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.

USA: A Victory March For Nury – and for immigrant rights

…. HUMAN RIGHTS ….

An article by Markeshia Ricks in the New Haven Independent

Hundreds of immigrant rights activists took to the streets of Fair Haven [Connecticut] to celebrate — rather than protest as planned — after a 43-year-old woman taking sanctuary in a neighborhood church won a stay allowing her to remain in the country.


Clergy join Chavarria in leading off Wednesday’s march (She is at the center of the line)
(click on photo to enlarge)

The news means that Nury Chavarria can leave Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal, where she took up residence last week. Last Thursday she had disobeyed an order from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last Thursday and skipped a flight back to Guatemala, occupying with her 9-year-old daughter a back room of the “sanctuary” house of worship. (Federal policy forbids immigration agents from entering church grounds to make arrests.) Now Chavarria can return home to Norwalk to work and take care of her four children.

The news hit New Haven late Thursday afternoon as a rally on her behalf was beginning outside the church. The more than 300 people present took a victory lap that Kica Matos of Fair Haven, an organizer focused on immigration and race at the Center for Community Change, told the crowd would be loud and celebratory instead of the planned silent march.

Rabbi Herbert Brockman of Congregation Mishkan Israel sounded a shofar, a musical instrument made of a ram’s horn, to mark the victory for Chavarria and kick off the Jericho march around the block.

“I am very emotional grateful to God,” Chavarria told the crowd with the help of an English translator. “Now I can cry, but not as I did on the 20th when I was shedding tears because I had to leave. God has been my attorney.”

Chavarria’s attorneys won the stay at around 2 p.m. in U.S. Immigration Court in Hartford. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) then agreed not to seek custody of her. So she’ll be free to go home.

At 5:30, Chavarria and her attorneys and supporters came out to greet the rally and announce the news. The group, which had originally planned to stage a silent protest march, still paraded down to Grand Avenue and then around the block to the church past the Cool Breeze Music in the Park event that was taking place in Quinnipiac River Park, but in celebration.

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Questions related to this article:

The post-election fightback for human rights, is it gathering force in the USA?

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One of her attorneys, Marisol Orihuela, described how her team filed two motions: an emergency motion for a stay of deportation and a motion to reopen her case based on new evidence.

“Her story was so compelling that only one hour after filing, immigration granted her motion for a stay,” said Orihuela, a Yale Law School clinical associate professor affiliated with the school’s Worker and Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic.

Mayor Toni Harp also addressed the gathering. She said the city will continue to stand with Chavarria. “Oftentimes there are people who question the value of having Yale in our community,” Harp said. “But I cannot tell you how grateful I am for Yale’s immigration clinic.”

“ICE, the rest of those who mess with our neighbors, know better than to come to New Haven,” Harp added.

Elected officials who had taken up her cause — including Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, U.S. Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal, and U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro — issued statements commending the decision by a judge and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to grant Chavarria the stay. The senators vowed to continue working to win Chavarria, who has never encountered trouble with the law in her 24 years in this country as she raised her children as a single mother and worked for a housecleaning company, permanent permission to stay here.

“Today, reason and compassion have prevailed.  There was never a rational justification for Nury Chavarria to have been threatened with deportation and separated from her children,” Malloy’s statement read in part. “Members of the community had their voices heard.”

Chavarria was one of 13 undocumented immigrants taking sanctuary in U.S. houses of worship. She was the first to do so in New Haven. Her case became national news, and she warmed up to the role of spokesperson for a movement.

“I’m glad ICE finally listened to our calls for justice for Nury, and I’m grateful for all the community support she received,” Murphy was quoted as saying in a release issued by his office. “But this is just a temporary victory, and only when President Trump’s mean-spirited policy of tearing apart parents from their young children ends will meaningful justice be achieved.”

Pastor Hector Ortero said he was sad to see Chavarria head home, but happy for her victory. Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal Pastor Hector Ortero said he was sad to see Chavarria head home to Norwalk Thursday, but happy for her victory. He reminded the crowd that the language of heaven is not English, Spanish or French.

“The language of heaven is faith,” he said. “We still believe. I pray that God bless Nury and her lovely family, that God bless everyone and God bless the United States of America.”

HUMAN RIGHTS, North America

Lawmakers in Europe Want the UN to Debate a Parliamentary Assembly. When Will Governments Follow?

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article by by Andreas Bummel for the Inter Press Service

Earlier this month [July], the European Parliament adopted its annual recommendations on the European Union’s policy at the upcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly that begins in September.

The document pointed out that the EU “should play a proactive part in building a United Nations that can contribute effectively to global solutions, peace and security, human rights, development, democracy and a rule-of-law-based international order.”

