Projects of Social Development for Peace

This initiative involves members acting as mediators between the parties involved in the armed conflict and agreeing on solutions for both sides. They also find locations to set up their humanitarian missions, lobby the government and seek approvals to further develop their social work.

Description

It started in 1998 with the demilitarized zone in San Vicente del Caguan, with some prisoners of the ELN in the prison of Itagui in the 90’s, and in 2003 with the beginning of peace negotiations with the paramilitaries in Santa Fe de Ralito in the Department of Cordoba.

Fundación Cristianos por la Paz has made presence in all of these settings by supporting, assisting and advising civil society and the whole community in general, especially the most vulnerable ones. Through a previous analysis of the situation, the parties, the negotiations, talks and agreements, Fundación Cristianos por la Paz gathers with the community and discusses possibilities of projects of social development for peace, independent of the ones the government could be planning and/or doing. The community has to be empowered, active and engaged in peacebuilding. These are just some small efforts than can bring hope in the midst of violence.

Fundación Cristianos por la Paz wishes the peace talks with guerrilla and paramilitaries could end right now, but they recognize these are long processes and if the underlying roots and conditions of the conflict are not addressed this would take more time. This is why it is irresponsible to say an exact date. Peace is not built upon signing papers and hurrying up for settlements.

Aims / Objectives

Fundación Cristianos por la Paz is a christian organisation, meaning inclusion and not exclusion. It has a universal content, non reductive which goes beyond the region. For them the conflict has underlying economic, social, historic, religious, political, and exclusion roots, that need to be addressed and understand through a holistic and participative point of view, but always guided by a Christian principles.

Fundación Cristianos por la Paz will continue working and offering all its efforts, skills, knowledge and capacities for a peaceful resolution of the armed conflict. This will be translated in facilitating, mediating and bringing together opposite parties, promoting development projects and proposing peaceful solutions, agreements and spaces for dialogue. This world has to enter into the analysis of conflict resolution.

How it is Articulated

Workshops, consultancies, mediation, lobby with governmental authorities, meetings, mobilizations, conferences, through documents and previous investigation, trips, etc... Most of tem involve the community and local authorities.

Achievements / Learning Points

Achievements

• They are proud of participating and being accepted with credibility by civil society and the different parties –guerrillas, paramilitaries and militaries- of the armed conflict.
• Acting as a mediator between the parties involved in the armed conflict and agreeing on solutions for both sides. Finding locations to set up their humanitarian missions and approvals to further develop their social work. Production of points of agreement between the parties of the armed conflict, of spaces for humanitarian missions and approvals to develop social work.

Advice: Talk less and do more. Leave behind the fear and “get in the field”. Make alliances of cooperation with the ones who are really engaged in and with peace processes, like grassroots peacebuilding organisations working and living in the conflict zone, peaceworkers, human rights activists, community leaders…

Every action is a new learning path of luck in which one has to be open to changes along that path and not fall and create dogmas.

Geographical Area of Operation

Norway and Colombia.

Funding Resources

Norwegian community , especially private donations and local resources.

Organisations Involved

Fundación Cristianos por la Paz.