September 15, 2009
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“Violence is a failure of the imagination.” (Adrienne Rich)
Okay, it’s my turn now. I want to write a blog about one of my involvements – the Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP). I am on the Board of Directors of the Nonviolent Peaceforce of Greater Boston and am their Treasurer as well as their web master. I have conducted training sessions and presentations of this organization.
NP International is an international Non-Government Organization (NGO) that will send a team of peace builders into an area of conflict with the hope of protecting human rights and human lives and providing a hope of peace to the civilians. The team is what is called a third-party intermediary which means that they do not the side of one side or the other side, but rather provide a neutral presence. They will go into a community where there are conflicts and will live among the people. They will create a presence and will form relationships with the members on both sides of the conflict. They then use these relationships as a means of fostering dialogue rather than armed conflict between the two sides.
Their primary work so far has been in Sri Lanka and more recently the Philippines and also Guatemala. They are hoping to be able to send some teams soon to Africa. Their style of conflict management is unique and can only be used in situations where the conflicts are sporadic and in the form of armed skirmishes rather than outright battle zones.
One of their biggest successes has been their effectiveness in dealing with the kidnapping and recruitment of child soldiers. By accompanying a group of mothers to the side that has kidnapped these children, many of these children have been returned to their mothers. By creating a presence in the community, they can wield an influence that is impossible to have with armed conflict.
Some of you may know that I have done quite a bit of work with the United Nations (as a hobby – not my job). Not the part dealing with the Security Council or the General Assembly (the governmental sector) but rather the Agencies of the United Nations like UNICEF, UNESCO, WHO, etc (the Civil Service sector). These agencies work in collaboration with the over 25,000 NGOs around the world like NP. The United Nations has realized the effectiveness of NP. The UN peace builders often work with the decision makers in these conflicts (like the governments who are often also the perpetrators of one side of the conflict) while NP works with the civilians. (I actually am certified in Reconciliation Leadership through the UN as a result of having attended six training workshops.)
NP has just released a video on their work which is a great introduction to their work in Sri Lanka and the Philippines. It’s a rather long video (about 18 minutes) but it does a good job as far as putting a face on the civilians, the victims, the perpetrators, the NP peace teams, and also the UN peace building teams.
Here is a link to this video.
http://www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org/Nonviolent-Peaceforce-video-Civilian-Unarmed-Peacekeeping:-Building-a-Nonviolent-Peaceforce-July-2009 I know personally several people in this video including some of the UN people.
I’m not promoting this work to ask for money or donations, but only to let you know that armed conflict is only one of many options for conflict management. We need to be aware of other options rather than think blindly that the options are either war or no war. There are better options and we owe it to ourselves to be aware of some of these options. (Wouldn’t it be great if Obama would take a stand and try to explore other options for conflict.)
I also want to show that one does not have to be professionally engaged in a job to be involved with an NGO or even the United Nations. It is possible for laypeople to be engaged also.
Comments (8)
I wish that we would explore this with Afghanistan and Iran. Of course the Afghanis don’t want us there but they want our money since the Russians devastated their nation.
wow david, excellent article. you certainly have a way….wink wink. but seriously, i was impressed. you are so versitile.
this was a great write. Afghanistan, the North West Frontier of Pakistan are all areas where this could be utilized. Yes I too wish Obama would work at this and take a non violent approach.
I could be wrong, but I get the impression that this group’s work would not be attempted in Iraq and Afghanistan because of the escalated state of armed conflict in those places.
But I certainly admire your efforts and will look further into this. Also, I appreciate your comments at my place.
Would it help if I put up a link, to this or other entries of yours, at my place, on occasion? You deserve a wider readership than you’re getting.
@twoberry - Twoberry, You’re welcome to do anything you would like to with my site. One thing about me is that I do not believe in personal ownership of intellectual property. Anything that I think or say is public domain as far as I’m concerned. If I felt it was worth stating once, why wouldn’t I want it spread around. Feel free. And thanks for the compliment.
I’ve gotten to where my involvement is much more supporting and encouraging others through comments rather than publishing my own thoughts and feelings. But I should do more. Thanks for the encourgement.
Very informative. Thanks
Very informative post. If only people are more alert or well inform regarding this matter…
@RestlessButterfly - Thanks. I want to be a Global Citizen rather than a member of any particular tri be or nation. I do not consider myself an American and therefore different (or superior) ot others. And I try to walk the talk.