All posts by CPNN Coordinator

About CPNN Coordinator

Dr David Adams is the coordinator of the Culture of Peace News Network. He retired in 2001 from UNESCO where he was the Director of the Unit for the International Year for the Culture of Peace, proclaimed for the Year 2000 by the United Nations General Assembly.

The State of the World’s Human Rights: Amnesty International’s Annual Report 2022/23

… . HUMAN RIGHTS … .

Annual report of Amnesty International

* Amnesty International’s Annual Report for 2022 highlights double standards throughout the world on human rights and the failure of the international community to unite around consistently-applied human rights and universal values.

* The West’s robust response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine contrasts sharply with a deplorable lack of meaningful action on grave violations by some of their allies including Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

* Women’s rights and freedom to protest are threatened as states fail to protect and respect rights at home.

* As the Universal Declaration of Human Rights turns 75, Amnesty International insists that a rules-based international system must be founded on human rights and applied to everyone, everywhere.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 unleashed numerous war crimes, generated a global energy and food crisis and sought to further disrupt a weak multilateral system. It also laid bare the hypocrisy of Western states that reacted forcefully to the Kremlin’s aggression but condoned or were complicit in grave violations committed elsewhere, Amnesty International said as it launched its annual assessment of human rights around the world.

Amnesty International Report 2022/23: The State of the World’s Human Rights found that double standards and inadequate responses to human rights abuses taking place around the world fuelled impunity and instability, including deafening silence on Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, inaction on Egypt and the refusal to confront Israel’s system of apartheid against Palestinians.

The report also highlights China’s use of strong-arm tactics to suppress international action on crimes against humanity it has committed, as well as the failure of global and regional institutions – hamstrung by the self-interest of their members – to respond adequately to conflicts killing thousands of people including in Ethiopia, Myanmar and Yemen.

“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a chilling example of what can happen when states think they can flout international law and violate human rights without consequences,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.

“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was created 75 years ago, out of the ashes of the Second World War. At its core is the universal recognition that all people have rights and fundamental freedoms. While global power dynamics are in chaos, human rights cannot be lost in the fray. They should guide the world as it navigates an increasingly volatile and dangerous environment. We must not wait for the world to burn again.”

Shameless double standards pave way for further abuses

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine triggered one of Europe’s worst humanitarian and human rights emergencies in recent history. The conflict not only resulted in mass displacement, war crimes and global energy and food insecurity, it also raised the chilling spectre of nuclear war.

The response was swift with the West imposing economic sanctions on Moscow and sending military assistance to Kyiv, the International Criminal Court opening an investigation into war crimes in Ukraine and the UN General Assembly voting to condemn Russia’s invasion as an act of aggression. However, this robust and welcomed approach stood in stark contrast to previous responses to massive violations by Russia and others, and to pitiful existing responses on conflicts such as Ethiopia and Myanmar.

“Had the system worked to hold Russia accountable for its documented crimes in Chechnya and Syria, thousands of lives might have been saved then and now, in Ukraine and elsewhere. Instead, what we have is more suffering and devastation,” said Agnès Callamard.

“If Russia’s war of aggression demonstrates anything for the world’s future, it is the importance of an effective and consistently applied rules-based international order. All States must step up their efforts for a renewed rules-based order that benefits everyone, everywhere.”

For Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, 2022 was one of the deadliest years since the UN began systematically recording casualties in 2006, with at least 151 people, including dozens of children, killed by Israeli forces. Israeli authorities continued to force Palestinians from their homes, and the government is rolling out plans to drastically expand illegal settlements across the occupied West Bank. Instead of demanding an end to Israel’s system of apartheid, many Western governments chose to attack those denouncing it.

The USA has been a vocal critic of Russian violations in Ukraine and has admitted tens of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing the war, yet under policies and practices rooted in anti-Black racism, it expelled more than 25,000 Haitians between September 2021 and May 2022, and subjected many to torture and other ill-treatment.

EU member states opened their borders to Ukrainians fleeing Russian aggression, demonstrating that, as one of the richest blocs in the world, they were more than capable of receiving large numbers of people seeking safety and giving them access to health, education and accommodation. However, many kept their doors shut to those escaping war and repression in Syria, Afghanistan and Libya.

“Responses to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine gave us some evidence of what can be done when there is political will. We saw global condemnation, investigations of crimes, borders opened to refugees. This response must be a blueprint for how we address all massive human rights violations,” said Agnès Callamard.

