I choose life.qxd 26. 03. 01 11:40 Page 1 I Choose Life I choose life.qxd 26. 03. 01 11:40 Page 2 This narrative is based on individual reports of all peace teams (from Beli Manastir, I Choose Life Dalj, Okuèani, Slavonski Brod, Tenja and Vukovar), published results of external evaluations (evaluation of the Programme for Training of PTs and impact assess- ment of the Project) and researches (on impact of the Listening Programme on com- munity members and impact of peace education on children in war-affected com- munities). Building a Democratic Society Based on the Culture of Non-violence-Post-war Publisher: Peace Building in Eastern Croatia Centre for Peace, Non-violence and Human Rights-Osijek Editor: Katarina Kruhonja Report on the first project phase Assistent to the editor: (1998-2000) Jelena-Gordana Zloiæ Sonja Staniæ Translation: Vinja Pavièiæ, M.Sc. design & prepress: Davorin Palijan Kaleidoskop print: Grafika Centre for Peace, Non-violence and Human Rights Osijek and Life and Peace Institute, Uppsala and "The Face of Peace", Slavonski Brod This book was made possible through financial support provided by the European Union. edited by: M.D. Katarina Kruhonja I choose life.qxd 26. 03. 01 11:40 Page 4 Project: PROJECT NUMBER Building a Democratic Society Based on the Culture of Non-violence Post-war Peace Building in Eastern Croatia Main coordination organisation Life and Peace Institute Person responsible: Susanne Thurfjell Address: PO Box 1520, SE-751 45 Uppsala, Sweden Tel. 46 18 16 97 79 Fax. 46 18 69 30 59 E-mail: [email protected] Main implementing organisation Centre for Peace, Non-violence and Human Rights Person responsible: Katarina Kruhonja Address: 31000 Osijek, upanijska 7 Tel. & fax 385 31 206 886 E-mail: [email protected] Peace teams: Beli Manastir, Dalj, Okuèani, Slavonski Brod, Tenja, and Vukovar Partner organisations: "The Face of Peace" Slavonski Brod Person responsible: Stribor Uzelac Address: J. J. Strossmayer 2b Tel. & fax 385 35 266 772 E-mail: [email protected] Austrian Peace Service Person responsible: Marcus Puhringe Address: Mengerstrasse 23, A-4040 Linz Tel: ++43-732-24 40 11 556 Fax: ++43-732-24 40 11 72 E-mail: [email protected] Funding European Commission - Human Rights and Democratisation Programme: 62%; The Council of Europe - contributions by the Government of the Republic of Austria, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Danish Church Aid, the Westminster Foundation, the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ohne Ruestung Leben, OSCE; Open Society Croatia, Balkan Peace Project, the Government of the Republic of Croatia - Commission for Equality, the Dutch Embassy, UNHCR, IKV, Croatian Forestry Commission, City Government of Osijek and Dalj, and others: a total of 38%. Project location Eastern Croatia (Beli Manastir and surroundings, Dalj, Okuèani, Slavonski Brod, Tenja, Vukovar, Berak) and some activities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I choose life.qxd 26. 03. 01 11:40 Page 6 contents contents 10 INTRODUCTION 4. SUB REGIONAL EXCHANGE AND COOPERATION 93 Annexe num 11. Letter from Tajikistan 95 11 1. PROJECT HISTORY 11 PROJECT OBJECTIVES 5. PROJECT PLANNING, EVALUATION, MONITORING, MANAGEMENT 96 PLANNING AND EVALUATION 96 12 2. THE MODEL APPLIED MONITORING 96 12 BASIC PRECEPTS MENTORSHIP 97 12 DESCRIPTION OF THE MODEL BURNOUT CONTROL 98 13 BASIC ELEMENTS OF THE PROJECT PROJECT MENNAGEMENT 98 SELF-EVALUATION AND EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT OF MONITORING AND 100 MANAGEMENT 14 3. GENERAL BACKGROUND Annexe num 12. Peace teams - Small Cores of Building the Culture of Non-Violence 102 14 THE WAR - How we Found our Way to Empowerment 15 CEASE FIRE 15 PEACEFUL REINTEGRATION OF EASTERN SLAVONIA-THE UNTAES REGION 6. EXTERNAL EVALUATION AND RESEARCH 106 18 PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION REPORT EVALUATION ON THE TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR PEACE WORKERS 106 RESEARCH OF THE LISTENING PROGRAMME EFFECTS ON 106 20 1. RECRUITMENT, SELECTION AND TREAINING OF PEACE WORKERS INTEGRATION PROCESSES 20 SELECTION RESEARCH OF PEACE EDUCATION EFFECTS ON A GROUP OF CHILDREN FROM A 108 21 PEACE TEAMS TRAINING LOCAL COMMUNITY WITH TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE (BERAK) 22 PEACE TEAMS' PLACEMENT IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES EXTERNAL EVALUATION OF THE PROJECT EFFECTS ON LOCAL COMMUNITIES 108 23 "VIRTUAL" PEACE TEAM IN BERAK COMMENT ON EVALUATION AND RESEARCH 110 23 IN-SERVICE PEACE TEAM TRAINING 24 TRAINING AND SUPPORT OF NEW PEACE TEAM MEMBERS 24 Annexe num 1. "Values, attitudes and qualifications required when selecting people to work as 7. CONFERENCE "WEAVING THE PEACE" - VUKOVAR 111 peace workers in conflict and crises areas" 25 2. ACTIVITIES IN COMMUNITIES ACHIEVEMENTS AND AREAS THAT 114 25 THE LISTENING PROGRAMME 32 THE LISTENING PROGRAMME FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES NEED IMPROVEMENT 35 EDUCATION OF ADULTS AND PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 