| The Great Lakes Parliamentary Forum on Peace - AMANI Forum 2009 General Assembly June 15 – 17, 2009, Laico Regency, Nairobi |
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Theme: “Interrogating the Lessons Learned from Internal Displacement in the Great Lakes Region: Are We Achieving Sustainable Peace?” The 2009 General Assembly of AMANI Forum is hosted by the Kenya Chapter and slated for 16 – 17 June 2009, in Nairobi, Kenya. Members of Parliament will focus on current policy trends with regards to the resolution of internal displacement (conflict-induced) and their contribution towards sustainable peace in the Great Lakes region. This year’s program will be filled with panel discussions, round-table conversations, plenary sessions, music and poetry. The design of the Forum program ensures that the days spent together allow participants to focus on some of the most important problems of our time in our pursuit of sustainable peace. The conversations amongst members of parliament and selected peace practitioners and researchers will focus on: (a) analyzing the inter-linkages between ethno-ideology, politics and internal displacement and, (b) interrogating the existing approaches in the resolution of internal displacement.
1. Background The experiences of Burundi, Kenya, DRC, Uganda and many other countries seem to suggest that there is a correlation between a certain brand of politics (one might say an ‘ethnically-based politics’ or politics that is driven by an underlying ethnic ideology), and the manifestation of internally displaced persons. Consequently, resolving internal displacement – and preventing future displacement - is inextricably linked with achieving lasting peace. In recognition of the displacement-peace nexus, AMANI Forum has, over the years, undertaken various initiatives aimed at enhancing the role of parliamentarians in the voluntary return and reintegration of forced migrants (both refugees and IDPs). Examples of these initiatives include: the AMANI Zambia – AMANI Rwanda project on ‘Parliamentarians, Refugees and Returnees’, which sought to promote the voluntary return of Rwandan refugees in Zambia – following the signing of a tri-partite agreement between UNHCR, Zambia and Rwanda; Several fact-finding and confidence building missions to refugee camps in Rwanda and Burundi; Parliamentary assessments on the return and reintegration of Internally Displaced Persons in Northern Uganda. Currently, there is the ongoing work by AMANI Kenya Chapter on reconciliation between host-communities, IDPs and returnees. Arising from these efforts, as well as those of other actors, several significant lessons have been learned. With specific reference to the displacement-nexus link, it is clear that, unresolved problems of displacement may cause instability and thus threaten peace processes as well as peace-building efforts. On the other hand durable solutions, particularly return, cannot be achieved for internally displaced persons as long as there is a lack of security; property is not restored; and conditions for sustainable solutions – including reconciliation between local communities and returnees, post-conflict reconstruction and the re-establishment of the rule of law and a legitimate government – are not in place. In its 2008 – 2012 Strategic Plan, AMANI Forum singles out the challenge of Ethno-ideology as the most pressing challenge to its vision of a peaceful great lakes region. The rise of neo-ethnicity in the hitherto peaceful countries of Zambia and Kenya, for example, points to a deeper crisis revolving around ‘identity’ amongst the peoples who inhabit the Great Lakes region. AMANI’s related response to this challenge is via the channels of parliamentary diplomacy, parliamentary advocacy, and, monitoring the Executive. In addition to these, one other strategy that AMANI intends to pursue is that of partnering up with regional economic formations, (RECs) to contain the possible effects of ethno-ideology and promote peaceful co-existence. ,
2. Why Focus on the Displacement – Peace Nexus? There are a number of reasons why resolving internal displacement is inextricably linked with achieving peace. One is that IDPs - like all other war-affected civilians - have rights grounded in international human rights law and international humanitarian law; and states in post-conflict situations have an obligation to protect those rights. In some countries the sheer scale of displacement is so significant and accounts for such a large proportion of the national or sub-regional population that it is simply unrealistic to plan for the peaceful future of the country without incorporating the needs of the displaced and ensuring their active participation. At one point in Northern Uganda, for example, there were some 1.7 million people displaced, accounting for 90 percent of the population of that region. Helping displaced populations to return and reintegrate can simultaneously address the root causes of a conflict and help prevent further displacement. Specifically: the return of displaced populations can be an important signifier of peace and the end of conflict; return can play an important part in validating the post-conflict political order, for example by legitimizing elections; the return of the displaced can be a pre-condition for peace if they are politically active; and the return of displaced populations can also make an important contribution to the recovery of local economies. Furthermore, in the countries of our region, whether willingly or unwillingly, some IDPs have become party to conflict, and their inclusion is therefore necessary for conflict-resolution and sustainable peace.
