Peace and conflict

Often I find it quite amusing that I focus on areas of violent conflict and yet I work in the area of peace. Sometimes I wonder if there is any improvement. Now there are times when I say that there has been great improvement. Plus the academic results suggest that we live in a more peaceful world.

We do have to recognize that we are coming out of the most deadly century known to us. Two world wars, El Salvador, Zaire/Congo, Cold war, Korea, Cambodia, Vietnam, Afghanistan twice, Rwanda, Columbia, Indonesia, Kashmir, Yugoslavia and the list goes on.  Being a more peaceful time was not all that difficult considering the non-stop fighting we have just come out of.

One of the elements that sparks many of these wars is the desire for change in leadership.  I know that is a simple cause to state but it is a reality. The buzz phrase is “regime change”, which has a certain identity of corruption, brutality and violence attached to it. Of course the reality is that even in the most peaceful country an election can bring regime change.

In the grand idea of unity, we are all striving to live in a country where regime change is done peacefully. It is difficult to think of anyone that would want to live in a country where you are oppressed, fearful and living with violence every day.  However for many that is exactly what life is like the entire time they are alive.

It is odd that the average person is a very peaceful being yet we have the governments they elect being very violent. For example the RUSA, most people in this country are very peaceful so you wonder how can their government be so violent? Where is the disconnect? We can see the same thing in Israel and Palestine, the average person is against the use of violence, yet it has been a constant part of life since 1948.

At some point there is a major disconnect between the people and the leadership of this world. We spend more energy on killing each other than we do on helping it seems. Many governments are willing to engage in violent wars with no thought of an end strategy other than kill as many as possible. When it comes to peace efforts most leaders bark about the cost, it takes too long, it is messy, it is not done right and/or it is too complex. Such thinking just leaves me in a spiral of futility.

As I sit back and relax I realize that there is no need to worry about when our tasks will be finished. That day will come for each of us when we die, but the task will still need to be worked upon. It is the legacy of peace that is left for others. We are all human and we all deserve an equal opportunity to live a peaceful life. So with that I sense that being closed minded means you just found the edge of understanding, the frustration you feel is telling you to expand your understanding of life and others.

Syria, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain are all on a similar path.

What happens in Syria if the current government is toppled?

We have many examples to look at, Egypt and Libya are two.  There will be a struggle of communicating effectively and making progression swift enough. Both of these will combine to erode the legitimacy of any new government.

In Egypt the military is still in power. In Libya the government is an ad hoc group that was a natural progression. Now in Libya the international support has dried up leaving it twisting in the wind. In both situations the people are left to seek other options other than what is being offered at the moment. These options will come from armed groups because we live in a reality where might makes right.

This might makes right attitude can only be culled by the mass peaceful rally of the people. We have learned from Poland, Czech Republic and Egypt that if the people stand united in peaceful mass rallies, the use of violence is defeated. The defeat of violence will give space for peace.

Next there needs to be a strong effort to communicate the planning process. This process has to have a constant avenue for public inclusion. Such inclusion provides transparency, legitimacy, stability, and unity. With these four elements, society will hold a great deal of patience as a new government is brought to power.

There is no mystery to how or why revolutions take place. The people simply no longer trust the leaders, they feel alienated by their own government and they lived with fear of the government too long. This combination of reality factors in every revolution. At the moment mistrust and alienation are quickly rising in Libya.

A peaceful transition is still very possible in Libya. What needs to be done is a major show of support by the international community in the form of leadership visits, major funding of programs, and infrastructure building. Within this support, armed groups will have a point of reference to hold trust in as the governance processes are continually worked on.

The capacity is there and so is the determination of the people to achieve peace. What is missing is the work needed to connect the people with the government on a unified vision of the future. At the moment there is no such unified vision, nor is there an avenue for dialogue to discuss this vision.

Communication builds trust, it can also destroy trust as well though. Due to that, the communication must settle on finding a cohesive and agreeable path forward to peace. At the moment the communication between the government and the people of Libya needs greater support and effort.

With all of the above, we can see exactly the same situation in Syria. Poor communication, mistrust, no clear vision of the future, alienation of the people and ultimately violence can be mapped out to see how Syria fell into such chaos. The road back to peace will begin with lowering the weapons, increased communication, inclusion of the people and building a common vision of the way forward.

Foreign Intervention in Syria

The United Nations Security Council has voted that no foreign military intervention is to take place. Now we are learning that the RUSA is positioning forces. Plus rumours are swarming of the RUSA arming their sworn enemy Al-Quaeda. The positioning of forces is a not an intervention in Syria. The arming of opposition forces is an intervention.  

In the world of politics, such speculation of rumours usually has truth to it. Weapons are being provided to the opposition somehow. The bordering countries are Turkey to the north meeting up with Iraq to the east. The Iraq border continues south to meet with Jordan. Moving west the Jordanian border moves along to meet up with Israel. This border moves north to meet with Lebanon. The Lebanese border moves north then turns west to the Mediterranean Sea.

Iraq is not stable enough to even monitor its borders so weapons would be easily brought in through that area. All the other countries are questionable at best. Also you have to question the security at any sea port. Add to that the capacity and ingenuity of people to get weapons in.

As China and Russia take a great deal of heat for voting no, the points in which they based their thought upon was correct. The other three members of the United Nations Security Council actively pushed for the current government to step down. This push is a direct interference in the sovereignty of that country and that course of action is as responsible for each death as China and Russia are. However, placing blame does not solve the problem and I should not play that way either. Setting the record straight is of no importance to a child being held in complete fear.

The Permanent Five members of the Security Council, (China, RUSA, Russia, France and UK) and the government of Syria need to cobble a team together, send them to Homs to hammer out a game plan. No luxury hotels or ten car motorcades, get in there and do not come out until all of you have an agreed game plan.

Again I live in a bit of a dream world. I know there is no strong will to solve anything with the determination that is necessary. If we had such a will, Israel and Palestine would be a thriving metropolis filled with cruise ships, hotel strips, vacation resorts and region wide support for all the religious celebrations. The peaceful celebrations of the major religions would be a universal positive impact to all people. Unfortunately we have war, hatred, segregation, and deep rooted racism flourishing throughout the region.

