editorial addressing growing challenges in n.w.f.p &...

Peacebuilders Pakistan Newsletter November 20091

This newsletter is an activity of the joint project of the (USIP) and SPADO for the capacity building ofcommunity stakeholders in the Conflict Resolution & Mediation Skills. The content of this publication is freefor publication and reproduction with the source acknowledgement. Composed by: Amna DurraniPlease send your feedback to [email protected] Tel: 051-2293659 Fax: 051-2293658 website: www.spado.org

Peacebuilders Pakistan NewsletterNovember 2009

EditorialRaza Shah KhanChief Executive, SPADOAddressing growing challenges in N.W.F.P & FATA

Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) andNorth Western belt of Pakistan holds aparamount position in global politics owing toits unique geo-strategic position and for havingremained a historical centre of trade and greatGandhara Civilization for over thousand yearsand accounts for great geo-strategic value.Governed under the FCR law having no directnational political and institutional presence, thearea has remained mostly neglected andpopulations undeveloped for years. The plightof the region further deteriorated with Pakistanassuming the role of a frontline State in “Waron Terror” in 2001 and consequently becomingopen target of military extremism, violence,target killings and targeted attacks countrywidelosing more than 25,425 citizens, majority fromNWFP and FATA, over the last eight years(2003-10). The wave of violence and terrorismhas not only triggered sense of insecurity anduncertainty among masses and affected socio-economic fabric of the society but haschallenged general confidence in the State andgovernment policies and institutions also whichis in turn paving way for political instability.While the strategies to address the emergingchallenges of eradicating violence andextremism and building a peaceful and justsociety might be varying from the stateadopting proactive approach to ensureprevalence of law and justice, equal

opportunities, review of policies and practicesto socio-economic and political integration ofthe marginalized and vulnerable groups in themain stream society, it is equally important tobe resourceful in the knowledge and techniqueof understanding and managing conflictsespecially in the conflict prone and post-conflictsociety like ours. Hence, growing challenges ofcombating violent tendencies call for formalintegrated efforts that provide for building skillsof the communities in general and of lawenforcement and executing agencies inparticular to help them understand, analyze andact for conflict mediation within theircommunities and capacitate them in non-violent conflict resolution techniques buildingupon traditional tools of mediation to avoiddifferences from escalating into violentconfrontations as we see in the case of N.W.F.P& FATA belt of the region today.

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Capacitating Communities as Actors of Peacebuilding

Pukhtoon socio-cultural set-up featuresindigenous tools of conflicts resolution andprevention- mediation or arbitration beingone of the major techniques carried outthrough the institution of Jirga in the tribalset-up. Building upon the customarypractices of non-violent conflict resolutionand transformation, the idea of transmittingthe meditation skills on wider scale in thecommunities, Sustainable Peace &Development Organization (SPADO) and the

United States Institute of Peace (USIP) cameup with the idea of capacity building in themediation and peaceful conflict resolutionof community stakeholders and establishingsuch a network of conflict resolutionfacilitators and mediators who would workwith their communities to resolve andprevent conflicts. “Training of Trainers inthe Conflict Resolution and Mediation Skill”was the first activity of the project takingplace in August 2009 in Islamabad. In thefirst stage of the project mapping andidentification of individuals andorganizations working on the promotion ofpeace and conflict resolution was carried

out. A pool of thirty-six individualsbelonging from FATA and NWFP fromacademia, civil society organizations,religious scholars, media, government linedepartments and conflict resolutionexperts, committed to the cause of peaceand conflict resolution were selected basedon the criteria of belonging and or workingwithin conflict-prone or pos conflict zonesof FATA and NWFP, having experience ofworking with community groups anddemonstrating commitment to takinginitiatives for resolving conflicts emerging intheir communities. One thirds of theparticipants comprised females fromacademia, government line departmentsand civil society.Trainers from United States Institute ofPeace (USIP) Ms. Linda Bishai and Ms. NinaSughrue facilitated the training course.

Over the three training days the trainerstaught skills on ways and techniques ofanalyzing conflict, getting familiar withdifferent conflict styles, adoptingappropriate and effective communicationand negotiating styles and understandingand resolving problems to the peacefulsolution. The training was interactive and


“In coming times, asparadigms of decision-making will beshifting from State tothe communitiesmore, the need for theskills and techniquesin the context ofresolving conflictsthrough mediation willtoo acquire substance,hence initiativesaiming at preparingcommunities for thisrole in present times isan appreciable step”.Dr. Fazlur RehmanPeacebuilders PakistanMediator

was delivered in a number of teachingstyles including lecturing, power pointvisuals, case studies and simulations. Theparticipants worked together in pairs andgroups and sometimes individually on theassignments.