The West’s double standards emboldened countries like China, and enabled Egypt and Saudi Arabia to evade, ignore and deflect criticism of their human rights record.

Despite massive human rights violations, amounting to crimes against humanity against Uyghur and other Muslim minorities, Beijing escaped international condemnation by the UN General Assembly, Security Council and Human Rights Council.

The UN Human Rights Council established a Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Russia and an investigative mechanism on Iran in the wake of deadly protests. But it voted not to further investigate or even discuss the UN’s own findings of potential crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, China, and discontinued a resolution on the Philippines.

“Countries applied human rights law on a case-by-case basis in a staggering show of blatant hypocrisy and double standards. States cannot criticize human rights violations one minute and, in the next, condone similar abuses in other countries just because their interests are at stake. It’s unconscionable and undermines the entire fabric of universal human rights,” said Agnès Callamard.

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(Click here for the French version of this article, or here for the Spanish version .)

Question(s) related to this article:
 
What is the state of human rights in the world today?

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“We also need States that have so far failed to put their head above the parapet to take a stand against human rights abuses wherever they fall. We need less hypocrisy, less cynicism, and more consistent, principled and ambitious action by all states to promote and protect all rights.”.

Ruthless repression of dissent across the world

In 2022, Russian dissenters were taken to court and media houses were shut down just for mentioning the war in Ukraine. Journalists were imprisoned in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Myanmar, Russia, Belarus and dozens of other countries across the world where conflicts raged.

In Australia, India, Indonesia and the UK, authorities passed new legislation imposing restrictions on demonstrations while Sri Lanka used emergency powers to curtail mass protests against the spiralling economic crisis. The UK law gives police officers wide-ranging powers, including the ability to ban “noisy protests”, undermining the freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly.

Technology was weaponized against many, to silence, prevent public assembly or disinform.

Iranian authorities responded to the unprecedented uprising against decades of repression with unlawful force through live ammunition, metal pellets, tear gas and beatings. Hundreds of people, including dozens of children, were killed. In December, Peruvian security forces used unlawful force, especially against indigenous people and campesinos, to quell protests during the political crisis that followed the ousting of former president Castillo. Journalists, human rights defenders and political opposition also faced repression including in Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

In response to growing threats to the right to protest, Amnesty International launched a global campaign in 2022 to confront states’ intensifying efforts to erode the fundamental right to freedom of peaceful assembly. As part of this campaign the organization calls for the adoption of a Poland were prosecuted for helping women access abortion pills.

Indigenous women continued to face disproportionately high levels of rape and other sexual violence in the USA. In Pakistan, several high-profile murders of women by family members were reported yet parliament failed to adopt legislation on domestic violence that had been pending since 2021. In India, violence against Dalit and Adivasi women, among other caste-based hate crimes, was committed with impunity.

Afghanistan witnessed a particularly significant deterioration of women and girls’ rights to personal autonomy, education, work, and access to public spaces, through multiple edicts issued by the Taliban. In Iran, the “morality police” violently arrested Mahsa (Zhina) Amini for showing strands of hair under her headscarf, and days later she died in custody amid credible reports of torture, sparking nationwide protests in which many more women and girls were injured, detained or killed.

“States’ hunger to control the bodies of women and girls, their sexuality and their lives leaves a terrible legacy of violence, oppression and stunted potential,” said Agnès Callamard.

A crowd of protesters proceeds over the Brooklyn Bridge with the New York skyline in the background. They carry a large banner with the words ‘my body my choice’.

Global action against threats to humanity woefully inadequate

In 2022, the world continued to suffer the fall-out of the Covid-19 pandemic. Climate change, conflict and economic shocks caused in part by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine further compounded the risks to human rights.

Economic crises meant 97% of the population of Afghanistan were living in poverty. In Haiti, the political and humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by widespread gang violence, left more than 40% of the population facing acute food insecurity.

Extreme weather conditions exacerbated by a rapidly warming planet triggered hunger and disease in several countries in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, including Pakistan and Nigeria where floods had a catastrophic impact on people’s lives and livelihoods and led to an outbreak of waterborne diseases, which killed hundreds.

Against this backdrop, countries failed to act in the best interests of humanity and address fossil fuel dependency, the main driver pushing us toward the biggest threat to life as we know it. This collective failure was another stark example of the weakness of current multilateral systems.

