Archive: November, 2011
Interview Liberal peacebuilding and civil society in Sri Lanka
Civil society organisations have played a very active and at times controversial role in the peace process in Sri Lanka. According to Oliver Walton, Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham, much of the controversy has been caused by the relationship between civil society organisations and international donors. Oliver kindly agreed to be interviewed about his research. Read more >>>
Commentary Own branding makes local organisations less dependent
Local NGOs often rely heavily on funding from international NGOs. The government cutbacks announced in the Netherlands give cause for more careful thought about how international NGOs with less money can continue supporting local partners. Non-profit organisation BrandOutLoud suggests a new approach: Empowering aid organisations through branding and marketing Read more >>>
Interview Fambul Tok: Grassroots reconciliation in Sierra Leone
Fambul Tok is an innovative peacebuilding organisation from Sierra Leone. They draw on traditional African practices to create a community owned and led reconciliation project. Two members of Fambul Tok recently visited London, and were kind enough to conduct a video interview with us to explain their work. Read more >>>
Sudan Briefing: 2011-11-21
Following the independence of South Sudan, Insight on Conflict will be producing a weekly round-up of the news. To subscribe to receive the updates via email, please contact [email protected] Read more >>>
From the field LRA: Civil society letter to South Sudan President
20 civil society groups in northern Congo, Central African Republic, and South Sudan write to President Salva Kiir Mayardit, calling his attention to the ongoing atrocities committed by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in south-western South Sudan, as well as the bordering regions in neighboring countries. Read more >>>
Commentary Peace in Afghanistan: the cost of ignoring the local
With the recent assassination of Burhanuddin Rabbani, the head of the Afghan government Peace Council, tasked with high level negotiations with the Taliban, and a man with no shortage of personal enemies, it seems like an important time to reconsider the role of local politics in both peace and conflict in Afghanistan. Read more >>>
From the field CeaseFire: An interrupter in Bermuda
When Ricardo “Cobe” Williams, a CeaseFire Violence Interrupter and National Training Specialist, headed to Bermuda last month to help promote the award-winning documentary The Interrupters, it was actually for a much needed vacation. Yet, when National Security Minister Wayne Perinchief requested a meeting with the Interrupter, Cobe seized the opportunity to educate the officials there on the public health alternative to violence prevention. Read more >>>
Sudan Briefing: 2011-11-14
Following the independence of South Sudan, Insight on Conflict will be producing a weekly round-up of the news. To subscribe to receive the updates via email, please contact [email protected] Read more >>>
Commentary Nobel Peace Prize Winner Inspired 3P back in 2003
One of this year’s three Nobel Peace Prize winners is an old friend and colleague and a former student of mine at Eastern Mennonite University’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding. In 2003, I was living and working in Accra, Ghana with the West African Network for Peacebuilding and met Leymah Gbowee of Liberia. I was with Leymah just after she led hundreds of refugee women to surround the peace talks between the Liberian government and rebels Read more >>>
From the field Burundi: Radicalization of the post-election crisis
The attack in Gatumba village, Burundi, on 18 September which led to 39 deaths and more than 30 wounded was unanimously condemned. Its scale provoked a strong reaction by the government which set up a commission of inquiry on 21 September to shed light on the carnage within a month. A total media blackout on investigations was imposed as, despite some protests, the press opted to respect the work of the inquiry. Read more >>>
