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This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en_US. Notes about usage: Organisations wishing to use the body text of this work to create a derivative work are requested to include a Mote Oo Education logo on the back cover of the derivative work if it is a printed work, on the home page of a web site if it is reproduced online, or on screen if it is in an app or software. For license types of individual pictures used in this work, please refer to Picture Acknowledgements at the back of the book. Contents
Introduction 2
Chapter 1 – Understanding Conflict 5 1.1 – Levels of Conflict 6 1.2 – How Conflict Happens 10 1.3 – Actors in Conflicts 12 1.4 – Relationships and Conflict 15 1.5 – Gender: Women and Men in Conflict 17 1.6 – Conflict: Advantages and Disadvantages 20
Chapter 2 – Destructive Strategies 23 2.1 – Strategies for Dealing with Conflict 24 2.2 – The Win-or-lose Mentality: Dominate or Be Dominated 26 2.3 – Destructive Views of Other Actors 28 2.4 – Violence as a Destructive Strategy 30 2.5 – Dispute as a Destructive Strategy 34 2.6 – Escalation & De-escalation 36 2.7 – Avoidance of Conflict 40 2.8 – The Costs of Destructive Strategies 42
Chapter 3 – Constructive Strategies 45 3.1 – Finding Constructive Outcomes 46 3.2 – The Constructive Process 51 3.3 – Constructive Tools for Dealing with Conflicts 53 3.4 – Destructive and Constructive Strategies in Contrast 61
Chapter 4 – Where and Why Conflict Happens 63 4.1 – Sources of Conflict 64 4.2 – Needs as Sources of Conflict 67 4.3 – Identity as a Source of Conflict 74 4.4 – Values as a Source of Conflict 80 4.5 – Needs, Values, Identity and Gender Conflict 85
Chapter 5 – Tools for Conflict Analysis 89 5.1 – What is Conflict Analysis? 90 5.2 – Conflict Timelines 92 5.3 – Conflict Mapping 98 5.4 – Conflict Icebergs 102
Glossary 108
Acknowledgements 110 Before you start using the book, please read the information on these two pages. It will explain how the book is designed, and give a brief introduction to the topic of peace education.
What is the purpose of Conflict and Peace?
Conflicts are all around us. It is challenging The “Groan Zone” to transform those conflicts into peace. Peace education is different from other types Conflict and Peace will help you gain a deeper of education. Knowledge about the subject understanding about the reasons why conflicts of conflict and peace is useful, but it is more exist, and the methods for transforming important to be ready and willing to explore conflicts into sustainable and just peace. You complex ideas and topics. will examine the impacts of conflict, violence, and peace on yourself, your relationships, You will be asked to think about topics and ideas and your communities. You will increase your that challenge your personal beliefs. This might understanding of empathy, tolerance, non- feel uncomfortable and unpleasant to do at first. violence and pluralism, and develop critical and However, it is necessary in order to develop a creative thinking skills. You will gain skills in the deeper understanding about the complicated following areas: problems of conflict and peace. There will be • communication; times in this book when you may disagree with • management and awareness of emotions in other students or your teacher. This is a normal situations of conflict; and necessary part of developing the knowledge, • de-escalation of interpersonal conflicts; skills, and values of peace education. There • conflict analysis; may be times when you feel yourself groan with • non-violent conflict transformation; frustration, or feel like it’s impossible to agree on • reconciliation of personal relationships; something. This is also a normal and necessary • initiating peaceful social change; part of the course. • developing a peace project. Here are a few ways you can get through the groan zone: Some topics in this book will be new to you. Your teacher may also ask you to explore familiar • Take breaks. topics in ways that you have not thought about • Work on small parts of a larger problem before. Many tasks in this book do not have clear, step by step. “correct” answers, and the process of exploring • Organize your discussion and reflection these topics is more important than finding a tasks to include the perspectives of every perfect or correct answer. group member. • Don’t be afraid to make mistakes or have an The purpose of Conflict and Peaceis to explore incorrect answer. everyday conflicts in personal relationships, in • Ask questions and listen to the answers, society and as nations. even if you disagree with them.
Trigger Warning
Understanding Conflict includes images and descriptions of violence and pain. There are discussion and reflection questions that may cause you to remember traumatic events from your own life. If this happens, it is okay to skip the text or task, or take a break and come back to it later.
If you find a topic in this book that you know will cause you to feel extremely upset or frightened, please consider skipping it or waiting to work on it until you feel more comfortable. How to use Understanding Conflict Course Structure Task types Mote Oo’s peace education course comprises two To help you in your learning, there are several units. types of task in this book: Unit One, Understanding Conflict, looks at ways • Previews. Every section starts with a preview. to analyse conflict, and describes destructive and These encourage you to think about the topic constructive ways of dealing with conflicts. you are going to study. They may also focus on Unit Two, Understanding Peace, focuses on how what you already know and think about the we can reach and maintain a peaceful society. topic. We have to learn about conflict before we can • Exercises focus on increasing your knowledge reach peace, because peace is not the absence of about the topic and checking your conflict. Peace is when people solve their conflicts understanding of topics. constructively and without violence. Both books • Activities focus on developing and practicing should be used together. important application, analysis and evaluation skills, and various types of critical thinking. Book One Structure • Discussions focus on how the issues and This book is divided into five chapters. Each ideas in the book affect your community and chapter tries to answer a question: country. They encourage you to develop your • Chapter 1, What is conflict? understanding by expressing your opinion and • Chapter 2, What actions make conflict worse? listening to the views of others. • Chapter 3, What actions make conflict better? • Reflections ask you to think about your feelings. They encourage you to analyse the • Chapter 4, What are the sources of conflict? ideas in the text and how these relate to your • Chapter 5, What do we want to know about a personal values. conflict, and what tools can we use to get that • Conclusions are exercises and activities that information? test your understanding of the chapter. You can use these activities to assess how well you Learning goals understand each chapter. Each chapter begins with the learning goals for that chapter. These are the knowledge, skills and Focus on Myanmar values you will focus on throughout the chapter . In most sections of the book, there are “Focus on • Knowledge goals tell you what you should Myanmar” texts. These are Myanmar case studies know by the end of the chapter. of the issues in the section, and short exercises to • Skills goals tell you what you should be able to check your understanding of these. do by the end of the chapter. • Values goals tell you what issues you will have Glossary reflected on by the end of the chapter To help you with the more difficult words used in peace studies, there is a glossary of these words at the back of the book, and Myanmar language translations for each. Conflict and peace - Student’s Book
4 Chapter 1 – Understanding Conflict
Learning Goals for Chapter 1
Knowledge Skills Values
In this chapter, you will In this chapter, you will In this chapter, you will increase your knowledge of: develop your ability to: reflect on: • levels of conflict; • distinguish between • how different levels of • actors in a conflict; different levels of conflict can affect you; • goals in a conflict; conflict; • important issues of • how relationships affect • explore issues that lead conflict in your life; conflict; to conflict; • actions that affect • how gender roles teach • identify main and relationships; us to respond to conflict; supporting actors; • gendered behaviours in • the advantages and • contrast compatible and conflict situations; disadvantages of conflict. incompatible goals; • the benefits of conflict. • identify actions that affect relationships. Conflict and peace - Student’s Book
Conflicts happen on different levels – between individuals, between groups and between nations.
preview 1.1 – Levels of Conflict
Do you agree or disagree Conflict happens everywhere and at every level of society. We with these statements? classify conflicts by the number of people involved or affected. • “The world would be Conflicts can occur between: a better place without • individuals (interpersonal conflicts); conflict.” • groups of people (intergroup conflicts); • “A peaceful world can never really exist.” • nations (international or interstate conflicts). • “Once an enemy, always an enemy.”
Activity 1. List ten conflicts. 2. Group these conflicts into conflicts between individuals, conflicts Levels of Conflict, 1 between groups and conflict between nations. 3. How many people are involved in the smallest conflict? How many in the biggest?
Interpersonal Conflicts Interpersonal conflicts happen in all of our relationships. They happen with our classmates, friends, parents, siblings, partners, children, teachers, colleagues and neighbours. Interpersonal conflicts affect only a small number of people – they do not affect a whole town, city or country.
6 Unit. 1: Understanding Conflict
Intergroup Conflicts Intergroup conflicts take place between groups of people. Groups can be small or large. In a small group, the members know each other personally, for example, families, youth gangs or small organisations. Large groups have many members. One member cannot know all the other members of the group. When we describe these kinds of conflicts, we do not focus on individual people. Instead, we focus on whole groups. These groups can include: • ethnic groups; • religious groups; • social classes; • military; • police; • unions; • political parties; • companies. Conflicts between large groups can affect the whole population of a country. There are two types of large intergroup conflicts:
• COMMUNAL CONFLICTS – In these conflicts, a group defines itself in contrast to (against) another group. For example, conflict might be between the “original” population of an area and recent “newcomers.” Usually, communal conflicts are between people of different religions, ethnicities or nationalities. • INTRASTATE CONFLICTS – These are conflicts between a government group and a non-government group within a country. An example is the “People Power” movement in the Philippines. In 1986, people used nonviolent civil action to overthrow the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. Another example is the Intrastate conflicts – Left: Tamil refugees fleeing government attacks conflict between the ethnic armed group “Liberation Tigers of in Sri Lanka; Right: Magazine cover Tamil Eelam” and the government of Sri Lanka between 1983 celebrating the Philippine people power revolution. and 2009.
7 Conflict and peace - Student’s Book
International or Interstate Conflict International conflicts are between two or more nations or states. Conflicts between nations can be violent or without violence. A violent conflict between two states is a war. The largest international conflict so far was the Second World War. It was fought from 1939 to 1945. Approximately 70 nations fought and about 64 million people died. An example of a conflict without violence between two nations is between Thailand and Malaysia. Until the 1970s, they had a border conflict in the Gulf of Thailand. In February 1979, they agreed to explore for oil and gas in the area together. Since then they have discovered twenty two gas fields and begun production What levels of conflict do these together. It is now the Malaysia–Thailand Joint Development Area. pictures show?
Activity 1. Identify the level of conflict for each situation: interpersonal, intergroup or interstate. Levels of Conflict, 2 a. Two children fight for a toy. b. The Second World War c. Religious leaders protest against the government to i. interpersonal demand democracy in their country. d. The President of Myanmar has an argument with his wife ii. intergroup about how late their children can stay out at night. iii. Interstate e. The President of Myanmar has an argument with the President of China about the sale of natural resources. f. An ethnic group forms an army and fights against the national military. g. On the street, a Burman man calls a Rakhine man rude names, referring to his ethnicity. h. On the street, a Kachin man calls another Kachin man a rude name because of his bad driving. i. Football fans from two different teams attack each other. 2. Which of the intergroup conflicts above are communal conflicts and which are intrastate conflicts? 3. Write five example situations of conflicts. 4. In pairs, get your partner to identify the correct level of conflict in your situations.
8 Unit. 1: Understanding Conflict
Focus on Myanmar: Nurses demonstrate in Sittwe Hospital
The Ministry of Health head office has sent two senior staff to the Rakhine State capital Sittwe. Nurses organised a protest after a conflict between a doctor and two nurses. According to people at the hospital, the doctor got angry at two nurses. He said that they had not written reports about the patients in time. He pushed over their chairs and threw a bottle at them, hitting one of them in the leg. The two nurses complained to the hospital’s management. However, the hospital manager decided not to punish the doctor. He said that both sides were wrong. This caused many nurses to demonstrate by refusing to work for three hours. The regional authorities then came andnegotiated with the nurses. They promised that if the nurses returned to work, they would solve the dispute. When the demonstration ended, one of the nurses said, “The doctor said sorry to the nurses and at the moment there are no more problems.” The hospital manager said that the case had been resolved, however the regional government said nurses at Sittwe Hospital were not yet satisfied.
Source: http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/16722-inquiry-launched-after-nurses-in-sittwe-walk-off-job.htm
1. At which levels did this conflict take place? 2. When did the level of conflict change? 3. Why do you think so many nurses demonstrated?
What interpersonal, intergroup or interstate conflicts are you Reflection involved in?
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preview 1.2 – How Conflict Happens
For someone else to Everyone has had interpersonal conflicts. These conflicts happen understand a conflict, what in our families, our neighbourhoods, at work and with our friends. things about the conflict Usually conflicts happen around an issue or a topic. would you tell them?
Activity 1. Which of the scenarios are familiar to you? 2. What is each scenario about? Identify the Issue 3. Why is it useful to know the issues that cause a conflict? 4. Is knowing the issue enough to understand the conflict? Explain why or why not. 5. What else do you need to know to understand a conflict better?
In a family, there is a In a family, there is a Thuzar wants to marry disagreement about where to disagreement about school. Sang Pi. He is from another spend an important festival. Saw Aung Myo wants to ethnic group. Her parents Nang Lern would like the attend high school. His are very much against this. family to visit relatives. mother and father want him They want Thuzar to be Sai Kyaw Win would like to start working and support with someone from her own the family to travel to an the family. Saw Aung Myo’s culture. Thuzar thinks that it important temple. Both places grandfather understands both is most important to marry are very far apart. Their points of view and wants the man she loves. Her two young children are not to keep the peace in the parents believe that it is more involved in the disagreement. household. The other family important for the family to As the festival gets closer, members are not involved in maintain its cultural identity. the argument becomes more the conflict. emotional. Both feel that their idea is best for the family. A B C D E F Ko Shwe Ya and Ko Phyo Maung are living together in A teacher allows her class a boarding house. Ko Shwe to choose their next project. Ya is studying for a maths Tsawm San and Seng Zi are Aung Aung wants everyone test, and he likes to study sisters. They both want to to make a PowerPoint in silence. Ko Phyo Maung is play with a doll, but there presentation. Nandar would playing his guitar because is only one doll. They start like groups to act out he is performing the next to fight for the doll. Seng roleplays. Noon Harn does evening. Ko Shwe Ya wants Zi pulls Tsawm San’s hair. not want to do a project, Ko Phyo Maung to stop Tsawm San kicks Seng Zi. but to have a test instead. playing because he can’t Soon they are screaming and They debate which ideas are study. Ko Phyo Maung wants hitting each other for control the best. Different students to practise for the big event. of the doll. support different ideas.
10 Unit. 1: Understanding Conflict
I am right Me too
1. Imagine news stories about each of the scenarios of conflict on Activity page 10. Write a headline for each story. 2. In groups, compare your titles. Choose the best one for each News Headlines story.
1. What are the conflicts in your life usually about? Complete the aCTIVITY sentences. a. In my family, we argue about… Conflicts in Your Life b. My neighbourhood has problems with… c. My friend and I have a difficult time discussing… 2. Walk around the room. Compare your issues with other students. How many people have similar issues to you?
1. What is the most common issue that causes conflict for class Discussion members? 2. What issues do people argue about in your community? 3. What are the biggest issues that cause conflict in Myanmar?
11 Conflict and peace - Student’s Book
preview 1.3 – Actors in Conflicts
Are all people who are Main actors and supporting actors involved in a conflict equally are the people who are involved in a conflict. Just like in important? Actors movies, there are main actors and supporting actors. The main actors have the main role in the conflict. We can also call them the opponents or the different sides. In Scenario A on page 10, the main actors are Sai Kyaw Win and Nang Lern. They are having the disagreement. Supporting actors are involved in the conflict, but they do not have the main role. Their children in Scenario A are supporting actors. The children are not arguing, but the disagreement affects them. The parents may also want their children to choose sides and support one parent against the other.
Identify the main and supporting actors in the examples of exercise interpersonal conflict on page 10.
Conflict Main Actors Supporting Actors
Scenario A Sai Kyaw Win, Nang Lern their children
Scenario B
Scenario C
Scenario D
Scenario E
Scenario F
Activity 1. Choose one scenario from page 10. Think of other possible supporting actors who are not included in the text. Supporting Roles 2. What actions might the supporting actors take? Example: In Scenario A, some other possible supporting actors could be: • Nang Lern’s parents. They might tell their daughter that they expect her to visit them during the festival; • Sai Kyaw Win’s spiritual teacher, who might tell him to make merit; • Sai Kyaw Win’s friends, who might tell him a husband should make decisions for the family.
actors “Person” vs “Actor” An actor is not always only one person – an actor represents one side in a conflict. An actor in a conflict can be an individual, a group of people, or an entire nation. In Scenario B on page 10, Saw Aung Myo’s parents are two people: a father and a mother. However, an actor they both want the same thing, therefore, they are one actor. In this conflict, they both want Saw Aung Myo to work, not study. an actor an actor 12 Unit. 1: Understanding Conflict
Nations, parties or religious groups can be single actors in interstate or intergroup conflicts. They are united by one goal and want the same thing to happen.
Are the statements true or false? If false, correct the statement. exercise 1. A whole organisation can be an actor in a conflict. 2. If a group of people have the same goal in a conflict, they are considered to be one actor. 3. Conflicts do not have more than two actors. 4. Parents could either be one or two actors in a conflict, depending on if they agree or disagree about something.
Incompatibility of Actors’ Goals A goal (or objective, or aim) is what an actor wants in a conflict. Conflict happens when actors want different things. It also happens when two or more actors want the same thing but there is only one of those things available. This incompatibility between actors’ goals is the basis of conflict. In Scenarios A and C on page 10, it is not possible for both actors’ goals to be achieved. Either the family spends the festival at the temple or in their village. They cannot do both at the same time. Thuzar will either marry Sang Pi or she won’t. What she wants and what her parents want are incompatible.
1. Each of the following sentences contains two actions. Decide Activity whether the actions are compatible or incompatible. Explain your opinion. Incompatible? a. The door is open and closed. b. Gum Ja La drinks beer and sings a song. c. It is raining and the sun is shining. d. Sai wants to see a movie with his brother at 8 o’clock and his brother wants to spend the evening at home. e. Myo has 5,000 kyats. He wants to buy a 5,000 kyat jacket and a 5,000 kyat hat. f. Kyaw Kyaw’s father wants him to be in the army. His mother wants him to be a doctor. g. Khaing Khaing wants to live in Lashio. Khaing Khaing’s mother wants her to live in her village. h. Khaing Khaing wants to wear a modern dress at her wedding but her mother wants her to wear a traditional dress. 2. Write an example of two compatible actions. 3. Write an example of two incompatible actions.
