South and South East Asia

The Advocates for a Peace Covenant (APC), a group of Filipino peace practitioners convened by International Alert’s former Board Member and Senator Bobby Tanada and Alert’s Senior Policy Adviser Ed Garcia, recently initiated a consultation on a Peace Covenant based on the respect for human rights and the pursuit of social justice in the Philippines.

Waging Peace Philippines (WPP), a civil society network convened by International Alert, warmly welcomed the recent political developments in the Philippines which could significantly advance the peace process in the country.

The Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) recently announced the suspension of offensive military operations, therefore giving respite to more than 200,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in precarious conditions in makeshift camps.

International Alert Sri Lanka recently visited New Delhi in an attempt to further expand Alert’s regional work in the South Asia.

As part of our programme in the Philippines, Alert recently took part in the Philippines’ Month of Peace with many activities.

Day of Peace and World March for Peace and Non-Violence

International Alert recently met representatives of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) panel negotiating with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Led by its chair, Foreign Affairs Under-secretary Rafael Sguis, the panel and the former UK Ambassador to the Philippines, Peter Beckingham, visited Alert offices in London before embarking on a tour to Belfast, upon the invitation of the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to learn from the Northern Ireland’s peacebuilding experience.

When the Koshi River which flows through the Eastern Terai region of Nepal flooded in summer 2008, it displaced more than 60,000 people, damaged the national highway, and destroyed crops. Since then, major concerns have been voiced that the fragile embankment will break in more places, flooding an even greater area.

The severity of risk is closely linked to the poor maintenance of dams and river barriers. Responsibility thus ultimately lies with the government.

International Alert, together with partners Equal Access Nepal and Youth Action Nepal organised a series of interaction programmes with members of the Constituent Assembly (CA) of Nepal and representatives of the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The programmes were aimed at advocating for issues and concerns that came out of a research and dialogue process, part of a three-year initiative funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which seeks to contribute to building and fostering a constructive role for youth by ensuring their access to security and justice in Nepal.

Acknowledging that the rehabilitation of ex-combatants is critical to sustainable peace in Nepal, which is in turn crucial for long-term economic development, a recent workshop of private sector leaders in Kathmandu resulted in a display of willingness and openness towards providing support to ex-combatants, when and as required by the government and political parties.

In the lead-up to the next global summit on climate change in Cancun, Mexico, International Alert along with the Delegation of the European Union in Nepal held a dialogue on climate change, security and governance on 3rd September 2010 in Kathmandu.

International Alert is seeking to build on previous initiatives to inform and advance EU thinking on the reintegration of ex-combatants into post-conflict societies and economies. This is the second of two briefing papers produced as part of a year-long initiative aimed at reinvigorating the debate on reintegration. Based on research in Burundi, Liberia and Nepal, it discusses why the lessons of past reintegration programmes are not being learned and what implications this has for future EU disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) programming.

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THIS REPORT SHEDS analytical light on the complex linkages between economic factors and the conflict in Mindanao, and on the possible role of local business leaders and their associates in communities or other sectors in the country in breaking these links. It also explores options for government in addressing these dynamics.

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This report investigates Sri Lankan perceptions of the role of business in society, and businesses’ own perception of this role, including its potential in supporting social, economic and political development. It also explores whether Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), as presently understood by businesses and the wider community, can be a useful entry point for Sri Lanka’s private sector to contribute to peace.

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This report examines the lessons learned from the three year Monitoring the Implementation of Small Arms Controls (MISAC) project which addressed the barriers to the implementation of international controls on small arms such as the 2001 Programme of Action and the UN Firearms Protocol as well as regional control measures such as the EU Code of Conduct, the OSCE Small Arms Document the OAS Convention and the ECOWAS Moratorium. It assesses the key barriers to implementation as well as drawing lessons learned from those countries and regions which have implemented these controls.

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This paper aims to serve as background and analytical guidance for a conflict assessment of the Education for All programme in Nepal. In doing so it:

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This Review of the Education For All (EFA) programme in Nepal was commissioned by the Finnish Embassy on behalf of the group of supporting donors and undertaken by a team of consultants contracted by International Alert. The intention is to examine the EFA programme in relation to conflict and the current political crisis. Over a period of a month the team reviewed the relevant literature, visited the Mid-West and East, and engaged in consultation with stakeholders in Nepal.

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