Peace Monitor

New found peace in the Philippines

Siavash Golzadeh — Mon, 06 May 2013 11:57:01 +0000

The road to peace in Mindanao in the Philippines, has been a long and complicated struggle. The signing of the Bangsamoro framework agreement on the 15th of October 2012 between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is a historic step towards a sustainable peace. The Mindanao conflict has been [...]

The Japanese peace clause and efforts to defend it

Linda Akerstrom — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:02:06 +0000

Japan takes a constitutional stand against militarism. According to the peace clause in the Japanese constitution, Article 9, “the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes”.

As a consequence, Japan cannot keep military air, land or naval [...]

Questions & Answers with Isak Svensson

Sara Lindblom — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 10:46:23 +0000

Isak Svensson is Associate Professor at the Department for Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University.
He was formerly the Director of Research at the National Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Otago, New Zealand.
His latest book is Ending Holy Wars: Religion and Conflict Resolution, University of Queensland Press, 2012

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Gene Sharp – recipient of Right Livelihood Award 2012

Sara Lindblom — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 08:56:03 +0000

The Right Livelihood Award (also known as the Alternative Nobel Prize) was established in 1980 to honour and support those “offering practical and exemplary answers to the most urgent challenges facing us today”. This alternative award has during many years focused on the role of civil society and social movements, compared to the Nobel [...]

Challenging impunity in peace-time Guatemala

Linnea Fehrm — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 08:11:22 +0000

When the 1996 peace accords between the Guatemalan government and the Marxist guerilla movement URNG marked the end of the country’s 36-year internal conflict,it was with a longing for truth and justice.

Last year, the former dictator Efraín Rios Montt was finally brought to trial under the accusation of genocide and crimes against humanity, [...]

Infrastructures for Peace is a promising approach

Paul van Tongeren — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 12:48:25 +0000

Peace can be planned. In most cases escalation of violent conflicts can be prevented. Countries at risk of instability and civil war need mechanisms and structures for cooperation amongst all relevant stakeholders in peacebuilding. Institutional structures for peace create a forum for all peace actors for dialogue and cooperation. Peace Infrastructures at all levels [...]

The Peace Monitor has arrived!

Christoffer Burnett-Cargill — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 09:41:29 +0000

10 years after 11/9 we need to change the perspectives and change the direction towards a new culture of peaceful conflict resolution. There needs to be a shift in the thinking of how media, research and politics approach conflicts and peacebuilding. Our vision is increased peace monitoring.

Many books and annual reports focus on the number [...]

They fight for peace

Christoffer Burnett-Cargill — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 07:52:18 +0000

Another one of CPAU’s projects involves young girls and women in Afghanistan, fighting for peace! The idea is to get them involved in sports in order to stay out of war. Sports bring people together.

The symbolism of boxing is apparent, but it is not about violence or fighting, it is about building self-confidence and [...]

Questions & Answers with Margot Wallström

Christina Eriksson — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 07:51:32 +0000

On 2 February 2010 the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki- Moon, appointed Margot Wallström as the first-ever Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict. Her mission is to prevent sexual violence used as a weapon of war and to strengthen women’s participation in peace processes.

Sexual violence has since long [...]

Questions & Answers with Peter Wallensteen

Christoffer Burnett-Cargill — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 07:47:10 +0000

Peace Monitor has interviewed Peter Wallensteen, Dag Hammarskjöld Professor of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University; Richard G. Starmann Sr. Research Professor of Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, USA

PM: With Peace Monitor we are aiming to highlight successful peace agreements on local levels, that are not often mentioned in media reports. [...]