From Anger to Reflection to Forgiveness: John W Franklin of the Smithsonian Museum

Summer 2014: During his visit in at the Just Governance for Human Security Conference, John W Franklin took a moment to reflect on his own personal story and his work at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture: how can he overcome that anger he feels against the perpetrators of slavery, discrimination, and racism?

A Dialogue on Just Governance brought people from 38 countries to Asia Plateau, the IofC centre in the Western Ghats of India, in February. Welcoming the participants, Professor Rajmohan Gandhi spoke of the ‘disappointments, civil wars and cruel violence’ which had followed the failure of the Arab Spring of 2011. ‘But,’ he continued, ‘the human spirit is not weak, and many refuse to give up on their faith in, or hope for, a struggle for justice, for inclusion, and for a voice. The tyrants of our world need to know this.’

Kem Sokha, Vice President of Cambodia’s Opposition, the National Rescue Party, said he had come to the dialogue because millions of Cambodians are calling for change. After last year’s disputed national elections, the ruling party has asked the Opposition to negotiate. ‘I have come to learn what might build sufficient trust between us to bring change,’ said Mr Sokha. ‘I affirm that from now on, Cambodia will not have change with violence.’

Speakers came from conflict zones such as South Sudan, Ukraine and Palestine, and from countries, such as Sri Lanka, South Africa and the Philippines, which are struggling to heal the legacy of past conflicts and oppression. Eight ethnic and racial affairs ministers from Regions and States of Myanmar participated as part of a learning and exposure trip.

‘The war in Sri Lanka is over,’ said Jehan Perera, Director of the National Peace Council, ‘but conflict remains. In a divided society politicians will not speak the truth that brings people together. Our role as civil society is to say the things the politicians won’t say: to be prophets.’

Sarah Awel James Ajith, Chair of the South Sudan Women Association, spoke of her devastation when tribal conflict erupted in her country in December 2013, only 18 months after independence, and close relatives were killed. ‘We didn’t create a shared identity and accept our diversity,’ she said. ‘We are one country but not one nation, torn apart by hatred and suspicion.’ After the killings, she was unable to speak for three months. ‘Then I thought – I didn’t choose to be born Dinka, they didn’t choose to be born Nuer. I must work for peace.’

‘The great strength of Indian democracy is the laws that give every villager the rights of a legislator in his or her village,’ said Wajahat Habibullah, India’s first Chief Information Commissioner. ‘This participation guards against democracy becoming a tyranny of the majority.’ Speaking in a session on overcoming corruption, he warned that democracy does not of itself guarantee just governance; it needs measures which ensure transparency and accountability.

Guled Osman, an advisor to the Foreign Ministry of Somalia, described what had led him to leave his ‘comfortable life’ in UK and return to his country of birth, to engage with its problems, not least the challenge of corruption. ‘I realised that criticising from afar was just shallow activism.’ His co-panelist, Opis Kakumi, a teacher from the Democratic Republic of Congo, told of his school’s stand against the bribery which pervades his country’s educational system.

Another plenary focussed on ‘healing the wounds of history’, with speakers from Tibet, Palestine, Myanmar and the Philippines. Youdon Aukatsang, elected member of the Tibetan Parliament in exile and founder of Empower the Vision, spoke of her hopes for open dialogue with China and her vision of a peaceful future for Tibet. Filipino lawyer Jose Luis Martin ‘Chito’ Gascon said his country is still dealing with the wounds resulting from the Marcos dictatorship which ended 29 years ago. He is active in negotiations to end the long-standing war between the government and rebels representing the 5 million Muslims in Mindanao. ‘There is a deep need for social inclusion and fundamental reforms that acknowledge their legitimate concerns and ensure that those excluded are included,’ he said.