The trainees learnt that conflicts are notalways negative and destructive rather theyare very natural to human nature andreflected the existence of diversity inhuman thought that in turn governsbehavior. Responding styles to opinions andattitudes though vary and thus differencesare created. The facilitators also describedhow conflicts and differences aresometimes useful and creative means toexplore more lasting and practical solutionsto problems in hand. With the perspectiveof exploring the utility of the given toolsand techniques in the local context theparticipants engaged in thoroughdiscussions analyzing the recent andongoing conflicts in FATA and NWFP.Various stages ofconflict wereanalyzed withthe objective ofdeveloping theskill to analyzewhen it is hightime tointervene forresolving aconflict throughmediation.Communicationstyles wereidentified andthe need foradopting appropriate style in a specific setup was emphasized. Participants

were facilitated on how power relationshipfactor affected conflict resolution. Examplesof conflicts from local context were takenand put into the given models.

Secondcomponent ofthe trainingcomprisedformation ofgroups andassignment ofthemes forpreparation ofmodules for thefollow uptraining by thetrainees. Thepurpose of thisexercise is toengagingtrainees to thepractice of reallife problemsanalysis and solution and being able todevelop strategies of replicating them intotheir cultural and local context. All thetrainees have been divided into sevengroups where they would be workingtogether on their given assignments forpreparing modules on lines of frameworkstaught during the course and usingindigenous approaches for resolvingconflicts from the local cultural context. Thegroup formation was carried out keeping inview geographical proximity of theparticipants. Seven groups would bedeveloping modules on the followingthemes:

a. Conflict Analysisb. Conflict Stylesc. Communication Stylesd. Negotiations


e. Mediationf. Problem Solvingg. Agenda Development

In order to maintain coordination andfollow up among the group members,meetings were held with the entire groupfrom time to time. Trainees also sharedtheir problems and progress during thiscourse of time.

Establishment of Conflict Mediators’Network

The group has formally been organized intoa network of facilitators. The network hasformally been named as “Network ofPeacebuilders’ Pakistan” with the visionthat with continuous and persistentfacilitation the network will grow at thenational level playing its role as skilledhuman resource in the area of peace andconflict resolution in the volunteer andprofessional capacity. All members of thenetwork have been linked through an emaillist. The group posts discussions andrelevant materials and resources related topeace and conflict resolution are shared on

the discussion board through email list. A

network coordinator based in Islamabadhas been formally engaged to coordinatenetwork activities and maintain follow-up.

Islamic Resources Focusing on Peaceand DevelopmentContributed by Habib Ahmad

Mr. Habib Ahmad is working with aninternational organization in Swat. Heshared this abstract of his articlehighlighting in-depth instructions of Islamwith regard to peace building. This is anabstract, the complete article, he said wouldinclude case studies and simulations aimedto bring an actual image of the theory andpractice in the society and especially in thepost-conflicted zone with Islamicperspective.

“The basic philosophy of all religions isbased on peace and development. In theentire human history truth, sincerity,honesty, fair dealings and justice are alwaystermed as decent behavior while falsehood,dishonesty, leg pulling, corruption, injusticeand other crimes are looked down upon byall religions of the world.People’s opinions on different issues differ.This is not against human nature. God madehuman beings that way. Disagreeing oncertain issues is not sinful. Conflict comes inat the point of our reactions. The purpose


“We need to initiateserious efforts forpeace building inour society. Ibelieve these skillswould help me along way throughmy organization-Peace FoundationPakistan inpromoting thepractices of buildingpeace throughmediation skills”Maqsood AhmadMediator PP.

of religion is to build the capacity of itsfollowers and teach them patience. TheHoly Quran says about the softness andgentle behavior of the holy prophetMuhammad Peace be Upon Him “He was atthe height of excellent behavior”.Conflicts and wars also have certain rulesand limitations as mentioned in the GenevaConvention and other International HumanRights and Humanitarian Law. The code ofconduct in times of conflict and war isalready determined by Almighty Allah in allhis Books which He revealed onMessengers/Prophets from time to time.Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him) hadpracticed the rule and principles of avictorious in letter and spirit while Heconquered Makah (Holy City) fourteencenturies ago. He not only set the StandardOperating Procedures for war but also set acode of conduct for the victorious, andtaught on rules for dealing with women,children, the old.Islam explain the word Fesad (internaldisorder created by miscreants), which ismentioned together with its derivatives inapproximately fifty places in the Quran andwhich means "rebellion, destruction,famine, murder, ruin, warring, disbelief,plunder". Islam emphasizes to eliminateFesad first and then fight with otherenemies, as it would ruin Islam and Muslimsociety. Hence, Islam does not like any kindof state within a state and a state musthave its own law. Besides, there are anumber of religious practices andinstitutions that ensure social justice, suchas zakah (almsgiving), saddaqah (charity)and waqf (Islamic institutions to assist thepoor and provide services to the needy).Islam ask its followers to struggle againstoppression by doing good and supporting

needy groups and individuals in society, andit would certainly lead to empowerment ofthe weak segments of the society which willultimately bring peace.