“The world is besieged by an onslaught of colliding crises including widespread conflict, cruel global economics with too many states burdened by unsustainable debt, corporate tax abuse, the weaponization of technology, the climate crisis and shifting tectonic plates of power. We stand no chance of surviving these crises if our international institutions aren’t fit for purpose,” said Agnès Callamard.

Dysfunctional international institutions need fixing

It is vital that international institutions and systems that are meant to protect our rights are strengthened rather than undermined. The first step is for UN human rights mechanisms to be fully funded, so that accountability and investigations can be pursued, and justice delivered.

Amnesty International is also calling for the UN’s key decision-making body, the Security Council, to be reformed to give a voice to countries and situations which have been traditionally ignored, especially in the global south.

“The international system needs serious reform to reflect the realities of today. We cannot allow the permanent members of the UN Security Council to continue wielding their veto power and abusing their privileges unchecked. The lack of transparency and efficiency in the Council’s decision-making process leaves the entire system wide open to manipulation, abuse and dysfunction,” said Agnès Callamard.

But while self-serving governments fail to put our human rights first, the human rights movement shows we can still draw inspiration and hope from the people these states should have protected.

In Colombia, the persistence of women’s rights activism and legal action contributed to the Constitutional Court’s decision to decriminalize abortion during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. In South Sudan, Magai Matiop Ngong was released from prison, having been sentenced to death at the age of 15 in 2017. His release came after thousands of people around the world petitioned the authorities for his freedom.

Indigenous Mayan environmentalist Bernardo Caal Xol was released on parole after spending four years in jail in Guatemala on bogus charges. After years of campaigning by women’s movements in Spain, the country’s parliament passed a law placing consent at the centre of the legal definition of rape. Kazakhstan and Papua New Guinea repealed the death penalty.

“It is easy to feel hopeless in the face of atrocities and abuses but throughout the last year, people have shown we are not powerless,” said Agnès Callamard.

“We’ve witnessed iconic acts of defiance, including Afghan women marching against Taliban rule and Iranian women walking unveiled in public or cutting their hair to protest compulsory veiling laws. Millions of people who have been systematically oppressed by patriarchy and racism took to the streets to demand a better tomorrow. They did so in previous years and they did so again in 2022. This should remind those in power that we will never be mere bystanders when they assault our dignity, equality and freedom.”

global, HUMAN RIGHTS

Mouvement de la Paix: No to the War Economy

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

A press release from the Mouvement de la Paix

No to the war economy proposed by the President of the Republic through the draft Military Programming Law (LPM 2024-2030) of 413 billion € (i.e. 40% increase compared to the previous law), which includes around 50 billion euros for nuclear weapons


In his greetings to the armed forces, pronounced at the Mont-de-Marsan air base on January 20, 2023, President Macron declared his desire “that the 2024-2030 military programming law reflect considerable efforts… which oblige us for decades …because we must never be one war behind, but we must be one war ahead”! It proposes a new LPM of 413 billion euros (+ 40% compared to the last LPM) including fifty billion for nuclear weapons. This would violate the NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty signed by France) and the TIAN (Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, entered into force on January 21, 2021).

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(Click here for the original French version of this article.)

Question for this article:

Does military spending lead to economic decline and collapse?

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We refuse this crazy spending for war! Yes to an economy for peace! Let us refuse to be drawn into this logic of war, the disastrous economic, financial, social and ecological consequences of which we are already suffering, the extent of which we find difficult to imagine, including in the event of the use of nuclear weapons. Let us demand the reorientation of budgets towards social needs: salaries, pensions, health – hospitals, education and research, public services – job creation, fight to reduce climate change!

France must choose the side of PEACE and social and climate justice. France must act for a political and diplomatic solution to the war in Ukraine and for all the ongoing conflicts (Palestine, Yemen, Kivu, etc.) instead of engaging our country in the infernal cycle of war maintained by the military- industrialist who alone benefits from it.

France, instead of inserting itself into the orientations of NATO, should propose and act for solutions based on the United Nations Charter (*), the SDGs (Sustainable Development Objectives), the work of the IPCC and UN Resolutions for a Culture of Peace.

War is never the solution, but always the worst for the people! The human security of peoples (physical, health, food, social, ecological) cannot develop without PEACE.

The Mouvement de la Paix calls on the population to act, in the largest popular gathering, to build our future together through a mobilization campaign which will take place from April 6 to the end of June with a highlight on May 21 with rallies on the places related to nuclear weapons (SNLE-NG base at L’île longue near Brest, Le Barp in Aquitaine (nuclear tests in the laboratory) etc: “Let’s build a future for life, peace, social and climate justice, including nuclear disarmament”.