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Focus on Myanmar: Heritage Group Opposes Footbridge in Yangon Downtown
The Yangon Heritage Trust (YHT) is opposing a plan to build a footbridge in downtown Yangon. They argue that the bridge will stop people from seeing the old buildings in the area and make the area very ugly. YHT officer Shwe Yinn Mar Oo, said the footbridge will ruin views of some of Yangon’s oldest and most beautiful buildings. “We discussed with international experts about the footbridge. They said it will not make it safer for people and will not help traffic problems.” She said that traffic lights should be set up and road rules shouldenforced be instead. A representative from the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) said that “It should be built because over 150,000 people come every day from Dala, across the Yangon River. These people must cross the road next to the ferry port where the footbridge is being built.” A manager from the company building the bridge said “It will not block or ruin the heritage buildings. I think it will add to the beauty of them.” Ma Thandar, a mother of two who lives in Dala Township, said that she supports the footbridge. “I always take my children to their school in the downtown. That place is busy with trucks, cars, trishaws and hawkers all the time, and many accidents happen,” she said. “If there is a footbridge, we can cross the road safely and traffic problems will be solved.”
Source: http://www.irrawaddy.org/burma/heritage-group-opposes-footbridge-rangoons-historic-downtown.html
1. Who are the main actors in this conflict? 2. What are their goals? 3. Are their goals incompatible? 4. What solutions to this conflict can you imagine? 5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of your solutions?
Discussion When we talk about conflicts between groups, are we really talking about every single person in that group?
Reflection 1. Are you more often a main actor or a supporting actor in conflicts? 2. What are some of your goals as a supporting actor? 3. What are some of your goals as a main actor?
14 Unit. 1: Understanding Conflict
1.4 – Relationships and Conflict preview
The relationship between actors affects a conflict. In a good 1. What is a good relationship, incompatible goals may not lead to a confrontation relationship? or a fight. The actors trust each other and consider each other’s 2. What is a bad needs. Instead of seeing the situation as a conflict, they might see relationship? it as a problem: a situation or question that they can solve together. 3. How does conflict affect the relationship between If the actors’ relationship is already tense or difficult, conflicts two actors? occur more easily over small differences, or even when there are no differences. In this case, the incompatibility between people’s goals is not the cause of the conflict. It is the opposite: people look for an incompatibility to start a conflict. To understand conflicts better, we have to look at two things: the incompatibility of goals and the relationship between the actors.
Which sentence summarises the main idea of this text? Choose the exercise best answer. a. If the actors don’t like each other, more conflicts occur. b. In a good relationship, incompatible goals do not always lead to a fight. c. The actors’ relationships can make a difference in a conflict.
Read the situation then answer the questions. exercise
Ko Shwe Ya and Ko Phyo Maung are living together in a boarding house. Ko Shwe Ya is studying for a maths test, and he likes to study in silence. Ko Phyo Maung is playing his guitar because he is performing the next evening. Ko Shwe Ya wants Ko Phyo Maung to stop playing because he can’t study. Ko Phyo Maung wants to practise for the big event. Ko Shwe Ya makes Ko Phyo Maung leave their boarding house because he wants to study for his test. The next day, Ko Phyo Maung complains about Ko Shwe Ya. He says that Ko Shwe Ya never cleans their shared room.
1. In the scenario above, why does Ko Phyo Maung start an argument with Ko Shwe Ya? 2. According to the text, what is the main difference between a positive (good) relationship and a difficult (bad) relationship? 3. What is the difference between a problem and a conflict?
In this activity, you will experience how a good or bad relationship Activity influences a conflict. Follow the teacher or trainer’s instructions. Good and Bad Relationships
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Focus on Myanmar: Finding a solution to the drug problem
In a small town, drugs are a big problem. Drug use affects every community regardless of ethnicity or religion. However, every religious group claims that the other groups started the drug problem. The Christians say that the Buddhists started bringing drugs into the community, and that all the Christian youth are good young people who don’t use drugs. The Buddhists say that the Christians are addicted to drugs and they need to steal to pay for them. They say that taking drugs is against Buddhism, so Buddhist youth don’t take drugs. These arguments get very serious and sometimes lead to fighting and violence. To solve the problem of drugs, a Christian group and a Buddhist group joined together to raise awareness about the problem. They organise an anti-drugs day every month, and invite other religious communities to join. They have invited locally-respected Buddhist monks, imams and priests to give motivational speeches and to show that all religions can work together to solve a problem.
Source: Unpublished Report, Independent Researcher
1. What is the goal of the Buddhist community? 2. What is the goal of the Christian community? 3. In the beginning, why did the Buddhists and Christians not work together to solve the drug problem? 4. What has already been done to improve the relationship between the two religions? 5. What else could be done? 6. Can the drug problem help to improve the relationship between the different religions? How?
Discussion Which is more important in a conflict: the incompatibility of the goals or the relationships between the actors? Why?
Reflection 1. Think of three people who you have a good relationship with. What actions would harm the positive relationships? 2. Think of three people who you have a bad relationship with. What actions would improve these negative relationships?
16 Unit. 1: Understanding Conflict
Are these people showing common gender roles?
1.5 – Gender: Women and Men in Conflict preview
Our understanding about conflict is also connected to our Answer the questions about understanding about gender. Gender is not about biological the words in the box. differences between the two sexes. It is about cultural ideas and kind, shy, independent, noisy expectations about men and women. It is about the different roles emotional, pretty, brave, caring, that males and females have in society. bad-tempered, helpful, sporty, intelligent, a leader, gentle, Humans learn how to be women and men from other members a good listener of society. When they are born, they do not know how they should look, dress, speak, behave, think or act. Parents, teachers, 1. Which are more about friends, colleagues and the media all tell us to behave like “girls” men and which are more and “boys”, who grow into women and men. about women? Why? 2. Where do these opinions come from? 3. Do men and women behave differently in conflict? How?
1. In groups, draw a picture of a woman or man. Add as many Activity details as you can. 2. Work with a group that drew the opposite sex. Compare Images of Men and Women drawings. Are people born with these differences, or do they learn them?
17 Conflict and peace - Student’s Book
Many of the characteristics of being a man (or being masculine), encourage a competitive way of dealing with conflict. In most cultures, people associate masculinity with bravery, aggression and strength. People expect men to ignore pain and not talk about feelings. They are supposed to compete with others to show that they are real men. Violent behaviour from boys is tolerated more than from girls. Movies, stories of heroes and songs and books often show men taking risks and using violence in conflicts. Men who refuse to fight, men who talk about their emotions, men who show themselves to be vulnerable are thought to be weak, or cowards. The characteristics of being a woman (or being feminine), are also associated with reactions to conflict. Traditionally, women are supposed to be mothers and wives. They are expected to care for the needs of others before their own. Being feminine often means being obedient and gentle. In movies and stories, women are often weak, and need protection from a man. Women are rarely shown as leaders. Strong, independent women, who take on traditional male roles, are less accepted in society. If we want to find peace, or better ways to deal with conflict, we need to question traditional roles of men and women in society.
Activity 1. Read the list of characteristics. Put them on the pyramid in order of how much society values each characteristic. Characteristics Pyramid • Put the characteristics that society values more at the top. • Put the characteristics that society values less at the bottom. 2. Are the top three characteristics associated more with men or women in your society? 3. Do the characteristics at the top of the pyramid make a community more peaceful? Why or why not? 4. Do the characteristics at the bottom of the pyramid make a community more peaceful? Why or why not? 5. What would you change about this pyramid if you wanted to make a community more peaceful?
a. control over others
b. physical strength
c. obedience
d. intelligence
e. caring for others
f. willingness to listen
g. power
h. willingness to work together
18 Unit. 1: Understanding Conflict
“Gender rules...
no gender
dis rule LGBT
... are like boxes that we must always stand in.”
“Gender rules are like boxes that we must always stand in.” Activity 1. Stand in a box or on a piece of paper. Think of all the rules that you have to follow for your gender. Stepping Out 2. Now “step out of the box.” Imagine if you stopped following some of the rules. What would people say or do to you? 3. Answer the questions. a. Do you ever step out of your gender box in real life? b. What are some ways that we can make “stepping out of the box” easier and safer?
1. Who benefits more from the gender differences in society, men Discussion or women? 2. How do men and women address conflict in your community? Do they address conflict in similar or different ways? 3. Do all men deal with conflicts in similar ways? Do all women deal with conflicts in similar ways?
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preview 1.6 – Conflict: Advantages and Disadvantages
1. What would a world Our beliefs about conflict are important. Is a world without without conflict be like? conflict possible? Or do we believe that conflict is a part of our 2. List reasons why this lives? If we want a relationship with no conflict, then we will world could or could not see conflict as a failure of that relationship. If we accept that our exist. relationships will always have conflict, then we will look for ways to deal with these conflicts.
Activity 1. Think about a conflict where you were one of the actors. (Choose a conflict with more than two actors.) Write a paragraph A Conflict of Your Own about this conflict. • What was the conflict about? • Who was the main actor or actors? • What did you want, what did the other actors want? • Were there any supporting actors? 2. In pairs, discuss your conflict.
20 Unit. 1: Understanding Conflict
1. In groups, choose one group member’s example of conflict Activity (from the previous activity). Prepare a roleplay about it. 2. Perform your roleplay to the class. Roleplay 3. Answer these questions about other groups’ roleplays. a. What is the conflict about? b. Who are the main actors? c. Who are the supporting actors? d. What are the actors’ goals? e. What do the main actors do to reach their goals? f. What actions do the supporting actors take? g. Did any of the actors’ actions positively affect the relationships? How? h. Which actions negatively affect their relationship? 4. Compare your answers as a class, and with the student whose conflict was roleplayed.
1. Write all the words that you think of when you hear the word aCTIVITY “conflict.” 2. Show your list to a partner. Do you have any of the same words? Is Conflict Good or Bad? 3. In pairs, classify the words on your lists into three categories – positive, neutral and negative. Write them in the table.
NEUTrAL
4. Which type of words are most common? Why do you think this is?
Most people do not like conflict because conflict causes pain in their lives. But conflict has benefits. Conflict happens for a reason. It shows us problems in our relationships, our groups or our society. It encourages us to deal with those problems. It is an opportunity to improve a situation. Whether we make use of this opportunity depends on how we deal with it. Conflict is not good or bad. What is good or bad is how we deal with conflict.
1. What is the main benefit of conflict, according to the text? Discussion 2. What other benefits of conflict do you know?
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Focus on Myanmar: Conflict resolution: When Both Sides Win
In a rural township, many local people were very angry because they did not get jobs at new factories there. They heard rumours that the local government made deals with the factory owners and gave the jobs to people from other areas. This made them angry. However, they did not feel confident to speak about their problems to the local government. A local NGO knew about this problem and organised trainings in villages around the state. They found a gap in understanding between high-level political leaders and local communities. Local people were often very angry about things that were just rumours, and local politicians often didn’t know the problems of the people. In one training, villagers requested to meet parliament members, so the organisation made plans to bring the two groups together in a training. Parliament members joined a training with local villages. At first, some of the local people were afraid to speak to higher-level political leaders. When they found that the parliament members were interested to learn from them, the local people began to speak about their problems. In the end, parliament members found out about local villagers’ needs. Local villagers learned about higher-level political processes and provided input. This led to more opportunities for training and jobs in the township, and a better relationship between local politicians and the people.
Source: Unpublished Report, Independent Researcher
1. What were the benefits of this conflict for the parliament members? 2. What were the benefits for the local villagers?
Reflection After reading Chapter 1, has your attitude towards conflict changed? How has it changed?
Conclusion Choose a conflict and present it to the class. Describe the issue, the actors and their relationships. How do people suffer in this Presentation conflict? What opportunities does this conflict offer? What role does gender play?
22 Chapter 2 – Destructive Strategies
Learning Goals for Chapter 2
Knowledge Skills Values
In this chapter, you will In this chapter, you will In this chapter, you will increase your knowledge of: develop your ability to: reflect on: • destructive strategies to • distinguish between • the causes and effects of deal with conflict; constructive and violence; • different types of destructive strategies; • the image of “the other” violence; • analyse how a conflict in a conflict; • escalation of conflict. escalates; • avoidance of conflict; • de-escalate a conflict. • the costs of destructive conflict strategies.
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Why do people use destructive strategies in conflicts?
preview 2.1 – Strategies for Dealing with Conflict
1. What is a strategy? When dealing with conflict, our strategies can be either destructive 2. How are actions, or constructive. strategies and goals • DESTRUCTIVE STRATEGIES make the conflict worse, or create new related? Draw a diagram. conflicts. • CONSTRUCTIVE STRATEGIES help actors to reach an understanding, without damage to their relationship. Destructive strategies often lead to harm or violence. Interpersonally, these strategies can destroy relationships. At other levels of conflict, destructive strategies have caused mass death and suffering. However, destructive strategies are often used to deal with conflict. Many people never learn how to deal with conflicts constructively. As a result, they believe that destructive strategies are the only ways to deal with conflict.
24 Unit. 1: Understanding Conflict
Read these words. Which relate to destructive, and which relate to exercise constructive ways of dealing with conflict? fighting constructive or violence love avoiding non-violence peaceful cooperation
understanding ?
confrontation destructive
In this activity, you can try out different strategies to act in a Activity conflict. Follow the teacher or trainer’s instructions. Iron Fist
1. Think of a conflict in your community. What strategies are/were Discussion used to deal with that conflict? 2. Think of a conflict in your country. What strategies are/were used to deal with that conflict? 3. Which of these strategies are destructive and which are constructive?
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preview 2.2 – The Win-or-lose mentality: Dominate or Be 1. How do you feel when Dominated you win? 2. How do you feel when The destructive way of dealing with conflict starts in our mind. you lose? Many people see conflict as a competition. One side wins and the 3. Why don’t you want to other side loses; dominate or be dominated. They believe that lose? there is no solution to the incompatibility between actors’ goals. “I get what I want or you get what you want.” This is the “win-or- lose mentality.” There is no third way in the win-or-lose mentality. From this point of view, conflicts are like competitive games. In competitive games, cooperation is not possible. If one team in a football match scores a goal, then the other team is one goal behind. It is beat or be beaten, eat or be eaten. It is natural for people to care about their own interests, meet their needs and fight for their rights. However, often people believe that they have to defeat the other person to meet their needs. This is when conflicts become destructive. The problem is the idea that “if we do not win, we lose.”
exercise Are the statements true or false? If false, correct the statement. 1. In the win-or-lose mentality, someone must always win and someone must always lose. 2. It is normal for people to look out for themselves and their interests. 3. The win-or-lose mentality is one way that we can choose to look at conflicts. 4. The win-or-lose mentality allows for discussion of many different views.
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1. Look at the two pictures of a chinlone game. Which is Activity competitive and which is cooperative? Why? 2. Which version do you like better? Why? Competitive vs Cooperative
1. Play in pairs. One is Player A and one is Player B. Each player Activity has two cards. One card is “black” and one card is “red.” Secretly choose one card. Your partner will do the same. Red and Black 2. Reveal your cards and score according to the table. The goal for each player is to gain as many points as possible. You are not allowed to talk or plan which card you will use. 3. Play 15 times and see what happens.
Points, Points, Round Number Player A Player B Scoring 1 Points Player A Player B Points 2 +5 black red 0 3 0 red black + 5 4 + 1 black black + 1 5 + 3 red red + 3 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
4. Discuss the questions. a. Compare your results with the class. How many points did you get? b. Why did you choose the red card? Why did you choose the black card? c. How does this game reflect real-life conflict situations?
1. In your own conflicts, do you sometimes act like you can Reflection only win or lose? 2. How often do you win? How often do you lose?
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preview 2.3 – Destructive Views of Other Actors
Think of somebody who The way that we look at the conflict also affects the way that you do not like, or who you we look at the other actors in the conflict. In the win-or-lose have had a conflict with. mentality, we do not care about the feelings or needs of our Find three things that you opponent. We treat them as an obstacle, not as a person. We have in common with this person. treat them as something that stands in our way and stops us from reaching our goal. This is most obvious when we think about an “enemy.” We only think about what makes our enemies “evil.” We do think about what makes them human. We do not think about their family, how they spend their free time, what kind of music they like, or who they love. The answers to these questions show people as individuals, with feelings and needs similar to our own.
Activity 1. Choose a story with a villain (a bad character). They can be from a book, a movie, etc. From a Villain’s Point of View 2. Tell the story from the villain’s point of view. Explain why the villain acts the way that they do. Example: • “Cinderella” from the point of view of the stepsisters. • “Turtle and Rabbit” from the point of view of the rabbit. 3. Read your story to the class. 4. Answer the questions. a. Did your ideas about the bad character change? How? b. Do bad people think that they are bad? Why or why not?
Activity 1. Choose a group that your community has presented as dangerous or bad (during you childhood, through your Images of the “Other” education, through the media, at work etc.). Describe the images that are connected with that group. (What are they like? Why should we be afraid of them?) 2. Discuss the questions. a. What is the effect of these images? b. Who creates them and why? c. How many people from this group do you know personally? Do they match this image?`
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Focus on Myanmar: Trouble with history Books
In a school, most of the students are Karen. They started studying history this month. They are upset about the textbooks they have to use. They say the history books are biased towards the majority ethnic group and ignore the history of their own people. A student said, “there were many ethnic heroes in the revolution for independence. But in the textbooks, they just teach about Burmese heroes. I am very sorry and angry about that.” Some students moved to the school from the capital city. They were not treated well by some Karen. The new students were confused about why people were treating them badly. One of the students said, “If you are Bamar, they have feelings of distrust about you. I thought, ‘I didn’t do anything wrong, so why distrust me?’ I feel very sorry. Karen don’t believe Bamar because Bamar soldiers killed Karen and Shan people. Ethnic people see soldiers and Bamar as the same. They hate us because they think we are soldiers. I was shocked by this. I did not do anything wrong! After a few years I have got to know some ethnic people and we are friends. But still many Karen and Shan don’t like Bamar. And Bamar don’t like them because they are ethnic.”
Source: Listening to Voices from Inside: Ethnic People Speak, Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, June 2010
1. Why are the Karen students angry? 2. Why do they treat the Bamar students badly? 3. What do the Karen students need? 4. What can the Bamar students do to fulfill this need? 5. What do the Bamar students need? 6. What can the Karen students do to fulfill this need?
Think about a person you are angry with (now or in the past). Reflection 1. What do you think about this person? 2. How do these ideas influence your behaviour? 3. What would make you change those ideas?
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a B
C d e
preview 2.4 – Violence as a Destructive Strategy
1. Look at the pictures. Violence is a strategy that people use to “win” conflicts. The most Which one best basic definition of violence is “physical force, done on purpose, represents violence to which harms another person”. Therefore, actions like hitting, you? burning, stabbing, slapping, beating, kicking, shooting, bombing 2. In groups, discuss your or killing are physical violence. pictures. a. Why did you choose However, some people disagree about the meaning of “violence.” that picture? They say that other actions, like threats and insults, are also b. What do you think violence, because they also harm people. These actions are called about violence when verbal violence. you see this picture? c. What is your attitude towards the violence shown in the picture?
