|
Since many peaceful conflicts become deadly, it is important to understand the process of this transformation and how it can be monitored and controlled. the same theme was discussed in a meeting held recently in Karachi.
In the last thirty years, conflict transformation has emerged as a useful technique in the developed world for primarily studying the changing nature of conflicts in various developing countries. The field of conflict transformation, although in its formative phase as compared to conflict management and resolution has become a source of attraction because it tries to understand and examine change(s) in the shape of conflict and scope of its peace resolution.
This long-term goal of transformation was discussed in detail in a meeting: Early Warning and Early Response: Political and Social Issues held in Karachi last month, organized in collaboration between the Program of Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution (PPSCR), Department of International Relations at the University of Karachi, Regional Center for Strategic Studies (RCSS) Colombo, Sri Lanka and Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflicts (GPPAC) the Hague, Netherlands.
The meeting was attended by world renowned international experts and scholars of the field including Prof. Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed, Department of International Relations, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh; Prof. Dr. Amal Jayawardene, Executive Director, Regional Center for Strategic Studies, Colombo, Sri Lanka; Dr. William Tsuma, Program Manager Prevention Action, GPPAC/ECCP, The Netherlands; Prof. R.A. Ariyaratne, Associate Director, Regional Center for Strategic Studies, Colombo, Sri Lanka and Prof. Dr. Moonis Ahmar, Department of International Relations, University of Karachi.
The participants agreed that the growing and deepening social and political issues in South Asia need to be addressed by the establishment of Early warning and Early Response (EWER) which is a mechanism to alert and caution state authorities and societal forces to cope with natural and man-made disasters in order to reduce human sufferings, causalities and ordeal.
Formulation of Regional Action Plan for EWER in order to deal with social and political issues was also discussed in the meeting. The participants were of the view that a proper awareness of EWER should be created among the youth by including such themes in the syllabi of students in schools, colleges and universities. Since the youth of South Asia is a vulnerable segment of the society and exposed to militancy, it was recommended that a separate program of EWER should be introduced for them. Experts maintained that student involvement in EWER programs can help deal with social disorder and political crises.
The challenge of violent conflicts in a society can also be dealt with zeal if the marginalized social groups in a society like the minorities and women are empowered and enabled to effectively deal with their environment.
Capacity building for EWER can also be strengthened by acknowledging the positive role that civil society groups and state actors can play in this regard. The participants highlighted the fact that without proper expertise the South Asian people and the governments would remain exposed to social and political threats like militancy, terrorism, ethnic and class base conflicts, religious, cast and sectarian conflicts. It is only through proper inclusion of the common people in understanding the nature of conflicts that can bring about a real social change in any society, especially the South Asian society which remains vulnerable to conflicts.
The meeting contributed significantly in creating a better understanding of conflict transformation. Examining the emergence of CT as a field of study, the meeting concluded that conflict transformation can have positive and negative connotations. A conflict can transform from peaceful to a deadly conflict and vice-versa. It is therefore important to know how the process of conflict transformation takes place and to what extent, if monitored properly by the practitioners of conflict resolution, one can expect change in the interests, attitudes, actors and their roles in a conflict situation. 
|
Show/hide comments
Show/hide comment form
