A FORUM FOR PEACE AND SECURITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY SEPTEMBER 2013 BUILDING PEACE 2 PREVENTING DEADLY CONFLICT The World As It Is and The World As It Should Be Interview with United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson SEPARATE TRACKS, EARLY WARNING, EARLY THE BUSINESS OF COMMON GOALS: RESPONSE: LESSONS PREVENTING ARMED PREVENTING GENOCIDE FROM SRI LANKA CONFLICT AND CONFLICT BUILDING PEACE 2 PREVENTING DEADLY CONFLICT A FORUM FOR PEACE AND SECURITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY 3 A Letter from the Editor-in-Chief 26 Early Warning, Early Response: Lessons from Sri Lanka ON THE GROUND Madhawa “Mads” Palihapitiya 4 Playing Fair: Using Sports to 30 The Business of Preventing Avoid Conflict in Nigeria Armed Conflict Michael Olufemi Sodipo Angela Rivas Gamboa 6 Letting the Other In: Conflict PROOF OF IMPACT Prevention in Myanmar Emma Leslie 32 Overcoming Obstacles to Peace Laurel Miller 8 Bringing Up the Child: Local Conflict Prevention Mechanisms NOTES ON POLICY 6 in Kenya Alice Wairimu Nderitu 34 The Atrocities Prevention Board: An Experiment in Genocide INTERVIEW Prevention Systems Andrea Bartoli 12 The World As It Is and The World As It Should Be: Interview with 36 Reminders of the Promise: Civil United Nations Deputy Secretary- Society and the Responsibility to 12 General Jan Eliasson Protect Melanie Greenberg Don Deya FEATURES REVIEWS 17 Separate Tracks, Common Goals: 38 Documentary Film Review: Preventing Genocide and Conflict “A Whisper to a Roar” Lisa Schirch Julia Roig 21 21 A Living Reality? The 40 Book Review: Responsibility to Protect and the “Give Peace a Chance” Prevention of Genocide and Mass Darynell Rodriguez Torres Atrocities Alex J. Bellamy BY THE NUMBERS 24 Beyond the Last Resort: The US 41 Conflict Prevention Facts Military and Conflict Prevention Janine Davidson All rights reserved. Any reproduction of any articles or sections of this publication must give credit to Building Peace as the original source. A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Dear Reader, In many areas of our lives, we under- a government and armed groups to main- stand that an ounce of prevention is worth tain the peace, as occurred in Myanmar. In a pound of cure. In medicine, we talk Nigeria, preventing violence starts on the about ways that we can watch our diet and playground, thanks to a sports project that blood pressure to avoid problems later. In brings together children from various reli- highway safety, we talk about using seat gious and ethnic groups and teaches them belts and air bags to prevent injury. The how to deal with intercultural prejudices same is true for building peace. There are and different values. Private companies many ways to prevent a conflict from esca- operating in Colombia have invested in lating to violence, but these efforts are not conflict prevention initiatives to sustain documented nearly enough, nor are they and grow their businesses. held up as successes for other communi- ties, policymakers, or funders to emulate. Despite current armed conflicts that plague This issue of Building Peace focuses on our world, there are powerful alternatives creative interventions, from individual, to war and violence. Thanks to the dedi- community, and governmental points of cated and relentless efforts of peacebuilders view, designed to prevent deadly violence. across the globe, we are increasingly able to understand the roots of deadly violence Just as one medication cannot cure and better equipped to prevent future every illness, there is no one-size-fits-all conflicts. As always, we encourage you approach to conflict and violence preven- to contact us with your own reactions and tion. Successful prevention requires a deep ideas to Building Peace. contextual understanding—at the human, social, economic, and political levels. Warmly, Armed with this local awareness and the critical skills to train, advocate, mediate, Jessica Berns or build coalitions, peacebuilders around Editor-in-Chief the world are uniquely positioned to appre- Building Peace ciate the underlying causes of tension and assess which tools or strategies will be most effective in fostering peace and preventing conflict from erupting. In this issue, you will learn about successful violence prevention initiatives. These efforts are sometimes designed and imple- mented by traditional peacebuilders (e.g., educators and trainers) and other times are the work of actors one might not normally designate as peacebuilders (e.g., private sector companies). For instance, a nongov- ernmental organization mediates between September 2013 3 ON THE GROUND NIGERIA PHOTO: SODIPO PLAYING In May 2004, I survived a violent riot Brutal ethno-religious violence has been in Kano, a city in northern Nigeria. common in Nigeria since the country Young men swarmed through the streets of returned to civil rule on May 29, 1999. my neighborhood, burning and destroying Given Nigeria’s heterogeneous society, randomly in retaliation to the ethnic with people of diverse ethnic, linguistic, violence in Yelwa and Shendam in central and cultural backgrounds, competition for FAIR Nigeria. I was attacked simply because I socioeconomic resources is acute. This am not an indigene of Kano. I have lived in competition heightens ethnic identities so Using Sports to Kano for twenty-eight years, but because much that community loyalty takes prece- I hail from southwest Nigeria teenagers dence over national loyalty. Democracy Avoid Conflict in turned terrorists burned down my home has offered Nigerians a channel to vent Nigeria and car. their frustrations with unfulfilled expecta- tions and question whether Nigeria should I know how deep the wounds are on all remain a unified country. But ethnic poli- by Michael Olufemi Sodipo sides in Nigeria, how deeply rooted preju- tics still threaten Nigeria’s sovereignty dices are in people, yet I can still hardly and territorial integrity, due largely to the believe the attacks occurred. Instead of self-aggrandizement of a few politicians. seeking revenge, however, I sought peace. The sociopolitical situation for minorities I asked why young people harbored so and settlers (i.e., nonindigenes) continues much hatred and had so little hope for their to worsen. own futures, and I vowed to do something that would make a positive difference. The On May 27, 2006—Children’s Day in Peace Initiative Network, an organiza- Nigeria—the Peace Initiative Network, in tion that focuses on peacebuilding, is my partnership with the British Council, inau- contribution toward a peaceful world. It gurated the Peace Club project for young arose from my intense desire to do my part people in northern Nigeria to promote in finding solutions to the crises and devel- dialogue and understanding through peace opmental challenges confronting Africa education and sports. The project brings and Nigeria in particular. young Muslims and Christians, indigenes 4 BUILDING PEACE As the children learn to be creative together and to think inclusively, adults from different ethnic groups now they often assume the role of the invite each other to christening ceremo- facilitator themselves. nies, weddings, and funerals, which was not common before. The Peace Club project for young people and settlers, together using sports to bridge with intercultural prejudices and different in Nigeria shows how sports can be used PHOTO: SODIPO the divides among them. The club started values. Every dispute and activity ended in to promote peace. But sports can clearly with 50 members—30 boys and 20 girls— a discussion in which participants contrib- cause conflict as well, so a sports proj- from 7 high schools in Kano. Currently uted to its resolution. In other words, the ect’s success depends greatly on how it is the club has over 8,000 members from learning process would not have existed designed. Well-designed sports activities 60 schools in 4 Nigerian states. In 2009 without the conflicts. As 17-year-old club that incorporate the best values of sports it received support from Generations For member Yusuf Ibrahim responded during a and peacebuilding principles—such as Peace (GFP), an organization in Jordan. project assessment, “Before attending this acceptance, cooperation, inclusion, respon- program I used to hate Christians. But now, sibility, respect, and trust—help build the The project team chose Kano as the loca- I have learnt through Peace Club to love values and communication skills people tion for Peace Club’s pilot project, training and appreciate them.” need to prevent and resolve conflicts in young people from both religions and their own lives. When integrated prop- diverse ethnic groups as peer educators Most conflicts in Nigeria are in fact not erly with other community programs and and coaches—not for athletics but for a religious or ethnic; they are given ethnic services, sports initiatives can also connect new system of thinking. Young people or religious expressions for political participants to resources that help them in are taught to think and act as global citi- reasons. But such expressions were very this process, such as health services, educa- zens—to question ethnic stereotypes visible in our project, due in part to the tion, and employment opportunities or and prejudices. Since schools, especially influence of certain sociocultural and reli- assistance in starting a small business. To in Kano, are separated by gender and gious teachings that reinforced stereotypes enable a sports program to unleash its full ethnicity, the Peace Club also promotes a and prejudice among the students. For positive potential, coaches must monitor constructive approach to religious, ethnic, example, a child who loses the ball during and guide its activities effectively. gender, and linguistic diversity. a game might begin insulting another ethnic group. Addressing the problem Michael Olufemi Sodipo is the founder Peace Club members meet once a week. immediately prevented the conflict from and project coordinator of Peace Sessions usually begin with a game of escalating. Initiative Network, a nongovernmental soccer, basketball, or volleyball.