30 Unit. 1: Understanding Conflict
f
g
In groups, discuss the following examples. Are these actions Activity violence, not violence, or maybe violence, and why? a. A father slaps his child to change their behaviour. Violence? b. A father accidentally steps on the feet of his child. c. A farmer is crippled by a land mine. d. Two drivers have a car accident. One is killed. e. A country threatens to attack another country if they don’t change the border. The other country agrees. f. A man threatens to hit another man if he does not stop insulting him. g. A soldier points a gun at a villager and threatens to kill him if he does not obey. h. Two people insult each other. i. A speaker tells his audience to attack another group of people. j. Two girls are making fun of a third girl until she starts crying. k. A father says to his son: “You are a bad son if you do not help your family.” This makes the son feel guilty.
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exercise Read the text and follow the instructions. 1. Match each cause with an effect in the box below. 2. Write the missing effect of the final cause.
Never Violence Once I met an older woman. She told me that, when she was younger, she didn’t believe in hitting children. However, beating children with a thin stick was a normal punishment at the time. One day, when the woman’s son was four or five years old, he made his mother very angry. For the first time, she wanted to beat him. “Go outside”, she said. “Find a stick for me to hit you with.” The boy went outside. He was gone a long time. When he came back in, he was crying. He said to her, “Mama, I couldn’t find a stick, but here’s a rock to throw at me.” Suddenly, the mother understood how her son felt: if my mother wants to hurt me, it does not matter what she uses – a stick is no different to a stone. The mother hugged the boy closely, and they both cried. Then she put the rock on a shelf in the kitchen to remember forever: never violence.
Astrid Lindgren was a I think that everyone should think about this. Violence can begin in Swedish writer of children’s the home, a person can raise children into violence. stories. She told this story in 1978. - Astrid Lindgren
Cause Effect
a. The boy does something wrong. i. The boy brings back a rock. ii. The mother asks the boy to get a stick to beat b. The boy thinks that his mother wants to hurt him. him with. c. The mother understands how the boy is feeling. iii. The mother decides never to beat her son again.
d. The mother keeps the rock in her kitchen forever. iv. ______
Discussion 1. Why do you think parents use violence against their children? 2. Is it necessary to use violence to discipline children? 3. How does violence affect the relationship between parents and children?
32 Unit. 1: Understanding Conflict
There has been violence through all of human history. Therefore, some people say that violence is natural to humans. They believe that humans cannot stop using violence. They say that humans’ violent behaviour comes from our animal ancestors. If this is true, peace is impossible. However, in 1986, an international meeting of scientists announced the Seville Statement on Violence. The statement says: 1. "It is wrong to say that humans got their habit of making war from our animal ancestors." 2. "It is wrong to say that war and any other violent behaviour are natural for humans." 3. "It is wrong to say that humanity evolved from the most violent and aggressive members of the species." 4. "It is wrong to say that humans have a 'violent brain'." 5. "It is wrong to say that war is caused by 'instinct'." The Seville Statement concludes: "Just as wars begin in the minds of people, peace also begins in our minds. The same species who invented war can also invent peace. The responsibility lies with each of us." Is violence a part of human nature?
1. Do you agree with the Seville Statement, or do you believe that Discussion violence is natural to humans? 2. Why do people act violently?
1. Is your community violent? Why or why not? Give examples. Reflection 2. Is violence sometimes acceptable? Why or why not?
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preview 2.5 – Dispute as a Destructive Strategy
1. Do you enjoy discussions Often, we are not allowed to use violence to deal with conflicts. with others? Why or why We use words instead. But even communication can be used not? destructively. Constructive communication tries to reach 2. Do you see a discussion understanding. This is called a dialogue. But when we push our as a kind of fight? point of view against someone else, that is called a dispute. 3. When you discuss problems with others, A dispute is a competition. The actor who can silence the other do you often reach an actor is the winner. There are three ways that people can argue agreement? in a dispute: • the soft way; • the strong way; • the super-strong way.
exercise 1. How is a dialogue different from a dispute? 2. Are these actions examples of constructive or destructive communication?
Action Constructive Destructive a. Sharing your own feelings about the situation.
b. Asking a question to better understand what the other person said.
c. Making jokes about the other person or their point of view.
d. Shouting at the person.
e. Speaking at a normal volume.
f. Asking the other person if they really agrees with a decision.
g. Showing that you have new opinions about your point of view.
h. Changing the topic when you feel like you are losing the argument.
34 Unit. 1: Understanding Conflict
Which definition is the soft way, the strong way, and the super- exercise strong way of arguing?
1. ______2. ______3. ______
In this way of arguing, we In this way of arguing, we In this way of arguing, we point criticise the other person and explain why we think our point out why the other person’s who they are. We say things of view is right. We show the point of view is wrong. We beyond what may be wrong strong points of our position criticise their position and show with their point of view. We and evidence to support it. why their argument does not criticise their character and make sense. personality.
Read the dispute between Myat Noe and Khine Ye at election time. exercise The lines of the conversation are numbered A – G. In the questions below, identify which way of arguing the actors use at which time: the soft, the strong or the super-strong way.
A. Myat Noe: The elections are coming up soon. Who are you going to vote for? B. Khine Ye: Definitely U Kyaw Lin. How about you? C. Myat Noe: For me, it is Daw Khin Saw. She has a really good plan for healthcare, and I think she will improve the education system. D. Khine Ye: But U Kyaw Lin says we will pay lower taxes! This means we can keep more of our salaries. E. Myat Noe: Well, U Kyaw Lin is not going to put any money into our schools with that plan. He is going to push away all of the good teachers. F. Khine Ye: You don’t like U Kyaw Lin because he comes from a rich family. You hate rich people! G. Myat Noe: That’s not true! I just like Daw Khin Saw better because I think she will keep her promises.
1. Which way of arguing is Khine Ye using in Line D? Explain your choice. 2. Which way of arguing is Myat Noe using in Line E and Line G? Explain your choice. 3. Which way of arguing is Khine Ye using in Line F? Explain your choice.
1. How might a dispute lead to violence? Discussion 2. Do some people turn from words to violence more easily than others?
1. What behaviour makes you angry in a discussion? Reflection 2. What issues are likely to make you angry?
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preview 2.6 – Escalation & De-escalation
1. In turns, complete this One of the biggest problems with destructive conflicts is the sentence: danger of escalation. Escalation means that people use stronger “When I have a and stronger methods to “win” in a conflict. With each step they conflict, one thing that do more harm, as they try to prove their strength. makes it worse is…” 2. In turns, complete this The opposite of escalation is de-escalation. De-escalation happens sentence: when someone takes action to slow down the conflict. This can “When I have a conflict, be a main actor or a supporting actor. Actions which de-escalate one thing that helps a conflict are not done to “win.” They are done to protect all sides me to calm down is…” from negative effects.
exercise The drawings show each step of an escalating conflict. Put the pictures in order.
a B
C D
E F
36 Unit. 1: Understanding Conflict
1. Read the conversation. Find three points where the conflict Activity escalates. 2. Explain why you think these statements made the conflict The Moment of Escalation escalate. Put your answer in the table below. 3. Identify other things to say that would de-escalate the conflict. Put your answer in the table below.
1. Daw Wah: Remember the 5,000 kyat I lent you? I need it back. 2. Daw Moe: Okay. I'll get it for you. 3. Daw Wah: I need it now. 4. Daw Moe: I don't have it now. 5. Daw Wah: You owe me. Give it to me. 6. Daw Moe: You didn't tell me you needed it today. I don't have it. 7. Daw Wah: You hoped I'd forget about it. You were never going to pay me. 8. Daw Moe: Are you calling me a thief? 9. Daw Wah: You just better get me the money by the end of the day! 10. Daw Moe: Or what? 11. Daw Wah: Or I will break your legs!
Line Why this statement caused escalation of the What could the actor say to de-escalate the Number conflict conflict?
a.
b.
c.
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Focus on Myanmar: The teashop fight that started the 1988 Uprising
On 12th March 1988 three students from the Rangoon Institute of Technology went to a teashop on Insein Road. They brought some cassette tapes of singer Sai Hti Hseng. The students politely asked the owner to play their Sai Hti Hseng tape in the teashop. A group of drunk older men at a nearby table objected. They did not want to listen to Sai Hti Hseng. His songs were rubbish, they shouted. The students ignored them. One of the drunk men stood up and threw his chair at them. A fight started between the students and the drunk men. Other people joined in the fight, and soon policemen arrived at the teashop. The students and the men were arrested and taken to the police station. The men were released without charge, but the students were kept in prison. The next day, friends of the arrested students learned that the drunk man was the son of a local government official. This made them very angry. A group of around 30 students went to thelocal government office to complain. The chairman refused to come out, so they began throwing stones at the office and smashed the windows. Soon a bigger group of men arrived. They were friends with the drunk men from the night before. Another fight started. This time, a student was wounded with a knife. The students went back to the university to get more of their friends. 200 – 300 students went to the teashop to fight with the men. They were met by the police. Students started throwing stones at the police and the police hit back with sticks. Eventually, the police began shooting at the students. This lead to the death of one of the students and eventually to the 1988 uprising.
Source: (Adapted from) A Perfect Hostage: Justin Wintle
1. Draw a timeline that shows in detail how the conflict started and how it escalated. 2. Was the teashop fight the main reason for the 1988 uprising or was it only a trigger? 1988 Uprising begins
a group of students wanted to listen to their music
38 Unit. 1: Understanding Conflict
What strategy (or strategies) are being used in this picture?
1. In pairs, choose one of the conversations below. Perform a Activity roleplay to the class, showing how the conflict escalates. Act It Out
Conversation 1 Conversation 2 Conversation 3 Conversation 4 Conversation 5 A: Give it to me. A: You did it. A: I want to leave. A: It’s all your fault. A: Help me B: You can’t have it. B: I did not. B: I want to stay. B: What did I do? B: I can’t. A: …. A: …. A: …. A: …. A: ….
2. Discuss the questions as a class. a. What could one of the main actors do to de-escalate the conflict? b. What could a supporting actor do to de-escalate the conflict? 3. Perform the roleplay again and try the suggestions to de- escalate the conflict
Think about an intergroup or an international conflict. Discussion 1. What could the main actors do to de-escalate this conflict? 2. What could supporting actors do?
1. Have you ever escalated a conflict on purpose? Reflection 2. What was the outcome?
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Is it common for people to avoid conflict?
preview 2.7 – Avoidance of conflict
What do you do when you The destructive way of dealing with conflicts has many unpleasant don’t want to engage in a results, so people often avoid conflicts. However, avoiding conflict conflict? Give examples. and dealing constructively with conflicts are different things. Dealing constructively with conflicts does not mean avoiding conflicts. It means to transform them from a situation of confrontation to a situation of cooperation. People who have the win-or-lose mentality may think that dealing constructively with conflict is the same as avoiding conflict. To them, the only way to “win” is to fight. “Not to fight” means to lose.
40 Unit. 1: Understanding Conflict
Read the situations and answer the questions after each. Activity Avoiding a Conflict
Ah Lat and Phyo Maung are Ma Shwe Zin and 1. from the same city, but are 2. Ko Kyaw San go different ethnicities and have to the cinema. Ko different religions. Ah Lat is Kachin and Kyaw San wants to see Christian, and Phyo Maung is Bamar a comedy. Ma Shwe Zin and Buddhist. They never talk about would prefer to see a politics or religion. They have opposing drama. She thinks that ideas about both of those subjects. giving her opinion will Therefore, they have agreed to never start a long discussion. discuss these subjects and to stay Therefore, she just agrees friends. to see the comedy.
a. Why do Ah Lat and Phyo Maung avoid talking a. Why is Ma Shwe Zin avoiding the about politics and religion? conflict? b. What may be the advantages and disadvantages b. What are the advantages and for their friendship? disadvantages for their friendship? c. How is society affected if people avoid discussing c. How is gender connected to politics and religion? avoidance in this example?
1. Read the text then, in groups of the same gender, answer the Activity questions. Gender and Conflict In many societies, men traditionally have a more dominant role than women. Many women in those societies feel that they have less power than men, and many men feel that they have more power than women.
a. Which gender is more likely to avoid conflict? Why is this? b. In your community, what should a “good” woman do in situations of conflict? What should a “good” man do? c. What is your opinion about these ideas about “good” men and women? 2. Compare the results from the male and the female group. Are they different?
Is avoiding conflict a constructive or a destructive strategy? Why? Discussion
Think of a situation when you avoided a conflict then answer the Reflection questions. 1. Why did you do this? 2. What did you do to avoid the conflict? 3. What happened then? Are you satisfied with the result?
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How do people get hurt when conflicts are destructive?
preview 2.8 – The Costs of Destructive Strategies
What do these pictures The destructive way of dealing with conflicts is not efficient. say about the costs of Firstly because of the danger of escalation and secondly because, destructive conflict? often, actors do not have enough power to beat their opponent. In these situations, conflicts can continue for a long time. Neither side “wins” but a lot of energy and resources are used. Even if there is finally a “winner”, relationships with other actors are often damaged or broken. It is not likely that the “losers” would help or support the “winner” later, when the situation has changed. It is possible that, with other strategies, the energy and resources could be used to improve people’s lives.
exercise 1. What disadvantages of destructive strategies are mentioned in the text? 2. Think of examples for these disadvantages.
42 Unit. 1: Understanding Conflict
Focus on Myanmar: “The Wounds of War”
Myo Myint is a former Burma Army soldier. The horrors of war are visible on his body. He has only one arm and one leg. The fingers of one hand are just stumps. He’s almost blind in one eye and pieces of landmine shrapnel are still in his body. Myo Myint is one of thousands of men and women scarred for life in Myanmar’s civil war. The war has gone on for more than half a century. It is one of the world’s longest unsolved conflicts. Myo Myint’s story reflects his country’s suffering. When Burma gained independence in 1948, it was one of the world’s most promising emerging democracies. It had a potentially successful economy. More than 50 years of civil war and misgovernment have damaged the country and held back its development. Exact statistics of the dead and injured are unknown. The author Martin Smith says in his book Burma: Insurgency and The Politics of Ethnicity, “About 10,000 deaths a year over the last five decades is probably quite accurate.” Myo Myint’s army experiences made him an activist for peace. “Who is winning this war?” he asks. “We soldiers – on both sides – our families, and civilians are losers.” Two years in hospital in the 1980s gave him time to read and think about war. “I realised that we were killing each other without any reason or hatred. I saw a cycle. We kill the enemy because they are killing us, and they kill us because we are killing them. It’s different for those in power. For them, war is power. We need to build a genuine peace process to end this civil war.”
Source: http://www2.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=4588&page=1
1. Which costs of the civil war are mentioned in this article? 2. Which other costs do you know?
Are there people who benefit from destructive ways of dealing Discussion with conflicts? Give an example for each level of conflict.
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Conclusion Create a mind-map of the main ideas of Chapter 2, “Destructive Strategies.” Draw pictures or symbols for each idea. Be creative. Mind mapping Use interesting or funny pictures, and different colours. Below is an example mind map. It shows “levels of conflict” from Chapter 1 “Understanding Conflict.”
44 Chapter 3 – Constructive Strategies
Learning Goals for Chapter 3
Knowledge Skills Values
In this chapter, you will In this chapter, you will In this chapter, you will increase your knowledge of: develop your ability to: reflect on: • goals of actors in a • recognise underlying • the importance conflict; reasons for actors’ goals; of understanding • win-win and compromise • analyse different points motivations, needs and solutions to conflict; of view; fears; • constructive • contrast constructive and • the priority of communication tools; destructive strategies; understanding each • you-messages and I- • use constructive other rather than messages. communication tools; reaching one’s goals; active listening and • the effects of language paraphrasing; use and listening • express yourself without strategies. accusing the other.
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preview 3.1 – Finding Constructive Outcomes
1. Identify a conflict which The constructive way of dealing with conflicts is a process of was resolved, and the discovery. Actors create new solutions by understanding the situation improved. reasons behind each other’s goals. These reasons are the actor’s It can be your own conflict, a conflict within motivations, feelings, needs, interests, fears and values. The actors your community, or an do not try to push what they want to happen, but ask: “Why do intergroup conflict. I want this to happen?” “Why does the other actor want that to 2. In groups, explain your happen?” And, finally, “What can we do to meet both of our needs?” example conflicts. For example, if you want the window open, and I want it shut, a. Who were the actors? then one of us must win and the other must lose. However, we b. What were their might discover that you want some air, and I want to stay warm. A goals? constructive solution may be possible – we could open a window c. What was the or door in another room, for example. outcome? d. Why do you think the situation was improved, and not made worse?
Activity 1. What is the conflict? 2. How do the two buffaloes solve the conflict? Buffalo Mania 3. Imagine a dialogue between the two buffaloes in the picture. What might they say to each other? In pairs, create a conversation which shows the conflict and the solution that the buffaloes reach. Example: Buffalo : Hey, some hay for me!…A Buffalo : Some hay for me too…B 4. Present your conversation to the class
46 Unit. 1: Understanding Conflict
In 2.2, we looked at the win-or-lose mentality (one side wins and the other side loses). However, this is not the only possible outcome. The constructive method can lead to better results and benefit more actors. The other possible outcomes are:
• COMPROMISE: each side gives up something that they want, but also gets something they want. They do this so that they can reach an agreement. • WIN-WIN: all actors get what they want, and do not have to give up anything.
Match the outcomes to the conversations. exercise a. win-lose outcome b. compromise c. win-win outcome
A: I should have this coconut. It is mine. B: No, I should have it. It’s mine.
Conversation 1 Conversation 2 Conversation 3
A: Well, the coconut can be A: Why do you want the cut into pieces. I’m older, so I should A: coconut? B: Yes. Why don’t we just have it. B: Well, I’m thirsty, I want cut it in half and share it? No, I should have it B: to drink the juice. And you? because I’m younger. A: I want to eat the coconut meat.
A: I wanted the whole coconut but at least now I A: Go away! It is mine! You are so mean! I’m have half of the meat. B: A: You can have the juice if I B: I don’t like the meat but going to tell mum! can have the meat. now I have half of the juice. B: Sure, that’s great.
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Activity 1. Read the text and, in groups, think of five different outcomes to the conflict. Creating Outcomes a. a lose-lose outcome – both Zaw Aung and Win Thu get nothing; b. two kinds of win-lose outcome: i. Zaw Aung gets what he wants, but Win Thu does not; ii. Win Thu gets what he wants, but Zaw Aung does not; c. a compromise – both Win Thu and Zaw Aung give up something that they want, but both also get something that they want; d. a win-win outcome – both Win Thu and Zaw Aung get what they want and don’t have to give up anything. 2. Discuss the questions. a. Which outcome would be easiest to achieve? Why? b. Which outcome would be most difficult to achieve? Why? c. Were you able to find a win-win outcome? How did you do that?
