Conference
series to
focus on
management
of human
crises

The human and financial cost of war is beyond comprehension. When societies collapse into violence the result is all too familiar: the destruction of life and infrastructure, gross abuses of human rights, and human displacement. The misery of the victims of war is an affront to humanity that must be addressed.

In that effort, UNU and the Delegation of the European Commission in Japan jointly organized the first in a series of annual international conferences highlighting pressing challenges to the EU, the UN and Japan.

The conferences, the first of which was held January 25-26 at UN House in Tokyo, focus on joint concerns in development cooperation, humanitarian aid and crisis management. They have the dual aim of developing practical recommendations for improving international mechanisms for responding to crises and raising awareness about the issues involved. 

Distinguished speakers opening the conference included Kiyohiro Araki, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Japan, UNU Rector Hans van Ginkel, Ove Juul Joergensen, Ambassador, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission in Japan and Poul Nielson, EU Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, who delivered the opening keynote address.

UNHCR estimates that at the end of 1999, well over 18 million people were refugees, internally displaced, or seeking asylum. The number of war-related deaths during the 1990s surpassed 5 million according to the UN's Millennium Report. These figures are indicative of a much wider tragedy.

Moreover, civil conflict is rarely confined to territorial borders; evidence has shown time and again that it can have an impact upon international or regional peace and stability. The material means and resources necessary to identify vulnerabilities of conflict, and to respond in a variety of ways, do exist. The focus of this conference series is how rhetoric can be turned into constructive action on the part of international actors; states, regional and global international organizations, and NGOs.

The conferences are organized around six themes:

1. Prevention or cure? The challenges of effective conflict prevention

While the means for conflict prevention exist, the political will and consensus around which collective action can occur, do not. Few international actors will disburse scarce resources to invest in the prevention of conflicts. The culture of reaction seems inherent in the international system. How can we convince international actors to invest in peace, justice and stability before catastrophe occurs?

2. Conflict management: Dilemmas of international intervention

When conflict occurs, the damage needs to be minimized and contained. The international community has the responsibility and the right to limit the escalation of war and destruction. This inevitably calls for intervention in the affairs of sovereign states. Is humanitarian intervention permissible? Who decides when and how the community of states has the right to put human security ahead of state sovereignty? Can states lose this privilege if they fail to provide for the most basic needs of their populations? When is “conflict management” – containing the repercussions of conflict, such as refugees, to the conflict area – a poor substitute for addressing the root causes of conflict?

3. Addressing the illusions and realities of conflict resolution

The real task of peacemakers starts after a settlement has been reached. How can the major stakeholders interact to facilitate true resolution of conflict? This requires the rebuilding of war-torn societies, of legal, political, economic and social structures. How can the international community assist societies to “reinvent” themselves, to build peace where war has left deep scars that may take generations to heal? Unless conflicts are addressed at their roots and mechanisms are put in place to prevent their recurrence, true resolution remains a dangerous illusion. But this is not without controversy when international actors take responsibility for security, and even governance, in post-conflict societies. Moreover, the demands of justice in coming to terms with past human rights abuse raise real dilemmas when balanced against the need for peace, stability and reconciliation. Is there a tension between justice and peace?

4. The role of donors

• Humanitarian aid reflects genuine concern to alleviate suffering, but is often inadequately accompanied by measures to address root causes. A minority of the world's population cannot live in sustainable peace while the majority live in servitude to want. As poverty, especially when combined with inequality, lies at the root of many of today's conflicts, the best way to prevent crises may still be international involvement in order to promote sustainable and inclusive development. At the same time, development aid policies must be adapted to encourage good governance, equity, democracy, protection of minorities and human rights.

• Which regions receive most attention, and how is this reflected in the distribution of resources for the prevention and management of conflict?

• Has humanitarian aid lost its innocence? Is it just a fig-leaf for the lack of political will/action? Can the donors achieve a constructive division of labour pertaining to conflict management?

5. The role of non-governmental organizations

The role of NGOs in all areas of conflict prevention, management and resolution is well understood and acknowledged, on the basis of their local support and expertise, their flexibility and quick response time, and their freedom from the “taint” of national interest. Working alongside international and regional organizations on the basis of partnership, complementarity and comparative advantage clearly seems to be logical and efficient. Yet the coordination, motivation and resource allocation of NGOs can be extremely diverse. How can effective regulation be introduced while maintaining the essentially “unregulated” nature of civil society in this area?

6. The role of the media

• How do the media play different roles in humanitarian emergencies, having the potential both to exacerbate conflict and promote reconciliation at the local level, and having an impact upon, or even driving, foreign policy decision-making and the allocation of resources from donor countries (the CNN effect)?

• The international media community does not respond in a consistent way to humanitarian emergencies. The comprehensive coverage of the Kosovo crisis contrasts with forgotten tragedies such as conflicts in Angola, Afghanistan, and the Horn of Africa. How can the imbalance be redressed?

• With the tension between speed and accuracy, how does live reporting reflect the reality and substance of crises? Should efforts be made to analyse the causes and consequences of conflict rather than resorting to “template reporting? ” And how can the dignity of the victim be respected and preserved in 90-second reports from the disaster zones?

• The symbiotic relationship between the media and humanitarian workers has become increasingly contentious. And yet, the role of witness is vital. How can the humanitarian community and the media work together to generate enough political will to undertake meaningful conflict resolution initiatives at an international level?

For more information: UNU Public Affairs, Tel: 03-34992811.