In plenaries and workshops, participants told of the challenges they face, and what they are doing about them. Sudhakar Varanasi from Andhra Pradesh told how the death of a close friend inspired him to launch India’s 108 emergency service, which is credited with saving 2 million lives. Mediatrix Shokoli and Anne Gitu from Kenya described how personal experiences of forgiving had led them to bring women together in Creators of Peace Circles, most recently in a region in northern Kenya where conflict rages over resources and cattle rustling.

Mohamud Hassan, a Somali refugee in Sweden, had reconciled with a fellow Somali from another clan, and returned with him to Somalia to work for reconciliation. 17,000 children are now receiving education in schools he has established. Workshops with Letlapa Mphahlele on forgiving, and with Florina Benoit and Sriprakash Myasandra on peace building and refugees, provided useful tools for participants to take back to their own communities.

Music played a prominent role in fostering a spirit of community during the Dialogue. A concert by classical Indian vocalist, Rasika Garud, drew rapturous applause and prompted Madeeha Gauhar, Founder of Ajoka Theatre in Pakistan, to recall India and Pakistan’s shared musical heritage. Vernita Pearl Fort from USA presented her insightful research on the role of music and art in community building.

Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Leon Dash, now a professor at the University of Illinois, described the teenage experience which convinced him that ‘ethnicity trumps merit’ in the United States, and led him into cynicism, anger and alcoholism. When he went into recovery and made restitution to those he had harmed, he found a new energy. His articles in The Washington Post have brought hidden causes of social disadvantage to national attention. Of the Dialogue, he said that the sessions of silence had been challenging – ‘I don’t do silence, I don’t do inactivity’ – but he had welcomed time to ‘reflect on the past and to look to the future’.

Others took the practice of ‘inner listening’ away with them from the Dialogue. ‘I come from a community of talking and talking,’ said one. ‘I have learned the gift of silence.’ ‘I have been looking for a clear path in the context of peace building,’ said another. ‘I have found one I can embark on. There are a lot of changes that I will have to make.’

‘What has touched me these past few days is the spirit of community,’ concluded Jose Luis Martin Gascon. ‘We’ve been sharing stories of pain, adversity, tragedy, oppression, yet we are able to face them with dignity. What encourages me is the generosity, the openness, the patience, the love, the steadfastness, the solidarity, the hope, the enthusiasm and the joy that each person brings.’

Archana Rao and Mary Lean

Redefining Victims and Oppressors: Healing, Reconciliation and Fight against Impunity

Geneva Round Table Victims Oppressors

Victims and oppressors – can categories such as these be redefined? The lunchtime roundtable discussion which took place on 20 Feb 2015 at the Maison des Associations in Geneva, bringing together experts in the field of healing memories, peace-building, and fighting against torture, discussed this question in front of an eager audience. The event which brought together 42 participants, was organized around the launching of the French version of Michael Lapsley’s book, Redeeming the Past.

Michael Laspley is an activist Anglican priest who lost an eye and both his hands as a result of a letter bomb exploding in his hands at the height of his fight against apartheid. Now he works for the Institute he created, the Institute for Healing of Memories, which exists to create safe and sacred spaces to deal with what happened when other public (and governmental) spaces do not fulfill this role. Daphrose Burampama, second speaker on the panel, sought refuge in Switzerland as a young woman, after having fled oppression in Burundi, where she had made her dissent with the current government public. She has now returned to Burundi in order to lead Peace Circles for women (and some men), that address wounds of the past and explore new ways of working together and sharing one’s story. Gerald Staberock has a background in law and works as Secretary General of the OMCT to fight torture and address impunity. He was the third panel speaker, giving a perspective on how NGOs can promote torture prevention and support victims of injustice and organisations working in the field.

Each speaker gave a slightly different perspective on the moderator’s questions, which led to an animated dialogue. After sharing their personal stories and the main lines of their work, the panelists were asked how their work complements the work of other actors in situations of past violence.