No sympathy for stupidity

At what point does it sink in that firing bullets and missiles solve very little? As I woke up this morning to read the news the first headline informs me that Israel has to be urged to not bomb Iran. How stupid is the leadership in Israel to even think shooting at Iran is a good option?

Honestly, can the world grow some courage and disarm the entire area known as the Middle East, now.  But I have to be realistic here. The world would rather see bodies stack up than have to listen to the complaining as the countries are disarmed.

In another point of thought, which is quite contrary to all of my beliefs, if Israel is that stupid let them fire away. In tandem with that action, every other country should withdraw all military support to both sides and let the shit hit the fan. Sometimes a person has to get beat to near death before the light of reason sinks into the brain. Tough love is what they call it.

If you want to go and get your head kicked in that is your choice, personally I see no need for even thinking that is an option. At what cost do you think it will take to win? Do you even know what winning looks like? Are you seriously prepared to send the world to the brink of hell because you are too stupid to work harder at peace?

Another point must be made clear.  Do not even bother telling me about some bullshit injustice that happened two thousand years ago or even five months ago because each side is just as full of horse shit as the other. You want to cry about such injustices, go ahead. While you are at it just understand that you are creating more of the same each day with your insanity. ASSHOLES!!!

As long as this mentality of shooting each other is in our minds peace will never be possible. It is that simple. Just to be a selfish prick here, if you want to fight to the death go ahead, I can sit on the sidelines and watch. I know that in all truthfulness, my daily life will not change one bit. Blow off as many nuclear weapons as you wish. The fallout will only equal what France has done in the South Pacific, so in thirty years the area will be well on its way to repair and hopefully the idiots will be gone as well.

You get no sympathy from me if you choose to engage in a fight when all the world tells you it is the most stupid move you can make.

Chaos and insanity are now the norm in Syria.

How many does it take to lead a country to complete chaos? For Syria, that number is still being counted as it appears everyone is jumping on that band wagon. The craziness has only just begun. Within a few months there will be no way of distinguishing who is on what side and of course no one will have the courage to do what is necessary to stop any of this.

I spent a great deal of time looking at reports and emails to gather information about the situation. With each piece of information I grew more and more frustrated. We have known for months that there are extremists inside Syria fighting the government. Some reports indicate that the Syrian government has brought them in and other reports indicate that a weakening of the border is a factor.

To be as clear as I can, the fact that civilians will die by the thousands should be more important than who or what crazy bastard organization is involved. What we have here is a classic bar room brawl. The situation is already so mixed up that no one has a clue as to what side anyone is on.  This is going on now in Syria. With that understanding, does anyone think the government in Syria has any control?

We are looking a failed state very soon. With that destabilization, the surrounding countries are in grave danger. Due to this danger, the sovereignty argument for non-intervention is no longer valid because the threat to international peace is now within reach. Easing the violence is not even possible for the Syrian government anymore. Two months ago they could have but not now and with each passing day, controlling the peace becomes more and more difficult.

As it stands right now China is the wild card among the Permanent Five members of the Security Council. Russia has stated that force will be used if the Syrian government does not quell the violence. The other three, France, RUSA and UK have already voted in favour of intervention. Tougher Sanctions, more observers will most likely be the next move. What should be done?

Well if I were in charge, demand China, Russia and a host of other countries to build a peacekeeping force of no less than 60 000soldiers. March them in and secure the border as soon as possible, no one gets in or out. This will stop or at least slow the flow of weapons and extremists. As soon as the border is secured, get the negotiations going.  Have the Peacekeepers enforce the current laws of Syria that pertain to breaches of the peace. This will help sweep the country clean of any and all small to medium weapons.

Will that happen, never. The world just does not have the will to actually do such a thing. Basically civilian lives are not worth the time, effort or cost. The funny part is the time factor. No one is willing to engage in a peacekeeping mission if they have no sense of how long it will take. However, many countries are willing to get into a huge fight without a sense of how long that will take to end. The frustration I feel because of that mentality leaves me speechless at times.

Syria is without a doubt a perfect example of the term “cluster fuck” and it is going to get worse. Sanctions and observers will not stop this war in Syria any more than it has stopped the shit show between Palestine and Israel. We need a complete lock down accompanied by the largest disarm, demobilize and reintegration program ever thought possible.

A persons’ choice is their own

The use of religion as a societal foundation is a landmine of issues. On a parallel of ideology democracy is a form of religion as well. As a peace worker I have to understand that a persons’ choice is their own. No one has control over that choice any more than someone can force another person to enjoy eating sand.

In that understanding, when a group of people tell another group of people that they must follow a certain religion for their own good, right from the start that demand is flawed. Now this demand to follow a certain religion goes for politics and economics as well. Going back a few years there was the issue of the newspaper that published the drawing of an Islamic figure. That event set off like a bomb in a toilet pit.

In reality the person that made the drawing was not Islamic. That person is not bound by Islamic laws any more than a person from Paraguay is bound by Moldovan law. As for respect, well when idiocy is factored in, respect is to stand back and say, “Many images of god and prophets have been made over the years, what is one more ”. Going further, what is more disrespectful than forcing others to follow a set of rules that they do not belong to or believe in? This is where life gets really tricky because in order for peace to be achieved there has to be mutual understanding.

A peaceful society where mutual understanding exists has elements of respect and trust. Now for all the complexity the world has the mutual understanding is very simple. For me the understanding is that I am not to be feared for any reason and I ask that of everyone else I encounter. That is the root of my religion and the foundation of any society in which I work to rebuild.

Expanding that foundation of no cause for fear thought, I do realize that operating in such a manner brings a perception of weakness. This perception is a very strong element of our global society today. Gang violence, warlords, bullying, arseholes and governments use fear to control people. Ruling by fear is very much a “live by the sword die by the sword” method.

Now before anyone gets too simplistic here, not all use of fear is bad. For example, most places have laws for not wearing seatbelts when operating a vehicle. The rationale is that if you are caught you pay a fine. No one wanted to pay the fine so they started to wear the seatbelts. The same with drunk driving or texting when driving. Obviously the fear of causing an accident was not great enough on its own so government (you and me that is) decided to punish those that are caught engaging in such activity, thus the fear of being caught and punished. So there is the upside to the use of fear.

