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National Dialogue and Internal Mediation Processes: Perspectives on Theory and Practice the MINISTRY for FOREIGN AFFAIRS 4 / 2014 PUBLICATIONS OF 4 / 2014 THE MINISTRY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS 4 / 2014 National Dialogue and Internal Mediation Processes: Perspectives on Theory and Practice National Dialogue and Internal Mediation Processes: Perspectives National Dialogue and Internal Mediation Processes: Perspectives on Theory and Practice ISSN 0358-1489 (Printed) ISSN 2341-8230 (Web) ISBN 978-952-281-241-4 PDF ISBN 978-952-281-242-1 e-pub ISBN 978-952-281-243-8 MINISTRYULKOASIAINMINISTERIÖ FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRSUTRIKESMINISTERIET OF FINLAND National Dialogue and Internal Mediation Processes: Perspectives on Theory and Practice ISSN 0358-1489 (Printed) ISSN 2341-8230 (Web) ISBN 978-952-281-241-4 PDF ISBN 978-952-281-242-1 e-pub ISBN 978-952-281-243-8 Editor: Charlotta Collén, MFA, Finland Assistant editor: Elisa Tarkiainen, MFA, Finland Print: Grano Oy, Jyväskylä Layout: Grano Oy, Joensuu Contents Foreword ...................................................................................................................... 5 Erkki Tuomioja, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Finland Foreword ...................................................................................................................... 9 Pekka Haavisto, Minister for International Development, Finland Introduction .............................................................................................................. 11 Kimmo Kiljunen, Special Representative for Mediation of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Finland PART I: CONCEPTUAL THINKING .................................................................. 15 1 Conflict – Transformation through Dialogue and Mediation: Keeping Pace with the Times ....................................................................................... 17 Pertti Joenniemi 2 Role of External Actors in supporting National Dialogue Processes .. 35 Hannes Siebert, Chetan Kumar and Sanna Tasala 3 National Dialogues as Catalyst of Fundamental Change ...................... 41 Hannes Siebert PART II: EVIDENCE ON THE GROUND .......................................................... 47 4 South Africa: Ending Apartheid Through “Self-Mediation” ................ 49 Andries Odendaal 5 Yemen: Managing Change following the Arab Uprising....................... 87 Ali Saif Hassan and Alia Eshaq 6 Myanmar/Burma: Armed Groups, Contested Legitimacy and Political Transition ........................................................................................................105 Harn Yawnghwe 7 Syria: An Eye on Peace ................................................................................ 115 Omar Abdulaziz Hallaj Conclusions ............................................................................................................ 221 Kristiina Rintakoski, Karam Karam and Charlotta Collén APPENDICES ......................................................................................................... 231 Appendix 1: The National Dialogue and Mediation Processes Conference, Helsinki, 30 March - 2 April 2014 ....................................... 233 1.1 Concept Note .................................................................................................................... 235 1.2 Conference Programme ................................................................................................... 240 1.3 Report on the Conference Discussions ........................................................................ 247 Sanna Tasala & Timo R. Stewart 1.4 List of Speakers, Participants and Observers (including Conference Team) ...... 284 Appendix 2: Thematic Background Papers ............................................. 289 2.1 Decentralization and National Dialogues ................................................................... 291 Martin Wählisch 2.2 Natural Resources in Dialogue and Peace Processes ............................................... 314 Vida Hamd 2.3 The Security Agenda in National Dialogues: Consensus-building for Democratic Aspirations ................................................................................................. 335 Steve Hege About the authors .................................................................................................. 348 Foreword Erkki Tuomioja, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Finland Mediation is an effective instrument for conflict prevention or resolution. It is one of the great priorities of Finnish foreign policy. We have a strong track re- cord in mediation, and we are known as a constructive and respected partner in the international community. We have established our foreign policy trade- marks over decades. Our engagement through peacekeeping, civilian crisis management and development cooperation is well known. They also provide a solid background for mediation activities. We believe mediation has still a lot of untapped potential. This is why Finland has invested so heavily in promoting mediation during the past few years. We have helped to build further the norms and institutions as well as the skills and partnerships that are needed in professional mediation. In 2010, Finland and Turkey convened the Group of Friends of Mediation at the United Nations. The Group currently brings together 40 countries active in me- diation, seven regional organizations (ASEAN, AU, EU, OSCE, League of Arab States, OAS, and OIC) and the United Nations. In September 2014, during the high level week of the UN General Assembly, Finland and Turkey will organise the fifth ministerial meeting of the UN Group of Friends. With the support from the UN Group of Friends, we have now initiated three UN resolutions on strengthening the normative basis for mediation. The first- ever resolution on mediation was adopted in the General Assembly in June 2011. With the resolution, the United Nations took its role as a standard setter for mediation. The second one followed in 2012. The first two resolutions have already helped mediators in the field by reinforcing their mandate to act. In July 2014, a third resolution on mediation was unanimously adopted by the UN General Assembly. The third resolution has a special focus on regional and subregional organizations and it aims at creating closer partnerships in me- diation between the UN and regional organisations and encourages them to strengthen their collaboration and information exchange. It also highlights the 5 importance of full and effective participation of women in conflict prevention and resolution. Finland is convinced that all regional organizations would benefit from simi- lar mobilising force for mediation. One option is creating Friends of Media- tion groups in different regional organizations. We have recently launched the OSCE Group of Friends of Mediation, together with Turkey and Switzerland, and the European Union Friends of Mediation, together with Spain. I am fully convinced that more mediation, not less, is needed in today’s world. While stressing the importance of mediation, it must be admitted that media- tion has not always been used optimally in solving armed conflicts. One indica- tion of this is the non-implementation of peace agreements. Although almost all armed conflicts end in peace agreements, the relapse into conflict is all too common. I believe that in many cases, broader political ownership is the key for success. The present consensus in the field emphasizes inclusivity, national ownership, and the equal participation of men and women in peace efforts. These are re- flected in the fundamental principles of the UN Guidance for Effective Media- tion, which the UN Secretary General submitted in 2012, as a follow-up to the resolution in 2011. The conflicting parties and mediators must design strategies that address wide constituencies affected by the conflict. National ownership entails that the peace process cannot engage only the government, but the society at large. That is why national and local dialogues are so essential. They complement traditional third-party mediation in an important way. I want to stress that the concept of national dialogues is not intended to challenge mediation, but to strengthen it. Traditional third-party mediation, for its part, is often necessary in supporting the dialogues. Finland is convinced that women’s full participation is an urgent priority in any mediation effort or inclusive peace process. In spite of many international commitments, including the UN Security Council resolution 1325, the number of women and gender experts in formal peace-making processes remains frus- tratingly low. Very few peace agreements address gender-related issues. 6 We are committed to promoting gender equality and women’s involvement in all of our mediation work. More women must take part in negotiating teams of conflicting parties, and the voices of women must be heard and listened to in all peace processes including national dialogues. We should increase our efforts in helping all mediators, and conflict-ridden countries themselves, to increase peace. National dialogues are an important tool in reaching peace. This publication is an effort to raise awareness and de- bate on the experiences, current and future developments in building on na- tional dialogues as an inherent part of mediation. 7 8 Foreword Pekka Haavisto, Minister for International Development, Finland Conflict mediation has been and continues to be an essential part of Finnish for- eign policy. Our co-presidency of the IDPS (International Dialogue on Peace- building & Statebuilding), which started earlier this year, reinforces our com- mitment and
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