Among other things, the European Parliament called on EU governments to foster a debate “on the topic of establishing a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly with a view to increasing the democratic profile and internal democratic process of the organisation and to allow world civil society to be directly associated in the decision-making process.”

For more than twenty years the European Parliament has been pushing for a UN Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA). Six years ago it called on EU governments to promote its establishment.

The Council’s working group on the UN had a brief internal discussion at the time and concluded that the creation of a UNPA would imply a modification of the UN’s Charter which was considered unrealistic. It was also said that it would be a paradox for the UN to establish a UNPA since there are member states that do not have a democratically elected parliament. Finally, the point was made that a UNPA would entail high costs that the UN and governments would be unable to bear.

The Council did not engage with the parliament or anyone else pertaining these and other arguments. Its consideration of the issue was superficial. Ironically, it is easier for the UN to create a UNPA than to add just one single seat to the UN Security Council. Other than the Council seemed to believe, while the latter indeed requires an amendment of the Charter, the former clearly does not.

A UNPA can be created according to Article 22 which allows the General Assembly to establish subsidiary bodies as it deems necessary to fulfill its work. A UNPA could be seen as part of the assembly’s “revitalization”, a topic that has been pursued for long but did not yield much results so far.

Each year, Freedom House in Washington D.C. publishes its assessment of democracy in the world and today nearly two thirds of UN member states are considered to be “electoral democracies”. The foundation warns, however, that democracy is increasingly under threat by populist and nationalistic forces as well as authoritarian powers.

Proponents of a UNPA keep pointing out that giving parliamentarians a voice at the UN would help strengthening democracy especially in countries where it is still weak and under pressure. Opposition politicians certainly would benefit from a seat in a UNPA and the international exposure that would go along with it.

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Question for this article:

Proposals for Reform of the United Nations: Are they sufficiently radical?

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After all, it has been a key argument that if the UN’s promotion of democracy is to be credible, the world organization itself needs to democratize as well. The establishment of a UNPA could also be understood as a response to Sustainable Development Goal 16. SDG 16 targets include the development of “effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels” and ensuring “responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.” Why should the UN, of all things, be excluded from this?

A UN parliamentary body could be a useful complement to the High-Level Political Forum on sustainable development in order to review the implementation of the SDGs.

At the beginning, a UNPA need not be a monumental investment. It depends on the specifics. So far, neither the Council of the EU or anyone else has come up with a thorough calculation. How can you argue that the costs would be too high if you never calculated them in the first place?

Under US President Donald Trump multilateralism and UN funding are under threat. This should be a wake-up call. To a large degree, a UNPA would be educational. It would bring the UN closer to lawmakers in the capitals and could help strengthen budgetary support of UN member states. In the long run, strengthening the UN’s democratic profile could turn out to be a good investment.

When she was an Italian deputy, the EU’s High Representative on Foreign Affairs, Federica Mogherini, endorsed a UNPA and last year she confirmed that she still believes that it “could be a very useful tool.”

For a long time, EU governments have been ignoring the European Parliament’s endorsement of a UNPA. Will it be different this time?

Although a debate on this topic is not unrealistic, it is premature to expect that there will be a formal push in the upcoming session of the UN General Assembly. Most UN member states, including those from the EU, never looked into the concept of a UNPA in a serious way and will have to do their homework first.

Support like it was expressed by Malta’s foreign minister George Vella, who was succeeded last month, or by the cabinet of Italy’s foreign minister Paolo Gentiloni, who is now Italy’s Prime Minister, was the exception.

In May an informal meeting in New York hosted by the Canadian UN mission in collaboration with the international Campaign for a UNPA brought together representatives of 12 governments for a briefing on the proposal. This was a sign of growing interest.

More such informal meetings seem to be the most likely way forward for the time being. In the process, several EU governments – and other UN member states – may declare their support in one way or another which eventually could bring it on the EU’s and the UN’s agenda.

In particular, it will be interesting to see what position the new French government under President Emmanuel Macron will take.

The author, Andreas Bummel, is Director of Democracy Without Borders and Coordinator of the Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly.

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, global, United Nations,

Roundtable on Increasing Democratic Representation at the United Nations in The Hague

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article by the Campaign for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly [highlights by CPNN]

At an event convened by Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) in The Hague on May 15, representatives of regional parliaments, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA) and academia came together to explore mechanisms to increase democratic representation and accountability of the United Nations.