It is a tangled world we live in. Religion is just one method of governance/control we invented to maintain order. There are some that get out of control and take life to the extreme. These people will preach peace and the word of god, then shoot you for thinking differently. To be flat out honest we are all part of it. Everyone of us contributes to the slavery of societal ideology and yet we all think we are free.

Example, take any group of people and ask them what they would do if they won the lottery. I bet you will get the same answer from 98% of the people- house, car, vacations. That is mental prison right there, yet most would believe they freely made those choices. If it were truly free why is it that almost everyone has the same dream of material ownership? Then of course the charities will come into mind just to ease the guilt of looking bad.

Perhaps I am discounting the impact of collective thought projection? Who knows, all I can say is that peace is a very difficult state of being to maintain. However it is a great deal more fun to be trusted as a peaceful person than feared. Once again, it is a choice how/who you wish to be.

Talk or Shoot?

One of the great sources of frustration in the minds of peace activists is the fact that every violent conflict ends with a negotiated settlement. For example, during the early stages of the Afghanistan war Canada sought a strategy of communication with locals and Taliban forces. This strategy was soundly rejected as futile. Almost ten years later that very strategy is now being used even though the situation in Afghanistan is no better than it was ten years ago.

Another example is in Syria. The people of Syria asked for a democratic method of governance. That request was met with bullets and here we are today. Alas, the government of Syria has set 26 Feb as a day of referendum. This vote will seek to change the constitution of Syria.

Now in both examples why was the communication efforts denied at those early stages? Okay, I know that such a question solves nothing and really only cements hatred because the past is unchangeable. We can do nothing about those decisions even if we had answers. However, what we can do is focus on the efforts now. The past is something we must learn from and those answers must be viewed as positives to peace not crutches to death. Although I am deeply sorry for the lives lost because of the missed opportunity to negotiate peace rather than kill for it.

The referendum in Syria is to be held on 26 Feb. That is eleven days away. To be honest I have no idea how anyone can accomplish that feat, even in a peaceful country. Polling stations need to be organized, ballots printed, questions formulated, debate, voter registration compiled and then distribution of information and resources to hold the referendum. To me this is not possible in such a short time, unless the entire event is a smoke screen.

As a person that operates within a peaceful mindset, I have seen such ploys before. A person that is willing to talk will always be trusted and therefore seen as easy prey. This is a reality of peaceful existence. The peaceful person is often brought into an ambush under such a smoke screen. These are very difficult moments for a peaceful person. If they stand up and say that the offer of peace is just a ploy/ambush they are branded as being uncooperative. If they go along they risk being killed. What do you do in such a situation?

For the peaceful person they realize that the current situation has already killed them. The offer is agreed to but with a great deal of trepidation. International media must be allowed in as well as any other observer forces that are willing to monitor, document and witness the entire event. With that can anyone see such a situation taking place in Syria?

When dealing with such a situation the only thing you can trust is the fact that someday you will die and today might be that day.

Going back to the situation in Afghanistan, the Taliban are in the stages of opening a political office so that negotiation can take place. This was a similar tactic used by the Irish Republican Army and Sinn Fein. Such a step needs to take place for discussions because those that employ such tactics need to be at least one step removed from the battle field.

In the case of Syria who will lead the opposition? There have been a wide range of religious groups tied to the opposition as well as economic alliances. To me, both of these connections should take their ideology and shove it. The religious groups in this area have only prolonged the torture and the economic groups will be happy with anything as long as the attention is gone. In my mind neither the religious or economic groups are interested in peace. They are more interested in power and control.

As the event unfolds we are going to hear more about which religious group is seeking to rule, which economic group is backing who and all the while people will die as the cities are destroyed. For what? All because a bunch of stubborn idiots. Well is that not what religion and politics has been all about? My way is better than your way and to prove that I will kill every last one of you. And they preach peace. What a pile of dog shit.

As the violent situation continues the people will fight until enough are dead. Finally, as the grave yards fill someone will  make a connection with the other side who has a great idea, Why not stop shooting each other, sit down and find a way to co-exist? I guess that is just too difficult for some at this moment. Shooting is the only option because talking will only lull you to death.

Libya 14 Feb 2012

In the past month or two there has been very little news in the mainstream media about Libya. Everyone must feel that the transition is going well. This is the time to increase the attention on Libya and raise the level of support.

The situation in Libya has improved since the revolution but the transition is still a work in progress. Security is still the main focus of peace due to the amount of weapons in the hands of “irresponsible people”. The hope is that these people will transition into the national army. We have to acknowledge the reality that some will continue to operate in conflict with the peace. We still have gang violence in Canada so why would there not be such activity in Libya?

I recall a conversation I had in 2003 with a number of soldiers while we shared a few beverages concerning Haiti.  We were talking about the best way to clear that country of weapons. The tactic most agreed to was a dragnet tactic (I can not recall the military term, perhaps it was “sweep”). Although each soldier noted that it would never be used because of the time and cost. There is another reason too. The argument against such a tactic is that once you have gone over the area you have to go over it again and again.

Dragnet tactics is simple to understand as dragging a net across the ground. You can see it being used in wars where battle lines drawn, World War Two for example. With situations such as Libya, there are no lines, other than the existing international borders. The tactics used in such cases are what is known as sector security reform.

Sector security is the setting up of military posts and that post is in charge of a certain area or sector. This method has been around for centuries. Basically it is the same as the local police station in any town. They have a defined sector to patrol and hold. France and Britain used it here in North America building forts and out posts. It is the most popular method of war/peace operations today.

The situation in Libya is best suited for sector security because of the tribal composition, weak national army and lack of legitimate authority held by the Libyan government. To ensure that sustainable peace returns to Libya, a strong communication effort must be implemented. There was a major effort in the later days of November and that needs to be followed up with another very soon.

The Tribal leaders have to meet again and discuss the issue of sustainable peace. This has to be the main focus for the people at the moment. The communication effort must focus on the security of each tribe and the efforts that each tribal leader has taken to secure the legitimacy of the current government.