Our objective is to convince as many parliamentarians as possible to vote against this military programming law, to say no to this war economy project and to get France to act with determination, as a signatory of the NPT ( nuclear non-proliferation treaty), in favor of nuclear disarmament by signing the treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons (TPNW).

Mr. President of the Republic, ladies and gentlemen parliamentarians “NO MORE BOMBS!)

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, Europe

Mouvement de la Paix: Chinese Peace Plan

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

A press release from Mouvement de la Paix (translation by CPNN)

China has presented a document for a just and lasting peace entitled “Global Security Initiative”.

This initiative follows a document presented by XI Jinping in 2022 and has the support of many countries.

This twelve-point document notes the growing turbulence and conflict in the world and proposes to promote lasting peace through dialogue rather than confrontation.

It insists, among other things,
– On respect for the sovereignty of each country,
– On the rejection of the use of nuclear weapons and the cessation of research and development of chemical and biological weapons,
– On abandoning the Cold War mentality,
– On the cessation of hostilities and the opening of negotiations,
-On the resolution of the humanitarian crisis and the protection of civilians and prisoners of war,
-On the safety of nuclear power plants.

Unsurprisingly, the USA, NATO and the North Atlantic world have worked to minimize this initiative. It is not credible in their eyes “because of the good relations between China and Russia”.

The President of the European Commission explained “that China had taken the side of Moscow”.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken even believed he had secret information saying that “China was preparing to deliver weapons to Russia”.

In this distressing context, Emmanuel Macron’s position seems almost courageous, by “daring” to underline the obvious by saying that “the fact that China is committed to peace efforts is completely good” and by announcing “a next trip to Beijing”.

On the other hand, among many countries of the Global South, Beijing’s initiative was received much more favorably, considering this document as “an important contribution”, in particular “on the need to avoid the use of nuclear weapons”.

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(Click here for the original French version.)

Questions related to this article:
 
Can the peace movement help stop the war in the Ukraine?

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This position echoes the words of the UN Secretary General who is worried about “a major risk for humanity”.

Brazil, through the voice of its President Lula, has advanced an approach similar to that of Beijing by calling for “the creation of a group of countries not involved in the conflict in order to assume responsibility for restoring peace”.

Lula explains that “the Chinese text reaffirms the main principles of the UN on the sovereignty of each country and urges Russia and Ukraine to strictly comply with international humanitarian law” and denounces “any recourse to nuclear weapons explicitly disavowing Vladimir Putin when he decreed the suspension of his country from participation in the SALT 2 agreement.

It also proposes, “a new global governance with an enlargement of the UN Security Council which would lead to permanent seats for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean”.

President Lula also speaks for the non-aligned countries, believing that “V. Zelensky and NATO bore some responsibility in the process that led to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, following the installation of military bases on the borders of Russia”. He specifies that “Brazil refuses to supply any arms”.

While it is indeed important to remember this fact, it is just as important to remember that nothing can justify the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Finally, it was from Ukraine that came the clearest proof of the seriousness of the Chinese peace initiative since Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he wanted to “meet Xi Jinping” adding that “it would be important for global security”.

This set of reactions reinforces the position of Mouvement de la Paix that we cannot conceive of peace on the basis of a military victory for one camp or another.

It is the essence of any political settlement and the condition of a lasting peace to respond to the legitimate interests of the various parties in conflict.

It is urgent and essential, from Moscow to Washington, via Brussels and the European capitals, that the terms peace, ceasefire and negotiation reappear in the diplomatic vocabulary.

Strong and concerted diplomatic initiatives are urgently needed.

It should be noted that since March 10, Saudi Arabia and Iran, two enemy powers, have – after a seven-year interruption – reestablished their diplomatic relations. This agreement, concluded under the auspices of China, shows that the hope of peace can be born even where one did not expect it.

This new example of diplomacy in the service of peace must encourage pacifists to seize all opportunities, wherever they come from, to advance the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine.

This is one more reason to continue popular mobilizations in France and worldwide to demand an end to the fighting and a negotiated outcome, for a lasting peace in compliance with the United Nations Charter.

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, Europe

Brazil: Lula creates working group to combat violence in schools

. EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from Migalhas (translation by CPNN)

President Lula has signed a decree creating an inter-ministerial working group, with the aim of implementing policies to prevent and confront violence in schools.