Lapsley and Barampama focus their work on individual healing and dealing with the past. According to them, the healing of a nation comes through individual healing. As Lapsley put it: “It is important to focus not on what we think of the past, but on what we feel. In the end it doesn’t destroy the enemies, it destroys us. We become prisoners of what happened to us.” For Barampama, first step to healing and to deal with the past is to accept what has happened, and play an active role in forgiving oneself but also forgiving the offender: “We often wait for others to give us back our freedom, when in fact we have the power to take it back.” The OMCT focuses on strengthening civil society but also on directing the international community’s attention to “early warnings” of pending conflict situations.

The moderator’s last question was about whether and how to go beyond the categories of “victim” or “oppressor”.

Lapsley and Barampama both argued that labels do not reflect the truth: “All human beings are capable of being victims and/or perpetrators. There are many situations where we can be both at the same time. Those who were once victims could be perpetrators out of vengence and the perpetrators could be victims of their own actions“. Especially in times of violent conflict, the line between victims and oppressors gets blurred. In Burundi and in the Peace Circles, the word “Unbuntu” is used very often – you are me and I am you. Barampama explained that if one person is fragile or is ill, everyone will be ill. It is therefore important to care for one another to build a strong community.

In law, the terms victims and oppressors are defined notions, and each come with their rights and responsibilities. A victim of torture, be this person “good” or “bad”, will always have the right to be protected under law. An “oppressor” will have the obligation to accept all responsibility and consequences. Staberock argued that in order to completely heal the individuals and get to a healthy society, governments should have an active role in bringing to light what happened. He also agreed with Barampama and Lapsley that the personal level of healing is crucial.

The discussion ended on questions by the audience on the importance of restorative vs. retributive justice as well as on the importance of forgiveness. The speakers agreed that restorative justice was in many ways a more sustainable solution than retributive justice, where the cycle of victim and oppressor is rarely broken.

Speakers:

Michael Lapsley, Institute for Healing of Memories, invited by Association des chrétiens pour l’abolition de la torture (ACAT)

Daphrose Barampama, Creators of Peace, Initiatives of Change (IofC) International

Gerald Staberock, Organisation mondiale contre la torture (OMCT)

Moderated by:

Julie Bernath, Head of Department « Dealing with the Past », Swisspeace

MS BARBARA HINTERMANN APPOINTED SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE CAUX-INITIATIVES OF CHANGE FOUNDATION

Barbara Hintermann

The Swiss foundation CAUX-Initiatives of Change (CAUX-IofC), well-known for its reconciliation and peacebuilding work as well as its yearly International Caux Conferences, has announced the hiring of Ms Barbara Hintermann, as its new Secretary-General.

Barbara Hintermann will bring her wide international experience and knowledge to help further develop the actions of the CAUX-Initiatives of Change Foundation in its main focus areas of trustbuilding, ethical leadership and sustainable living.

Barbara Hintermann was born and studied economics in Zurich. After spending two years in a data processing project for a Swiss Bank, Ms Hintermann decided to work for social causes and took on a position with the Association of Zurich hospitals managing an environmental and a human resources project; she then took the responsibility of UNICEF Switzerland’s fundraising. In 1995 she joined the International Committee of the Red Cross and held several positions in the Middle East and Africa. From 2002 to 2004 she served as Deputy Head of Operations for the Balkans. She then returned to the field as Head of Delegation in Guinea-Conakry and in Colombia. From 2008 to 2012 she was Head of Operations for North America and Europe, before being appointed the ICRC’s Deputy Director of Human Resources. In 2014 she decided to look for a different challenge and commitment, again in the service of the humanist goals she had set herself. She is married and the mother of an 11-year girl.

Cornelio Sommaruga, Honorary President of Initiatives of Change International, said: “I am extremely pleased with the decision of the CAUX-IofC Foundation to appoint Ms Barbara Hintermann Secretary General. While at the ICRC, she handled a number of challenging experiences in conflict situations. I appreciate her maturity and openness as well her social engagement since many years. I wish her and the Caux Foundation all the best in this new situation for both.” “We are extremely happy that Ms Hintermann joins us as our new Secretary-General,” added Antoine Jaulmes, the President of CAUX-Initiatives of Change. “In a world where the work of non-profit organisations is increasingly complex and demanding, the CAUX-Initiatives of Change Foundation is being confronted with greater-than-ever needs as well as unprecedented opportunities for partnerships and new initiatives. We needed someone who understands not only the world of peacebuilding, but also the world of management and communications.”