If democracy is what the people want, these talks need to share authority and responsibility of sustaining peace. The grand vision of Libya has to be framed in the view of individual peace as it relates to national peace. Each person needs to feel their part in being responsible for a peaceful country. The armed groups need to understand that power is not being taken away, it is being shared. The best way forward is to share the responsibility of protection. Any tribe or group that violently works against this idea will only be maintaining a cycle of instability.

Libya may seem to be off the news headlines right now but this is the time when efforts must be stepped up. The lack of attention is a point where things can go wrong quickly. To me it feels like a calm before the storm.  

How the world sees conflict

How the world sees conflict or situations of difficulties is in direct correlation as to the options it sees to solve those situations. If the world is stuck in the path of old grievances it will continue to have those as barriers to achieving peace.

The old events of injustice have to be acknowledged but they must also be understood as history which can not be changed. All that can be done is to work at the task of ensuring such events are no longer part of the future.

Take the past situations, look at them and see what should have been done to ensure a different outcome. As those situations arise again, the people involved will feel similar emotions swell in their hearts and minds. These are the moments where decisions of difference must be made. However, the task is to recognize these emotions during those moments.

As the moments present themselves it takes a great amount of energy to stop and think in the moment. The skill to do this only comes from experience. There will be setbacks but those have to be recognized as learning curves for success.

All of that seems great on paper. It is quite a different element when the set back is lives lost, homes destroyed and people injured. These are very difficult events to come to terms with. The fact remains that once such an event has taken place that is it. There has to be an element of resolve in the wake of such destruction.

Lamenting the loss is part of the process. In equal importance a focus on a future of peace must be kept in view. I am not saying that we forget or excuse events that cause injury. What I am saying is that these events have to be understood as part of a larger process. Mourn such events and point to the useless acts of creating more harm. If the reaction to such events is to seek revenge the cycle of chaos will cement itself in a spiral of annihilation.

To put that ideology in context, many weapons have been developed to cause such great destruction that the opponent would see the end result as complete annihilation.  In simple terms we are discussing the zero sum game theory.

The common belief that nuclear weapons would result in complete annihilation is a major factor in the global pursuit to have them banned. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying “I am not sure what world war three would be fought with but I know world war four will be fought with sticks”. With that we can see the show of force in Syria as a similar point where the complete destruction of the country is being gambled.

Power is not the use of force, it is the intelligent use of force. Furthermore power is also shown in the use of restraint. Being able to control emotions and understanding the impact of forceful actions. A true leader would understand the negative impact of shelling a city, shooting people all the while pointing blame at everyone but yourself. Especially when all that was needed was an intense/inclusive discussion. Yet that discussion was so feared that killing was seen as the better choice.

These are the events of insanity that wreak havoc daily around the world. People who call themselves leaders because they use fear and destruction to gain power are the biggest challenges to peace. In reality such people will always exist. All we can do is to work as hard as we can with such people to retrain them somehow.

Seeing these options before us is needed. The world could have pressured all the people in Syria to the negotiation table. Instead we allowed them to shoot each other. We must learn form this. Forcing the negotiation is not an act of breaking sovereingty, it is the act of strengthening it. For some reason we just do not see that in todays world.

How the world sees conflict or situations of difficulties is in direct correlation as to the options it sees to solve those situations. If the world is stuck in the path of old grievances it will continue to have those as barriers to achieving peace.

Duality of Responsibility

“The duality of responsibility we have” is a phrase that circled in my thoughts for many years. At that time in my life I had no idea it was even a subject of thought for old dead white guys (the usual philosophers).  As I moved through life I found out that most of them touched on this subject in many ways.  A few popular themes are conscience and sub-conscience, life and death. Machiavelli dealt with business life and home life, although most only focus on his point of “the ends justify the means, business at all cost” philosophy. The manner in which I think about duality is the responsibility to the self and the responsibility to society.

Within that framework I look at myself and the world, just so I can keep things in order to find a way through chaos. This is my method. You most likely have a different one. It would be a boring world if we did all think alike. Although I do wish that people did not suffer because of our differences of ideology. Within this method there are the struggles where self- preservation is in opposition to society.

Ghandi met that duality with starvation. People who put their lives on the line to ensure the safety of others are acts that take place every day around the world, these are the acts of martyrs, intended or not. The thought process of doing something to improve society at the cost of the self is the conflict of dual responsibility, eg., Mohamed Bouazizi.

Take any warlord and you will see self-preservation at the cost of society. Although they speak to the protection of society because they know that is the treasure of power. We can look at the situations in Syria and see both sides speaking to the needs of society. We can look at the United Nations Security Council and see each side making arguments for society. These are the leaders speaking. The people on the street also speak of society yet they also speak about their own lives.

If the question is asked, “why protest” the answer is usually, “We are tired of the corruption, insecurity, no jobs, no choice, no voice and what future is that? The desires of the self, met with the desires of the society.  

We can see self-preservation in the acts of countries as well. The RUSA is an easy target for such acts, just about every war they have started since 1962 has been about self-preservation. Israel is constantly barking about self-preservation.  

This method of understanding the world is helpful to see what the goals are of those that you face. Is the person or people out to ensure their own purpose or are they seeking to ensure the purpose of everyone. Even within that we have those that act with serious intent to secure the safety of society, but do so in a harmful manner, for example Hitler or a serial killer that preys on people they deem harmful.

At some point there will be a choice between yourself and society. People who choose to take public transit for example to help lower pollution are acting in benefit of society, buying fair trade products, recycling, donating to charities and other acts.

At the end of it all, this helps me sort through the garbage. I can listen to the words of others as they speak to helping society and then balancing that with how those words reflect the personal benefits. Just like the sales pitch we got from mobile phone companies, “buy these because in case of an emergency you can reach someone.” All of a sudden that emergency has now become, “Oh my god, what restaurant/bar are you at?” We sold out to the advertising campaign founded on safety but in reality it was to make a dollar. That example has more to it than the duality of responsibility though, a good idea gone to hell because of sell outs and suckers.