The decree was published in the DOU, this Thursday, 6. The measure was created after the massacre at a day care center in Blumenau/SC, where four children died.

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(Click here for the original article in Portuguese.)

Question related to this article:
 
What is the relation between peace and education?

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The working group will be coordinated by the Ministry of Education and involves seven additional ministries and two secretariats. With an initial duration of 90 days, the group must propose various measures, including the eventual publication of decrees and bills to combat these crimes. One focus could be internet regulation mechanisms, where hate groups that encourage this type of attack proliferate.

Other measures

The Minister of Justice and Public Security, Flávio Dino, announced the release of R$ 150 million to expand school patrols across the country, amid the wave of attacks on schools and day care centers.

Another measure is to intensify the monitoring of threats and planning on the internet for attacks on schools. According to Flávio Dino, 50 federal police officers will exclusively monitor this type of crime, from a center at Diop – Integrated Operations Division, linked to Senasp – National Secretariat for Public Security of the ministry, with direct support from the state police . Until now, there were 10 police officers involved in this work.

Culture of peace

The Minister of Justice also defended the involvement of the media and private entities and civil society in a major national mobilization in favor of a culture of peace, which includes, for example, the adoption of protocols in cases like this, to avoid a excessive exposure of the perpetrators of this type of attack, who seek precisely the spotlight.

Here is the decree in full.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

Greece and Turkey commit to dialogue

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from Neos Kosmos

During a visit by Greece’s Minister for National Defence Nikos Panagiotopoulos to areas affected by the disastrous earthquake in February, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar emphasised the need for peaceful means to address longstanding issues, including maritime boundaries and drilling rights in the eastern Mediterranean.


A handout photo made available by the Turkish Defence Ministry Press Office shows, Turkish Defence Minister Akar Hulusi (L) and Greek Defence Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos (R) in a helicopter in Hatay, Turkey. Photo: AAP /Turkish Defence Ministry handout

The earthquake brought about an opportunity for both nations to work together and offer support, leading to a de-escalation of tensions. The willingness of both countries to collaborate during times of crisis highlights the potential for future cooperation and conflict resolution.

“I hope that as two civilized countries, Turkey and Greece can solve these problems within the framework of good neighbourly relations (…) through peaceful means and methods and amid mutual respect and dialogue,” Akar told reporters.

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Question related to this article:

Solidarity across national borders, What are some good examples?

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“Our hope and expectation is that the positive, constructive atmosphere we experienced after the earthquake disaster will continue (…) and the doors of dialogue will remain open,” he said.

The Defense Ministers of Turkey and Greece recently visited areas affected by an earthquake to survey the damage and discuss ways to ease tensions between their countries. The officials traveled to the hardest hit province of Hatay and flew over the affected areas via helicopter. Additionally, Greece’s Minister for Migration and Asylum, Notis Mitarachi, visited a refugee camp located near the Turkish-Syrian border to assess the situation and provide support.

Panagiotopoulos said “The symbolic message that comes from tragedies and natural disasters of this scale go far beyond any disagreement and differences that we may have. They may act as a lever to reduce tension and create the circumstances to facilitate better communication between the two sides.”

“The aim (…) and we must work toward that, is to create an atmosphere of cooperation and stability between our two countries,” he added.

Greece and Turkey resumed high-level meetings following the earthquake, including talks aimed at boosting trade and other cooperation in areas unrelated to the disputes.

Prior to that, tensions had flared in 2020 over exploratory drilling rights in areas in the Mediterranean Sea where Greece and Cyprus claim their own exclusive economic zone, leading to a naval standoff.

Turkey had also blasted Greece for maintaining a military presence on eastern Greek islands that it maintains violates international treaties. Greece countered that it faces a direct threat from Turkey, which has a significant military presence on the Turkish coast near the islands.

Europe, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Niger has made dialogue with violent extremist groups an important part of its strategy

TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY .

An article from ISS Africa (republished according to a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence)

On 10 February, Niger suffered one of its deadliest attacks  when gunmen with suspected links to violent extremist groups ambushed a military convoy in Banibangou, a community in the Tillabéri region. Seventeen soldiers died and 13 were injured, ending months of relative calm in the area.

Violence had diminished as a result of two special operations conducted in northern Tillabéri between July and October 2022 by Niger with reinforcements from 250 French troops . Codenamed Almahaou (whirlwind in Zarma) and Niya (will in Hausa), the offensives targeted groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State. The February attack highlights the limits of such operations and lends credence to the country’s use of dialogue as a key part of its counter-terrorism strategy.