“After 20 years spent in the humanitarian field with the ICRC, I am keen to explore how to foster global change through individual change,” said Ms Hintermann. “CAUX-IofC has done so much meaningful work over the years; the chance to add new achievements to its unique legacy is compelling. I look very much forward to working with a broad community of highly committed individuals and groups.”

Reaching Out to the Enemy: Farai Maguwu of Centre for Natural Resource Governance in Zimbabwe

You can now watch a new YouTube video on Farai Maguwu who visited Caux in summer 2014 during the conference "Just Governance for Human Security".

"Friendships for Peace - The Caux Initiatives": A radio programme by SRF Kultur (4 Jan 2015)

Listen to a very positive radio programme about Caux and the Winter Gathering conference which was broadcasted on 4 January 2015 on the Swiss-German radio station SRF 2 Kultur - Perspectiven.

<< RADIO BROADCAST (in German) >>

We live in a constantly changing world in which strength is often seen as an instrument of power and a means to improve one's image. What is strength? What is a weakness? Where are those places and what are those moments which give us strength, which makes us stronger and better people?

This year's Winter Gathering, which took place in Caux/Switzerland, brought together more than 100 people from all over Western and Eastern Europe, Russia, Tunisia...and even Mexico!

The Caux location and the celebration of the New Year provided a perfect setting to discover new sources of personal and communal strength in an environment of open dialogue and mutual respect.

The fact that it started snowing on day two only added to the feeling of living for some days within a bubble far up a mountain top where everything is possible:

• Children and teenagers speaking different languages playing together and having fun in the snow;
• Crimeans with different political views and Ukrainians meeting up for an evening of dialogue and discussion about the current situation;
• People who had never met before opening up and sharing touching stories of their lives...or making music, cooking or serving meals; being thrown together for a theatre improvisation, playing chess, participating in the various art projects (which accompanied each conference day until the final exhibition on the final day) and hugging and wishing each other a happy new year 2015.

Strength from well-being, relationships, calling, weakness, or change - for early birds, discovering the theme of each conference day started with a time of quiet and music where the mountains opposite Caux slowly emerged from darkness into the light of day.

After breakfast, a 30-minutes input session set the pace for the daily discussions where people were able to share and discuss within a small and safe group. While afternoons were free (Yay! Snoooow!) the daily themes were then taken up again in a plenary session before dinner.

The discussion groups were precious moments of deep experiences, laughter, and - as always, when different people from different backgrounds come together - challenges. In one group the youngest participant was two months old, the oldest was 96 years old and said she decided to come this year because she felt waiting another two years until the next conference might be too long. In another group, people speaking five different languages were mixed together...and not only managed to discuss important questions but also to cook yummy meals for the other participants. The sketch they played on stage during the Cultural Evening on 31 Dec showed how they dealt with this situation with lots of humor on all sides.

So - where do we gather our personal sources of strength? Sometimes the answers that came up were surprisingly simple. The oldest participant, the 96-year-old lady from Switzerland, gave the following advice: 'When you walk, walk.' Or to use the conclusion of the last plenary meeting: 'Wherever you are, whatever you face...

"Start where you are! Use what you have! Do what you can!"

Report: Ulrike Ott Chanu

Photos: Pierre Schneider, Damien Chanu, Pierrick Lechevalier

The Caux Scholars Program (CSP) aims to enable 20 people from around the world every year to become trust builders in their communities through experiential education in conflict transformation and principled leadership.

We aim to further equip the participants for resolving conflicts from the communities in which they work.
Through interaction with peacebuilders, scholars will leave better prepared to shape the conflicts that they work to resolve.

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