Two brothers, Zaw Aung and Win Thu, got a big piece of land when their grandfather died. It has been owned and farmed by their family for generations. It is a big field, not far from the town, and could be used for many different things. Zaw Aung wants to build an apartment building on the land. He says that his family and Win Thu’s family could each have a big apartment on the top floor. They could rent the other apartments to people and get lots of money from this. However, this project would be expensive, and the land would not be as useful or beautiful with a new building on it. Win Thu wants to plough the field, and use the land to grow different crops and fruit trees. They might not make a lot of money, but they would be using the land in the same way as their ancestors, he says.
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Focus on Myanmar: The Minimum Wage
K3,600 per day is now the minimum wage in Myanmar. It was decided by the National Committee on the Minimum Wage. The committee includes ministers, employers and unions. At the start of the negotiations, employers wanted a minimum wage as low as K2,500. Workers wanted K4,000. Daw Htay Htay Aye is the company director of Thiri Sandar Garment and General Trading Company. She said that she could not afford to pay the rate. “If I have to pay my workers 3,600 kyats, then I have to increase my prices or fire some staff”, she said. Ma Win Theingi is a worker at the Yes One factory. She said that she will take the deal, but she does not fully accept it. Ma Yin Aye also works at a garment factory. She said the amount was not enough. “We are planning to complain right now,” she said. Ko Kyaw Lwin Oo is a union leader at the E-land Myanmar garment factory. He said that most workers agreed with K3,600, although they asked for a higher amount. “We agreed to these wages. It is fair for us because those wages are for an eight-hour day, and it is not much below our demand for K4,000,” he said.
Ma Sander is a member of the Federation of Trade Unions – Myanmar. She said that employers and workers will have to negotiate higher wages for more productivity. “If the owners pay more, I can promise that we will work hard” she added.
Source: http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/yangon/15224-proposed-k3600-minimum-wage-draws-mixed- response-from-workers-employers.html
1. What kind of outcome was reached in this conflict? 2. Put the actors into three categories: satisfied, not satisfied and unknown. 3. Is the conflict finished or will it continue? 4. Is this outcome based on competition or on cooperation?
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Activity 1. Think of an intergroup or interstate conflict. Identify four possible outcomes – win-win, win-lose, lose-win, lose-lose. Outcomes of Conflict 2. Make a presentation to the class.
Conflict Name: Actors:
Actor A gets Both actors get Win-lose: Win-win: what they want, Actor B 1. what they want. 2. does not.
Actor B gets Lose-win: Neither actor what they want, Actor A Lose-lose: 3. 4. gets what they want. does not.
Discussion 1. Is it possible to know in advance whether a conflict has a win- win solution or not? 2. Which type of outcome is the most common? Why? 3. What are the benefits of a compromise? What are the possible problems?
Reflection 1. Have you had a conflict with a lose-lose ending? How did it feel? 2. Have you had a conflict with a win-lose ending? How did it feel? 3. Have you had a conflict with a win-win ending? How did it feel?
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Why does constructive conflict take more time than destructive conflict?
3.2 – The Constructive Process preview
Not every conflict has a win-win solution. Sometimes, actors 1. What needs to happen must agree to a compromise. This is why, in the constructive way for you to change your of dealing with conflicts, the process of understanding is more position in a conflict? important than the solution. 2. What does another actor have to do before you When we try to understand the other actors, we show them that change your position? their motivations, feelings, needs and values are important to us. We show each other that we do not play a win-or-lose game. We show the other actors that they are important to us. This mutual understanding creates basic trust. With trust, conflicts can be solved. People do not fear that others will ignore their needs. They become willing to compromise. After that, finding a solution becomes easier. The conflict then changes from confrontation to cooperation.
What is the main idea of the text ? Choose the best answer. exercise 1. In the constructive way of dealing with conflicts, the process of understanding is more important than the solution. 2. In a conflict, we sometimes have to give up things that we want. 3. Communication about motivations, feelings, needs and values is part of constructive conflict resolution. 4. Not every conflict has a win-win solution, and actors may have to compromise.
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Focus on Myanmar: The Alam Village Tract School
There were many complaints and conflicts in Alam Village Tract about the local school. Parents felt that the local school did not have the same facilities as other schools. This made them angry. They blamed the school and local government. To address the problem, the township administrator organised a meeting between parents, teachers, principals and local government staff. However, instead of focusing on the problems, the group began by talking about positive things. Both the school and local community agreed on several positive things about the school. They were happy that primary education was free. Parents were also happy because children could improve their knowledge of Myanmar language. At the end of the meeting, they agreed that there were still challenges, like the lack of fences and proper toilets. To show their interest and commitment to school improvements, parents agreed to help build the fences and toilets. The cooperative environment of the meeting encouraged the Village Tract Administrator to ask for extra funds. This kind of cooperation is a good example of how improved relationships and positive action can result from open discussion. In this case, the community’s offer to build fences and toilets shows trust in the Township Administration. That motivated the Village Tract Administrator to request more funds and assistance for the local schools.
Source: Local Governance Mapping: The State Of Local Governance: Trends In Kachin (UNDP Myanmar 2015)
1. What issue caused conflict in Alam Village Tract? 2. Who were the actors? 3. What did the parents think about the local government at the beginning of the conflict? 4. How did the parents and the township administration improve their relationship? 5. What was the result of the positive approach taken at the meeting? 6. What kind of outcome is this?
Discussion “The path is the goal.” – M. K. Gandhi 1. What does Gandhi mean by this statement? 2. How is it connected to constructive strategies of conflict resolution?
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3.3 – Constructive Tools for Dealing with preview
Conflicts “The only way to truly get rid of an enemy is to The constructive process is based on understanding. At some make him your friend” point in almost every conflict – between individuals, groups, or - Abraham Lincoln countries – actors will try to solve their conflict by talking. They Do you agree with this will use destructive strategies (like fighting) only if communication quotation? Why or why fails. Then they might try again to communicate. not? This is why good communication skills are important; they help us deal with conflict in a healthy way. Both listening and speaking skills are important to successful communication. Both speaking and listening can either support understanding or block understanding. Listening Listening is the main tool that we use to communicate understanding. Listening – not talking – shows that we respect the other person, their feelings and needs, or their point of view in a conflict.
“Listening is not waiting to talk.” Discussion – N.N 1. What does this statement mean? 2. What is the difference between “listening” and “waiting to talk”?
1. In pairs or groups, describe a time when you felt that someone Activity was really listening to you. How did you know that? What did they do to show that they were really listening to you? Listening 2. In pairs or groups, describe a time when you thought that someone was listening to you very badly. How did you know that? What showed that they were not really listening to you? 3. Make two lists. What do you like a listener to do? What do you not like a listener to do? 4. Put your lists on the wall. Walk around and look at other groups’ lists.
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Good listening is also called “active listening.” Active listeners show that they are trying to understand the speaker. They can do this by using tools like body language and paraphrasing. Body Language and Encouragers We do things with our eyes, face or body to show that we are listening. We call this body language. Some examples of body language are: keeping eye contact, smiling and nodding your head. They show that you are interested in what the other person is telling you. We can also use sounds or words to show that we are listening, for example “hmm”, or “yes.” This shows people: “I am interested in what you have to say. Please continue.” These sounds encourage the other person to talk, so they are sometimes called encouragers.
Activity 1. In groups of three, one person is the listener, one person is the speaker and one person is the observer. Paying Attention • Listener: Focus on the speaker and listen to what they are saying. Use body language to show that you are listening. Use encouragers if you can. • Speaker: Talk to the listener about something that is important to you – your job, your family, a decision you made, etc. • Observer: Watch both the speaker and listener. Pay attention to the listener. 2. Talk and listen for three minutes. 3. Afterwards, the observer gives feedback on what they observed How did the listener show that they were paying attention? 4. Change roles until each group member has played each role. 5. Discuss the questions in the boxes.
As the Listener: As the Speaker: As the Observer: 1. What was comfortable 1. Did you feel like the listener listened to 1. What did or easy for you? you? you see the 2. What was difficult for 2. How did you feel about being listened to? listener do? you? 3. How did the listener show that they were 2. What other 3. Did you enjoy listening to you? Could they have done things did you listening? anything differently? observe?
Discussion Think about your own language or even another language that you have studied. Do you have encouragers in this language? What are they? How do you use them?
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Paraphrasing In communication, we cannot know if another person understands things the same way as us. A speaker may say one thing, but the listener may hear another thing. This happens because communication is not only about words. It is also about the meaning behind the words. We understand a person when we know what they mean, not only what they say. We misunderstand someone when we get the meaning wrong. Misunderstandings are common in situations of conflict. For example, a wife asks her husband to not go to the tea shop every evening. The husband agrees. After that, he goes to the riverside every evening. Here, the husband How do you feel when another misunderstands his wife. The wife explains person understands what you are only part of what she wants him to do. saying? Paraphrasing is another tool of active listening. When we paraphrase, we tell the speaker in our own words what we heard. This supports understanding. It allows the listener to check whether they understood the speaker correctly. If not, it gives the speaker the opportunity to make their meaning clearer.
Sai Long and his parents are living in different places. When Sai exercise Long visits home, his mother tells him: “It’s nice that you’re here again.” Sai Long does not respond and feels angry. 1. What message did Sai Long probably hear? a. “I am pleased to see you.“ b. “Please visit me more often.“ c. “You should visit me more often!“ d. “I am feeling lonely.“ e. “You are a bad son because you come so rarely.“ 2. Why does Sai Long hear this message? 3. How can he be sure about what his mother is really saying?
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Paraphrasing does not mean that we agree with the other person. We still keep our own opinions. It just helps us to understand the other before we express ourselves. It also slows down an argument and can prevent escalation of the conflict. A paraphrase does not judge the other. It describes, in our own words, what we heard. Even if we make a mistake, no harm is caused because the other person can make their meaning clearer. Paraphrasing is most powerful when we connect to the speaker’s feelings and needs. 1 2
A: I'm having a hard time communicating with A: Yes… and I don’t know what to do about it. Bill and I don't know what's going on. B: Sounds like you are feeling helpless and would B: Hmm… It sounds like you're frustrated that like some advice, is that right? you and Bill aren't getting along." 3 4
A: No, I just would like to know if you too have a A: Yes, that’s it! problem with him. B: So, you would like me to tell you how I get along with Bill?
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1. In pairs, one person is the speaker and one person is the Activity listener. Talk and listen for three minutes. • Speaker: Talk to the listener about a political or social Paraphrasing issue you feel strongly about – the work of a leader, an environmental problem, roles and responsibilities in your community, etc. Pause regularly to give your partner the opportunity to paraphrase. If you want to challenge the listener, choose a more controversial topic. • Listener: Listen to the speaker. When they pause, paraphrase – repeat in your own words what you heard them saying. 2. Swap roles and repeat the activity. 3. Discuss the questions in the boxes.
As the Speaker: 1. Was the listener’s paraphrasing accurate? What did you do if it wasn’t? 2. Did it help you to hear your own words paraphrased? Why or why not? 3. How does it feel to be listened to without being interrupted? Does that happen often in your life? Why or why not?”
As the Listener: As Both: 1. What was easy about 1. What was the effect of paraphrasing? What was difficult? paraphrasing on this 2. How did you feel when you conversation? had to re-state, or repeat, what 2. Have you ever used this someone else said? tool before? Explain.
Speaking The way that we speak to each other can either support or block understanding. If we judge or classify other people, we will probably create resistance and escalation. If we want compassion and understanding, we have to speak from the heart about our feelings and needs.
“Words can be windows or walls.” – Marshall Rosenberg Discussion What does this statement mean? Paraphrase it. Compare your statements as a class.
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Activity Moet Moet is talking to her roommate, Hnin Wai, about a problem with their living situation. In the boxes are two different ways that A Messy Room Moet Moet could address this problem. 1. Which of Moet Moet’s statements do you like better? Why? 2. Imagine Hnin Wai’s response to the Statement A. What would she say? Write a response. 3. Imagine Hnin Wai’s response to the Statement B. What would she say? Write a response. 4. Compare the responses. Are they different? Why?
“I hate sharing a room with you, “I’m having trouble living in a. Hnin Wai. You are a messy person. B. this room, Hnin Wai. It makes Every time I try to clean, you make me really upset when I come in everything dirty again. I can’t find my here and there is stuff all over the things because your stuff is everywhere! place. I can’t think clearly when Where do you get so much stuff? There’s there’s mess all around me. Also, no space for me in this place. I just can’t my things get lost and I can’t find live with you. In the future, I hope you them when I need them. I just want plan on living alone because nobody in the my room to be clean and peaceful. world is going to be able to live with you I need to have more organisation in this mess.” in here.”
You-Messages and I-Messages You-messages are statements. They tell another person what is wrong with them. They put the blame on that person. They make that person responsible for the speaker’s feelings. But, because no one likes to be blamed or criticised, you-messages can block understanding. Sometimes they make the other person want to argue or fight.
You-messages: “You don’t respect me.” “You never listen.” “You always say that.
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The opposite of a you-message is an I-message. In an I-message, we speak about ourselves. Instead of blaming or accusing the other person, we talk about our feelings and needs, and what would fulfil our needs.
I-messages: “I don’t like it when this happens.” “I feel angry because I need respect.” “I am sorry, because I missed our appointment.”
1. Look at the statements from Moet Moet. Identify three you- exercise messages. 2. Look at the statements from Moet Moet. Identify three I-messages.
1. Classify these statements into you-messages and I-messages. Activity a. It makes me angry when people make jokes about my name. b. You are late again. You-Message or I-message? c. You do not care about other people. d. You drive too fast. e. I really don’t like it when you take my things without asking for my permission. f. I think you are lazy. g. Can’t you ever remember to clean your feet? h. I feel disappointed because you don’t keep your promises. i. When no one asks for my opinion, I feel hurt because I want to be part of the group. j. You never spend time with me anymore. k. I need to feel respected, so I feel angry when people call me names. l. You’re going to destroy our family if you don’t stop spending money. 2. Change three of the you-messages above into I-messages. Example: “You are late again!” > “I worry when you are late.”, “You do not care about other people” > “I need help.”
1. Is it difficult for you to make I-messages? Why? Discussion 2. How do you feel, when you hear a you-message about yourself? 3. Describe a situation in your life where you used you-messages. What was the outcome?
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Focus on Myanmar: Conflict between the older and younger generations
In a town, there are many conflicts between older and younger people. The conflicts are because of bad communication and misunderstandings. This often happens when people try to work for their community or make group decisions. Aye is a youth leader. She explained her view of the situation: “I am an activist. I want people to work together for the community. But the older generation doesn’t accept it. They don’t want us to be involved, but they can’t give us any reason for this.” Young people want to do things in new and different ways. They are frustrated that their communities don’t allow them to become leaders. Many youth feel that the older generation does not support them. Be Be, another young person said, “Our youth groups always organise meetings, events and trainings for youth. We want to build capacity and make a better community. But the older generation doesn’t understand. They think it is a waste of time and energy. We want them to support us, but they are not interested.” People from the older generation say that they provide opportunities for youth. However, they say that youths are not interested in taking them. Daw Si Si is an elder community leader who is angry with mistakes made by youth in arranging a meeting. Daw Si Si explained: “I have been a community leader for many years. Now I want to retire. I want to give my responsibilities to the younger generation, but they are not interested. I asked some of them to arrange a meeting, but they made mistakes, so some people arrived late. Young people these days are busy doing other things. I ask them to do something very simple and they can’t even do that. I worry about the future. How can I pass on responsibility if they can’t even arrange a meeting?” Another youth from the community said, “In our community we can’t work together if people over 40 or 50 years old are involved. They find it hard to cooperate and talk to each other. Youths have an easier time cooperating. Even if one older person is with a youth group, all cooperation will be lost because they often object to our ideas.”
Source: Unpublished Report, Independent Researcher
1. What do the young people say about the older generation? 2. What do the older generation say about the young people? 3. Do they use you-messages or I-messages? 4. How do the young people feel and what do they need? 5. How do the older generation feel and what do they need? 6. What could the young people do to improve their relationship with the older generation? 7. What could the older generation do to improve their relationship with the young people?
Discussion 1. How do people in your class talk to each other? Do they listen well to each other? Do they use you-messages or I-messages? 2. What are the reasons for this behaviour? 3. Do women and men in your class behave differently in discussions? 4. Are you content with the communication in your class, or do you want to change something?
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3.4 – Destructive and Constructive Strategies in preview
Contrast 1. What is similar about destructive and The diagram shows the two different ways of dealing with constructive strategies conflict. In both cases, conflict starts with incompatible goals of dealing with conflicts? or a disagreement between the actors. Then the actors choose 2. What is different about either the destructive or the constructive way of dealing with them? the conflict. In the beginning, both strategies seem similar. The differences are in our attitude towards conflict and our view of the other person. But in the end they lead to quite different actions, violence on the one side and non-violence on the other side.
Complete the diagram using the words and phrases below. exercise a. violence b. revealing underlying reasons, creating new solutions c. non-violence d. the other as a tool, or an obstacle to my goals e. best for all, cooperation, mutual understanding
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Activity Read the scenario and follow the instructions. 1. Identify a destructive strategy to deal with this conflict Using the Strategies (violence, avoidance, dispute, you-messages) then answer the questions. a. How might the conflict continue? b. How might the conflict end? Give an example and identify the outcome. 2. Identify a constructive strategy to deal with this conflict (I-messages, active listening, dialogue) then answer the questions. a. How might the conflict continue? b. How might the conflict end? Give an example and identify the outcome.
Fatima and Nilar are neighbours. Between their houses is a small area of land. Neither household owns this land. The women decide to use this land to grow vegetables. They plan to share them between their families. While they are digging in the soil, Fatima’s spade hits something big and hard. Nilar comes to help, and begins to move the soil with her hands. She pulls up a large red stone: a ruby. Both women scream with surprise. “I can’t believe I found a ruby!” said Fatima. “No, I found this ruby,” said Nilar. They both feel that the ruby belongs to them. They argue about what to do next.
Discussion 1. What happens if one actor uses destructive strategies and the other uses constructive strategies? 2. What needs to happen for an actor to change from a destructive to a constructive strategy?
Conclusion 1. Based on the diagram, describe the constructive way of dealing with conflicts. Answer the Questions
2. What is the difference between a compromise and a win–win solution? 3. Why is the process of understanding so important for conflict resolution? 4. What is paraphrasing and why do we do it? 5. What is a you-message and why might it make a conflict worse? 6. What is an I-message, and why might it improve a conflict?