In early 2022, Nigerien authorities recognised the need for dialogue with jihadist leaders in Tillabéri. This was inspired after several Nigeriens defected from their extremist groups, and violence in the Diffa region decreased after a disarmament and reintegration process  launched in 2016. A total of 386 former Boko Haram fighters went through deradicalisation and professional training.

The use of dialogue in Tillabéri shows strong political will on the part of the government, which is keen to disincentivise engagement with extremist groups, and stabilise the region. Niger’s approach, which combines dialogue and military action, starkly contrasts with the regional trend. Neighbouring countries have reinforced their military tactics through diversifying strategic alliances  and employing armed civilians .

Niger has a long tradition of dialogue following its successful management of Tuareg rebellions . The country has strived to institutionalise this tradition to allow for a more holistic approach to addressing its security challenges. A core step has been establishing the High Authority for the Consolidation of Peace, hosted within the Presidency, and the National Coordination Unit for Stabilisation and Disengagement Programmes supervised by the Interior Ministry.

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Question for this article

Islamic extremism, how should it be opposed?

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To prevent recruitment by terrorist groups, the government initiated several talks in 2022 to foster intra- and inter-communal dialogue for peace, reconciliation and social cohesion in various regions . These were followed by community mediation efforts, one of which led to the signing of a peace agreement  between the Fulani and Zarma communities in Banibangou on 21 January 2023. The deal is important, as jihadist groups exploited decades-long conflicts between the two communities for recruitment purposes.

To build consensus around the process, President Mohamed Bazoum has involved a range  of political, religious and civil society leaders, as well as security and administrative officials.

Ongoing dialogue and the personal commitment of Bazoum, supported by his advisory team, have facilitated contact with several jihadists through community emissaries . Recent Institute for Security Studies (ISS) research provides evidence that roughly 100 ex-combatants are being gathered in the capital Niamey, pending transfer to the socio-economic reintegration centre in Hamdallaye, in Tillabéri. They will go through deradicalisation and receive toolkits for setting up their own trades as mechanics, welders, plumbers, carpenters or dressmakers.

The dialogue process does, however, face some challenges. Interviewees told ISS Today that some community emissaries facilitating contact with jihadists were not necessarily the most qualified. They said those with stronger credibility and social influence had been sidelined. There were also concerns about how to effectively integrate ex-combatants into communities following their release from the Hamdallaye centre.

To succeed, Niger should adopt a more inclusive approach involving various influential actors. Better coordination between the institutions involved is also essential to avoid the dispersion of efforts. The government should ensure that the dialogue process is not bogged down, and is informed by lessons  learnt through the disarmament, demobilisation, repatriation, reintegration and resettlement process in Diffa. This will minimise the risk of recruitment by jihadist groups, including of ex-combatants.

By including dialogue in its counter-terrorism efforts, Niger is experimenting with an approach similar to those in Algeria  and Mauritania , which underpin their decade-long protection against jihadist violence.

Niger’s neighbours in the Sahel and the Gulf of Guinea that are affected by violent extremism should take inspiration from the country’s strategy as they tackle the insecurity afflicting their populations. A coordinated regional approach would also exert pressure on terrorist groups and ultimately deprive them of human resources.

Africa, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Search for Common Ground – Burkina Faso Promotes Community Resilience through Dialogue and Peace Initiatives in Ouahigouya

.. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION ..

A press release from Search for Common Ground – Burkina Faso

Search for Common Ground – Burkina Faso partnered with the municipality of Ouahigouya to organize an unprecedented event to promote peace and social cohesion in the context of security challenges, the spread of violent extremism, and intercommunity tensions in Burkina Faso.

The event was organized within the framework of the project “Un Futur à Construire” (A Future to Build), funded by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany and Denmark through the PATRIP Foundation and the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW).

More than 500 participants, including local authorities, religious and customary leaders, and representatives of eight communities – Peules, Mossé, Samo, Gourounsi, Gourmantché, those of the Southwest (Lobi, Dagara Djan Pougli, Birifors), Bissa and the Malian community, which was invited as a guest of honor – took part in the event. The strong participation of women, with 300 present, underscored their crucial role in promoting resilience and community cohesion.

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Questions for this article:

How important is community development for a culture of peace?

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Under the theme “Community Resilience in the Face of Security Challenges,” the event focused on building community resilience to combat insecurity and promote peace. Participants exchanged messages of peace, tolerance, and coexistence and shared inspirational quotes on the importance of unity and coexistence.