Click on photo to enlarge

The Roundtable that was hosted by the House of Representatives of the Netherlands with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands provided an opportunity to exchange ideas and to assess options like the creation of a UNPA or an improvement of existing mechanisms. The opening remarks were delivered by the even’s co-hosts Pieter Omtzigt, a member of the Dutch House of Representatives, and Nico Schrijver, member of the Dutch Senate, both of which are also members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

The first panel was started with a presentation by Andreas Bummel, coordinator of the UNPA Campaign, who stressed the need for creating a formal parliamentary body at the UN that would provide new space for members of parliament to be involved in the UN’s work. He said that the campaign’s goal was a UNPA vested with distinctive rights and powers that could be created, in a first step, by the UN General Assembly based on Article 22 of the UN Charter. He suggested that the apportionment of seats should be based on the principle of “degressive propotionality” which means that on a sliding scale smaller states would get more seats per capita than larger ones.

According to the second speaker, Anda Filip, Director of External Relations at IPU, the IPU already attempts to bring the voices of parliaments and parliamentarians to the UN and its agenda. She said that going through the IPU as an institution separate from the UN would maintain a clear separation of powers and promote independence and autonomy. She suggested that existing tools provided for by the IPU should be strengthened instead of creating new institutions.

Hans Köchler, Professor emeritus at the University of Innsbruck and President of International Progress Organization, elaborated on the democratic deficit at the UN, in particular with respect to the Security Council and the veto privilege of its five permanent members. He argued that a UNPA would represent an important step towards making the UN more democratic and raised the idea that such a new body might be better suited to monitor and oversee actions and decisions of the Security Council.

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Question for this article:

Proposals for Reform of the United Nations: Are they sufficiently radical?

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Subsequently, Charles Santiago, a member of parliament from Malaysia, shared his experiences as legislator and chair of the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) whose objective is to investigate and raise awareness of human rights violations in the Asian South Eastern states. In particular, he elaborated on the difficulties of establishing an inter-parliamentary assembly with consultative powers within ASEAN, given that member states insist on the principle of non-interference in domestic affairs.

The second session on lessons-learned from regional parliaments and organizations was opened and facilitated by Margareta Cederfelt, member of parliament from Sweden, Chair of PGA’s International Council and member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). As an introduction, Mrs. Cederfelt briefly explained the mandate of the OSCE which consists of 57 participating states from Canada to Mongolia.

Among other things, the panelists discussed the added benefits of regional parliaments and the challenges that arise from working in both regional and national parliament at the same time. According to Felipe Michelini, a former member of parliament from Uruguay and of the Latin-American Parliament, it was PGA and not regional parliaments that helped mobilize legislators so that Latin-American countries would join the International Criminal Court despite pressure from the US against doing so.

The Vice-President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), Bernadette Lahai, shared her experiences in the African parliamentary body and as a member of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, a transregional parliamentary body created to democratize the framework of development cooperation. She discussed the structure of PAP, how members are elected and the roles they fulfill. Based on this she provided examples of the roles that a UNPA could play such as monitoring implementation processes and making recommendations to the UN General Assembly. She suggested that the preparations for the creation of a new parliamentary body at the UN would benefit from studying the powers and operations of existing international parliamentary bodies.

The second session ended with remarks from Niels Blokker, a Professor at Leiden University and former Deputy Legal Advisor at the Dutch Ministry for Foreign Affairs, who presented his research on different types of international parliamentary bodies. With regard to a UNPA he raised questions such as whether each state should have the same number of MPs or if it should vary by population size or whether or not the body should have budgetary or legislative powers.

The event was concluded by Mr. Schrijver and David Donat Cattin, Secretary General of PGA. As PGA’s summary of the event points out, they highlighted “the necessity of parliamentary representation in the form of a decision-making or advisory body to the UN.” At the same time, they emphasized the importance of further examining existing methods and their effectiveness. Participants were called upon to engage with this topic at the national and international levels, in particular, to determine which existing models of regional parliamentary bodies may serve as inspiration for a UNPA.

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, global, United Nations,

Parliamentarians for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament releases Action Plan for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article by Parliamentarians for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament

A Parliamentary Action Plan for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World was released at the United Nations in New York today, during the final few days of UN negotiations on a Treaty to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons. The release of the plan also came one day after the North Korean test of an inter-continental ballistic missile, which has raised the nuclear tensions in the North East Asian region. The Action Plan, which has been developed by Parliamentarians for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament [PNND] in consultation with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), includes 14 key nuclear disarmament actions that can be taken by parliamentarians.

Some of these are actions that parliamentarians from States Parties to the forthcoming nuclear prohibition treaty can take to implement the treaty in their parliaments. These are all non-nuclear States, as the nuclear-armed and allied States are not participating in the prohibition treaty.

Other actions in the Plan are those that parliamentarians from nuclear armed and allied States can take to reduce the risks of nuclear weapons being used, and move their governments to adopt incremental disarmament measures, phase out the reliance on nuclear deterrence and negotiate for nuclear disarmament.

And some actions in the Plan are those that parliamentarians from all States can take to build public awareness and political will for the achievement of a nuclear-weapon-free world.