62 Chapter 4 – Where and Why Conflict Happens
Learning Goals for Chapter 4
Knowledge Skills Values
In this chapter, you will In this chapter, you will In this chapter, you will increase your knowledge of: develop your ability to: reflect on: • needs as a source of • use different lenses to • the importance of conflict; analyse conflict; understanding others’ • individual and collective • assess how needs are points of view; identity as a source of met in communities; • how well your needs are conflict; • identify key factors in met; • values as a source of individual and collective • your identity; conflict; identities; • your values; • the relationship between • explore values and • gender and conflict. gender and conflict. where they come from; • evaluate the impact of gender on people’s experiences of conflict.
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Shopping Centre
We all see things differently to others (through a different lens), as this picture shows.
preview 4.1 – Sources of Conflict
1. Why does conflict To solve conflict, we must first understand where conflict comes happen? Write a list of from. There are three ways to understand sources of conflict. reasons. These three ways are called lenses. 2. When you see conflict in Conflict lenses are like the lenses in sunglasses. When you put your community, what is usually causing the on your sunglasses, the world might look red in colour. If you conflict? choose different sunglasses, the world might look blue. Just like the lenses in sunglasses change the colour of the world, conflict lenses change the way that we look at a conflict. In this section, we will use three lenses to analyse conflict. They are: needs, identity, and values. Each lens looks at a conflict differently. No lens is better or worse than the others, but each lens can tell us something different about the causes of a conflict.
exercise Read the story and answer the questions. 1. All the blind men knew what the other men were touching. How did each man benefit from this? 2. Why was it important for all the blind men to listen carefully to each other and respect each other’s points of view? 3. What are the similarities between the experiences of the blind men and the idea of conflict lenses?
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The elephanT and The Blind Men
Once upon a time, there lived The third man touched the trunk the blind men why they were fighting. six blind men in a village. One day of the elephant. “No, no! It is like a “We can't agree on what the the villagers told the blind men that thick branch of a tree”, he said. elephant is!” said one of the blind men. there was an elephant in the village. The fourth man touched its ear. “That's okay,” said the wise man. The blind men knew nothing about “It's like a big fan that we hold in our “You are all right. You are all saying elephants. hands”, he said. something different because each of “What is an elephant?” they The fifth man touched the belly you touched a different part of the asked. “Even though we cannot see it, of the elephant. “It's like a huge wall”, elephant. Actually, the elephant is like let's go feel it!” All of the blind men he said. all of the things that you said.” went to the place where the elephant The sixth man touched the tusk of Then the wise man added, was. They each touched a different the elephant. “No, it's like a pipe!” he “Everyone feels and sees something part of the elephant. said. different, but there is a little bit of The first man touched its leg. “The The men began to argue about truth in each of our experiences. We all elephant is like a pillar that holds up a the elephant. Each man said that he have different points of view, but house”, he said. was right and the others were wrong. we must tolerate and accept other The second man touched its tail. A wise man was passing by and saw points of view, so we can live together “Oh no! It is like a rope”, he said. them fighting. He stopped and asked in harmony.”
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Focus on Myanmar: Conflict over the national education law
In 2014, student organisations and independent education experts prepared detailed suggestions for the much anticipated Education Law. But students and experts say that the law gives the government tight control over higher education institutions, and limits their independence. Teachers’ and students’ organisations, the National Network for Education Reform (NNER) and around 200 civil society groups all opposed the law. The NNER warned that the new law does not guarantee independence for higher education institutions. Thein Lwin, of the NNER, said the government’s national education policy “lacks transparency, freedom of thought and limits the rights of universities. Our main aim is to challenge the government to debate their national education policy and our suggestions.” Student unions and the NNER presented 11 demands to the government, including: • more freedoms to universities; • allowing the formation of student and teacher unions; • allowing students who left school for political reasons to continue their studies; • increasing educational spending to 20% of the national budget. In November, student unions issued a 60-day deadline for the parliament to negotiate changes of the law. Protests began when the deadline passed. The government released a statement accusing student protestors of being manipulated by political groups who want to destabilise the country. Students rejected the threat and continued their marches to Yangon.
Sources: http://www.irrawaddy.org/contributor/a-new-generation-takes-to-the-streets-in-burma.html; http://www.irrawaddy.org/burma/timeline-of-student-protests-against-education-law.html
1. What does the NNER see as the reason for the conflict? 2. What does the government see as the reason for the conflict? 3. Do the NNER and the government have different lenses for looking at the conflict? How do you know?
Discussion How can knowing different points of view help solve a conflict?
Reflection 1. Think of a time when you and another person saw something differently. 2. When you and another person saw things differently, were you able to work together to see things in a shared way?
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4.2 – Needs as Sources of Conflict preview
The first way to understand sources of conflict is to look at it 1. How do you usually through the lens of needs. All human beings need certain things spend your leisure time? to survive. Food, water, and shelter are the most basic human Is this different from how your classmates needs for survival. These are called subsistence needs. However, or friends spend their people need more than just these to succeed and live a full life. For leisure time? example, security, love, participation in community and relaxation 2. Does the way you spend are also considered basic human needs. your leisure time ever cause conflict with There are two important ideas that we must understand about people around you? human needs. First, they are the same for all human beings everywhere. Second, they do not change over time. Additionally, human needs can be understood by everyone, because everyone has them. There are many different needs. Here are the most important:
1. SUBSISTENCE: the need for enough food, water, and shelter. This also includes the need for good physical and mental health. 2. SECURITY: the need for supportive social groups, physical safety, laws and the protection of rights. 3. AFFECTION: the need to give and receive love, respect, and acceptance from family,
friends and community What needs are met by having members. access to natural resources such as oil, natural gas or coal? 4. AWARENESS: the need for educational opportunities to develop critical thinking abilities. This also includes the need to explore ideas and thoughts, and to communicate about them. 5. PARTICIPATION: the need to be included in the rights, responsibilities, and decision making of communities, groups, family and political associations. 6. LEISURE: the need for time and opportunity to relax, find peace of mind and have fun. 7. EXPRESSION: the need to create and invent, including art and ideas, and to show creativity, talent and personal skills. 8. IDENTITY: the need to have a sense of belonging and inclusion in a group and the opportunity to be a part of that group openly. 9. AUTONOMY: the need to act with freedom of choice, to have equal rights and opportunities, to disobey and disagree.
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exercise Match the pictures of one family’s daily activities to the needs (from the previous page). Give an explanation for each picture.
1 Subsistence 4 Awareness 7 Expression
2 Security 5 Participation 8 Identity
3 Affection 6 Leisure 9 Autonomy
&yfrd &yfz aqG;aEG;yGJ
Stop Fight a B C
D E F
11 1 5 8
G H I
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Everything that we do has the purpose of fulfilling our needs. Conflict occurs when one person tries to meet their needs, and this prevents another person from meeting their own needs. Talking about needs is very important. Although someone may not understand why a person’s needs are not being met, they can understand how it feels. The ability to understand another person’s feelings and needs is called empathy. When we understand people’s feelings, we say that we empathise with them.
Read the scenarios and answer the questions. exercise 1. Is Khun Win’s method of meeting his needs constructive or destructive? 2. Is Sai Awn’s way of meeting his needs constructive or destructive? 3. What is another way that Khun Win could meet his need for acceptance? 4. What threatens Su Su’s need for security? 5. What threatens Cherry Paw’s need for security? 6. What feelings do the girls experience when their need for security is threatened?
Khun Win and Sai Awn are secondary school Cherry Paw and Su Su are best friends. They walk A. students. They both want to feel accepted and B. to school every day together. This makes Su Su respected by their school community. The ways that very happy because she is frightened of dogs and they each choose to meet this need are very different. Cherry Paw is not. Every day Cherry Paw walks near Su Khun Win is a bully. He pushes younger boys and girls Su when they pass the street dogs. This makes Su Su around, and threatens boys of his own age. This is the feel relieved because her need for security is met. way he meets his need for acceptance and respect. The dogs make Su Su feel very insecure. She is afraid However, his method of getting acceptance is harmful of being bitten and does not feel physically safe near to the younger students. The younger students do not the dogs. Her need for security is not being met when feel secure or accepted because of Khun Win’s actions, she walks to school alone. Cherry Paw is not afraid of so there is a destructive conflict between Khun Win the dogs, and her need for security is not threatened, and the younger students. Khun Win’s actions prevent however she understands how Su Su feels. the younger students from meeting their security need. Cherry Paw understands how Su Su feels because she Sai Awn meets his need for acceptance by offering understands the feelings of fear and insecurity. Cherry advice to his friends and fellow students. Many of the Paw feels fear and insecurity when she goes on boats. students respect his ideas and come to him when they Boats make her stomach hurt and her legs shake. She have a problem. His method of getting acceptance does is scared that she will drown because she cannot swim. not prevent others from meeting their needs, so it does Cherry Paw’s need for security is threatened every not lead to conflict. time she has to get on a boat.
1. In pairs, describe a time that you were afraid of something, then aCTIVITY together answer the questions. a. Are your fears the same as your partner’s? Sharing Feelings b. Is the feeling of being afraid the same as your partner’s? 2. Discuss with your partner a time that you had the same feeling but for different reasons (contentment, worry, excitement, etc.)
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Activity 1. Do the survey. Answer each question with a number and record your score in the chart. Human Needs Survey 2. Do the survey with nine people from outside your class. Record their scores in the chart. 3. Follow the instructions under the results chart.
> Security Needs Community Survey
Scoring: 1 = always 3 = frequently 5 = very rarely 2 = very frequently 4 = rarely 6 = never
1. Ethnic armed groups engage in active conflict in or near my community. 1 2 3 4 5 6 2. I feel threatened by the presence of the government military in my community. 1 2 3 4 5 6 3. I feel threatened by the presence of ethnic armed groups in my community. 1 2 3 4 5 6 4. I am unable to earn an income because there is violence in my community. 1 2 3 4 5 6 5. I am worried that my human rights will be violated if I continue living in my community. 1 2 3 4 5 6 6. I am worried that my property could be taken from me without my consent. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. I am worried about earning an income to support myself and/or my family. 1 2 3 4 5 6 8. I am worried about being treated fairly by police. 1 2 3 4 5 6 9. I am concerned about being treated fairly if I have to go to court. 1 2 3 4 5 6 10. I see members of my community being physically harmed by more powerful members of the community. 1 2 3 4 5 6
This survey measures security needs. Security is only one fundamental human need. For additional surveys about the other eight human needs, refer to the DVD which comes with the teacher’s book.
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Security Needs Community Survey Results
Respondents
Question You 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Average
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
1. What is the overall trend in your community? Are most people’s security needs being met or not? 2. Think of the conflicts in your community. Could any of these conflicts be related to members of the community not having their need for security met? 3. How do your personal scores compare with the scores of the community? 4. Explain your results. Choose one: • Discuss your results with a group. • Write a report about your results. • Present your results to the class.
List all of the activities that you did in the past week. How did each aCTIVITY activity meet a need? Example A Week of Needs “On Thursday, I tutored a younger student in English. This fulfilled my need for awareness because I was able to share my knowledge of English with someone else. Sharing knowledge is part of awareness.”
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Focus on Myanmar: Conflicts caused by dam projects
Salween Watch is a Karen organisation. It monitors development on the Salween River. On Monday, it said that recent clashes between the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) and the government were linked to a planned hydropower dam on the Salween River. The DKBA and government troops reportedly fired on each other’s bases on Friday and Saturday. The fighting forced more than 200 villagers from a nearby village to flee into Thailand. The Thai military later pushed the displaced villagers back into Myanmar. Paul Sein Twa is a spokesperson for Salween Watch. He said “the Myanmar Army needs to push the DKBA troops out of the area to start building the dam. They can only start the project when they complete these requirements. So, we understand that the dam project is behind the fighting.” The dam is an issue for many different groups. Thai construction companies have deals to build the dam. The Thai and Burmese governments have been trying to build the dam since 2006. However, construction has not yet begun because of opposition from Karen armed groups such as the DKBA. Opponents of the dam say that the project will lead to human rights abuses and environmental damage. Additionally, most of the electricity will go to Thailand and not Myanmar. The Hat Gyi Dam is one of five hydropower projects planned on the Salween River. The river passes through conflict areas in Karen, Karenni and Shan States. Electric power is an important issue in Myanmar. The economies of Southeast Asian countries and China are growing, and their populations need more power. Hydropower is an important part of Myanmar’s national energy strategy. However, many people are angry about plans to export much of the electricity to China and Thailand. They say that Myanmar will not benefit, and will be left with environmental and social damage. Many local communities oppose dam projects on the Salween. The communities depend on fishing for food and income. They are worried about the effects of big dams on their livelihoods. The increasing conflict is not only a problem in Myanmar. “As conflicts have broken out, refugees have fled across the border. I worry that the conflict will affect the peace process” Paul Sein Twa said.
Sources: http://www.irrawaddy.org/feature/knowledge-vacuum-and-conflict-plague-salween-river.html http://www.irrawaddy.org/burma/controversial-hat-gyi-dam-blamed-karen-conflict.html
1. Who are the main actors in this conflict? Who are the supporting actors? 2. What are the needs of the local communities and what are the needs of Myanmar and the ethnic armies? 3. Why is it better to talk about needs, instead of resources, when talking about this conflict?
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unmet need?
Are all human needs equally important? Why or why not? Discussion
1. Have you ever had an experience where one of your needs was Reflection not being met? Which need was it and what were the feelings that you had at this time? 2. Think of an example where a way you met your needs stopped another person from meeting their needs. 3. In this example, what is a way that your need could have been met differently?
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Buddhist
excellent wife cook
Nang Thu Zar
vegetable seller mother Pa-O
preview 4.3 – Identity as a Source of Conflict 1. What is an identity? The second way to understand sources of a conflict is through the 2. Can people’s identity be lens of identity. Identity gives us a way to understand the world a cause of conflict? around us, and how we fit into it. Everyone’s identity lens helps them to understand their history, the events around them, and their future. Some parts of identity can be seen, like skin colour or clothing. Other parts may be unseen, like religious or political beliefs. People are born with some parts of their identity. Other identities, they receive from their culture. People also choose their own identities. It is common to have many different identities. Some people have one identity that is most important to them. This might change through their life. People choose identities that give them the strongest feelings of confidence and security. Denying (or trying to change) a person or group’s identity means their needs are not being met. When one actor refuses to recognise the identity of another actor, the second actor may see this as a threat to who they are. This can lead to violence.
exercise Read the many identities of the woman in the picture. Answer the following questions. 1. If you met this woman in the market, which of her identities would you be able to see? 2. Which of her identities would you not see?
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1. Write your name in the middle of the flower. Add your most aCTIVITY important identities. Write your seen identities in one colour and your unseen identities in a different colour. My Identity 2. Answer the questions. a. Do your identities ever change? When or why do they change? b. Have you ever chosen not to express part of your identity? c. Can you think of any ways that expressing parts of your own identity might threaten another person’s identity?
1. In groups, choose a current or historical identity conflict. aCTIVITY • Describe the conflict and the identities of the actors in the conflict. Build an Identity Museum • If it is violent, include a description of how the conflict was violent. • Is it resolved or not? 2. Plan a group statue of the conflict. Left: Commemorative Monument 3. Write a card explaining your conflict. of Peace and Unity in Davao City, Mindanao, Philippines; Right: Statue in 4. Take turns watching other groups’ statues. Discuss them the War Remnants Museum, Vietnam. It together and change one person’s position in their statue to shows prisons in South Vietnam during make the conflict constructive. the Vietnam-American War.
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Collective Identity Identity is also something that we share with other people. These shared identities are called a collective or group identity. Members of these groups often share a common history, culture, and values. People who share the same collective identity often think of others who share their identity as having common interests and fates. When a person feels that their identity is being threatened, they will try to protect that identity. This can lead to conflict. If you share an identity with someone and they are hurt in some way, you might also feel hurt. This can create an “us-versus-them” mentality. Anyone who is not part of a person’s collective identity is considered an “outsider” and a threat. The us-versus-them mentality is common in conflict situations that have identity as a source of conflict.
1890 1920 2016
exercise Are the statements true or false? If false, correct the statement. 1. People have one identity. It tells them how to view the world and how to understand their experiences in it. 2. Identities are both seen and unseen. 3. People with a collective identity believe that they have shared goals and shared futures. 4. The us-versus-them mentality occurs when people believe that others with a different identity threaten their own identity. 5. A person’s identities never change.
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1. Read these identities and choose examples of collective exercise identity. • a soldier • Mary’s husband • a football player • a Christian • Sein Pwint’s brother • a citizen of Thailand • owner of Aung Noodle • a student at Phaung Shop Daw Oo Monastic • a teacher School
2. Look at the identity flower on page 74. What are the collective identities of the woman? 3. What are the collective identities in your identity flower?
Read the scenario and put the identities of the actors into the Venn aCTIVITY diagram. Shared Identities, Part 1
Identities of the Actors in the Conflict
ae Ghe My shared r n Gl a e h r C M o o
Early one morning, Chan Myae got on his boat and went out into the river. The river near his village in Mon State was full of fish that day. Three hours later, he returned to the shore of the a. lives in Mon State d. speaks a different river and unloaded his boat. In the boat, b. fisherman language there were four big fish and two smaller c. husband e. boat owner fish. He put one of the smaller fish in a bucket for his breakfast. Chan Myae and his wife went home to cook their a village down the river had tied their Chan Myae started running after fish. They planned to come back later, boats near Chan Myae’s boat. The other Wah K’ Paw and yelling “Stop! Stop! get the other fish and take them to fishermen spoke a different language. Thief! You have stolen my fish!” Gher the market. He saw Wah K’ Paw and her husband Gler Moo also ran over to see what the After breakfast, Chan Myae and his Gher Gler Moo who were not from Mon problem was. That was when the yelling wife returned to the boat. All of their State. They were walking away from and shouting between Gher Gler Moo fish were gone! Other fishermen from their boats with five fish... and Chan Myae began…
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Activity 1. In pairs, discuss a conflict that you know well. Identify the two main actors in this conflict, and write them above each circle. Shared Identities, Part 2 2. In the correct circles, write down the major identities of each actor. In the middle, write the identities that both actors share.
Identities of the Two Main Actors in the Conflict. _____ tor B :__ _ Ac :__ A __ r _ o _ t _ c _ A
3. Answer the questions. a. Do the actors in this conflict have more identities that are the same or different? b. Is there an identity that could be used to help “build a bridge” or a connection between the actors? An identity that provides common ground? c. Do either of the actors think that their identity is under threat from the other actor? d. What actions might threaten the identity of one or both of these actors? 4. Based on your analysis of this diagram, is identity an important lens for understanding conflict? Why or why not?