The Network of Peacebuilders by SPADOPakistanContributed by Talib Jan

The word, “Peace” was almost going out ofthe mind of most of the people living in thisbeloved country until at the start of 21st

century. However, it is the same word,which has created a lot of space in the mindof every Pakistani now after the US war onIraq and Afghanistan. At the end of aconnected chainof events, thisbeloved countryhas been turnedinto a war andconflict zone. Aperson leavinghis home in themorningremainsuncertain abouthis return in theevening. Giventhe prevailingscenario andstate of affairs,the initiativefrom SPADO tocreate a network of professionals, peacelovers, and peacepractitioners is indeed an initiative worthpraising. But, there is a need for moreunited and concerted efforts to createawareness among the public at large tobring back peace to this part of the worldand should work together for therestoration of peace.


This network must be expanded to 110districts the country in the real sense.

Together we can and together we mustmake a difference.

Conflict Resolution: Peace through the Power of Communication(An extract from the article of Nathan C Funk “Peace Paradigms: Five Approaches to Peace”)

“The third paradigm, conflict resolution,offers a highly pragmatic approach to peacethrough the development and refinementof skills for analyzing conflicts andresponding to them with effectivestrategies of communication andnegotiation. Where protagonists of worldorder concern themselves primarily withmacro-level, structural issues such asdistributive justice and theinstitutionalization of internationalcooperation, practitioners of conflictresolution focus more on processes ofinteraction among individuals and groupsand on the relationships that characterizethem. According to the conflict resolutionparadigm, conflict is natural at all levels ofhuman interaction and organization, fromthe interpersonal to the interethnic andinternational. Although it can causeestrangement and great human suffering,conflict does not inevitably lead to violence,and is often necessary for major changes inrelationships and social systems (e.g., theAmerican civil rights movement). Peace,then, is understood as a continuous processof skillfully dealing with and, wheneverpossible, preventing or transformingconflict. To manage and resolve conflictseffectively, we must become aware of ourattitudes towards conflict and our habitualconflict management styles (competitive,collaborative, avoidant, submissive, etc.), soas to attain to greater freedom to defineour own responses in a proactive andcoordinated (as opposed to reactive andincoherent) way. Such awareness increases

our chances of achieving "win-win" ratherthan "win-lose" or "lose-lose" solutions. Welearn to understand and work with our ownemotions, to generate openness to moreauthentic communication, and to controlprocesses that might otherwise lead toescalation.To respond effectively to conflict, conflictresolution theorists and practitionersunderscore the importance of cooperative,non-adversarial processes for problemsolving and relationship building, which areoften conducted with the assistance of anexternal third party or mediator. Theseprocesses direct attention to underlyinginterests and human needs (e.g., security,identity, bonding, control, development)beneath superficial positions and demands,and highlight the significance of culture inhuman interactions. They affirm theimportance of empathy, creativity, and"shared positive power" ("power with"rather than "power over") in all conflictresolution processes, whether betweenindividuals, groups, or states. They alsounderscore the potentially positive role ofnon-official processes of dialogue andengagement in today's major internationalconflicts, most of which involve powerfulfeelings of ethnic and communal identity.Proponents of the conflict resolutionparadigm, then, approach peace throughdirect interaction with the "other." "If youwant peace," they suggest, "train for theprocesses of peace. Develop skills forcommunication and coexistence."


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Trainers’ Profile

Linda BishaiLinda Bishai is a senior program officer in the Education and TrainingCenter/International, where she focuses on secondary and university education ininternational relations, conflict resolution, human rights and peace studies. She isresponsible for curriculum development and developing faculty and teacherworkshops throughout the United States and in conflict zones, especially the Sudan.

Nina SughrueNina Sughrue is a senior program officer in the USIP Education and Training Centre.She coordinates training programs that help government officials, military and policepersonnel, and representatives from various international organizations and non-governmental employees improve their conflict management skills. She hasconducted trainings in Afghanistan, Colombia, Egypt, Jordan, India, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan,Pakistan, Poland, Sudan and Turkey and with Israelis and Palestinians.