Going through the debate on duality of responsibility helps me see what my motivations are. I can ask why I have a desire to act in one way. I can understand if it is self-preservation or not. Perhaps I am not sure, which tells me I need to get clear, otherwise a huge mess is about to unfold. When that happens the task of peace just explodes.

how can emotions be controlled?

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society."  J. Krishnamurti

That quote sums up exactly how I feel most days. There are many areas where life just does not add up. I think of the people I have worked with to rebuild societies and yet they cheat on their partners, thus acting like a hypocrite. I think of the people that will say the most damaging thing only to feel justified because the truth hurts, not because speaking the truth was helpful to the situation but more to get the shot in. I have been hit with such shots many times. Each time I have cursed myself for knowing better than to respond. However in time I always thank myself for being peaceful, just take it and let it go.

It is not an easy thing to do though when you are fighting with a person who you have great emotion for. Emotions can be controlled but it takes great skill and for most of us that skill is dormant. So how can emotions be controlled?

Everyone knows how, but few practice or even try to act in such a manner. The knowledge is good to have but if you do not learn to use it, well, it is useless. I guess I could write down what to do but then again everyone knows. A vicious circle really. But once more can only help, if only one person takes the steps to change their behaviour it is worth it. I do hope at least one person changes. Maybe it will be me?

Someone is arguing or yelling at you. You start to feel the tension rise. You need to be aware of that moment and breathe slowly and deep. You have to tell yourself that you care to be a relaxing force in the face of hostility. Sometimes it takes going for a walk, giving a person a hug, a good thought or anything that will bring you to a state of mind where you can be calm.

Being able to do those things is tough enough and takes time to respond in such a way that it becomes natural. The next step is to realize the only solution you have to focus on is to return the situation to a more relaxed one. The topic of the fight is important but nothing will be solved in such a state so let the idea of solving that topic go. For me this step took months to fully integrate. I would get caught up in problem solving, seeking options and dealing with the issue. 

What really needs to take place is for the peaceful person to listen, learn and understand the other. There is a great deal of non-verbal communication knowledge that can be understood as well. I am still learning about that after seventeen years. There is also a situational element at this point. One wrong word and all your efforts could get you a punch in the face.

What you want to accomplish is to get to a point where the other person can believe that you are there to help not harm. It is not enough to say that either, you have to believe it and get that across. You should not fake this. If you really do not care or are just going through the motions it will work for a time. However, people will notice that you do not care soon enough. Furthermore, you will be a great deal more effective if you honestly do care.  For me I have got to a point where I truly wish everyone could live peacefully and that is what holds my capacity to care. I do feel hurt when I see a racist act, a couple going through difficult times, protesters/police officers being shot or a community destroyed.

Basically you are learning as that person vents or lets out their anger as you explore both yours and their emotional states. You should not attempt to solve the issue just bring the emotions to a level point. When the emotions are level you still do not look to solve. At this point you can talk about the last few moments as you gather more information. Thank the person for being so caring. There are so many situations to describe and sometimes it would be weird to thank anyone for being caring. All you want to do is allow the emotions to level out for a time period where the issue can be let go for now.

For some situations all that needs to be done is to manage the emotions where everyone can and does leave. Breaking up a fight in a public space for example, now I would not suggest anyone do such a thing as a form of practice but I have done this more times than I remember. Did I solve anything, no. The larger issues are rooted in ideology, but at those moments the issue was to keep everyone unharmed.

Now to go further means to engage in a series of conversations. These are called negotiation, mediations, peace talks or some other phrases. The method is the same as I just wrote above. The difference is that the emotions will play out over days or years. In these situations you have to operate as the peaceful person from the moment you wake up to the moment you sleep.

After seventeen years I still slip up from time to time. Each day though I get just that much more information on how not to slip. I keep mentioning to myself that I choose to do this because I really do care about peace. I really do care about the children and what the future has for them. The final part I really want, is to share all of this knowledge with others.

A way Out

Life is fraught with challenges and chaos. During such times it can be difficult to see purpose or as most people ask “a way out”. Now for all the peace and knowledge I have, it is a reality that there is a different route for each person to find that way out. However, we are all human and there are some commonalities that occur.

For me, the way out is to find what my heart and mind understand as good. Doing this allows me to laugh easier, smile more and take the many hits that life will throw at any time. Sometimes the good is not easy to see and I have questioned if it is there. Just because I do not understand does not mean good is absent. All it means is, I need to look further or the search has no meaning to me.

Knowing when to stop searching is a vital component to life. In life there is death and death is not as ugly as we make it out to be. How death arrives can be very ugly. A marriage going through a divorce is one of the ugliest deaths two people can go through. A country separating, governments falling and banking systems collapsing are all deaths that we go through.

In each case peace will be put to the test. In a marriage there can be the moments of infidelity. In the other cases there are moments of oppression and constraint. With each case there is a loss of trust between or amongst people involved. We often ask ourselves, “What is the purpose of this relationship?” “Why does this have to be so difficult?”

The purpose and the difficulty are entangled together in the same answer. The answer is we are alive and it is our choice. Now the answer goes a great deal deeper because we have limits within ourselves but at the very first step we must deal with reality.

We are alive and it is our choice to care. What you care about will always bring difficulties. These difficulties are steps and with each step you will encounter more difficulties. In the run of life you will misjudge a number of times, perhaps fight challenges where you should not have, let go of things that you should have kept, but these are all part of life. In life you will make mistakes, you just hope your friends really know who you are and can see that in their heart.

Sometimes that is not possible and life just got more difficult as you deal with the pain of mistrust. In these times it is often when a person needs new information. If no new information is obtained, that person will use the same knowledge to get through the difficulties as they have in the past. Doing the same things is getting back on the hamster wheel with no real progress. For example, a broken marriage may lead a person to have an affair, protests lead a government to shoot its own people, ailing banks to close on loans, corporations to cut jobs and a host of other typical acts.  None of these acts are all the helpful as they often do more damage and make matters worse. However they are popular methods of dealing with difficulties as we seek a way out.

As we seek a way out, the source of the challenge holds many answers.