The plan draws from reports and resolutions on nuclear disarmament adopted by the IPU in 2009 and 2014, as well as resolutions of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and a series of consultations undertaken by PNND in key capitals and UN centres during 2016-2017.

Actions by parliamentarians to implement the nuclear prohibition treaty

The Plan encourages parliamentarians from States that join the forthcoming nuclear weapons prohibition treaty, to implement the treaty in their parliaments by prohibiting the threat, use, production, stationing and testing of nuclear weapons in their territories.

Such actions would not impact directly on the policies and practices of the nuclear-armed States, but would reinforce a norm against nuclear weapons.

Impact on the nuclear-armed States: transit and nuclear investments

The Action Plan suggests that States Parties to the nuclear prohibition treaty could also adopt measures that are not specifically required by the nuclear prohibition treaty, but which would would impact considerably on the nuclear armed States. These measures include prohibiting transit of nuclear weapons through their territories (ports, airfields, territorial waters and airspace), and prohibiting the financing of nuclear weapons.

PNND provided information to the UN negotiations on how a national prohibition on transit of nuclear weapons can work, drawing primarily from the experience of the New Zealand nuclear weapons ban. See The Ban Treaty, Transit and National Implementation.

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Question related to this article:

Can we abolish all nuclear weapons?

A UN High-Level Conference on Nuclear Disarmament: Distraction or progress?

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PNND has joined with the World Future Council and International Peace Bureau in a project ‘Move the Nuclear Weapons Money’ which provides information about parliamentary actions in nuclear-armed States to cut nuclear weapons budgets and re-direct these funds to economic, social and environmental needs (including protecting the climate); parliamentary actions in non-nuclear States to end investments of public funds and banks in corporations manufacturing nuclear weapons and their dedicated delivery systems.

Other actions by parliamentarians in nuclear armed and allied states

The Action plan includes a number of actions that parliamentarians in nuclear-armed and allied States can take to reduce the risks of nuclear weapons use and advance nuclear disarmament measures. These includes proposals on de-alerting, no-first use, stockpile reduction, verification, transparency, establishing additional nuclear-weapon-free zones, and supporting nuclear disarmament negotiations.

The Plan includes examples of such actions in national parliaments and in inter-parliamentary bodies including the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Nuclear-Weapon Free Zones

The Action Plan reports on proposals and parliamentary actions for the establishment of nuclear-weapon free zones in the Middle East, Europe and North East Asia.

The NE Asia proposal is particularly relevant as a possible solution to the nuclear crisis unfolding in the region over North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile development.

UN High Level Conference on Nuclear Disarmament

The Action Plan focuses on key multilateral forums where parliamentarians can advance nuclear disarmament, including the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conferences, and the United Nations.

The Plan highlights the unique opportunity provided by the 2018 UN High Level Conference on Nuclear Disarmament. Similar UN High Level Conferences (HLCs) over the past few years have been very successful in adopting global agreements on sustainable development goals (2015), climate change (2016), refugees and migrants (2016) and oceans (2017).

The 2018 HLC on Nuclear Disarmament could build considerable political will for nuclear disarmament, if governments attend at the ‘highest level’. It could provide a forum to elevate the nuclear prohibition treaty, make progress on nuclear risk-reduction and disarmament measures by the nuclear armed States, and advance regional measures such as nuclear-weapon-free zones in the Middle East and North-East Asia.

Public awareness and political will

The Action Plan also includes a number of actions that parliamentarians can take to increase public awareness and build political will for nuclear disarmament. These include:

– Commemorating key dates including the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons;

– Endorsing the joint statement of mayors, parliamentarians and religious leaders for nuclear disarmament;

– Supporting peace and disarmament education in schools and communities including through peace parks and museums.

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, global, United Nations,

Dominican Republic: Mayor praises successful congress for peace in Southern region

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from Nuevo Diario (translated by CPNN)

Yaguate, San Cristóbal.- The mayor Rosa Peña de Lluberes described as successful the First Congress of Youth in the Southern Region for a culture of peace in this city that involved hundreds of young leaders.


Mayor Rosa Peña

The municipal executive thanked the Public Ministry for having chosen this municipality as the venue for the celebration of this great and significant event and she welcomed each of the delegates of the different provinces and all the authorities present.

The speakers of the event were Angel Gomera Peralta, with the theme youth, conflict resolution and a culture of peace; José Armando, Tavarez, with the theme of vocational guidance; José Monegro with the topic of Assertive Communication; Marcos Díaz, with effective leadership; and Danissa Cruz, who addressed the issue of human rights for peace.

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(Click here for the original Spanish article)

Question related to this article:
 
Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

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Liyana Pavón also addressed the issue of gender violence; Luis Verges the handling of the emotions; Pavel de Camps presented the subject of computer security and Tobias Crespo road safety for peace.