Mediators’ Profile

1. Dr. FazlurRehmanDr. FazlurRehman is theProvincialDonors/NGOs Coordinator in PERRAand UNDP and is based in Abbotabad.

2. Dr. InamullahMr. Inamullah isfaculty member atKardan Institute ofHigherEducation inKabul, Afghanistan.

3. Habib AhmadMr. Habib Ahmad isworking withQatar Charity asProgram Coordinator in Swat.

4. Mr. Raza ShahKhanMr. Raza is theExecutive Director,Sustainable Peace and DevelopmentOrganization and is based in Islamabad.

5. Ms. Shad BegumMs. Shad Begum isthe Chief ExecutiveAssociation forBehavior andKnowledge Management and is basedin Peshawar.

6. Mr. Inam KhanMr. Khan is theProject Specialistin USAID and isbased in Islamabad.


7. Attia HanifMs. Attia Hanif is afree lanceresearcher and HRconsultant and is based in Lahore.

8. Dr. Zia-ur-RehmanDr. Zia-ur-Rehman Farooqi is the ChiefExecutive, NIDA Pakistan and is based inBesham.

9. Amjad Ali ShahMr. Amjad Ali Shahis faculty memberat Kardan Instituteof Higher Educationin Kabul, Afghanistan.

10. Maqsood AhmadSalafiMr. Salafi is theChief Executive ofPeace Foundation,Frontier Peace Council and is based inPeshawar.

11. Ms. Saima GulMs. Saima Gul isthe faculty memberDepartment ofInternationalRelations and is based in Peshawar.

12. Syed MujahidHussain ShahMr. Shah is theDirector Trainingswith Tehreek-Minhajul Quran and is based inAbbotabad.

13. Dr. Omer FarooqDr. Omer Farooq isthe faculty memberin Kardhan Instituteof Higher Educationin Afghanistan.

14. Shehzad NaifMr. Shehzad Naifis the ProgramMangerSustainablePeace& Development OrganizationPeshawar.

15. Memoona TirmiziMs. MemoonaTirmizi is theEducationCoordinator withSave the Children and is based in Swat,N.W.F.P.

16. Tanveer MalikMr. Malik is theCountry Director,SHED Pakistanand is based in Islamabad.

17. Kokab ShahnawazMs. Kokab is the legaladvisor with DistrictDisaster ManagementAuthority (DDMA)and is based in Haripur, N.W.F.P.

18. Sofia NoreenMs. Sofia is workingas a Project Manager,with NationalCommission on theStatus of Women and is based inIslamabad.


19. Amir HamzaMarwanMr. Amir Hamza isfaculty member atthe Department ofJournalism University of Peshawar.

20. Arif KhalilMr. Arif Khalil isworking as Program

Manager with Helping Hands and isbased in Islamabad.

21. Wajid Ali ShahMr. Wajid Ali Shah isthe ProtectionCoordinator fromSave the Children and is based in Swat.

22. Ali AskarMr. Askar Ali is thefaculty member ofSocial AnthropologyDepartment at the University ofPeshawar.

23. Shaukat YusafzaiMr. Shaukat Yusafzaiis the DeputySecretaryEnvironment in the ministry ofEnvironment, Govt. of N.W.F.P.

24. Mr. JehanzebMr. Jehanzeb isthe RegionalManager SPAARC andis based in Peshawar.

25. Mr.Naveed AkbarMr. Naveed Akbar isworking as DeputyDirector PACT radioand is based in Peshawar.

26. Sobia ZafarMs. Sobia Zafaris the ProgramManager with SHEDPakistan.

27. Said Afzal ShinwariMr. Said AfzalShinwari is workingwith CommunityAppraisal and Motivation Program(CAMP) as a Program Officer and isbased in Peshawar.

28. Talib JanMr. Talib Jan is theExecutive DirectorIndus Social Welfare& DevelopmentOrganization and is based in Kohistan.

29. Muhammad TahirMr. MuhammadTahir is working withSABAWOON- a non-profit organization and is based inPeshawar.

30. Brig. Retd. SaadKhanBrig. Saad Khan isassociated withFACIP as Political Conflict Expert and isbased in Peshawar.

31. Sikandar AliMr. Sikandar isassociated withFACIP as a Peace &Conflict Coordinatorand is based in Islamabad.

32. Maryam KhanMs. Maryam Khan is the PeaceAmbassador of President Human RightsCommittee and is based in Islamabad.


33. Hina BanooriMs. Hina Banoori is working as avolunteer with SHED Pakistan.

34. Amna DurraniMs. Amna Durraniis working asNetworkCoordinator at theSPADO and is based in Islamabad.

35. Imran InamMr. Imran Inam is the executivedirector of the Community Researchand Development Organization and isbased in Peshawar.

36. Jehan SherMr. Jehan Sher is working withCARAVAN as director response andemergency.

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