The Great Lakes Parliamentary Forum on Peace - AMANI Forum 2009 General Assembly June 15 – 17, 2009, Laico Regency, Nairobi “Interrogating the Lessons Learned from Internal Displacement in the Great Lakes Region: Are We Achieving Sustainable Peace?”
Draft Agenda 16th June 2009 Master of Ceremonies AMANI Kenya Chapter Secretary General
0900 – 1030 hrs Welcome Remarks AMANI Kenya Chapter Chairman Introductions Setting the Stage: Regional Secretary General Music/Poetry Partner’s Speech: Embassy of Norway Government of Kenya Minister of Special Programmes Key note address: Speaker, Kenya National Assembly Group Photo
1030 – 1100hrs Tea Break
11.00 – 12.00 hrs Regional Perspectives Panel Discussions Chaired by Kenya “Internal Displacement in the Context of the GLR: An Analysis of Root Causes” Salome Katia, Executive Secretary, AMANI Forum
Understanding and Dealing with Identity Myths in the Great Lakes, Regional Analysts Network (RAN)
Open Discussion
1200 – 1300hrs “ ‘The Responsibility to Protect’: A Case of Old Wine in New Skin?”, R2P Steering Committee 1300 – 1400hrs Lunch
1400 – 1530 hrs National Perspectives: Conversations Facilitated by RAN
Prelude … Music/Poetry
Conversation Topic: “Good and Bad Practice in Addressing Displacement in Peace Agreements and Post-Conflict Reconstruction in Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, EAC (from the perspective of sustainable peacebuilding) 1530 – 1600 hrs Health break 1600 – 1700 hrs National and Regional Identities: Plenary Chaired by EALA “The East African Futures Scenarios”, Society for International Development
“Citizenship and Belonging”, by Great Lakes Ecumenical Forum 17th June 2009 Master of Ceremonies AMANI Kenya Chapter REC Member Enhancing Harmony and Effectiveness: Panel Chaired by AMANI Rwanda 0900hrs – 1000 hrs “Building Synergies for Resolving Internal Displacement: The Experience of Gulu District, Northern Uganda” Norbert Mao, Chairman Gulu District, LC V
“What is the Role of Parliamentarians in the Successful Implementation IC GLR Protocol on IDPs?” Dismas Nkunda, International Refugee Rights Initiative
“Private Sector Interests and Roles in the Resolution of Displacement”, Kenya Private Sector Alliance
Plenary Discussion 1000 – 1030hrs Tea/Coffee 1030 – 1130hrs What about Leadership? Session Facilitated by RAN Prelude … Music/Poetry Topic: Back to the Root Causes of Displacement: As a Forum of Leaders, how can we be more effective in working towards the one-ness of our region? 1130 – 1230hrs “Building the Road Home”, AMANI Forum Regional Chairperson Open Discussion 1230 – 1400hrs Lunch 1400 – 1700hrs General Assembly Statutory Proceedings o Approval of Minutes of the Previous GA o Secretary General’s Report o Policy Decision Requests o Introduction of New REC Members and Office Bearers o Any Other Business o Adjourn _________________________________________ 1900 – 2200 hrs Gala Dinner at the Grand Laico Hotel Guest of Honor, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kenya |