Need more options

Most people would say that they are good at dealing with difficulties in life. It has been my experience that most people are very poor at dealing with difficulties. I am not saying that people will not get through difficulties because they do. What I am saying is that people could get through difficulties with a great more skill and ease if they spent the time to learn how.

The last article I wrote concerning transformative peace points to the poor record of the court system to deal with societal difficulties. Due to this poor performance, the larger society is left with unresolved issues. Yet the law system is a foundational part of dealing with wrongs in society. It has come to the point where people often go to lawyers at the first sign of trouble.Because of that we have a large profession believing it is doing a great job of managing the wrongs of society. 

What is often missed in the reasoning for why we have a court system, is the fact that we have only had these court systems for short periods of time. In the times before the courts, human relationships existed and dealt with all the same issues we have today. Before the court systems we had many forms of "ceremonies" to deal with community issues.  I suggest everyone to read, "The Human Potential for Peace: An Anthropological challenge to assumptions about war and violence" written by Douglas P. Fry. Oxford University Press 2006. 

Now, I can hear the opposition speaking about the barbaric treatment of people, which the court systems are there to end. Well I will conceded that there were such acts before courts existed, yet the court system still has its share of barbaric acts. Just ask some of the people that went through Guantanamo Bay jail, or visit the jails in Uganda, Sierra Leone, you can even look at the number of mentally ill people executed in the RUSA.  All of these systems employ similar styles of dealing with people that are deemed a hazard to society.

As we build societies that have been destroyed, often there are programs such as Truth and Reconciliation Commissions. These programs are used only for a short period of time and then abandoned. It is a wonder why such a useful element of healing is not continued to assist with other issues in society.

Having one method of managing difficulties is best described with a popular saying;

When the only tool you have is a hammer every problem is seen as a nail.

Dealing with issues within our lives, we need as many ways as possible to address them. In a caring society we would offer such support. We allow for the healing process to take hold as people sort out what the deep issues are. At the moment we can look at Egypt and Syria as examples where the people were given small moments of reprieve only to be thrust back to a point similar to the one where it all started. The entire process has to be re-engaged. Instead of listening, learning, accepting and adapting, one side dug in with a firm stance of “this is the only system we have, if you do not like it – die”

A caring leader would see the futility in such a narrow view. For humanity sake we must give options. We must also see the need for order and at times people do get caught up in emotions. I can not think of any country that has not had protesters marching in large numbers. Such events are fraught with emotion and chaos is always near. However if many methods of managing the protesters are employed the greater the chances of the protest being a peaceful one overall.

When something really matters to you, you will be hurt because you care. Your heart will get hurt but the fact that you care should allow you to realize the need for peace, options, patience and understanding. People protest, march, yell and scream because it is all part of letting off the pressure of emotions. Protesting  lets the world know they care. All that is needed in return is the intelligence to listen, learn, understand and adapt.

Libyians need to talk

Lately I have been working with a group to manage the process of transition in Libya. The main element that is on the minds of most people in Libya deals with the question;  What has been accomplished since the revolt? This question indicates a lack of information getting to the people, difficulties in the management of the process and the presence of the old guard mentality.

It would be unwise to think that violence would not take place in the coming months or years. The reason is because the people (any people in the world) do not change their methods in such a short time frame. Libya still has a large component of people that believe in the same governing style as the past government did. Mix that reality with the strong desire for quick change by the public. That scenario is like putting a match near gasoline.

At the moment there needs to be a very aggressive communication plan set out in tandem with an equal diplomacy effort to all tribes, rebel groups, political parties, religious factions and any other element of society that exists. Both the communication plan and the diplomacy effort need to reach out to as many people as possible.

The message must inform everyone that a period of time is needed to quell the element of violence that is still fresh in peoples’ minds. With that the diplomacy effort needs to ensure that all armed factions are informed as to the process of transition, steps that each faction must take to secure the peace and where they can assist with the transition process.

When and if violence does occur it will most likely start because people are not satisfied with the speed of transition or feel left out of the process. The only tool that is available to ensure violence does not take place is through communication. A government that uses threats of violence dies the same way – just as the past government went. Also it must be acknowledged that this is the time where a relapse of war can take hold. The next few months are tenuous as the patience of the people begins to wear thin, thus the need for a robust effort to reach out extensively.

The communication and diplomacy points to a large education program for the entire country. Goals need to be set, validated, marked and evaluated constantly.  The people need to know what state the police, army and court systems are in. People need to know the people that are in charge and what their plans are. Right now there is not enough information getting to the people and there is no clear idea of what is going on.

Large public events/speeches need to take place. Newspaper articles written, radio and television interviews need to take place. If these actions are not taken we may see violence erupt.

Decline in Syria

The world has no idea how to deal with the situation in Syria.  The Security Council is dead locked on what to do as there are two differing approaches being debated. The Security Council is so useless that they can not even convince themselves that monitors should be sent in. With each passing day more and more weapons are building up in both the military and the civilian rebel groups.

All of this was preventable with a small force of one thousand peacekeepers to be sent in last November to enforce the rule of law as stated under the current Syrian system. A complete lock down and use of small arms and light weapons needs to be enforced as the Peacekeepers patrolled with the current Syrian army. Batons, shields, water cannons, pepper spray and riot gear would be allowed only.

At each protest both the current Syrian army and the UN peacekeepers would work to control crowds and enforce the rule of law. At the same time the ruling party must obey the wishes of the people and if the people choose to hold massive strikes, rallies or protests, they must be allowed to do so.

Also foreign media should be allowed in as well to report. No embedding reporters, that is just a strong move for covering up lies.

The world has no idea how to deal with this.  That is only because the world is full of shit.

Preventive Diplomacy

Wisdom is a resource that is often given to us in riddles and clichés.  Clichés such as “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” or “a stitch in time will save nine” have been offered as solid points to ensure that a situation is kept in check.  The result is much worse and more costly if proper care is not taken.  The same wisdom and knowledge is important to understand when managing peaceful conflict.