The attorney general of the Court of Appeal of San Cristóbal, Celeste Reyes, congratulated all those present and stressed the great importance of the event at a time when all sectors must fight for citizen security and peaceful coexistence.

Dr. Héctor Bienvenido Soto Valdez of the legal department of the local city council was responsible for the organization of the activity, and Patria Rodríguez, of the department of youth, was in charge of the words of welcome.

The artistic part was in charge of the male inmates of the correctional center Najayo, and the queen of the patrons of Yaguate was Miss Naomi Villar.

The closing words were spoken by Milciades Ventura Lembert, youth mediation coordinator (SINAREC), of the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic.

The congress was held at the José Francisco Peña Gómez sports center in this town.

Latin America, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Center for Justice and Peacebuilding partners with UNDP and Iraqi youth to build culture of peace

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article by Lauren Jefferson for the Augusta Free Press

In an Iraqi mall on Valentine’s Day, shoppers were treated to a unique sight. Twenty-eight young people wearing traditional dress from the many cultures in the country congregated to sing, dance, and hand out flowers and balloons with messages of love and co-existence. The event, one of 42 created and implemented by Iraqi youth across Iraq, was to promote peaceful coexistence and tolerance among Iraqi communities struggling through a divisive political climate.

The project brings together Eastern Mennonite University’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding and the Iraqi al-Amal Association in a multi-phase project that focuses on youth and academics to build a culture of peace in the country.

As key stakeholders in Iraqi social fabric, youth and academics are “seen as instrumental in strengthening social cohesion and promoting civil society initiatives and dialogue between various ethnic and religious groups,” according to the project grant, which is funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Five EMU faculty and alumni are involved: Dr. Alma Abdul-hadi Jadallah, president and managing director of Kommon Denominator, and CJP adjunct faculty; Aala Ali MA ’14, UNDP development officer; Cynthia Nassif MA ’14 of Lebanon , and Najla El Mangoush MA ’15 of Libya, both doctoral students at George Mason University; and Ahmed Tarik MA ’16, of Iraq. Nassif, Mangoush and Tarik designed workshops on conflict resolution in Arabic for both youths and academics. Jadallah provided the first training for youth in October 2016, followed by two others for youth and three for academics from Iraqi universities. While the academic trainings will lead to a peace building curricula that would be shared by universities across Iraq, the youth trainings culminated in a series of community peacebuilding project proposals.

Mangoush appreciated the opportunity to work together with CJP alumni on one project, “practicing our beliefs and skills as peacebuilders from different Arabic countries to assist peace in Iraq.” An important aspect of the project, she adds, is “acknowledging the need to promote peace from a local perspective and through religious tolerance.”

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Question related to this article:

A culture of peace in Iraq, Is it possible?

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More than 563 youth from Najaf, Nineveh and Baghdad applied to participate in the trainings. Seventy-two were selected, with criteria including age, potential, experience, connections, responsibility, diversity and vision.

After the trainings, participants created project proposals that employed sports, arts, social media, listening and dialogue to address a variety of topics: women’s rights, children’s education, displaced persons and host community engagement, interfaith dialogue and conflict resolution workshops, according to Nassif. El Mangoush and Nassif evaluated and selected proposals for funding.

Muntather Hassan, youth program coordinator for the Iraqi al-Amal Association, has attended each training, worked with youth on their proposals, and watched selected projects come to fruition.

A Facebook page that provides a space for artworks created on the theme of peace. Five artists started this project, and they’ve been joined by 50 others.Besides the Valentine’s Day project, other funded projects include:

Visitation programs in Erbil, where Muslim activists visited internally displaced Christian children in Erbil, and in Baghdad, where both Christian and Muslim activists visited Muslim children.

Though Iraq is full of problems, Hassan says young people see a chance to make a difference and to address issues “the older generation can’t see.” They are motivated, he said, by the desire to live a normal life without fear, “ordinary needs that give them motivation.”

“A journey like this comes once a life,” wrote one participant. Another shared that he felt “loved, respected, supported and listened to.” Yet another learned not all Muslims are ISIS.”

“Mohammed came back from Erbil as a different person, a better one,” said one participant’s parents.

About the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding

Eastern Mennonite University’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding offers graduate programs in restorative justice (the first program of its kind in North America) and conflict transformation, as well as professional development and training for global peacebuilders through several programs: the Summer Peacebuilding Institute, Women’s Peacebuilding Leadership Program, Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience (STAR), and the Zehr Institute for Restorative Justice. CJP’s vision is to prepare, transform, and sustain leaders to create a more just and peaceful world.

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, Mideast

Pan-African initiatives for peace: Are they advancing?