During the day, Adama, a local radio host, emphasized the importance of rediscovering the values that allowed their ancestors to live together peacefully, while Achille, the organizing committee’s communications manager, acknowledged his previous distrust of a particular community. However, he was moved by the message of that community’s representative and stressed the importance of analyzing one’s own prejudices and biases.

The event included games and a fair that lasted all day, promoting unity and friendship between the different communities. The participation of members of a community that was previously distrusted by others is a significant achievement demonstrating its courage and willingness to promote cohesion despite stigma and fear.

Community representatives expressed regret at escalating violence between the communities and called for dialogue to return to peaceful coexistence. The event was praised for the quality of the messages and the interest shown by the different communities towards each other, despite the initial tensions.

Search for Common Ground – Burkina Faso remains committed to promoting peace and social cohesion in Burkina Faso through various initiatives that encourage dialogue and collaboration between communities. We call on all stakeholders to join us in this effort to reduce conflict and promote sustainable peace in Burkina Faso.

(Click here for a French version.)

Africa, DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION

United Nations International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace, 2023 

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

On 27 January 2023, the official launch ceremony of 2023 as the International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace took place at the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan in Ashgabat. This official ceremony brought together over 200 representatives from the UN Member States, UN sister agencies including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Regional Office for Central Asia, relevant international and regional organizations, and civil society in person and online.

The year 2023 was declared as the International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace, according to the resolution 77/32 of the United Nations General Assembly at the initiative of Turkmenistan.

This resolution was adopted by consensus and was co-sponsored by 68 member countries of the Organization, including all countries of Central Asia.

Turkmenistan underlines that the initiative directly correlates with the António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General’s “New Agenda for Peace”, which includes reducing global strategic risks, investing in conflict prevention and peacemaking, and supporting regional preventive measures.

Question for this article:

What is the United Nations doing for a culture of peace?

Vepa Hajiyev, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan in his opening remarks noted: “Today we are starting a joint results-oriented work to create conditions for improving and developing international relations, restore trust in the world politics, and establish a respectful dialogue. Currently, these principles and goals are particularly relevant against the background of the existing systemic problems of international relations. In this context, we see a common task in turning the International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace into a powerful constructive process designed to provide an incentive for dialogue, cooperation, and mutual understanding”.

Ashita Mittal, UNODC Regional Representative for Central Asia in her speech emphasized: “While the World, and the region, in particular face the triple crisis of conflicts, climate change and COVID, magnifying the impact of the world drug problem, organized crime and terrorism, and deepening vulnerabilities and desperation, we in Central Asia need to join our efforts to strengthen peace, stability, and security in the region, especially through negotiations and dialogue.”

During the event, UN sister agencies, national and international participants presented their initiatives and proposals to observe the International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace, shared information on activities aimed at implementation of the International Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace.

“The promotion of the international partnership, which is the basis of the UN Charter and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, is fundamental in preserving peace and security, supporting, developing and ensuring human rights. That’s why the adopted Resolution of the UN General Assembly, which calls for the development of dialogue as a valuable tool for resolving and preventing conflicts, alleviating tensions and settling disputes, is of particular value to us,”- highlighted Dmitry Shlapacheko, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan in his speech.

Following the official launch ceremony, the high-level participants adopted a Roadmap for the International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace.

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global, United Nations,

Pope’s Video: “Let Us Develop A Culture Of Peace”

TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY .

An article from Exaudi

We publish below the text of the Pope’s Video with the prayer intention for the month of April spread through the Pope’s World Prayer Network on the theme: “For a culture of non-violence”:


The video

(Text of video in right column.)

(Click here for the French version of this article, or here for the Spanish version .)

Question for this article

Religion: a barrier or a way to peace?, What makes it one or the other?

(Text of video)

Living, speaking, and acting without violence is not surrendering, losing, or giving up anything, but aspiring to everything.

As Saint John XXIII said 60 years ago in his Encyclical Pacem in Terris, war is madness. It’s beyond reason.

Any war, any armed confrontation, always ends in defeat for all.

Let us develop a culture of peace.

Let us remember that, even in cases of self-defense, peace is the ultimate goal, and that lasting peace can exist only without weapons.

Let us make non-violence a guide for our actions, both in daily life and in international relations.