Peaceful conflict may seem like an oxymoron or just moronic.  However, as I have stated in past writings conflict is only the meeting and joining of two or more whatevers.  For example typing this article, my fingers come into conflict with each key, thought is conflict, child birth is a conflict as is the act that began the child, and meeting a person for the very first time is a conflict.  It just so happens that most of us are brainwashed to see conflict as a negative element. The negative focus only warns us that we must take notice of the wisdom we have to prevent situations from getting worse.

When dealing with international peace often we do focus on violence, death, struggle, injustice and rights abuses.  As we think about those situations the world had invented Peacekeepers to prevent the worsening impact of war.  Today we have come to the point where preventive diplomacy is a common element in political circles. Below are five priority areas that the current Secretary-General of the United Nations listed for strengthening the use of preventive diplomacy:

(1)early and decisive action to address emerging threats;

(2) investing in and better equipping “preventive diplomats” and their staff;

(3) predictable and timely financial support to maximize efforts on the ground and to deliver results;

(4) stronger strategic partnerships with regional and subregional organizations;

(5) greater support for national institutions and mechanisms for mediation, including civil society and, in particular, women’s and youth organizations.

For me and my work I feel that the most important element of the five is number five.  Engaging in this area will accomplish all the rest. 

Taking the holistic mindset we go from international politics to the personal relationship. On a personal front and in the lives of individuals, preventive diplomacy is a difficult ideology to explain and even harder to implement.  I have been engaged in peace for at least twenty years, I still get caught up in emotions and do stupid things that have caused a number of my own relationships to crumble.

In our personal lives preventive diplomacy is all about caring for yourself and others equally. The policy of “do no harm” is often relevant as is the Golden Rule, “treat others as you wish to be treated”. The difficult part is that we are all different in some manner.  Some of us truly believe in Machiavelli where the ends justify the means and business is conducted at all cost to win. 

What is vital though is the foundation of understanding.  We gain understanding through learning and communication.  Sometimes you know what to do but just do not have the energy or desire.  You feel that you have given enough.  Frustration sets in and then you throw all the work out and let loose.  If the other side is well trained they will realize this and just let you go off.  To be honest, I can count the number of times when I have been able to vent without fear of repercussion.  Someday I hope that balances out even.

Strength to resolve matters peacefully

Having lived in many areas of chaos, I am positive that most people are peaceful. In turn, the larger part of society, is peaceful as well.  It is quite an odd situation while being a guest in a stranger’s home in a war zone.  The subject of the war is obviously discussed.  The reality soon hits you that most people have a strong understanding of peace.  However, you can hear the war rage on outside.  Then the question comes; how did this all get so ugly?

From that question alone the war will begin as the people recall the injustices set upon them.  This is called “stacking bodies”, the part where people begin to list all the injuries they have incurred.  Engaging in this activity is the method to prove how one side is the enemy.  Such tactics are rarely helpful in resolving a conflict.  Continually pointing out the injustices keeps you rooted in the mindset of revenge and being treated unfairly.  To get to the point of resolving any conflict you have to be able to do two things.

First you have to truly understand your part through accepting the others view point. You do not have to agree with their view point but there is no way you can change that view point.  Second you have to see past the committed injustices.  Again, you do not have to forget about the injustices but you do have to be able to accept that nothing can change those events.  Both of these items are simple yet they are difficult to enact.

Often we see these two items as a large part of being weak or giving in.  These views are a hindrance for most peace workers as it takes more strength, effort, intelligence and will power to engage in such a manner than it does to kill.  However there are times when killing is the only option, unless you want to die yourself.  World War Two, stopping Hitler stands as one example when killing was the only option.

Getting back to the methods needed for resolving conflict, the best tools we have is the ability to learn, educate and adapt.  We must have the capacity to understand that each and every one of us has a desire to improve upon themselves.  As we go about our lives we see others and we notice how others live.  In turn we see the parts of our own selves in these people that we wish we had.  We see in others the qualities that we know and want to improve upon.  If that person is in your daily life, the change that you wish to improve upon will become an irritant and you will develop a dislike for that person.  This is a popular theory of Carl Jung and it holds a great amount of truth.  This is on an individual level, not so sure it holds true on a societal level.  However the methods of dealing with conflict are transferable from individual to society and into international relations.

With the case of Syria, the government has given a great deal of attention to killing and very little to discussion.  We can be assured that the methods of killing will continue.  The Arab Council tried to force the discussion method by sending in Observers, that failed.  The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is again looking at intervention.  Economic Sanctions, strongly worded resolutions and a litany of press releases will most likely be the result if the UNSC takes action.  All the while the government will continue to crush its own people, at a slower pace perhaps. The killing will continue until morale improves in Syria.  It will continue at a pace slow enough for the appearance of peace and discussion.  Which brings in the world of optics, spin and bullshit.

All because some people do not have the strength to resolve matters peacefully.

Ancestral land dispute

If you read these postings you must be interested in peace and how it is managed?  When we manage things we must categorize how we are doing. As we look around the world we see countries with a great many more nations of people. Sometimes these nations of people span the existing borders of present countries.  Kurdistan people of Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Syria are an example.  Here in Canada the Mohawk and Iroquois are nations of people that cross international borders.

In the realm of peace and conflict we can gauge how peaceful a society is in relation to how these nations of people and co-exist.  Being bound by three differing governing bodies; their own and each country they exist in is not an easy task.  For some nations such as the Kurdistan they struggle to achieve their own country.  In a perfect world such a reality would not be too difficult a task.  Take a poll of the people and adhere to that poll.  If unification is desired you begin the process of unification, easy.

Well not in the world we live in.  You see we have a deep attachment to area called territorial boundaries.  No country wants to give up any land what so ever.  Due to that there is often a great deal of killing to protect territory, even if the land being fought for is ancestral land and the people have a right to that land.  Palestine and Israel engage in one of the greatest injuries this world incurs on a daily basis involving the right to live on ancestral land.

Minority rights are also brought into this type of conflict.  Often the people that seek independence are minorities.  As we often live in the reality that might makes right, minorities are crushed.  Here in Canada there are hundreds of nations that hold ancestral rights.  We call this collective First Nations People.  What the world is seldom aware of is that many of these First Nations people live in conditions that are comparable to refugee camps.  Canada and the First Nations people must work together to solve these problems, so far both of us have failed to do so.