A recent meeting of the Pan-African Parliament continued working on the concept of a Pan-African passport as well as initiatives to open the borders of the countries of Africa to trade and travel by all Africans. The rich tradition of Pan-Africanism provides an alternative model to that of empires and states. A Pan-African union could be based on a culture of peace rather than culture of war. It would be within the tradition of peace-building by Nelson Mandela. And it would fulfill the dream of that great African-American, W.E.B. Dubois, which he shared at the end of his life with Kwame Nkrumah and the people of Ghana, an Africa at peace with itself and the world.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

This question applies to the following CPNN articles:

Mali: Ségou: capital of peace and national reconciliation of the regions of central Mali

Pan-African Parliament session adopts recommendations and resolutions

Pan-African Parliament calls on African Union to support the creation of a UN Parliamentary Assembly

Togo: Literary contest appeals to African youth for a culture of peace

Togolese Republic to host “Second African Peace Conference”

The Gambia: African youth calls for intergenerational bridges

Africa: How to Achieve the Freedom Promised

Africa’s Contribution to the Global Movement for a Culture of Peace

Africa

Pan-African Parliament session adopts recommendations and resolutions

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Excerpts from the website of the Pan-African Parliament

The Pan African Parliament (PAP) on Thursday wound up its two-week fourth Ordinary Session of the Fourth Parliament by adopting a total of seven resolutions and five recommendations that are aimed at impacting PAP’s work as well as the wellbeing of the African people.


Video of Parliamentary Session

The PAP has been holding its ordinary session at the Parliament’s Headquarters in Midrand, South Africa since May, 8 and the sitting was kick-started with the special address by Malawi’s and Burkinabe Presidents, H.E Arthur Peter Mutharika and Roch March Kaboré, respectively.

In his closing remarks, PAP President, Honourable Roger Nkodo Dang, described the Ordinary Session as a success, not only because of the various crucial issues that the Parliament discussed but also the presence of the two African Heads of State that graced its official opening on May 8.

The PAP President also expressed gratitude to various dignitaries and experts who interacted with PAP Members and shared with them several experiences and technical knowledge to enable PAP execute its role effectively.

He said the recommendations and resolutions that the PAP Plenary had adopted should enable national parliaments to take an active role towards achieving Africa’s goal of integration and other initiatives to benefit the people of Africa.

The PAP President also expressed gratitude to various dignitaries and experts who interacted with PAP Members and shared with them several experiences and technical knowledge to enable PAP execute its role effectively.

Concept of the African Passport

The House also resolved to promote and support free movement of people in Africa and the African passport through, among other initiatives, raising awareness, popularizing and demystifying the concept of the African Passport and also allaying fears that African countries had concerning free movement of persons within the continent.

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Question(s) related to this article:

Pan-African initiatives for peace: Are they advancing?

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The PAP members therefore proposed formulation of a Protocol on free Movement of Persons that must be presented before African Union (AU) Heads of State for adoption at their January, 2018 Summit. The House also resolved to draft a Model Law on Free Movement of People in Africa and the African Passport to entrench people’s free movement in the legislation of all African countries.

Towards a borderless continent

Another resolution that the PAP Plenary adopted was the establishment of a Pan-African Parliamentary Forum on Trade, Customs and Migration that would advocate for the ratification and domestication of relevant trade agreements that would eventually advance establishment of One Border Posts across African countries and ultimately a borderless continent with safe migration, cross border trade and protected refugee rights. The forum would also promote regional integration and establishment of Continental Free Trade Area.

Other key resolutions that the PAP Plenary adopted were the resolution on the African transport sector aimed at ensuring that the continental Parliament takes the lead in its oversight role over implementation of AU infrastructure projects particularly those under NEPAD; a resolution on the development of a Model African Law on Police and Model Treaty for Mutual Legal Assistance for Police Cooperation in Africa; and a resolution on the establishment of the PAP Alliance on the Sustainable Development Goals.

The PAP Members also adopted resolutions on Holding of Autonomous Election Observation Missions; Conferment of Observer Status in the PAP to the Parliament of Palestine; and Declaration of Support to Palestinian Prisoners.

The PAP Plenary, in accordance with its Rules and Procedures, also adopted several recommendations pertaining to the parliament, the AU and its organs, Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and AU Member States and their organs and institutions.

The continental Parliament recommended that the AU Policy Organs adopt the Draft Model Law on the Protection of Cultural Property and Heritage and urged AU member states to adopt it and apply it to their domestic legislations. PAP members also recommended that the AU, RECs and African countries adopt and ratify global, continental and regional instruments that were related to women and girls’ rights to access educational systems.