1. ACHIEVEMENTS 116 41 CAPACITY AND COMMUNITY BUILDING COURSES GENERAL ACHIEVEMENTS 116 42 EMPOVERING WOMEN FOR PEACE AND COMMUNITY BUILDING SPECIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS 116 46 PEACE BUILDING THROUGH YOUTH EMPOWERMENT - WORKING WITH YOUTH AND CHILDREN 51 PEACE BUILDING THROUGH EMPOWERMENT OF RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES 2. AREAS THAT NEED IMPROVEMENT 118 54 PEACE BUILDING THROUGH MEDIA AND CULTURE GENERAL AREAS THAT NEED IMPROVEMENT 118 58 ELECTION ACTIVITIES - CAMPAIGN "GLAS'99 SPECIFIC AREAS THAT NEED IMPROVEMENT 118 60 IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF THE WORK OF PTS ON LOCAL COMMUNITIES PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT 118 SUPPORT AND EMPOWERMENT OF PEACE TEAMS 119 66 Annexe num 2. Berak -rebilding of bridges; COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES 120 70 Annexe num 3. Peace team beli Manastir - NETWORKING AND COOPERATION 120 - We began by listening to the Roma community in Baranja SUSTAINABILITY 120 71 Annexe num 4. Peace team Tenja - We started by listening SUPERVISION, EVALUATION, RESEARCH 121 73 Annexe num 5. Peace team The Face of Peace - A step in cross border Peacebuilding Annexe num 13. Peace Work as a Pledge for the Future 122 76 Annexe num 6. Exclusion and Embracement - book review 78 Annexe num 7. The Impact Assessment of activities for Woman 80 Annexe num 8. A note on visiting the "Peace School" 82 Annexe num 9. Peace team Dalj - Statues of hope LEARNING AND LESSONS LEARNED 128 86 Annexe num 10. Campaign Glas'99 and civil society 1. ON PEACE BUILDING STRATEGY 129 2. PEACEBUILDING METHODS AND APPROACHES 131 87 3. NETWORKING AND COOPERATION 3. TARGET GROUPS 133 87 THE PROJECT BUILDING A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY BASED ON THE 4. PEACE TEAMS - A TEMPORARY PEACE "STRUCTURE" 133 CULTURE OF NONVIOLENCE - A PARTNER PROJECT 89 NETWORKING AND COOPERATION WITH OTHER LOCAL AND 5. SELECTION, TRAINING AND SUPPORT OF PEACE TEAMS 134 NATIONAL ORGANISATIONS 6. MONITORING, EVALUATION, RESEARCH 136 89 COOPERATION WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND INSTITUTIONS 7. PROJECT MANAGEMENT 137 90 COOPERATION WITH INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS 91 NETWORKING AND COOPERATION WITH OTHER PROJECTS OF THE CENTRE FOR PEACE 6 I choose life I choose life 7 I choose life.qxd 26. 03. 01 11:40 Page 8 INSTEAD OF FOREWORD This book, which was our response to war and divisions, would be neither realised nor brought to light without support and encouragement given by our families, friends, organisations, individuals and donors. Especially I would like to thank prof. Adam Curle, Margaret Ingelstam, Herb Walters and Michelle Kurtz who have always shared their kindness, knowledge and wisdom with us. This project could also not be realised without the politics and decision of the European Union to support a comprehensive approach to post-war peacebuilding through substantial resources. Civil society organisations from war-torn area played an important role in the forming and realisation of the project. M.D. Katarina Kruhonja I choose life 9 I choose life.qxd 26. 03. 01 11:40 Page 10 introduction project history INTRODUCTION 1. PROJECT HISTORY The project emerged from joint efforts and exchange between the Centre for Peace, Non-violence and Human Rights Osijek (CPO) and Life and Peace Institute, Uppsala (L&PI) as a reaction to the needs of post-war peace building in the war-torn areas of the Republic of Croatia. It is based on the Centre's initial experiences in working with returnees and rebuild- The Project idea and practice development are the elements of the learning process. Being ing trust in multiethnic communities and on experiences of international peace a part of community that learns, serves and creates is healing, inspiring and joyous. teams, but has been adjusted to circumstances and opportunities that international Sometimes, however, it can be very hard and painful. We would be happy if every one of intervention in the conflict could provide. us who lived this Project took something from it that would inspire him or her to go back to participating in peacebuilding in his/her family, working place, or wider community. The design of the project began at the time of Dayton peace negotiations and lasted We also hope that our experience will contribute to the knowledge of approaches and for a year. The United Nations Transitional Administration evaluated the project as methods of peacebuilding. very useful but did not give it any financial support nor did it help in its inclusion in the National Programme of Return and Reconstruction or with gaining the support of the National Reconstruction Committee, i.e. the government of the Republic of Croatia. Namely, the government of the Republic of Croatia was not interested in supporting the project. The project implementation started by recruitment, selection and training of peace workers in the summer of 1998 after we