Activity 1. Select something that represents part of your identity that most people do not see when they look at you. This item should be Pieces of Me small and common, but important to how you express your identity. You can also draw the item or find a picture of it. 2. Display your item in the classroom. Walk around the room looking at other students’ items. 3. Discuss the questions as a class. a. Which item/identity of a classmate surprised you the most? b. Are there any similar items in the class? What similar identities do these items represent?
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Focus on Myanmar: Ethnic Education
In 2012, the Ministry of Education did a study to identify strengths and weaknesses in the school system. Government researchers studied schools around the country. They used this information to make new education policies. However, the Karen Education Department (KED) said that they ignored the non-government schools in Karen State. “The work that we’ve been doing over decades does not exist in their knowledge,” says the secretary of the KED. “What they mean by ‘ethnic education’ is government education in ethnic areas.” The (KED) school system is used by conflict-affected communities and refugees in Thailand. An issue facing the KED is that their curriculum does not prepare students to fit into the government system. The KED wants a decentralised school system. This allows ethnic states some authority to administer their schools. It is important to the KED to maintain Karen language and culture through education. “We have preserved our identity over more than six decades. We are concerned that it will start to die out.” The KED says it is open to negotiation about merging with the government education system. The KED will soon begin teaching Burmese language to its students. Merging with the government system could be useful for Karen students who cannot currently attend Burmese universities because they went to a KED high school. But the KED secretary says that some issues are not open for discussion. These include ethnic history and mother-tongue language teaching. “We feel like they have their hand over us, and this will limit our ability to run our ethnic education.”
Source: http://www.irrawaddy.org/feature/burmas-rebel-educators-want-school-reform.html
1. In what ways does an education system impact on identity? 2. How has the KED used the education system to preserve Karen identity? 3. In what ways does the conflict between the KED and the Ministry of Education harm students? In what ways does the conflict help students?
1. Think of people who you share an identity with. How do you Discussion express your identity together as a group? 2. What are some of the benefits of a collective identity? Discuss examples of these benefits from your community. 3. What are some of the problems with collective identity? Discuss examples of these problems from your community.
1. What groups of people do you feel that you have things in Reflection common with? 2. When you meet someone who is different from you or from the people in your community, how do you feel about that person? 3. How would you feel if you could not show that you are part of a group or express your support for ideas that you believe in?
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preview 4.4 – Values as a Source of Conflict 1. What types of things do The third way to understand the source of conflict is through a good people do? What values lens. Values are ideas and beliefs about the rules we have types of things do bad for ourselves and society. We use values to judge the behaviour people do? of ourselves and others. 2. Who teaches us what to do to be “good” people? The rules that come from values can be simple, for example, “don’t 3. Who makes sure we are lie.” They can be more complex. For example, there are often rules doing the things that about appropriate clothing or about what foods we shouldn’t eat. good people do? Who punishes us when we are Values help to create moral codes and ethics. They are developed not doing good things? through religion, family, peers, culture, race, ethnicity, social background, gender, etc. Conflict occurs when the values of different actors are not compatible, or when an actor’s values are not respected. People often believe that their values are the “rules.” Therefore, conflict might occur if one person believes that someone else is violating those “rules.”
I really wish I When a person chooses their values, those values are: didn’t have to live in the city. 1. chosen freely and not forced upon that person;
I don’t want to 2. chosen from a wide variety and based on how important they study. I would like to are to the individual; work with my hands. Maybe be a farmer... Plaza
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3. publicly shared and defended; Thanks for coming when I called. • Save our treeS • Keep MyanMar green • Keep MyanMar tidy. Join the MyanMar green teaM and help.
365 plastic 4. lived, not just talked about; bags saved this year by bringing a lunchbox every day.
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I wish that I 5. always applied in big and small decisions that are made on a could vote for a party daily basis. that will protect the environment.
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Are the statements true or false? If false, correct the statement. exercise 1. A violation of a person’s values would also be a violation of that person’s “rules.” 2. All people have the same values. 3. Our individual values and society’s values can be different. 4. Values are not an important part of daily life.
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Activity 1. Choose 10 – 20 statements that are important to your life. 2. From those 10 – 20, choose the five statements that are most Values Survey, Part 1 important to you.
> Values Survey, Part 1 – What is Important?
1. To have a nice physical appearance 2. To graduate with high marks 3. To be an honest person 4. To have political power 5. To have strong relationships with family 6. To have personal growth members and other loved ones 7. To be able to enjoy the natural environment 8. To have a life with meaning, purpose, fulfilment 9. To learn more and get new knowledge 10. To help the disadvantaged 11. To be attractive to others 12. To have a close group of good friends 13. To have a long and healthy life 14. To closely follow the rules of my religion 15. To have a good marriage 16. To have satisfaction or success in my career 17. For all people to have equal opportunity 18. To be free to live life as I want 19. To have a lot of money 20. To accomplish my goals 21. To have a safe and positive family life 22. To have a life with leisure 23. To be able to travel, eat good food, and be 24. To change society for the better entertained 25. To have a beautiful home in a place of your 26. To have the opportunity to be creative choice 27. To own expensive things 28. To speak up for or share personal beliefs 29. To have self-confidence 30. To be needed and important to others 31. To become a good parent 32. To have a good relationship with my parents 33. For a person to find you physically attractive 34. To be strong, face challenges and push forward 35. To have time for prayer/meditation/reflection 36. To give my time and energy freely to help others 37. To have a safe and secure environment 38. To be loved by a few special people 39. To be trusted by others 40. To be known as true in my words and actions
Activity 1. Find the values that match your five numbers from Part 1. What values are most important to you, according to the survey? Values Survey, Part 2 2. Discuss the questions. a. Did you learn anything new about your personal values? If so, what? If not, why do you think this is? b. What do you do each day to support your values? 3. In pairs or groups, discuss the questions on the next page.
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Values Survey, Part 2 – What Are my Values? <
Number Value Definition of Value
1, 11, 33 Approval Having other people like and admire your physical appearance 2, 9 Education Increasing your knowledge through learning
3, 39 Integrity Strictly following what you believe to be right and good. Not doing things that are against your beliefs or values Agency 4, 24 , Believing that you have the ability to create change, and to exercise the Citizenship rights and responsibilities of a person living as a citizen Showing your love and appreciation for those close to you, and having 5, 12, 30, 38 Affection those close to you show you love and appreciation too 6, 29 Self-fulfillment Fulfilling your capacity and reaching your potential as a person Appreciation 7 Seeing the importance of nature and enjoying its beauty (of nature) Ambition, 8, 16, 20, 26 Being excited to finish something that takes hard work and courage Achievement
10, 36 Compassion, Knowing about the suffering of others and wanting to give help to Generosity lessen that suffering Having strength in your body and mind; feeling good about your 13, 37 Health physical and mental abilities 14, 35 Spirituality Feeling strong in your religious or spiritual beliefs 15, 21, 31, 32 Love, Family Feeling close to family members and close friends 17 Equality Everyone gets the same treatment and opportunities 18 Autonomy Being independent in your actions, choices, and ideas Status, Stability 19, 25, 27 Feeling powerful from wealth; feeling secure in your financial situation (financial) 22, 23 Leisure, Travel Enjoying free time and having the opportunity to explore 28 Courage Being able to face your fears, danger, and obstacles with confidence
34 Resilience Having the ability to overcome challenges and failures and continue working towards your goals 40 Authenticity Being trustworthy and honest a. Did you learn anything new about your personal values? b. What do you do each day to support your values? c. What are the similarities and differences in values between you and your group member(s)? d. Can you think of a situation where your values might be in conflict with the values of another person in your group? e. Why is it important to understand your values, and the values of your community, during conflict? f. Would you be willing to let go of, or change, any of your values? How would you feel if you did?
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Focus on Myanmar: Conflicts over religious minority rights
Religious minorities sometimes face challenges to building or maintaining their places of worship. This can be especially difficult in rural areas, where religious minorities lack the organisational and financial backing to get what they need. An example of these problems can be seen in the case of the Hindu community in a rural Myanmar township. In 1969, there was a fire in the town that destroyed many buildings. The Hindu community was lucky because their temple was not burned. However after the fire, the government cleared the whole area to make space for building new houses. The government demolished the Hindu temple as well. The government promised the Hindu community that they would give them land to build a new temple. However, the community did not get land for a new temple. Government officials told them they had no record of the agreement. So some of the Hindu community members offered to build the temple on their land. However, their petitions to the government for approval have not been accepted. The community has tried again and again since 1969 to get a new temple. They have failed each time. Many community members feel very angry about the situation. Others feel hopeless and worry about their future generations. They are worried that they have no place where they can pass on the values of their faith.
Source: Unpublished Report, Independent Researcher
1. Why is a temple causing values conflict? 2. Does the government have different values from the Hindu community? What are the government’s values? 3. Is this conflict being caused because one group thinks their values are more important than another group?
Discussion 1. Do you think a person’s identity can affect their values? What about a person’s values affecting their identity? 2. How are a person’s needs and values connected? If someone is not allowed to live according to their most important values, is that the same as denying their needs? 3. Do you think values conflicts are common? Why or why not? 4. Do you think values conflicts are easy to solve? 5. Give an example of a values conflict from your experience. Explain whether the conflict has been resolved or not.
Reflection 1. Think about your values and the values of your closest community. This community could be your school, your village, your family, your band, etc. Are your values ever in conflict with the values of your community? If so, how? If not, why is this? 2. Who in your life has been most important in teaching you your values? How did they teach those values to you?
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How does a person’s gender affect their needs, values or identity?
4.5 – Needs, Values, Identity and Gender Conflict preview
Gender is a fundamental part of human identity. We show our 1. How does your gender through clothing styles, hair styles and behaviour. This is community treat people often the first thing that people see when they look at each other. who do not follow gender roles? Openly expressing our gender without fear is part of showing our 2. Do most people in your identity. Being unable to fully express gender identity can cause community think men conflict because identity is also a human need. and women should be Some gender identities are valued less than others. Patriarchy is equal? What do you think? a system where society believes that the lives, experiences, and roles of men are more valuable than those of women. Patriarchal societies often prevent women from being community leaders or decision makers. Sexism is the belief that one sex (usually male) is naturally better than the other sex (usually female). These values about gender can lead to conflict on the individual, family, and community level. Participation in society is a human need. Conflict between genders about participation is common. Patriarchy and sexism can affect the mental and physical health of both men and women. For
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example, if a society believes that men have the right to verbally or physically punish women, this is preventing women from meeting their need for security. In this case, gender roles cause violence. In another example, if boys are told not to cry, they are being prevented from meeting their need for expression. Gender roles often prevent both men and women from fully meeting their needs.
exercise Match the example of gender conflict with the human need that is NOT being met. You can match more than one need to a conflict. . 1. A young man is bullied by his classmates for not being good at sports. a. Subsistence Example: F, G b. Security 2. A doctor refuses to provide a woman with family planning c. Affection information without the permission of her husband. 3. A father refuses to let his daughter travel to another city to d. Awareness continue her education. e. Participation 4. A father is fired from his job when he must leave work to care for his sick children. f. Leisure 5. A teacher punishes a student who she thinks is gay. g. Expression 6. A school does not provide toilets for students. h. Identity 7. A boyfriend twists the arm of his girlfriend and yells at her when he finds out she was talking to a male friend. i. Autonomy 8. Women are prevented from participating in religious ceremonies.
Activity In this activity, you will see how people of different genders have different experiences with equality. Follow the teacher or trainer’s Stepping Towards Equality instructions.
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Focus on Myanmar: Rights Activists Receive Death Threats
Many women’s groups formed in Myanmar after reforms started in 2011. These groups campaign for gender equality, protection of women’s rights, and decision-making opportunities for women. In May 2015, over 100 civil society groups released a statement protesting the controversial Protection for Race and Religion laws. The laws place restrictions on marriages between Buddhist women and non-Buddhist men. There are four laws which limit interfaith marriage, ban polygamy, impose birth restrictions, and restrict religious conversion. Pyo Let Han is a feminist writer. She said, “These laws target women. Why can’t women marry anyone they want? Is the government suggesting that Burmese women aren’t clever enough to make decisions about their own personal affairs?” Ami Sungthluai is a lawyer. She says the law against polygamy (to prevent men from having more than one wife) sounds progressive, “But it’s actually a threat to women’s rights. It restricts women’s rights to ask for and get a divorce. This is a major problem in a society where men already have more influence.” Activists who publicly opposed the laws have been threatened. They have received anonymous phone calls and online messages threatening violence. One activist had to change her phone number because her phone number was posted on a Facebook page that advertised prostitutes. Aung Myo Min is a human rights activist. He says that he received messages telling him to stop fighting the interfaith marriage bill. He said “Some messages were like, ‘You will regret it. Stop working for this issue. If you continue, don’t blame others for the consequences.’” Khon Ja is a well-known women’s rights activist from the Kachin Peace Network. She said, “They called saying, ‘If you dare come to Mandalay, you will be dead when we see you.’”
Zin Mar Aung is the founder of the Rainfall Gender Study Group. She says she received obscene messages on Viber, a phone application. She said one Viber group was created with the name, “We will kill those who destroy the race.” Activists who have received threats say that the police refuse to act when they report the threats.
Source: Adapted from Turning Disasters into Peacemaking Opportunities, World Watch Institute, State of the World, 2006; and Natural Resources and Conflict, the United Nations Department of Political Affairs and United Nations Environment Programme, 2015.
1. Which needs of women are being denied by the Protection for Race and Religion laws? 2. What types of values do the activists have? 3. What types of values do the people making threats have? 4. Is this a needs conflict, an identity conflict, and/or a values conflict? Why ?
1. How common is gender conflict in your community? Discussion 2. Do you consider gender conflict to be as serious as other forms of conflict? Why or why not? 3. How could gender conflict be made more constructive in your community?
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Conclusion Read the case study about conflict in Aceh, Indonesia, and answer the questions. Case Study
Violent Conflict in Aceh, Indonesia
The Aceh Special Territory in Indonesia had 29 years of violent conflict before the Helsinki Memorandum of Understanding in August 2005. Around 15,000 people died and 1.6 million were displaced. Aceh is at the entrance to the Malacca Straits, which are the world’s busiest sea lanes for trading. It also has lots of oil and gas. However, for much of the conflict, Aceh got no benefits from the sale of oil and gas. The Acehnese spent 41 years fighting against Dutch colonialism and kept their independence during the Dutch colonial period. This history is a source of pride for Acehnese people. The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) fought for independence when the Indonesian government and military tried to control the territory. Islam is the majority religion in Indonesia. The Acehnese believe that they were the first Muslims in Indonesia. Before the Dutch arrived in Indonesia, Aceh was part of the first Muslim kingdom in Southeast Asia. During the conflict, the Aceh independence movement was called a religious independence movement, and its leaders were also respected because of their high status within the religious community. Thousands of male GAM fighters died during the conflict. For their wives and sisters, the death of these men created danger. Widows were consideredterrorists because they supported their husbands who fought against the Indonesian government. Widows, sisters, and mothers were tortured, raped, and executed for their connection to GAM fighters. In 2004 a tsunami (a giant wave) killed over 131,000 people in Aceh and destroyed much of the region’s infrastructure. The majority of the people killed during the tsunami were women and children. Soon after, the GAM and the Indonesian government signed a peace agreement. The peace agreement ended the conflict and Aceh got regional autonomy and the right to control natural resources in the territory. In 2012, Aceh held elections for local leadership. The territory has been steadily rebuilding after the tsunami. Part of the peace agreement between Aceh and the Indonesian government was that Aceh could choose their own type of law. Aceh adopted Sharia - a type of Islamic law - after the conflict ended. In 2009 a law was passed required 30% of all representatives be women in all areas of development throughout the region. The purpose of the law was to give women opportunities to increase their participation, protection, and quality of life. Source: Adapted from Turning Disasters into Peacemaking Opportunities, World Watch Institute, State of the World, 2006; and Natural Resources and Conflict, the United Nations Department of Political Affairs and United Nations Environment Programme, 2015.
1. Based on the case study, what are some of the needs of the Acehnese? 2. What do you guess are some of the values of the Acehnese? 3. How is Aceh identity different from Indonesian identity? 4. How did the conflict affect men and women differently? What about after the conflict?
88 Chapter 5 – Tools for Conflict Analysis
Learning Goals for Chapter 5
Knowledge Skills Values
In this chapter, you will In this chapter, you will In this chapter, you will increase your knowledge of: develop your ability to: reflect on: • the role of history in • use timelines to analyse • how the same conflict understanding a conflict; interpretations of events can be viewed in • the role of media in conflict; different ways; creating bias; • map actors and the • diversity of relationships • the different types of relationship between between actors in a relationships between them in a conflict; conflict; actors in a conflict; • separate conflict goals • shared needs of actors in • the difference between from needs; a conflict; goals and needs in a • select appropriate tools • the disadvantages of conflict. for different conflict talking about goals scenarios. instead of needs.
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preview 5.1 – What is conflict analysis?
1. You want to change a This section looks at tools for analysing conflicts. These tools can destructive conflict into be used for all levels and types of conflict. They can be used by a constructive conflict. actors involved in a conflict, by people who want to intervene in a What do you need to conflict, and by analysts who want to understand a conflict better. know about the conflict before you start? Conflict analysis tools help us to: 2. What parts of a conflict • understand the history and background of the conflict; are the most difficult to • understand? understand how current events connect to the background of the conflict; • identify all the actors involved in the conflict; • understand the points of view of all actors and the relationships of all actors; • identify areas where we need more information; • identify opportunities for influencing and changing the situation.
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Which conflict analysis tool we choose depends on what type of information we want.
1. CONFLICT TIMELINE: This tool shows historical and current events in the conflict. It helps actors and analysts understand how different actors view these events. 2. CONFLICT MAPPING: This tool shows the relationships that actors have to the conflict, and the relationships between the actors. 3. CONFLICT ICEBERG: This tool shows the goals and underlying needs of all the actors in a conflict, and the common ground between them. Using Conflict Analysis Tools Conflict analysis tools are most useful when actors from all sides of a conflict use the tools. Each tool can produce a different result depending on who is using it. Conflicts have many “truths.” When analysts and actors use conflict tools, they should remember that they only speak from their point of view. Their point of view is not the complete truth. When each actor uses the tools, they should use it to explain their own understanding of the conflict.
