> Treaty between the Philippines and Moro National Liberation Front

The 1976 Tripoli Agreement was signed on December 23, 1976 in Tripoli, Libya by Carmelo Z. Barbero, representing the Government of the Philippines and Nur Misuari of the Moro National Liberation Front. The agreement defined autonomous administrative divisions for Muslims in the southern Philippines, the establishment of an autonomous government, judicial system for Sharia law and special security forces, and the observance of a ceasefire. The autonomous region was to have its own economic system, including an Islamic bank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeddah Accord</span>

The Jeddah Accord was signed on January 3–4, 1987 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia by Aquilino Pimentel Jr., representing the Government of the Philippines and Nur Misuari of the Moro National Liberation Front. The two panels agreed upon the continued discussion of the proposal of the grant of full autonomy to Mindanao, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Palawan subject to democratic processes.

The 1996 Final Peace Agreement, also called the Jakarta Accord was signed on September 2, 1996 in Manila, Philippines by Manuel Yan, representing the Government of the Philippines and Nur Misuari of the Moro National Liberation Front. The culmination of four years of peace talks, the agreement established mechanisms designed to bring about the full implementation of the 1976 Tripoli Agreement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thania Paffenholz</span>

Thania Paffenholz, born on 2 February 1965 in Cologne, Germany, is an academic and policy advisor working on peace processes. She is currently Director of Inclusive Peace. Thania Paffenholz has led comparative research of peace processes for over two decades and has been an advisor in peace processes in Mozambique, Angola, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Mali, Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Yemen, Egypt, El Salvador, Syria and Colombia. She received the Wihuri International Prize in 2015 for her work as a peace researcher.

The Guatemalan Peace Process lasted from 1994 to 1996 and resulted in the Guatemalan Peace Accords.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity</span>

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), formerly Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process is a government agency which handles peace talks and negotiations related to internal conflict and rebellion in the Philippines most notably the CPP-NPA-NDF and Moro conflicts.

The Maputo Accord, officially the Maputo Accord for Peace and National Reconciliation, is a peace agreement between the Government of Mozambique and Renamo, signed on 6 August 2019, with the aim of bringing definitive peace to Mozambique. The agreement was signed by the President of the Republic of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi, and the leader of Renamo, Ossufo Momade, in Maputo, and was the result of years of negotiations. It was preceded by the signing of the Agreement on the Definitive Cessation of Military Hostilities, on 1 August 2019, in Gorongosa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bangsamoro Juridical Entity</span> Proposed associated state in Philippines

The Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE) was a proposed subdivision in the Philippines spanning portions of Mindanao and Palawan. Conceptualized during the peace talks between the government of the Philippines during the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the BJE was the proposed expanded successor to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

References

  1. Conciliation Resources, Work interview, 2010-2011
  2. "Joint Statement of the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Negotiating Panels: On the 38th Formal Exploratory Talks". Relief Web. 15 July 2013.
  3. "Accord series". Conciliation Resources. 2011-11-30. Retrieved 2019-04-25.
  4. "Liberia". Conciliation Resources. 2011-12-20. Retrieved 2019-04-25.
  5. "Gov't, MILF sign terms for 3rd party monitoring". Daily Tribune. January 2013.
  6. "Framework Agreement on the Formation of the International Contact Group for GRP-MILF Peace Process" (PDF). United Nations (Online PDF). 15 September 2009. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  7. "Innovation in mediation support: The International Contact Group in Mindanao". Conciliation Resources. August 2013.
  8. Stankovitch, Mara, ed. (1999). "Compromising on autonomy: Mindanao in transition (updated 2003: The Mindanao peace process)". Conciliation Resources. Archived from the original on 2013-11-05. Retrieved 2013-08-14.
  9. "Our Work - Fiji". Conciliation Resources. Archived from the original on 11 September 2013. Retrieved 14 Aug 2013.
  10. "Event invitation: Fiji's constitutional stand-off – consequences for inter-ethnic relations". Minority Rights (Event News). 16 April 2013. Archived from the original on 18 July 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  11. "Fiji: the challenges and opportunities of diversity (part B)". Australian National University (Podcast). 29 April 2013. Archived from the original on 2016-04-10. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  12. "Funding & finance | Conciliation Resources". Archived from the original on 2013-09-28. Retrieved 2013-07-24.
  13. Charity Commission Number 1055436. Webpage: Find Charities
  14. "Our trustees | Conciliation Resources".