For some areas in the world the territory holds a great amount of wealth in the resources of minerals and petroleum.  For these resources countries will kill for.  We will kill for money.  Rights, morals, peace and the rule of law are not held in high esteem in some cases.  A person life is not worth a thing when economic development is in the equation.  The Occupy movement tried to send that message across the world, it was stopped.

The issues of ancestral land and minority rights are not easy areas for the public discussion to focus on.  Yet a peaceful society understands that unease and allows for the tensions to be addressed.  There needs to be a focus of working on such issues together, not as opponents.  All too often we see each other as opponents. 

When thinking about such issues, look at them with a unifying mind.  Use a mind that sees an improvement to what currently exists.  Think of the lives not killed, the hatred not spread, and the tension eased.  I say eased because it will never be gone.  Even a relationship with your best friend has and will go through fights.

Informed yet still ignorant

While the world of peace and conflict has many avenues, the past two years have showed that an equal concern circles around greed– money.

Neither a bullet nor a dollar can harm you, alone or in tandem.  Both have to be passed through the hands of a person.  In reality the person is the focus for the creation of destruction.  In the past two years we have seen more destruction caused by the financial system than most current wars combined.  Just as the world was sent into a whirlwind of chaos during the 1929 stock market crash caused by greed in the RUSA, the current financial storm is a sibling born of the same mother.

The EU is dealing with a major crisis that in any normal situation would have been laid at the feet of the one that caused it.  The RUSA is responsible for the financial crisis and the world has let them off again.  What is worse is that the crime is still taking place and the criminals are running free.  All this tells me is that if you are going to commit a crime make it the largest crime the world has ever witnessed.

The sub-prime mortgage scandal hit Iceland so hard that it defaulted on loans.  Greece was next and the house of cards began to fall.  Oddly enough though the criminals were hardly even questioned about the massive ponzi scheme. Someday the world will watch a movie about how the RUSA stole more than a trillion dollars.  I am sure if you dig deep enough you will find other blogs that research this area.  My area is more bullets than money.  Although the two are often mates. 

I do know that the mainstream news sources are about the worst places to get such information.  It is a tight race for who sells out quicker, the media or the audience.  One lesson I have recently recalled is that you never try to change one persons mind, it is easier to change a million.  You see people are easily lead when in groups.  Alone they are free of mind, persuasion and influence.  How else could you explain why the world allowed the RUSA to steal such a large sum of money at the same time they illegally invade Iraq?

We let them off for an illegal invasion of Iraq, countless human rights violations/assassinations and we are letting them of on the largest fraud in history.  This is the largest news story of the decade and most of us are too busy staring at phones and ipods to see what is going on around them.

I wrote in an earlier posting about the courage of the Russian people to see their own death and face it.  They changed twenty years ago.  I wish the world had half that courage to see what is going on and face it.

Occupy whatever space you want, revolt however you choose but for the love of all that is peaceful, please do not tell me you care and then plug in an ipod, scan your text messages, watch whatever reality series is popular and sip energy drinks.  I have been tired of such bullshit before cellphones were popular.  What is worse is that the pile of shit has only grown.

The world has been bending these past few years under the weight of financial chaos and the war on terror.  Both of these have been started by the same country.  There will be a point where the world breaks and everything falls apart or it will spring back, throwing everything into the air.  Either way we are in for some really interesting times.

The world needs to change.  We have lived with the status quo and it is beginning to fall apart.  I do not know what the next few years will bring.  I do know that if we venture with the same ideology as we have these past 60 years it will be turbulent to say the least.  However, with enough courage and resolve we can make serious improvements to how the world operates.  We need to decentralize the power of the United Nations Security Council, International Monetary Fund, World Bank and impose a global system of minimum economic wage.

For now, there are just enough good things to keep the world in hopes.  Despite the image there are occurrences such as the Jasmine Revolution and the Occupy movements.  More so, there are the personal moments of love which are the best and the strongest.  Those personal moments are worth all the shit we slog through.  Someday you hope that after all the effort something or someone will make it all worth it.  At least I hope that day will come. 

Peaceful leadership

On the surface of peaceful leadership there are a few indicators that should be adhered to.  One such indicator is the will of the people to die in large numbers for change in leadership.  On a more peaceful level, the will of the people to protest in very large numbers for weeks is also an indicator that leaders need to take great awareness of.

We have to ask why the leaders strive to rewrite constitutions and understand the answer provided in as peaceful a way possible.  However, it is true that such efforts to retain power can be power grabs and nothing more.  The person doing the grabbing is blinded by their own self-importance.  On occasion that power grab is solidified when opposition becomes violent.  The violence only strengthens the case for stability in government leadership to remain in power.

Of all the peaceful protests that have resulted in a change of government, peaceful demonstrations have been the greatest weapon.  No leader can violently put down a peaceful demonstration and come out looking as though they did the right thing.  The element of citizen restraint to remain peaceful can be difficult.  Even more so when government incites the violence itself by planting forces in the crowds just to start the violence.

Peace is a difficult route.  Yet when you take examples from the most uncomplicated situations peace seems so easy.  Carolyn Handschin-Moser wrote in an article titled Dignity: Cornerstone of the Culture of Peace a perfect example.

Two women were out with their children one day.  Somehow the two boys started throwing rocks at each other in anger.  What would you think if both parents advised their kids to throw bigger rocks to solve the problem?  Shock and awe was the term used by some.  As simple as that example is, that is the exact manner in which most countries act.

With the above example, the world is witnessing some major political changes.  North Korea shares the top of that list with Russia.  How will the people and the government deal with the coming months?  In other places such as Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Syria and Yemen the transformation continues as well.

Right now in the DRC, the political leaders should begin their campaign for succession.  The current leaders should start to educate and prepare for the next election.  The preparation could involve open debates, strengthening the independent arms of government such as the electoral commission and depoliticize the court/law system and education system.  If the people are not educated and prepared we will see similar events during the next election as we witness now.

I know how simple my ideas seem to be.  However I have experienced the brutal difficulty in applying these simple ideas.  Peace, it takes a courageous heart to stand up and practice when faces with the largest rocks.