What You Don't Know about the United States Institute of Peace

February 2011 | News Feature by Tara Sonenshine

February 21, 2011

The Institute's work is not always visible because it seeks to protect the people it works with in conflict zones‭. ‬The work is more important than the publicity‭, ‬which is not always true in Washington‭, ‬D.C‭. ‬In case you've been wondering‭ ‬what‭, ‬specifically‭, ‬has USIP done with my money‭, ‬consider its work in just a few of the regions you care about‭: ‬

IRAQ‭:‬
During the Iraq war‭, ‬USIP was called upon by the United States Army's 10th Mountain Division‭, ‬to reconcile tribal differences in the "Triangle of Death"‭ ‬in Mahmoudiya‭, ‬south of Baghdad‭. ‬Those efforts quelled the violence in the region and led to a spiral downwards in combat deaths of American military personnel‭. General Petraeus has written a letter of gratitude to USIP‭.‬

Learn more about USIP's work in Iraq

AFGHANISTAN‭:‬

In Afghanistan‭, ‬USIP has supported the Tribal Liaison Organization (TLO) to develop provincial conflict resolution committees that would complement and strengthen the work of the Ministry of Justice‭. ‬The committees established by the TLO have resolved local conflicts that‭, ‬left unaddressed‭, ‬would have provided openings for the Taliban to gain support‭.‬

Learn more about USIP's work in Afghanistan

IRAN‭:‬‬

USIP convened‭, ‬under the editorial supervision of leading expert Robin Wright‭, ‬a leading Iran Primer with contributions from 50‭ ‬organizations on the current and future of Iran‭.‬

Learn more about USIP's work in Iran | Go to the Iran Primer website

PAKISTAN‭:‬
In Pakistan‭, ‬the Institute has supported projects that have trained madrassa students for meaningful careers in journalism‭, ‬mitigating the appeal of extremist movements among a population that represents a key target of such groups‭' ‬recruitment campaigns‭. ‬With regard to madrassas in Pakistan‭, ‬USIP has prepared a textbook in Urdu based on Islamic principles on gender equality‭, ‬tolerance‭, ‬pluralism‭, ‬and peace being used in many madrassas‭.‬

Learn more about USIP's work in Pakistan

THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT:
USIP has major on-the-ground efforts and a senior working group on the peace process that is highly valued by all the leading parties including the U.S. government‭.‬

Learn more about USIP's work in Israel | Learn more about USIP's work in the Palestinian Territories | Learn about The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Internal Challenges on the Road to Peace event series

AFRICA

SUDAN:
In the Sudan‭, ‬USIP has been working for years so that if a referendum could arise‭, ‬it would be carried out‭, ‬peacefully‭, ‬and we have been working to give the U.S. administration advice and guidance on Sudan‭.‬

Learn more about USIP's work in Sudan

NIGER DELTA:
In the Niger Delta, USIP ameliorated conflict through training community leaders in conflict resolution‭, ‬helping integrate former rebels back into their home communities‭, ‬and preparing proposals to resolve some of the key issues that divide the Nigerian government and the Niger Delta rebels‭.‬

Learn more about USIP's work in Nigeria

SOUTH AFRICA:
In South Africa‭, ‬we helped shape the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and we have helped with similar commissions throughout the world‭.‬

See all of USIP's work on Truth Commissions

WESTERN HEMISPHERE

HAITI:
USIP works on children and rule of law‭, ‬training police‭, ‬and convening one of the most influential Haiti Working Groups.

Learn more about USIP's work in Haiti

COLOMBIA:
In Colombia‭, ‬USIP grantees are working to consolidate peace in recently stabilized areas of the country and to prevent violence in regions still plagued by conflict‭. ‬The Institute recently funded a project in Antioquia that facilitated ex-combatants‭ ‬reentry into society‭, ‬and is currently funding an initiative in Northern Colombia to strengthen a network of citizens‭ organizations that will promote dialogue on the national reconciliation process‭. ‬Along Colombia's Pacific Coast‭, ‬where ethnic rivalries have allowed illegal armed groups to gain control of territory‭, ‬USIP is funding a training project to build community-level cooperation and conflict resolution skills‭. ‬Another USIP-supported training project is preventing youth recruitment to illegal armed groups by holding workshops on conflict resolution and human rights in the shantytowns of Bogota‭. ‬

Learn more about USIP's work in Colombia

WORKING ON THE GROUND and THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX:
And yes‭, ‬the Institute does‭ ‬"think" - ‬often thinking outside the box‭. ‬It convened the Iraq Study Group, which was Congressionally-funded and helped analyze the options and alternatives for America at a time of great peril‭. ‬It put together a Genocide Prevention Task Force led by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Defense Secretary William Cohen which made recommendations that led to the designation of a point person at the White House to work on stopping genocides before they unfold‭. ‬A major achievement‭. ‬USIP led the effort to evaluate the Pentagon's Quadrennial Defense Review so that America's national security agenda for the next 20‭ ‬years would be carefully studied by an independent body‭. ‬It contributed most recently to the QDDR‭-- ‬the State Department's review of its responsibilities and structure in this new world of international conflict resolution and crisis management‭. ‬

SEEDING A FIELD:
USIP is creating and building the field of international conflict management‭. ‬Just as medicine and disease prevention need research and practitioners‭, ‬so does the field of peacebuilding need work‭. ‬As a national security asset‭, ‬we do a lot with a little for which a grateful nation has shown its appreciation‭.‬

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