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April 2003
Vol. IX, No. 3
Anglican Archbishop Josia Fearon (right) presents a plaque to the governor of Kaduna State, Alhadji Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi at a meeting for 60 Christian and Muslim youth leaders from 30 states in Nigeria. |
Short Takes
Interfaith Dialogue in Nigeria
Over the past five years approximately 10,000 people have been killed in Nigeria in conflicts that had a religious component. Many of those engaged in these battles come from Christian and Muslim youth organizations. As a means of promoting peaceful co-existence among Christian and Muslim youth in Nigeria, the Institute co-sponsored a five-day workshop for youth leaders March 10–15. Organized by the Inter-Faith Mediation Centre in Kaduna, the workshop brought together pairs of Christian and Muslim youth leaders from 30 of Nigeria's states. It was led by Pastor James Movel Wuye and Imam Muhammad Nurayn Ashafa, who have ministries dedicated to interfaith reconciliation. The 60 participants studied religious texts, aired their grievances against the other faith community, and in the end developed a shared commitment to promote peace between the two religious communities, particularly among young people.
Closing the Post-Conflict Gap
"Is there a better approach to handle the post-conflict reconstruction mission that will not only jump-start the economy and the local governing structures, but will also lead to an earlier departure of military and civilian interveners?" Lt. Col. Garland Williams, Army peace fellow, proposed an answer to this conundrum, reporting on his fellowship project on March 25.
The military specializes in quick deployment and decisive action, with a focus on the short term. It has significant capacity for peace enforcement and stabilization, but does not have the expertise to facilitate long-term development. Civilian non-governmental organizations and international organizations have a longer-term brief. They, however, cannot deploy quickly as they must first assess needs and then staff and fund the deployment. This often leaves a gap of up to 12–18 months between the official end of conflict and the start of rehabilitation.
Though there is a palpable cultural difference between the military and civilian actors in post-conflict situations, their activities can complement each other. "Despite the differences or complexity of the operation, it is important to remember that each player is involved because it has been mandated to act by some authority or because it wants to help," says Williams.
Williams advocates mandating and funding the military to engage in post-conflict reconstruction during the critical first year. This, says Williams, will give the host nation's economy a jump-start and will establish government legitimacy by providing for basic needs. It will also enhance overall security and actually shorten post-conflict deployment of military peacekeepers.
Step by Step to Peace in Sri Lanka
After almost 20 years of war and many more decades of intense inter-ethnic conflict, the prospects for peace in Sri Lanka have suddenly improved. The Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) entered into negotiations in September 2002. Hope was high—though expectations were low—that the talks would lead to peace, since a number of previous attempts to reach an agreement had broken down. As of early April, however, the cease-fire holds, the talks continue, and the parties are discussing difficult issues such as governance arrangements.
On March 24, G. L. Peiris, lead negotiator for the Sri Lankan government, spoke at the Institute about the peace process and the reasons for its durability. He said the process was proceeding one step at a time and that it included both economic and political issues. By treating the economic issues from the beginning, negotiators were making the peace dividend concrete and building support for the process across society. Peiris emphasized the importance of beginning the implementation process immediately rather than waiting until all political issues have been resolved.
The government and the LTTE have also sought the assistance of third parties. The Norwegian government has played an important role in mediating the negotiations. They have sought the advice of experts from South Africa, Northern Ireland, and other countries to map out options for solving the issues that divide the protagonists.
Institute board chair Chester A. Crocker chaired the meeting and Teresita C. Schaffer, former U.S. ambassador to Colombo and currently director of the South Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Affairs, introduced Peiris.
Peiris is a well-known figure in Sri Lanka, having been a professor of law at Colombo University as well as a member of government. He is currently the minister of enterprise development, industrial policy, and investment promotion in the government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
As part of the Institute's project on ending intractable conflicts, organized by Crocker and education director Pamela Aall, Peiris's presentation proved that a thoughtful and accomplished negotiator, supported by a willing government and a dedicated and skilled third party, can help to transform violence into political discussion and agreement.
Dialogue or Dead End in Chechnya?
In the March 23 constitutional referendum—called by Russian president Vladimir Putin—90 percent of Chechnya's voters reportedly voted yes to remaining part of Russia. But critics have questioned the legitimacy of the results, as well as the very choice put to Chechens. "Yes means peace," was a Russian government campaign slogan.
A March 25 Institute briefing, moderated by Training program officer Anne Henderson, considered whether the vote to remain within Russia was legitimate, whether Russian promises will be kept, and whether Chechen rebels will cease their violent struggle for independence. Chechnya declared its independence in 1991; the Russian military has been in and out, and now in again, to pacify the separatist region.
Chechen scholar Zainda Choltaev, a fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars, said that Chechens will not accept peace without fairness. The population has witnessed years of disconnection between words and deeds. Choltaev suggested that the same formula used to resolve the conflict with neighboring Daghestan—greater autonomy—could be applied in Chechnya. However, without fresh governance initiatives, Chechens will find it hard to swallow a continued union with Russia.
"The U.S. government believes that most Chechens desire peace and an enduring political settlement to the conflict," said Mike Morrow, deputy director of the Office of Russian Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. The U.S. administration is worried about possible connections between Chechen rebels and al Qaeda, but the American government is also concerned about allegations of human rights abuses such as rape, disappearances, and zachistka (house-to-house searches) by the Russian military. Such abuses must be eliminated, said Morrow.
Glen Howard, executive director of the American Committee for Peace in Chechnya, described the current situation as a stalemate. He warned that nothing will be resolved as long as the war continues and a resistance movement forging ties with al Qaeda exists.
The panelists agreed that this a critical juncture in Chechnya. With intensive effort by both the Russian government and the Chechen rebels, and with support from the United States and Europe, peace—with fairness, development, and accountability—can come to Chechnya.
The Predicament of Christians in the Middle East
Some 10–12 million Christians live in the Arab world in diverse and ancient religious communities, including the Copts of Egypt, the Maronites of Lebanon, and the Assyrians and Chaldeans of Iraq. Their circumstances vary widely. However, they share minority status in their larger world, and they are an important part of the dynamic mix of the Middle East.
Former senior fellow George Irani visited the Institute on April 9 to describe the situation of Christians in various parts of the Middle East. On the one hand, he said, Christians in the Arab world face restrictions on education, worship, and even the naming of their children. These restrictions compound a trend of out-migration. On the other hand, many religious and political leaders—Muslim and Christian—have encouraged Christians to remain in the region because of their contributions to Arab society and because their presence shows that peaceful coexistence is possible.
Other Institute Resources:
- March 25 - Closing the Post-Conflict Reconstruction Gap
A Senior Fellow Project Report by LTC Garland "Winky" Williams
[Report Summary] [Audio Archive] - March 25 - Chechnya's Referendum Towards Dialogue or Dead End?
A Current Issues Briefing
[Event Summary] [Webcast Archive]