Africa, DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION

United Nations: Inter-Religious Coalition Aims For Peace in the Middle East

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article by Joan Erakit from the International Press Syndicate

There is a famous bible passage that alludes to the unfortunate kinship between siblings; a child is questioned by God about his brother and he, at the time having killed his brother, denies allegiance by asking: “Am I my brothers keeper?” Some may interpret the parable about Cain and Able as follows: being humans, we are brothers by birth meant to look out for one another, yet circumstances have arisen that have turned us against each other. In the end, it is religion that is called upon to solidify bonds, bringing people from various backgrounds and points of view, together on the same page.

Religion, an often complex topic within political arenas, found its way to the United Nations Headquarters in New York for a political panel around the role of religious leaders in the peace building process in the Middle East.


Photo: Religious Leaders from Israel and Palestine pose with UN Secretary-General António Guterres (6th from left) and UNAOC High Representative Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser (6th from right). Credit UN Photo
(Click on photo to enlarge)

With the support of the government of Spain, represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Alfonso Maria Dastis, and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), led by High Representative Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, religious leaders from Israel and Palestine converged on July 18 at the UN to defend and demand their seat at the peace building table, emphasizing the need for the UN to formally acknowledge that religion could no longer be kept out of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Representatives of the three monolithic faiths in the region – Christianity, Islam and Judaism — attended the meeting in New York, and in a show of support, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres joined the discussion.

He delivered his remarks to a packed room that also consisted of the esteemed panelists: Sheikh Raed Badir, member of the Palestinian Ulama Council; Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and all Palestine, Syria and beyond the Jordan River; Dr. Adina Bar Shalem, founder and president of the Haredi College in Jerusalem, Rabbi Avraham Giesser, Rabbi of Ofra and Council Head for the State religious educational system of Israel and finally, Rabbi Michael Melchoir, the community Rabbi of Jerusalem and president of the Mosaica Religious Peace Initiative.

Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, one of the panelists, Sheik Imad Abed Al-Hamid Al-Falouji, chairman of the Adam Center for Dialogue of Civilizations in Palestine and a collaborator of Rabbi Melchoir, could not obtain a visa to the U.S. and thus joined the discussion via videoconference.

“The Holy Land has a special place in the hearts of billions of people around the world,” Guterres said, later adding, “With every passing day, frustration grows, hope diminishes, and the perspective of a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict seems more distant.”

The Secretary-General’s words were well received given that the speakers gathered had spent time together in Spain for the Alicante Declaration, a summit for religious peace in the Middle East hosted by the Spanish government and UNAOC in November of 2016.

The Declaration itself was devised as proof that religious leaders from all three monolithic faiths had agreed to partner and become responsible for creating a peaceful existence among their followers, more specifically stating:

“We vehemently call for the cessation of incitement, misrepresentation and distortion of the image of the other and of the neighbor. We commit ourselves to educate future generations to uphold mutual respect. Drawing upon the religious traditions, and our understanding of what is best for our communities and peoples, we call for a solution that recognizes the right of the two peoples to exist with dignity.”

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Question related to this article:
 
How can different faiths work together for understanding and harmony?

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It cannot be denied that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has troubled the Middle East and thus the entire world, for years and that various initiatives have been undertaken by groups and individuals on both sides to mediate a solution – almost always failing.

At the same time, it cannot be denied that religion, at its core, has the power to influence people. “We firmly believe that Religion is not the source of the problem. On the contrary, religion can be part of the solution,” according to Al Nasser.

Thus in an effort to offer a new avenue for which to broker mediation, UNAOC has approached the situation differently by working with religious leaders on both sides of the conflict in hopes of securing them a seat at the peace building table.

“The Alliance is one of the UN’s main leading entities promoting interfaith and intercultural dialogue. We recognized that peace cannot be in attained through the endeavors of politicians alone. For this reason, we value the partnership and engagement of various players such the civil society, the private sector, the academia and most of all, the Religious Leaders and faith-based organizations,” Al-Nasser said.

Given that religious leaders are there to provide guidance to those who seek its solace and understanding, and because their status in society tends to hold extreme gravitas, it is only fitting that they play an important role in shaping the spiritual journey’s of humanity – especially when it comes to conflict.

Whether it was the passionate words of Al-Falouji, who himself shared in a videoconference his personal experience of working across religious lines or the poetic words of the Patriarch Theophilos who confidently deemed Jerusalem as the common home for Jews, Christian and Muslims – one thing was certain: religion is a political tool, and in this case, one that is seeking to bridge peace between two historically fraught sides.

“As I have continuously stressed, the two-state solution is the only path to ensure that Palestinians and Israelis realize their national and historic aspirations and live in peace, security and dignity. The expansion of illegal settlements, or the violence or the incitement undermine this prospect,” said Guterres.

