| "The policy of this small team of foreign and local peace workers is to visibly stand by victims of violence, and needs commendation. All peace loving people must do all they can to appreciate and endorse such vulnerable groups whose mandate is to stand with the vulnerable, and whose only weapon is their moral strength to be able to do so."
Duleep de Chickera, Anglican Bishop of Colombo, Sri Lanka - Daily Mirror front page, Saturday May 27, 2006 |
Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) launched its first joint project in Sri Lanka in 2003 at the invitation of several local and national Sri Lankan peace organizations. More than 64,000 people have been killed and 1.6 million displaced in the civil war that has ravaged Sri Lanka since 1983. NP staff in Sri Lanka today consist of more than 50 individuals, both local peacekeepers and international professionals. We currently have 25 field team members plus support staff in five locations in Sri Lanka.
MANDATE
Reduce violence to increase the safety of civilians in Sri Lanka so they can contribute to a lasting peace with justice.
OBJECTIVES
- Reduce the level of and potential for violence.
- To support and improve the safety, confidence and ability of Sri Lankan peacemakers and other civilians to address conflict in nonviolent ways.
- Work with Sri Lankans to deter resumption of violent conflict
STRATEGIES
NP in Jaffna - Facilitating meetingsNonviolent Peaceforce Sri Lanka (NPSL) engages in many different kinds of activities such as different forms of accompaniment, networking and connecting, concerned engagement as internationals, presence at events and places at risk of violence and crisis, and rumor control, etc. These activities are primarily at the request of or in some way in support of local Sri Lankan civilians. While NPSL sometimes provides feedback, inspiration and a sounding board, our work is guided by the local agenda, not ours. These activities, over time and repetition serve to:
- increase the actual safety of individuals,
- decrease violence in individual and family lives and in specific communities,
- increase nonviolent options to address problems and needs,
- support the building of new connections and
- networks and help raise the visibility of critical issues and the ability to discuss them.
The result is reduced barriers to civilian involvement in peace with justice work. We assume that as this work continues and there are enough positive outcomes and not too many negative ones this will tend to make room for new civilian participation in both ongoing and new peace with justice activities. This in turn should lead to some structural changes, thus further increasing safety and decreasing violence and leading to more peaceful and just conditions in Sri Lanka. It is an iterative process that requires significant follow up and support after the initial set of activities. It is a process that is slow to develop and takes time to mature and show impact.
OUTCOMES
Outcomes of the Nonviolent Peaceforce Pilot Project in Sri Lanka include:
- Reduction of violence in the communities where we work;
- People feel safer when accompanied;
- Civil society groups continue or increase their work;
- Citizens dare to demand their rights;
- Relations between ethnic groups improve;
- New networks develop and
- People receive aid because they are linked.