AFRICANEWS
SudanWhy not wage Peace instead of WarWomenby Rebecca Joshua Okwaci
It is time to correct stereotypes that when women organise to loudly voice their concern and the concerns of the nation, they are viewed with sarcasm and contempt. Their meetings are termed- Women meetings discussing "just women issues". Gone are those days for Sudanese women who are prepared to partake and influence matters related to peace, justice and development in their dying nation. During her address to the Hague Appeal for Peace conference, the Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, "I have two grandchildren, the dearest to me is now in the world. I would not like them to go through the war, conflict or violence…We owe peace to all our beloved ones. We must not fail to leave them this legacy". She said this not only she is a woman but a parent and above all a national leader in her own right. Women as well as peace -loving men usually think of tomorrow and the legacy they will leave for future generations. Although parents sometimes think of legacy in terms of material and security, their main preoccupation is that, after they die their children should live in a peaceful and stable nation, have peaceful marital life and peace of mind. In the Sudanese culture, parents or grandparents, who have prepared to leave a legacy to their children would always say- I will die a happy person. Like other women in some parts of the world, Sudanese women's efforts in search of peace is gaining momentum and no turning back whatsoever. From time immemorial, women have been involved in peace-making, no matter how traditional they were. With the current ferocious war, groups, such as Sudanese Women's Voice for Peace, women groups under the Sudan Council of Churches and civil society organisations have joined the march and are contributing by providing training in conflict management, trauma counseling and peace-building among people devastated by war. Women have vowed not to leave any stone unturned in search of peace and justice for a country ravaged by a lengthy war. One of the recent initiatives on peace is the Initiative to Facilitate the Participation of the Sudanese Women Process (IFPSWPP). The initiative came as a response by the Royal Netherlands government to the cry of the Sudanese women who want to effectively participate in the peace march in the country, on he level of both society and the negotiating table. The aim of the initiative is to give support to the efforts of the Sudanese women and men in bringing about the culture of peace, while promoting non-violent forms of conflict resolution. The women want to have influence on the peace process. After a complete year for consultation and another year of confidence-building, the initiative found a ground in the hearts of the Sudanese women and men who encouraged nurturing peace needed today by Sudanese whether from the South, North or West. As the tittle suggests, the word 'facilitate' clarifies the fact that the Dutch are only assisting in making the progress of Sudanese women's participation in the peace process easier. This is by facilitating travels, chances of organising meetings and training . The initiative supports the Sudanese women to identify issues at stake, set an agenda for peace, play a role in the peace process and benefit from international support and recognition. This indicates that the role of the Netherlands is purely neutral and that the initiave is owned by the Sudanese women themselves. Another vital element portrayed by the title of the initiative is that it is a process. Sudanese women involved in the initiative believe that no problem can be solved overnight. As a result of the war, estimates say that 1.5m people have died, 350,000 have taken refuge and four million are internally displaced, the majority of whom are women and children. Their goal is to effectively alleviate malnutrition, effective literacy, restore human rights and participation of all citizens, particularly women who constitute more than 65 per cent of the population. In other words women want to be part of policy and decision-making bodies because their role is crucial in the realisation of a lasting and just peace. Apart from their participation in international conferences, such as Dakar, Nairobi and Beijing conferences, the Sudanese women attended The Hague Apeal for Peace Conference. A nine member delegation from the Initiative participated in the recent conference held in The Hague, The Netherlands, between 11th to 15th May 1999. But what was Hague Appeal conference all about? What does it mean to the Sudanese women? William R. Pace, Secretary General, Hague Appeal for Peace said "The Hague Appeal for Peace Conference, at its heart, is a world peace conference to identify an agenda for peace and international justice so that millions of people in the 21st century can be spared from the ravages of war, so destructive, universal, prevalent, costly and terrible in this century. The agenda itself is a combination of issues, initiatives and actions being proposed by the participants, but also by progressive governments and international organisations." Utilising the golden chance of the conference, women under the IFPSWPP programme resolved to maximally use the opportunity to voice the concern that an urgent action is required so that parties in conflict could work towards the settlement of the conflict in Sudan. No doubt that Sudanese women delegates in the initiative come from various political, social and economic backgrounds, from the north and south sectors of Sudan, including the Nuba Mountains. They represented various armed parties to the war as well as civil society organisation across the nation. Such an encounter in terms of violence was a fertile ground for emotions to flare up and fights to erupt. However, wise as women always are, issues of concern and the destiny of the nation was paramount . Apart from conducting panels, interviews with the press, the women held meetings with influential people and called on the Sudanese leaders, who are party in the conflict, to declare "an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire, halt hostilities, respect human rights." The cessation of hostilities must be followed by "an immediate, sustained peace dialogue'', they said. It is imperative that peace education on the grass-roots should move simultaneously with the existing peace efforts. Women believe that the peace process on all levels must be maintained by both men and women. The Sudanese women concluded their appeal, issued on 13th May by saying, "If we, the women of Sudan, having witnessed so much suffering, can work together for peace, it is incumbent on our leaders to commit themselves to ending this war."
| CONTENTS | AFRICANEWS HOMEPAGE |
USAGE/ACKNOWLED Contents can be freely reproduced with acknowledgements. The by-line should read: author/AFRICANEWS. Send a copy of the reproduced article to AFRICANEWS.
AFRICANEWS - Koinonia Media Centre, P.O. Box 8034, Nairobi, Kenya
|