Engagement with Resistance & Liberation Movements
At a glance
Through engaging with resistance and liberation movements (RLMs), we aim to improve the framework conditions for political solutions to violent conflicts by enhancing the capacities of these movements to enter into effective and meaningful negotiations.
Activities
BPS is currently involved in two major streams of activities: first, we are organising a series of negotiation meetings. Second, we are contributing to a critical reassessment of current proscription regimes as they are counterproductive to, and pose serious restrictions for, peace mediation and conflict transformation work.
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TopNegotiation meetings
The primary aim of this programme is to improve the framework conditions for political (peaceful) solutions to violent conflicts by enhancing the capacities of RLMs to enter into effective and meaningful negotiations. The specific objectives of the negotiations programme are threefold:
- to offer space for peer advice and joint learning on good practices in negotiations and explore creative ways to deal with negotiation challenges.
- to support ongoing or planned negotiation processes through a joint reflection based on other experiences.
- to improve the resources available for, and the understanding of, effective and meaningful negotiation processes among RLMs.
The impact of proscription
We believe that the international community needs effective instruments to sanction violations of both human rights and international humanitarian law. These instruments need to be based on clear and transparent principles and due processes. Otherwise, proscription carries the risk of escalating instead of reducing violence.
The process of lifting proscription is complicated and seemingly arbitrary – all the more so because the criteria justifying the original classification are often excessively vague. This presents a challenge to ensure that a coherent approach is taken by the international community. It also offers an opportunity to define a constructive roadmap for lifting proscription that can be clearly communicated to those affected by these policies.
In 2009, BPS has organised – together with the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (Geneva), Conciliation Resources (London) and the United States Institute for Peace (Washington) – a one-day high-level event on peace mediation and proscription in Washington. We will initiate a similar debate within the EU in 2010 and also highlight the linkages between de-listing and international humanitarian law.
In 2010, we convened a policy workshop at the European Foundation Centre (Brussels), in partnership with Conciliation Resources and with funding from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (UK). The aim of the workshop was to initiate a debate about the direct and indirect implications of EU counter-terrorism legislation on EU led or supported peace processes and to identify possible steps forward.
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