Match the conflict with the appropriate tool. exercise 1. conflict timeline 2. conflict mapping 3. conflict iceberg a. Two actors cannot share the resources that are available in their area. They are fighting over who owns the land. b. For several years, there has been conflict between two different communities. No one remembers how the conflict started, but they know that every few months, something new happens and the conflict gets worse. c. There are many different ethnic armed groups fighting in the mountains and on the borders. In the capital city, their ethnic political parties are also fighting in the parliament.
1. Has there ever been a conflict that you did not understand? Reflection What did you want to know about that conflict? 2. Would any of the conflict analysis tools be useful for a conflict in your community? Which ones would be useful? Why?
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“Government starts peace process.”
FREE NEW ATTACKS!!! we choose we choose
preview 5.2 – Conflict Timelines
1. Why is history important A conflict timeline shows the important events of a conflict in the in a conflict? order that they happened. It also describes the different ways that 2. Do actors usually agree actors understand those events. This is important because people on the same history of a often think about the same events in very different ways. conflict? Conflict timelines identify the events that are most important to each actor’s conflict history. This can build greater understanding between actors. The conflict timeline shows that different actors’ versions of history is only part of the “truth.” Conflict timelines help us to: • show different points of view of the same event; • clarify and increase understanding of each actor’s version of events; • identify which events are most important to each actor. Drawing a Conflict Timeline When they make a conflict timeline, each actor chooses the events that are the most important to them. After choosing events, each actor describes how they understand the event.
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Look at the example timeline and answer the questions. exercise 1. Which actor has a positive feeling about Event One? 2. In Event Two, does Actor A understand the event as positive or negative? How does Actor B understand the event? 3. What does Actor A call the people who used the bombs? What does Actor B call the people who used the bombs? Why are these words important to understanding Event Three? 4. In Event Four, which actor supports the new law? Why?
Example Conflict Timeline Actor A Actor B
EVENT ONE: ELECTionS for A nEw A new government is elected in A new government is elected with corrupt and unfair elections. a lot of voters supporting it. GovErnMEnT ArE hELD
EVENT TWO: Land grabbing New trade zones are opened and EConoMiC AnD TrADE occurs in new trade zones and minority groups hundreds of new employment opporTUniTiES ArE are not allowed to work in them. opportunities are created, this proMoTED in CErTAin New railway lines to and from the leads to increased economic ArEAS zones lead to loss of lands. development.
Activists bomb railway lines in Terrorists cause large amounts EVENT THREE: protest at land grabbing and of damage to infrastructure and BoMBS ExpLoDE AnD discrimination in new harm the livelihoods of many rAiLwAyS ArE DESTroyED economic zones. citizens.
EVENT FOUR: A new hard labour law is applied The country becomes much pUniShMEnTS for unfairly on many minorities safer because a new law is BrEAkinG ThE LAw across the country. Many citizens passed. It says that all individuals inCLUDE hArD LABoUr. are called terrorist supporters who support terrorists will be without evidence. sentenced to hard labour.
1. Imagine a newspaper article is written about Event Four. If Actor aCTIVITY A was writing the article, what might the title of the story be? 2. If Actor B was writing the article, what might the title of the Media Coverage story be? 3. Discuss your titles as a class. Why are the titles different if the articles are about the same event?
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exercise Read Sri Lanka’s civil war timeline and answer the questions. 1. About 15 June 1956: Sinhala is made the official language of the country: a. Do the Sinhalese ethnic group see this as positive or negative? Why? b. Do the Tamil ethnic group see this as positive or negative? Why? 2. About 31 May 1981: Jaffna Public Library is burned: a. According to the Sinhalese, who was responsible for burning the library? b. According to the Tamils, who was responsible for burning the library?
Conflict Timeline from Sri Lanka’s Civil War Sinhalese Tamil Ethnic Nationalists Group
15 JUNE 1956: Tamil, the language of 29% The Official Language/Sinhala SinhALA iS MADE ThE of people in the country, is Only Act is passed, ending the not recognised by the use of colonial British English offiCiAL LAnGUAGE of Official Language/Sinhala Only Act and increasing opportunities for . ThE CoUnTry Tamil protests over the law are the Sinhalese majority. repressed.
31 MAY 1981: Jaffna Public Library is burned Jaffna Public Library is burned JAffnA pUBLiC LiBrAry by government forces. The fire by both a drunken mob and by iS BUrnED destroys 97,000 irreplaceable an armed Tamil militia who Tamil cultural and historical want international attention. documents.
24 JULY 1983: Black July A. Massacres: Between MASSACrES oCCUr 400 and 3,000 Tamils are killed throughout the country. Sinhalese mobs use voter registration forms to find and kill Tamils. The police and army do not stop the violence and sometimes help the mobs.
MAY 2009: B. The Sri Lanka national army rebel finAL DAyS of Sri LAnkA’S defeats the terrorist and CiviL wAr group, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The government rescues Tamil civilians and leads them to safe zones.
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1. Read the article then write a short description of the massacres aCTIVITY that occurred in July 1983. Put it in blank A of the conflict timeline. Missing Events
Ethnic Riots in Sri Lanka Kill 88 People
Adapted from the United Herald Sinhalese prisoners attacked Press | 28 July 1983 them. Prison authorities COLOMBO, Sri Lanka— were trying to move the President Junius Jaywardene Tamil prisoners to different appeared on television today. prisons when the riots started. He asked for an end to the Government soldiers were six days of ethnic violence called to the prisons to stop that has killed 88 people. the riots. Ethnic violence between In the capital city of Hindu Tamils and Buddhist Colombo, over 3,000 Tamil Sinhalese has been spreading homes and shops were throughout the island of Sri attacked and destroyed. About Lanka. 20,000 Tamil refugees were The riots began when looking for safety and shelter Tamil rebels attacked in the capital city. Radical government soldiers. The Tamils have demanded a riots spread to the prisons. separate state in the northern Seventeen Tamil prisoners part of Sri Lanka. In other were killed on Wednesday parts of the country, Tamil- and thirty-five Tamil prisonersowned shops and homes were were killed on Monday when burned and destroyed.
2. Read the article then write a short description of the final days of the civil war. Put it in blank B of the conflict timeline.
2,000 Innocent Civilians Killed in One Night [Adapted from Tamil Net, Sunday 10 May 2009] The Sri Lanka Army fired many shells into the “safety zone” on Saturday night and Sunday morning. More than 2,000 civilians, mostly women and children, were killed. Dead bodies are everywhere. 814 wounded people reached a temporary hospital around 9 am on Sunday morning. All different types of deadly weapons were used against civilians. Cluster bombs, which are illegal under international law, were also used during this attack on innocent civilians. The safety zone became a killing field. The Sri Lankan Army usually chooses weekends to massacre Tamil civilians because there is less international attention at this time.
3. Answer the questions. a. If the left side of the timeline shows the point of view of the Sinhalese (Actor A) and the right side shows the point of view of the Tamils (Actor B), what does the middle show? b. How are the events in the middle described differently to the events described by each actor?
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Focus on Myanmar: Student protest timeline
This timeline shows the most important events of the student protest against the Education Law. 30/09/14 — The National Education Bill is passed into law by Parliament. 17/11/14 — Students call for the Education Law to be changed within 60 days. 28/01/15 — Minister Aung Min talks with student protest leaders. He agrees to talks between the government, the parliament, the National Network for Education Reform (NNER) and the students’ Action Committee for Democratic Education (ACDE). 01/02/15 — Discussions are held at Rangoon University. Students propose an 11-point framework for discussion. Both sides reach agreement over eight points. 14/02/15 — After long talks between the government and students’ organisations, they both agree to a new bill to replace the Education Law; — Student groups agree to stop their demonstrations. Most students decide to stop their march and return home. — The draft agreement includes the 11 principal concerns of student protesters. 16/02/15 — The bill is sent to Parliament for discussion. 22/02/15 — Student leaders accuse the government of breaking the conditions of the February 14th agreement. 01/03/15 — The Home Affairs Ministry calls for an end to protests. They warn that action will be taken against protesters if they continue. 05/03/15 — Students and activists gather at Rangoon’s Sule Pagoda to urge authorities not to use violence to end the Letpadan protest. — Riot police and plainclothes Swan Arr Shin use violence to break up the protest. Five men and three women are arrested. 10/03/15 — 100 students at Letpadan, Pegu Division, demand to be let through the police line to march to Rangoon. — Fighting starts. The police outnumber the students by about 5 to 1. The police use violence to break up the protest. Many students are injured and arrested by riot police.
Source: http://www.irrawaddy.org/burma/timeline-of-student-protests-against-education-law.html
1. Choose three events and write headlines from the point of view of a student. 2. Using the same three events from question 1, write headlines from the point of view of a member of the government. 3. Do the events in this timeline, as reported by The Irrawaddy, seem to support the students or the government?
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1. In groups, choose a conflict that you want to analyse. Identify aCTIVITY the main actors. 2. Collect important events from this conflict. They should be Create a Conflict Timeline events that at least one actor thinks are important. 3. On a large piece of paper, make three columns. In the middle column write the events in the order that they happened. Describe the events with words that could be accepted by each actor in the conflict. 4. In the left column write how Actor A looks at the events. In the right column, write how Actor B looks at the events. Use the internet or newspapers if you need to research the conflict. 5. Compare the results. What is similar and what is different in the perspectives of the actors?
Example Conflict Timeline Actor A Actor B
EVENT ONE: B1… A1…
EVENT TWO: B2… A2…
EVENT THREE: B3… A3…
EVENT FOUR: B4… A4…
1. Think about a time when you had a conflict with someone. How Discussion were your ideas about what happened different from the other person’s ideas about what happened? 2. Actors in conflicts understand events from different perspectives. Why does this make conflict more difficult to resolve? 3. What are the benefits of knowing different points of view? 4. How does the news media influence people during conflict? 5. How do the words chosen to describe an event affect how people understand the event?
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preview 5.3 – Conflict Mapping
1. Is it usually clear who Conflict mapping is used to analyse the relationships between the all the actors are in actors in a conflict at a specific point in time. It is similar to a conflicts? Is it usually geographical map. A geographical map shows us the cities of a clear how they are country, and the roads, railroads or rivers which connect them. related to each other? A conflict map shows us all the actors involved in a conflict and 2. Why is it important to understand who actors their relationship to each other. are? Conflict mapping helps us to: 3. Why is it important to • see the relationships between actors more clearly; understand how they are related to each other? • see which actors have power and how much power they have compared to other actors; • identify allies or possible allies; • identify opportunities to intervene or to act. Drawing a Conflict Map Conflict maps should focus on parts of a conflict, not on the entire conflict. Mapping a regional political conflict in detail takes a lot of time. It would be so complex that it would not really be helpful. If you use conflict mapping, you should put yourself and your organisation on the map. This is because you become part of the situation when you analyse a conflict. Putting yourself on the map helps you understand your relationship with the conflict. Symbols used in Conflict Mapping
Circles show the different actors. The size of the A solid line shows a circles shows how close relationship. powerful each actor is in the conflict.
A dotted line A double line shows a weak shows an alliance. relationship.
A flash shows Zizgags show that the conflict is conflict. violent.
A triangle shows an actor who is not An arrow shows directly involved, domination by one and who may be actor over another. able to contribute constructively.
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Look at the conflict map and answer the questions. exercise 1. Which actor has the most power in the conflict? 2. What type of relationship do Actor C and Actor D have? 3. Which actors have a conflict? Is the conflict violent? 4. Would Actor B be a good actor to mediate or negotiate between the conflicting actors? Why or why not?
Actor C Actor B Issue
Actor A
Actor D
Draw the symbols that you would use in each of these situations. exercise 1. You and your brother have a disagreement about who should wash the dishes. He kicks you in the knee. 2. Your neighbours are fighting over who owns the mango tree on the edge of their property. Your father is the head of the village so they ask him to mediate the disagreement. 3. An ethnic armed group enters your township. This causes the government army to send more soldiers to your township, and they begin building an army base. The township officials will only speak with the government military officials.
Draw conflict maps to show the relationships between different aCTIVITY actors in each conflict. 1. A group of teenage boys begin beating up a pair of younger Conflict Mapping boys because the group thinks the younger boys are gay. The older brothers and cousins of the younger boys use their influence with the head of the village to get the teenage boys in trouble. Map the conflict after the brothers go to the head of the village. 2. An ethnic group begins fighting against their government for greater control of a river basin. Then the ethnic group has a disagreement and divides along religious lines. Some members of the ethnic group are Christian and some are Muslim. The Christian group makes an alliance with another Christian group in a different part of the country. Map the conflict after the alliance is made.
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Focus on Myanmar: Conflict in hpakant
The conflict between the Myanmar army and the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) has forced thousands of civilians to flee from their homes in Western Kachin state’s jade-rich Hpakant region. The United Nations estimates that 4,100 internally displaced people (IDPs) are living in 24 temporary camps in the Hpakant area. Access to the IDPs is very difficult for the UN and NGOs because of the fighting. Local religious groups are providing food and other support. However, churches and monasteries cannot support all of the IDPs. Hpakant is the world’s biggest source of jade. From 1961 to 1993, there was fighting between Myanmar’s military and the KIO. The KIO controlled most of Hpakant’s jade mines. This created a lot of money for the KIO to pay for its army, the KIA. However, in 1994, the KIO agreed to stop making money from jade as part of a ceasefire agreement. During the ceasefire, the profit from selling jade went to the Myanmar government. However, the government’s jade sales ended when the ceasefire ended in 2011. The KIO is now making money again from jade mining in Hpakant. In May, the Myanmar military ordered all large mining machinery to be taken away from Hpakant. The KIO told companies to disobey this order. Some mining machinery is still there, and some mining is still happening in parts of Hpakant under the control of the KIO. Many wealthy businesspeople who are connected to the government are also involved in jade mining. There were about 700 companies mining in Hpakant and Lone Khin townships before the ceasefire ended. It is bad for their business interests if Hpakant is under KIO control. However, the conflict also affects small traders too. One businessman from Mandalay said “a few months ago, it was common for more than ten Chinese traders to come to the market every week. But now, only four or five traders come here in a month.” The Hpakant jade mines are known for unsafe working conditions. Many mine managers are also said to pay their staff with drugs. Drug use by miners, and the many sex workers who also live and work in Hpakant, are two main reasons that Hpakant has one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS in Asia.
Sources: http://www.irrawaddy.org/conflict/conflict-adding-to-hpakants-misery.html http://www.irrawaddy.org/business/jade-sales-dwindle-amid-conflict-and-chinese-anti-graft-campaign.html
1. Who are the main actors in this conflict? 2. Who are the supporting actors in this conflict? 3. Is the conflict violent? 4. What main issue is causing this conflict? Is there more than one main issue? 5. Draw a map of this conflict.
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How does intrastate conflict affect interpersonal conflict?
1. In groups, choose a conflict at a specific point in time. aCTIVITY 2. Decide from what point of view you want to create the conflict map. Don’t forget to place yourself and/or your organisation on Create a Conflict Map the map. 3. While mapping ask yourself the following questions: a. Who are the main actors in this conflict? b. Who are the supporting actors (including marginalised groups)? c. What are the relationships between all these actors and how can they be represented on the map? Consider alliances, close contacts, broken relationships and conflict (violent or non-violent) . d. Are there any key issues between the actors that should be mentioned on the map? (Write them in a square box.) e. Where are you and/or your organisation in relation to the actors? Do you have any specific relationships that might give you and/or your organisation opportunities to work on this conflict?
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a conflict map? Discussion 2. Is it possible to put all actors in a conflict on a conflict map? Why or why not? 3. How can the opinions and points of view of different actors affect the way that the conflict map is drawn? Is this something that can be avoided?
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preview 5.4 – Conflict Icebergs
1. Do actors in a conflict The conflict iceberg helps actors in conflict to identify their goals often talk about their and their needs. A goal is how an actor meets their needs. For needs? Why or why not? example, with the need for food (subsistence), one person might What do actors usually pick some fruit and another might go to a teashop. These are goals. talk about? Goals are the top of the conflict iceberg. They are the things we 2. Can meeting your needs cause conflict? How? can see and hear in a conflict. The needs are “below the water“ on the bottom of the iceberg. These are more difficult to see or hear in a conflict. When individuals or groups trust each other, it is easier to talk about needs. But when there is not much trust, people will often speak about goals, not needs. Talking about needs can make people feel vulnerable. When you do not trust someone, you want them to think you are strong, not weak. Talking about goals often feels more comfortable in situations of conflict. However, only talking about goals does not help others to understand our true needs. Understanding actors’ true needs is one step towards transforming or resolving a conflict. The conflict iceberg helps us to: • separate goals from the underlying needs; • identify the most important needs in the conflict; • identify similar or shared needs between actors.
Sample Conflict Iceberg The goals that each actor says they have.
GOals
Needs
The needs that each actor has.
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Read the scenario and answer the questions. aCTIVITY
Parents and their needs and Goals children often want different things. The following conflict iceberg shows
what the parents NEVER are saying to their teenager, and what the teenager is saying back. The iceberg also includes the needs of both actors.
Parents Goals Teenager a. “You cannot go out with d. “I want time to relax and talk your friends after school—you with my friends after I spend must come home and study.” all day in the classroom.” b. “You need to help us more e. “I need to continue my in our shop.” education.” c. “Please attend community f. “I would like to sleep religious activities with us in my free time.” every week.” • subsistence needs • awareness • affection • leisure • leisure • autonomy • ______• ______
1. What are the goals, and which need does each fulfill? a. The parents’ goal of coming home after school to study fulfills their need of affection . b. The parents’ goal of ______fulfills their need of ______. c. The parents’ goal of ______fulfills their need of ______. d. The teenager’s goal of ______fulfills his need of ______. e. The teenager’s goal of ______fulfills his need of ______. f. The teenager’s goal of ______fulfills his need of ______. 2. Add a fourth need to each side of the iceberg. 3. Leisure is a shared need. How does each side meet this need? 4. Why do you think these two actors are having a conflict if some of their needs are the same? 5. What are some solutions that meet the needs of both actors at the same time?
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Focus on Myanmar: Anti-Chinese riots
In 1967, there was shortage of rice in Yangon because a cyclone had hit the country earlier in the year. The rice shortage became a serious problem. The government’s mismanagement was mostly to blame for the shortage, but people’s anger turned against Chinese traders. The Chinese traders controlled much of the black-market rice trade. Traders were storing rice because they knew they could sell it for a higher price as the rice shortage got worse. Some people were also angry because the Chinese Embassy was giving Chairman Mao buttons (badges) to overseas Chinese students in Yangon (Chairman Mao was the leader of China). The Myanmar government made an order forbidding the wearing of Mao buttons. When Chinese students continued to wear the badges, the government expelled hundreds of Chinese students from school and closed the schools. The Chinese embassy protested and organised a mass demonstration of Chinese students. People started rioting, and the Chinese embassy and many Chinese-owned shops and homes were attacked. Groups of angry Burmese people rioted for three days in the streets of Rangoon. They showed their anger against Rangoon’s overseas Chinese by burning Chinese stores, houses and cars. At the end of three days, 50 to 80 local Chinese had been killed and many more injured. Thousands of dollars of property had been damaged. It was reported that the military did nothing to stop the rioters destroying property and killing Chinese residents of the city.