And let us pray for a more widespread culture of non-violence, that will progress when countries and citizens alike resort less and less to the use of arms.

global, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Azueï: the union of Dominicans and Haitians through art

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article by María Luisa López in Acento

For a group of Dominicans and Haitians to come together to create art may seem unusual, given the complex relationship between the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

However, in August 2015, a small group of people decided to come together to create a project that would promote a culture of peace and thus guarantee a space for dialogue through art and culture between the two peoples.


Here is the wall painted on the border by graffiti artists from the Azueï movement. Photo: Josué Azor

The meeting took place on the shores of the lake that separates Haiti from the Dominican Republic: Azueï. From there arose the name of this movement between local artists and from the neighboring country with which they also seek to undo prejudices, value the wealth of the island’s heritage and the proximity of both cultures.

“We decided to create a movement to have another way of doing things with each other. To strengthen the culture between the two nations, create joint works and through this common creation we are discovering each other”, Rachèle Magloire, president of the Azueï association in Haiti, told ACENTO.

In this regard, the filmmaker also narrates her own experience: “I particularly never had a Dominican friend. That never even occurred to me. The dynamics of collaboration and solidarity between the two countries had been completely broken. Now I even speak a little Spanish and I have Dominican friends.”

Younès Karroum, a founding member of the movement, explains that Azueï is multidisciplinary, since it is made up of musicians, graffiti artists, filmmakers and social activists.

When asked about the complexity that uniting citizens of both nations can entail, due to the cultural differences of each one, Karroum highlights artistry and trust.

“The keys to how to generate trust do not lie in the discourse, but in how to work in the arts; to find, first, a common language to be able to build whatever. For that, you have to identify the other as someone with whom I can share, I can work, and this is built through practice and the dynamics of creation… ”, he says.

To this he adds that, many times, the complex thing is to put aside the national reading that one can have when going from one country to another.

“In other words, when we have these meetings, these moments, I take off this contextual reading cap that I can have from my country and I take the gaze of the other and try to have another vision. Open your mind. And this works in Azueï. Azueï artists have developed this new identity that “we are Azueï”. And the discourse of the artists themselves has evolved a lot in these seven years because we already assume things from the other that we did not assume before ”, she specifies.

(Click here for the original version in Spanish.)

(Continued in right column)

Question related to this article:

Solidarity across national borders, What are some good examples?

Do the arts create a basis for a culture of peace?

(Continued from left column)

An island united by art

Both Magloire and Karroum agree that art is the most suitable way to unite both peoples, and they assure that the key that has worked for them is to do it from a constructive position.

They define art as a key tool to change mentalities, both Dominicans and Haitians, and the perception they have of each other.

“Because I think that, in the end, there have been voluntary policies to paint a neighbor in a way for political interests and this with many resources, in the Dominican Republic in particular. This has generated the establishment of a mentality towards the other based only on these criteria, not based on day-to-day reality. In the Dominican Republic there is a lot of interaction with Haitians. There are many examples of solidarity. There are many organizations working on the issue, there are many cases of positive relationship”, indicates Karroum.
.
On his side, Magloire also puts the issue of discrimination in context and assures that it not only occurs towards Haitians, but also towards Dominicans.

“We also see discrimination against Haitians because our artists were imprisoned or mistreated. We have some who live here. But we also discovered discrimination against Dominicans. Racism is not only against Haitians. There is deep racism here (on the island), which is not talked about,” he indicates.

Activities in the country

These days, Azueï is immersed in a tour of the Dominican Republic that has included demonstrations, workshops, rehearsals, recording of documentaries and music sessions.

“The activities began in February with a residency at Xiomara Fortuna’s Campeche ecological ranch with the graffiti artists from the Azueï team, and representatives of Haitian and Dominican cultural organizations that we have financed within the QuisqueyArt project to encourage exchanges beyond us. Other organizations are invited to undertake these cultural exchanges. Because in the Dominican there is a need for cultural projects with Haiti, and just as in Haiti this connection is needed”, Karroum points out.

He explains that their residence, carried out as a dynamic of conflict transformation through the arts, worked on the concept for a mural on the border between Dajabón and Juana Méndez.

Among the activities of the tour in the country they also included a conversation
with the entire team of the movement in El Portal Cultural, in the Colonial City.
In the same place on Friday, they will have a session with all the Azueï musicians for those who want to go and play with them.

And to close the tour they will perform a concert at the Cultural Center of Spain, in the Colonial City, at 8:00 p.m., in which they will play all the songs from their album Artybonito.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY