Protesters in Tahrir Square, Cairo
by Laurna Strikwerda
Washington, DC – Protestors in Egypt continue to fill Tahrir (Liberation) Square by the tens of thousands, building on two weeks of massive demonstrations calling for President Hosni Mubarak’s resignation. Though the protests have been mostly peaceful, the demonstrations have not been free from violence. Pro-government protestors – reportedly organised by the state – have thrown stones and Molotov cocktails, and wielded clubs against journalists and pro-democracy activists in Cairo’s Tahrir Square. read more…
A South Sudanese soldier keeps vigil at south Sudanese jungle town of Ri-kwangba, near Garamba forest on April 10, 2008, the venue of an anticipated peace agreement signing by Uganda's top rebel leader, Joseph Kony. (TONY KARUMBA/AFP/Getty Images)
Conflict doesn’t stop at borders, so why should peace?
This was the central question asked at yesterday’s Conflict Prevention & Resolution Forum (CPRF). The forum is a monthly platform for highlighting and discussing methods and timely topics in the field of conflict resolution. The forums are a collaborative project of Search for Common Ground and co-sponsored by a consortium of organizations that specialize in conflict resolution and/or public policy formation.
The topic of yesterday’s discussion was “Building Peace Across Borders.” The forum addressed the “peacebuilding gap” that often occurs across borders and in border lands. read more…
UN Peacekeepers in the DRC (from www.rnw.nl)
Rebecca Sargent’s weekly update of conflict around the world is a great resource to help stay abreast of conflict around the world and often features stories from countries we work in. In Democratic Republic of Congo, for example, six national police officers were rescued by UN Peacekeepers after being kidnapped by rebel forces last Saturday:
There was a breakthrough in peace negotiations between the Congolese national army and the Forces Republicaines Federalistes (FRF) in the Kivus. The FRF apparently agreed to hand over all their stocks of weapons and ammunition, and a peace ceremony was held in Minembwe where 500 FRF soldiers are reportedly on their way to integrate with the Congolese army. The six national police officers who were recently kidnapped by rebels were rescued this week by UN peacekeepers without paying a ransom or firing a shot. Parliament recently rejected a bill seeking to abolish the death penalty in the country, leaving human rights defenders divided on the issue. On Friday, 20-30 armed men are said to have launched an assault against an ammunition deport used by airport security in Lubumbashi, forcing the airport to close for five hours.
Search for Common Ground has been in DRC since 2001, working to improve government transparency and accountability. Search is currently working with the Congolese military on security sector reform, which aims to educate and sensitize members of the military around issues of sexual and gender based violence. One of our main tools in this effort is the Mobile Cinema project, which tackles the issue of rape during wartime and by both military and rebel forces through Weapon of War and Fighting the Silence. Media has enormous potential to bring about social change and SFCG has been using different formats and innovative production-based training approaches. Learn more about our work in the DRC, here.
Egyptian Coptic Christians and Muslims raise a cross and the Koran in Tahrir Square (MOHAMMED ABED/AFP/Getty Images)
Egyptians from all backgrounds continue to protest Mubarak’s continued reign in Tahrir Square, though in this third week of protests, the crowd has grown smaller. Mubarak insists that steps toward transition have already been taken, but for many, especially the younger protesters, this gesture is not enough.
What has remained constant (and what should be noted by those who want to think of this as an Islamic uprising)* is the diversity of the protesters and the solidarity they have shown. On Friday, Coptic Christians protected their fellow Egyptians, joining hands to encircle Muslim protesters while they prayed.
On Sunday, the favor was returned:
[The Muslims] surrounded Christians celebrating Mass in Cairo’s central plaza, ground zero for the secular pro-democracy protests reverberating throughout the Middle East.
“In the name of Jesus and Muhammed, we unify our ranks,” the Rev. Ihab al-Kharat told the crowd in his sermon.
“We will keep protesting until the fall of the tyranny,” he said.
Some of the worshipers began to cry as the congregation sang, “Bless our country, listen to the cries of our hearts.”
Afterward, the crowd of both Muslims and Christians chanted “one hand” – meaning “we are one” – and held up a Koran and a cross.
Read the rest of this story here.
Our Favorite Super Bowl Commercial
Widening the border:
What are your favorite common ground-y ads? Did we miss something from this year’s super bowl?
Performing at the radio launch
On January 7th Search for Common Ground Timor-Leste launched a Youth Radio for Peace Building magazine program called Babadok Rebenta! (“The Drums of Peace”). Nearly 100 people attended the launch, which included introductory remarks from U.S. Ambassador Judith Fergin and Leo Vigildo Hornai, from the National Youth Council. The event was opened by the Minister of Social Solidarity, Domingas Maria Alves, who beat the babadok (drum) to signify the launch.
“The more young people participate in civic life, the better the chances that civil institutions will be vibrant and supportive of a society brimming with vitality and hope.“
–U.S. Ambassador Judith Fergin
SFCG Timor-Leste staff with President José Ramos-Horta prior to the radio program's launch.
With support from UNDP, SFCG facilitated a roundtable discussion on the “Role of Youth in the Peace Building Process”, generating valuable exchange between youth representatives from 13 districts, and government officials, including President Ramos-Horta, Minister Alves, the Secretary of State for Security, Francisco Guterres, as well as representatives from the office of the Secretary of State for Youth and Sport. The event drew participation from USAID’s Acting Mission Director, SFCG’s Regional Director, the United Nations, SFCG’s local partners — BELUN and TLMDC, along with community radio managers, and youth leaders from across Timor-Leste.
Babadok Rebenta! is a weekly radio magazine produced “for youth, by youth, and about youth.” The shows are being broadcast every Saturday, from January to June 2011, on Radio Timor-Leste (RTL) and 15 community radio stations nationwide. After every radio magazine show, SFCG-trained youth radio presenters facilitate hour-long talk shows on the themes and issues presented during the pre-produced show. This allows for local, solutions-oriented discussions, in local languages. Our team also worked with Timor Telecom who has graciously provided a free incoming SMS line for the radio program which allows listening to SMS the program and talk shows for free.
SFCG Youth reporters and presenters at the MTV-EXIT concert which followed the joint media training
In advance of the radio production, SFCG’s youth reporters and presenters had been trained in journalism and media. One of their training was a joint media training on human trafficking conducted with MTV-EXIT. Human trafficking was identified as a major issue affecting TL at a SFCG Youth Forum conducted in August 2010. 24 issues were identified and each will be the focus one of the BR! episodes.
President Ramos-Horta has expressed his support of the venture. He met with the SFCG-TL team and one of the youth reporters was able to interview him for a segment to be used on BR!, exploring peace in the country and opportunities for young people to be involved in their country’s development. The president also recorded a promo for the show: “I am Ramos-Horta, President of the Republic of Timor-Leste, for Babadok Rebenta!”
Early responses to the program, screened in focus group discussions have been positive. Listeners say the show is engaging, innovative and provides a forum and format for on-air discussions that they have never heard before.
