Category - war and peace

Writing peace out of the script

Simon Barrow — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:31:01 +0100

What are the opportunities and constraints involved in highlighting non-violent interventions in situations of conflict for the general media? Civil society organizations, academic institutions, faith groups and peace workers are regularly involved in conflict transformation work, and in direct interventions to challenge violence and injustice. While the role of the military is regularly profiled and even celebrated, the contribution of those who act without weapons or contracts is usually overlooked. In part, this is because the nature of peace work is often sensitive and requires a degree of ‘under the radar’ operation. But it also happens because of lack of wider understanding and knowledge of non-violent interventions, and because such interventions do not fit the dominant ‘news narrative’ around conflict. This becomes particularly evident in times of crisis. Here we present a short case study of working with the wider media response to the 2005-6 ‘Iraq hostage crisis’ (as it became known), involving four members of a short-term Christian Peacemaker Teams delegation in Baghdad.

Simon Barrow

Transforming guns into tools of hope

Juan Michel — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:45:32 +0100

Seventeen years after the war ended in Mozambique, churches are still collecting and destroying weapons and cleaning up areas of unexploded ordnance so the land can be farmed, says Juan Michel. It shows how hope can be built out of destruction.

Thousands caught in Niger Delta conflict crossfire

agency reporter — Sun, 24 May 2009 01:12:08 +0100

20,000 people who in Warri South and southwest area, in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, are caught in cross fire between the Joint Task Force (JTF) and armed groups. Thousands have fled their communities and are unable to return to their homes.

Increased commitment needed for tackling conflict in Chad

agency reporter — Tue, 12 May 2009 08:08:46 +0100

Amnesty International is calling on all parties to the conflict in eastern Chad not to attack civilians or place them at risk, and that the full complement of United Nations peacekeepers be immediately deployed and provided with adequate resources.

End of UK combat operations in Iraq leaves huge task of repair

staff writers — Fri, 01 May 2009 08:38:57 +0100

Organisations working for a reversal of the tide of violence in the Middle East welcomed the end of the six-year British military mission in Iraq yesterday, and called for continued investment in development, peacebuilding and change.

Tax day protests against war economy planned in USA

staff writers — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 07:48:21 +0100

People at post offices, federal buildings, and public squares in the USA, including last minute taxpayers, will be met with signs demanding “Taxes for Peace Not War” on Wednesday 15 April.

Church leader in Madagascar calls on Christians in the military not to kill

staff writers — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:04:13 +0000

As the conflict deepens in his country, the leader of the largest Protestant church in Madagascar has issued a repeated radio appeal to Christian soldiers in the military not to kill.

Birmingham theological colleges to hold lament ceremony for Iraq war

agency reporter — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 22:51:19 +0000

Students and staff from The Queen's Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education and St Francis Hall in Birmingham University will hold a lamentation ceremony on the sixth anniversary of the Iraq war.

Military might a 'national religion' in the US

April Bogle — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:22:18 +0000

When President Barack Obama said during his campaign that "the United States must maintain a military that is second to none," he was echoing what has become a common refrain among candidates of both parties since the late 1940s, says Emory University's T. Jeremy Gunn.

Struggle continues to bring aid to conflict torn Congo

agency reporter — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 09:19:06 +0000

International aid agencies are struggling to get access to hundreds of thousands of people displaced in the recent escalation of conflict in Congo’s Democratic Republic.