Archive: October, 2010
From the field Nepal: PM election and Dashain
The joy and happiness of the Nepalese people during Dashain (the annual 15-day religious festivial) was ended immediately with failure to elect the new Prime Minister after the 13th round of elections in parliament.
I drove for 15 hours, from Kathmandu to my home town of Jhapa, in the very east of Nepal. During my journey opportunity to see people’s happiness during this time. I felt that peopleduring Dashain, forgot political unrest, the fragile and uncertain peace process and the unsuccessful Prime Ministerial elections. Indeed, they did not care about the 13th round of elections that was held on October 26. But when the result was published, people certainly woke up and all the happiness was wiped out within a second. I was worried during my whole trip whether this happiness would not be converted into darkness. Nepalese people are tired enough by conflict and its impacts and do not wish to happen it again in any form, in any part of the country. Read more >>>
From the field Religious leaders in Uganda Urges Electoral Commission to Expedite Release of Voters Register
The Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC), a local inter-faith peacebuilding organisation in Uganda had called the Electoral Commission (EC) to move quickly and release the Voters register to harness credibility and demonstrate its readiness to organise a free, fair and peaceful elections. In his appeal to the Chairman of the EC, UJCC Executive Secretary, the Rev. Fr. Dr. Silverster Arinaitwe Rwomukubwe called for the postponement of nomination of presidential candidates which ended on Tuesday, October 26. Read more >>>
From the field Uganda: A Nation in Prayer as Electioneering Kicks Off
Ugandans have turned to the almighty deity to help them organise a peaceful presidential and other elections come early next year. Recently, the Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC): one of Uganda’s leading inter-religious peacebuilding organisations, and a strong voice for peace, justice and good governance in Uganda, organised a national prayer for a peaceful election in Kampala in which the religious leaders asked their faithful followers to pray for a peaceful election scheduled for February and March 2011. Read more >>>
From the field Senior High Court Judge Backs Call for National Truth Seeking in Uganda
On Friday 1 October 2010, Ugandan Principal Judge Justice James Ogoola bolstered efforts by local peace activists and civil society organisations working for peace, justice and reconciliation in Uganda by highlighting the need for a national truth seeking and reconciliation forum. Within the judicial hierarchy in Uganda, a Principle Judge is the most senior judge in the High Court charged with supervision and administration of all other judges and all divisions within the court, including the recently created War Crimes Division (WCD). Read more >>>
Interview Local Peacebuilders interviewed for BBC Radio
On 13 October 2010, local peacebuilders Gulalai Ismail, from Aware Girls in Pakistan, and Mirwais Wardak from Cooperation for Peace and Unity (CPAU) in Afghanistan, were interviewed on BBC Radio Four’s PM programme. They talked about the vital role that local peacebuilders play in reducing conflict in the region and beyond, despite the limited voice they are given on the international stage. Read more >>>
From the field Awoodah: An Encouraging Case of Coexistence and Brotherhood
The Awoodah neighborhood in the town of Medani, some 200 km south of the capital Khartoum, demonstrates many examples of southern and northern families living peacefully side by side in the quarter of the town they came to live in some 30 years ago. George, a small southern child, innocently expressed to me his love for the place and that he would never ever leave it even if South Sudan is declared an independent state. Read more >>>
From the field Peace Day in Pakistan: Growing Militancy Versus Growing Efforts for Peace
Growing militancy and extremism is increasing the sense of insecurity among the civilians of Pakistan, which is very obvious from the recent incidents in Pakistan. The killing of civilians – two motorcyclists and one cyclist – by the personnel of law enforcing agencies has led to an atmosphere of fear and insecurity in the city. The kidnapping of Vice-Chancellor of Islamia College Peshawar, a major Educational Institute and the blowing up of three Schools in the suburbs of Peshawar are viewed as clear attacks on “Youth Education” by militants. The increasing militancy has fuelled the need among civil society to speed up their efforts for promoting peace at local, national, and political level. A number of activities were thus organized by the civil society organizations of Pakistan around International Day of Peace to highlight the importance of Peace in the country and to build momentum for peace among young people. Read more >>>
From the field Burundi: When violence Threatens a Fragile Democratic Process
The unrest and political violences that have during the electoral period in Burundi has transformed into a more complex situation characterized by barbaric killings and rumors of a fresh rebellion. Only in September, bodies of at least 40 people have been found in swamps of Rukoko and Rusizi, 20 km north-west from Bujumbura. Those who have perpetrated such crimes haven’t yet been clearly identified; police says armed bandits are responsible of such attacks while local residents in Rukoko and Gihanga in Bubanza province confirmed the existence of a well-organised group with new uniform and guns operating in this area close to the border with DR Congo. Read more >>>
From the field Peace Conference asks India and Pakistan to resolve Kashmir Conflict according to wishes of Kashmiris
Press Release from Press For Peace Kotli, AJK, Sunday, 3 October 2010 Kashmir Peace Conference (KPC) on Sunday urged India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir dispute according to wishes of Kashmiris in order to foster peace and prosperity in South Asian region. “India and Pakistan should rescind Indus Water Treaty (IWT) to accommodate the [...] Read more >>>
Expert Training Programme on Peacebuilding, Conflict Transformation and Post-War Recovery and Reconciliation
Peacebuilding, Conflict Transformation & Post-War Stabilisation, Recovery, and Reconciliation (PCTR) 1st – 5th of November, 2010 – Cluj-Napoca, Romania PCTR provides a global policy and operational overview of the latest lessons learned, tools, and methods in peacebuilding, conflict transformation and post-war stabilization and recovery, bringing together experienced practitioners and policy makers from governments, the United [...] Read more >>>