Speaking with candor, the Secretary-General urged religious leaders in the audience not to dismiss the opportunity for which they had to change the narratives about their respective faiths – narratives that had been distorted by extremism and radicalization. Instead, it was his solemn plea that religious leaders, local and regional might utilize their influence to foster messages of peace, resolution and commonality among congregants.

By appealing to the core values of all three monolithic faiths irrespective of both conflict lines through the Religious Peace Initiative, Guterres believed that a dialogue could at least be started.

In theory, this is a promising desire that would hopefully do just as the Secretary- General hopes. In practice, it will require a concrete action plan that not only holds religious leaders in the region accountable for their declarations, but also provides them with capacity building, tools and spaces to begin these dialogues among their followers.

“We firmly believe that religion is not the source of the problem. On the contrary, religion can part of the solution,” Al-Nasser concluded.

Sitting in the room at the UN Headquarters, one could not help but notice the sense of urgency possessed by the panelists to engage in the peace building process – they were all thoroughly prepared with passionate statements of a life that would see no conflict in the Middle East, “a dream” as Rabbi Melchoir put it.

After a fruitful summit in Spain and a productive meeting at the United Nations, the coalition of religious leaders ready to bring Muslims, Christians and Jews together must prepare to develop not only a cohesive message, but a method of dialogue that speaks to all three faiths and that is felt by men, women and children in such a way that they look upon each other as a brothers keeper, and not his enemy.

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Africa: UN deputy chief says ‘messages of women’ vital to sustainable peace, development

. WOMEN’S EQUALITY .

An article from the United Nations

Urgent action is needed now towards the meaningful participation of women in peace processes, as well ensuring their voices are heard in all aspects of society, the United Nations deputy chief told reporters in Abuja today [20 July] as part of a first-ever UN-African Union trip focused on women, peace and security.


Video: UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed (second from the left), alongside UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten, and Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development of Nigeria, Aisha Alhassan, speaking to the press in Abuja.

Urgent action is needed now towards the meaningful participation of women in peace processes, as well ensuring their voices are heard in all aspects of society, the United Nations deputy chief told reporters in Abuja today [20 July] as part of a first-ever UN-African Union trip focused on women, peace and security.

“It is about action. It is about implementation,” Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed told the press in the Nigerian capital, where she also spotlighted the importance advancing gender equality as a precondition for sustainable development for all.

During the joint AU-UN high-level trip, which will move on from Nigeria to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ms. Mohammed will be accompanied by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, and the Special Envoy of the AU on Women, Peace and Security, Bineta Diop.

“It is a new era,” Ms. Mohammed continued, “a new era where we have many tools at our disposal.”

“We know that from the economy to stability and peace, we are not able to achieve our goals if we are only investing in half of the population. “Human resource is a major asset of a nation and a continent. Women often account for half. But they lack the investment we need,” she added, urging that women’s voices be heard in all aspects of society.

Ms. Mohammed cited various challenges, which went beyond abject poverty to encompass high maternal mortality rates, extremism and education gaps.

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Question for this article

Does the UN advance equality for women?

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“What we really want to do is to hear and bring the messages of women – women in decision-making, women who bear the brunt and carry the burden of many of the tragedies that we see – to see how we can come out of this, how we can be a constructive partner in finding the solutions to sustainable development,” she stressed.

According to Ms. Mohammed: “It makes economic sense. It’s not charity. It is about rights […] it’s a huge part of our economic development.”

Over the past two days, the deputy UN chief met with the acting President and key ministers on these and other issues that affect development.

nvesting in Sustainable Development Goals can help prevent conflict
From the activities of Boko Haram in Nigeria’s north-east to the conflicts between Fulani herdsmen and farmers, she said conflicts drain the country’s economy of resources that could be better used for development.

“Without peace we cannot have development. Whatever investments that we are putting into development we are seeing them eroded by the lack of peace,” she underscored.

Ms. Mohammed also spoke about meeting with young refugee girls, who, living in camps, fled tragedies, including some of the freed Chibok girls. “We heard stories that young girls should not have to tell, and these have been a tragedy for all of us,” she lamented.

However, the deputy UN chief was inspired by their spirit as they “refuse to be victims and are survivors with a future that is bright.”

“We saw girls […] who talked about their dreams – no longer their nightmares,” she said, adding that while challenges remain as there are many girls still left behind, “it shows that there is hope.”

Ms. Mohammed underscored the importance of strengthening partnerships with Nigeria and the African Union for a scaled-up response to support women and girls who face these tragedies.

Turning to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), she emphasized that by investing in them, “we can look at the root causes […] we can prevent the conflict from happening.”

Also, as present conflicts are resolved, the SDGs provide an opportunity “to invest in the day after, to make sure that we are building back so that we don’t lose the dividend of peace.”

Africa, United Nations, WOMEN'S EQUALITY,