Source: http://www.foia.cia.gov/sites/default/files/document_conversions/14/esau-52.pdf The Rise and Fall of the Communist Party of Burma (CPB) by Bertil Lintner. 1990
1. What were the goals of the Chinese Embassy? 2. What were the goals of the rioters? 3. What were the needs of these groups? 4. Draw a conflict iceberg about this situation. 5. Would understanding each actor’s needs in this situation have helped to prevent the riots?
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1. In pairs, choose a conflict and identify the two main actors. aCTIVITY 2. Write the actors’ goals on a conflict iceberg. 3. Identify the needs that fit with each of the goals. Highlight the Create a Conflict iceberg needs that are the same for both actors. 4. List solutions that meet the shared needs of both actors. 5. Present your diagram and solutions to the class.
Actor A ______Actor B ______
Goals
needs
1. What are the advantages of the conflict iceberg tool? Discussion 2. What are some of the limitations of a conflict iceberg? When would it not be helpful? 3. Think of a historical conflict. How would the conflict iceberg have helped to change the conflict?
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Conclusion 1. Identify the tool that would be most useful in analysing each conflict (conflict timeline, conflict mapping, or conflict iceberg). identify the best tool 2. Why did you choose each tool?
Scenario A
When you walk upstream to see why there is no water coming, you find wet rice paddies, a large dam and hydropower station. Many of your neighbours are working in the fields and at the power station. They tell you that they no longer work on their own land because the river is gone. They now work on a large farm. The farm is owned by two ethnic army families, as part of the peace agreement. When the conflict ended, the government built the power station and gave electricity to your village. They allowed the army families enough water to operate Eight years ago, your family left your village because a large farm. of the fighting between the government and You are angry. The government has improved the different ethnic armies. The village is near a river. village with electricity, but you and most other In the past, the villagers used the river to catch fish villagers can no longer farm your land. Your life is and to water their vegetable fields and rice paddies. very hard, but this is your home and you want to The river was shared by the whole community. stay. You need to work on the big farm to feed your You and your family have come back to your village family. However, your identity is as a farmer, and and now live in your old home. You plan for new you want to be able to farm your own land. You and vegetable fields and rice paddies. Then you notice a group of village representatives visit the power that most of the fields and paddies around your station and the farm several times, but the large land are dry and empty. You see the water in the farmer and the government are not willing to meet river is flowing very slowly and lightly. with you and discuss a way to solve this problem.
Scenario B
Your town is in a beautiful, mountainous area. There are many lakes near the town, and lots of pagodas on the hills. Some businessmen from the big city in your region have been coming to the HOTEL town a lot. You’ve heard that they are talking to local authorities about building some hotels in town and advertising the town to tourists. You tell your father what you’ve heard. He becomes very upset and leaves the house to talk to some of his friends at the tea shop.
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A few months later, a new hotel has been built. guides are from outside your town. They only take You see tourists coming into town. Your English the tourists to places owned by their city friends. is strong and you know the area well. You think You tell your father all about this, and he leaves you might be able to earn money by giving tours the house angry again. of the area. You give tours for a few weeks and The next day, a group of your father’s friends and earn some money. Your family is happy to have several monks from the nearby monastery start the extra money and you think about creating a a protest in front of the hotel. They demand that tour company with some of your friends. only local business people be allowed to build One day you arrive at the hotel to take a group hotels and start companies. It is peaceful in the on a tour. The hotel manager comes out and tells beginning but then someone throws a rock and you that you’re banned from taking his guests breaks a window in the hotel. Suddenly things get on tours. The next day, the hotel puts up a sign bad and the local authorities come. Your father is announcing their own tours. All of the hotel’s arrested for starting a protest.
Scenario C
As a response to this, several men from your town joined the rebel army. When the government soldiers from a nearby camp found out about this, they came to the village and arrested some of their family members. The government soldiers never left the town. The townspeople felt very unsafe. One night about six years ago, the government soldiers got very drunk and began shooting some of the farm animals. They used them to feed all the soldiers in town. The owners of all the animals were For many years there has been violent conflict in extremely angry and went to the building where the your region. No one remembers when the conflict soldiers lived. The villagers tried to set the building began, but about ten years ago, it got much worse. on fire, but the soldiers began shooting the villagers. Many people died. Ten years ago, the principal and one of the teachers from the school disappeared on their way home Last year, the government army left. When the one night. They were never heard from againgovernment soldiers left, rebel soldiers came to and their families were extremely worried. Their the village and burned down many of the houses. families think soldiers in the area killed them andThey blamed village leaders for working with the buried them in the forest. The soldiers in the areagovernment. They put some of the leaders in jail. say that they found two people spying for rebelsMany of the villagers tried to run away, but they and put them in jail. However, the soldiers will notwere captured and punished. say who the spies were. You are worried that this conflict will never end.
107 Conflict and peace - Student’s Book Glossary
The words in this glossary are technical terms used in this book. Throughout the book, words in the glossary appear in bold type on their first use.
actor (n) - Zmwfaumif (y#dyu©wpf&yfwGif constructive (adj) - tjyKoabmqefaom/ yg0ifywfoufaeaom Zmwfaumif)/ cooperate (v) - yl;aygif;aqmif&Gufonf/ agency (n) - ukd,fpm;vS,fae&m/ criticise (v) - a0zefonf/ aggression (n) - usL;ausmf&efpjcif;? &efvkdjcif;? deadline (n) - csdef;xm;aom? uefYowfxm;aom cdkuf&efa’gopdwf/ tcsdefumv ukefqHk;csdef/ ally (n) - r[mrdwf/ destructive (adj) - acsrIef;a&;qefaom/ autonomy (n) - ukd,fykdiftkyfcsKyfcGifh? vkyfykdifcGihf/ decentralise (v) - A[kdcsKyfukdifrI avQmhcsonf/ ban (n, v) - ydwfyifonf/ dialogue (n) - awGYqHkaqG;aEG;onf/ bias (n) - tpGJ&Sdjcif;? bufvkdufjcif;/ dispute (n, v) - tjiif;tcHk? tjiif;yGm;zG,f/ blame (n, v) - tjypfwifjcif;? tjypfwifonf/ dominate (v) - vTrf;rkd;jc,fvS,fonf/ bully (n, v) - tEkdifusifhjcif;? EkdifhxufpD;eif;jyKjcif;? economic zone (n) - pD;yGm;a&;ZHk/ tEkdifusifhonf? EkdifhxufpD;eif;jyKonf/ empathy (n) - pmemjcif;/ civil action (n) - t&yfzufvIyf&Sm;rI/ enforce (v) - tusdK;oufa&mufrI &Sdaponf? civilian (n) - t&yfom;/ vkdufemaqmif&Gufaponf/ class (n) as in social class- vlwef;pm; escalate (v) - t&SdefjrSifhwifonff/ (vlrIvlwef;pm;^tvTm)/ expectation (n) - arQmfrSef;csuf/ collective (adj) - pkaygif;xm;aom/ expression (n) - azmfjyjcif;? azmfxkwf ajymqdkjcif;/ commit (v) - usL;vGefonf/ feminine (adj) - rdef;rqefaom? £w¦d,yDoaom/ common ground (n) - bHkwlnDcsuf? bHk&yfwnfcsuf force (n, v) - tiftm;oHk;jcif;? tiftm;oHk;onf/ communal (adj) - vlrItokdif;t0kdif;ESifhqkdifaom/ gang (n) - tpktzGJU? tkyfpk/ compassion (n) - u½kPm&Sdjcif;/ inclusion (n) - xnfhoGif;jcif;/ compromise (n, v) - tay;t,lvkyfjcif;? aphpyfaqG;aEG;jcif;? tay;t,lvkyfonf? incompatible / compatible (adj) - rvkdufzufaom? aphpyfaqG;aEG;onf/ o[Zmwrjzpfaom/ vdkufzufaom? o[Zmwjzpfaom/ confront (v) - xdyfwkdufawGYonf? xdyfwkduf&ifqdkifonf/ infrastructure (n) - tajccHtaqmufttHk/ consent (n, v) - oabmwlcGifhjyKonf/ insult (n, v) - apmfum;onf? raxrJhjrif qufqH^jyKrlonf/ consequence (n) - tusdK;quf/
108 Unit. 1: Understanding Conflict integrity (n) - ½kd;om;ajzmifhrwfjcif;? *kPfodu©m/ raise awareness (v) - todynmay;onf? tjrifzGifhay;onf/ intervene (v) - Mum;0ifpGufzufonf/ realistic (adj) - vufawGUusaom/ intrastate (adj) - EkdifiHtwGif;ü jzpfaom/ rebel (n, v) - olykef/ aomif;usef;onf? ykefuefonf/ land grabbing (n) - v,f,majrrsm; odrf;,ljcif;/ record (n, v) - rSwfwrf;/ rSwfwrf;wifonf/ limit (n, v) - tuefYtowf twkdif;twm? uefYowfonf/ resilience (n) - cHedkif&nf&Sdjcif;? cHedkif&nf/ manipulate (v) - MudK;ukdifjc,fvS,fonf/ resist (v) - ckcHonf/ masculine (adj) - a,musfm;qefaom? resolve (v) - tjyD;owfajz&Sif;onf? qHk;jzwfonf/ yk&doqefaom/ repress (v) - zdESdyfonf/ massacre (n) - tpkvkduf tjyKHvkduf owfjzwfrI/ riot (n, v) - t"du½kPf;/ mediate (v) - ajyvnfrI&atmif aqmif&Gufonf? rumour (n) - aumv[mvowif;/ Mum;0ifjzefajzonf/ security (n) - vHkNcHKa&;? ab;uif;vHkNcHKa&;/ meet [your] needs (v) - vkdtyfcsufrsm;udk jznfhqnf;ay;onf/ stabilise (v) - wnfjidrfatmif vkyfaqmifonf/ mentality (n) - pdwfaeoabmxm;? pdwftcH/ subsistence (n) - touf&Sif &yfwnfrI? touf&Sif&yfwnfa&;twGuf vkdtyfaom t&mrsm;/ militia (n) - jynfolYppfwyfzGJU/ tense (adj) - tajctae wif;rmaom? mob (n) - vltkyfMuD;/ qufqHa&;wif;rmaom/ moitor (n, v) - apmifhMunfhonf/ terrorist (n) - tMurf;zuform;/ motivate (v) - pdwf"mwfwufMuGaponf? threat (n) - jcdrf;ajcmufjcif;? jcdrf;ajcmufrI/ wGef;tm;ay;onf/ tool (n) - enf;pepf/ mutual (adj) - tjyeftvSef? ESpfOD;ESpfzuf/ transform (v) - toGifajymif;aponf/ negotiate (v) - aphpyfnSdEIdif;onf/ trend (n, v) - wl½IrI? OD;wnf&m? vm;&m/ neutral (adj) - rnfonfhbufrS r,drf;aom? bufrvkdufaom/ trigger (n) - y#dyu©wpf&yfudk jzpfapaom rD;yGm;? cvkwf/ object [to] (v) - uefYuGufonf/ underlying (adj) - aemufuG,fwGif&Sdaeaom? obstacle (n) - t[efYtwm;? twm;tqD;/ ikyfvQdK;aeaom/ on purpose (adv) - wrif&nf&G,fvsuf? union (n) - aygif;pnf;jcif;? or*¾/ &nf&G,fcsuf&Sd&Sd/ uprising (n) - ykefuefxMuGrI? ykefuefjcif;/ opponent (n) - jydKifbuf/ violate (v) - csdK;azmufonf/ outcome (n) - tusdK;? &v’f/ vulnerable (adj) - ab;oifhvG,foaom? patriarchy (n) - a,musmf;BuD;pkd;tkyfcsKyfonfh xdcdkufvG,faom/ vlrIpepf/ point of view (n) - tjrif&Iaxmifh/ process (n, v) - jzpfpOf? vkyfief;pOf/ radical (adj) - t&if;tjrpfjzpfaom? tajccHusaom/
109 Conflict and peace - Student’s Book
Picture Acknowledgements. Where possible, Mote Oo Education has used Creative Commons or public domain images throughout this book, unless the images are the property of Mote Oo Education, or they belong to a partner and are used with permission. We have attempted to attribute copyright to copyright holders by providing a full URL. However, this list may incomplete as this book has been compiled over several years from many resources. If an image in this book has been incorrectly attributed, or has been mistakenly used, please contact the publisher and we will correctly attribute or remove from future editions. The views of the copyright holders do not necessarily reflect the views of Mote Oo Education. The following copyrighted photographs have been used in the publication of this book.
Page Author(s) Title/Description Source License Type
6 Davidlohr Bueso automatic for the people https://www.flickr.com/photos/daverugby83/5864277224 CC-BY 2.0
7 trokilinochchi Jan 2009 displacement in the Vanni https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tractors._Jan_2009_ CC-BY 2.0 displacement_in_the_Vanni.jpg
8 Pätzold, Ralf Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-1990-0414-009 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_ CC-BY-SA 3.0 Bild_183-1990-0414-009,_FDGB-Pokal,_1._FC_Lok_Leipzig_-_ Dynamo_Schwerin,_Ausschreitungen.jpg
10 Oxguy3 A rounded rectangle designed to look like a blank, aqua- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IPhone_icon_aqua.png CC-BY-SA 3.0 colored iPhone-style icon
14 benbansal.me An overpass on Strand Road helps ease traffic http://globalnewlightofmyanmar.com/ycdc-to-build-six-new- Unknown congestion in downtown Yangon City. footbridges-in-yangon-this-year/
28 Caricature by J.J., SVG A stereotypical caricature of a villain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Villainc.svg CC-BY-SA 3.0 file by Gustavb
29 Unknown Mynmar 7 http://asiafoundation.org/2014/04/02/picturing-the-promise-of- (c) The Asia libraries-in-myanmar/ Foundation
30 mr.throk money and guns https://www.flickr.com/photos/throk/3554307607 CC-BY-SA 2.0
30 Soumyadeep Paul Mouth wide shut https://www.flickr.com/photos/soumya_p/8463251783 CC-BY 2.0
34 Chiltepinster Northern Mockingbird juveniles at a bird bath in Austin, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mocking_Bird_ CC-BY-SA 3.0 Texas. Argument.jpg
39 jf 1234 Flower power https://www.flickr.com/photos/kde-head/1838470 CC-BY-SA 2.0
40 Sander van der Wel Bury your head in the sand https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bury_your_head_in_ CC-BY-SA 2.0 the_sand.jpg
42 Marc Venezia On the road to Bethlehem https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Israel-Palestinian_ CC-BY-SA 3.0 Wall_Ich_Bin_Eine_Berliner.jpg
42 Elizabeth Ashley Jerman That awkward moment when https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Young_couple_sitting_ CC-BY 2.0 apart_on_park_bench.jpg
43 Unknown Myo Myint Unknown (c) The Irrawaddy
49 Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown
51 William Cho A sandcastle by Castle Beach at East Coast Park, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sandcastle_at_East_ CC-BY-SA 2.0 Singapore. Coast_Park,_Singapore_-_20100110.jpg
52 Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown
55 Elya mirror, reflecting a vase https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mirror-vase.jpg CC-BY-SA 3.0
66 Burma Democratic BDC unequivocally denounces police brutalities https://www.flickr.com/photos/bdcburma/16760740206 CC-BY 2.0 Concern
67 AK Rockefeller Unknown http://akrockefeller.com/blog/the-last-thing-burma-needs-is- CC-BY-SA 3.0 shell/
75 Bernard B. ILarde Davao City Commemorative Monument of Peace & https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Commemorative_ CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unity Monument_of_Peace_%26_Unity.JPG
75 Adam Jones Vietnam – Hanoi – War Remnants Museum – Diorama https://www.flickr.com/photos/adam_jones/3774705098 CC-BY-SA 2.0 of Prisoner & Prison Cell
78 Jainamishra Antique Naga Tribal Beads from the Wovensouls https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ancestral_Naga_ CC-BY 3.0 Collection. Tribal_Beads.jpg
85 Steve Evans Father and child, Dhaka. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Father_and_child,_ CC-BY 2.0 Dhaka.jpg
85 Arifhidayat Javanese men often use en:Sarong in religious or https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sarungan.jpg CC-BY-SA 3.0 caasul occasion
85 Ekta Parishad Women at farmers rally, Bhopal, India https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Women_at_farmers_ CC-BY-SA 3.0 rally,_Bhopal,_India,_Nov_2005.jpg
90 AK Rockefeller Unknown http://akrockefeller.com/blog/the-last-thing-burma-needs-is- CC-BY-SA 3.0 shell/
90 AK Rockefeller Unknown http://akrockefeller.com/blog/the-last-thing-burma-needs-is- CC-BY-SA 3.0 shell/
90 AK Rockefeller Unknown http://akrockefeller.com/blog/the-last-thing-burma-needs-is- CC-BY-SA 3.0 shell/
94 Ulf Larsen LTTE bike platoon north of Kilinochi. https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamiltigrene#/media/File:LTTE_ CC-BY-SA 3.0 bike_platoon_north_of_Killinochini_may_2004.jpg
101 AK Rockefeller Unknown http://akrockefeller.com/blog/the-last-thing-burma-needs-is- CC-BY-SA 3.0 shell/
102 Created by Uwe Kils A photomontage of what a whole iceberg might look https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Iceberg.jpg CC-BY-SA 3.0 (iceberg) and: Wiska like Bodo (sky).
110 Unit. 1: Understanding Conflict
Credit where it’s due: Mote Oo Education would like to thank everyone involved in this project. Without you all, it would never have been possible. Below is a list of those who have worked on this project.
Writing and Editing: Alyssa Paylor, Daniel Korth, Katie Julian, Rory McLaughlin, Sally Kantar, Stan Jagger Glossary Translation and Editing: May Htut Pan Moe, Zayah Oo Design and Layout: Matthew Simpson Focus Group: Anna, Aye Myat Myat Myo, Jenelle Thomson, Marry, Sai Aung Hein Oo, Tun Tun Naing Illustrations: Kargyi, Suanpi Additonal Help and Support: Aung Aung, Naw Htwe Nyo,
If we have missed anyone out, we apologise. Please contact us and we will add your name on future editions.
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