IT'S THE GRASS THAT SUFFERS...STRENGTHENING HUMAN RIGHTS AWARENESS

Do you fancy acting as the devil’s advocate in a legal tussle whose outcome is unpredictable? Or how would you react when called upon to be a neutral arbiter in a dispute between former allies who are now on the warpath? Does this sound familiar? Of course it does! As one African proverb points out, it is the grass that suffers when two elephants fight. Simply put, conflict leaves in its wake hapless victims including children, women and the elderly. However, their rights as human beings need to be protected while diplomacy is pursued to bring an end to war.

This was the cornerstone of a training workshop for UNMEE personnel on "Human Rights, Conflict Resolution and the Protection of Vulnerable Groups" held at Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in Addis Abba, Ethiopia from 8-11 July.

Experts insist that human rights and conflict are inextricably linked. Many root causes of conflict are linked to the denial of individual and community rights and fundamental liberties, team say. In the words of the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General (DSRG) Addis Ababa, Cheikh Tidiane-Gaye who opened the workshop, "Conflict itself generally results in the violation of human rights, sometimes on a massive scale." This, he noted, makes it imperative for all peacekeepers, policy makers and conflict resolution experts to "incorporate the norms of human rights in their work."

Echoing a similar theme, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) Legwaila Joseph Legwaila in his closing remarks at the end of the workshop on 11 July, described training as an integral component of peacekeeping: "Given that our Mission is charged with the heavy responsibility of facilitating a peaceful resolution to the Ethiopian-Eritrean conflict and ensuring that the people of the two countries can live in an environment where all their rights are ensured, we know that we need to exploit and harness all the tools at our disposal in order to achieve this goal," the SRSG observed.

SRSG Legwaila called for more understanding and compassion, as well as "greater sensitivity" to the plight of those that fall under the category of "vulnerable groups." It was his hope, he said, that those considered vulnerable "will realize that UNMEE is here to help them."

During the four-day seminar, participants discussed a broad range of topics, ranging from Recent Trends In Peacekeeping Operations and Legal Instruments For The Protection And Promotion Of Human Rights, to the question of Refugees and IDPs in the Ethiopian-Eritrean Conflict.

Ozonnia Ojielo, who facilitated the training on conflict analysis and ersolution, described the exchange between trainers and trainees as "rich." " I’m thoroughly excited by the high level of awareness, morale and commitment of our participants," he said. " I hope this will be the start of a process between the trainers and UNMEE staff." Mr. Ojielo is Head of the Information Unit for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Sierra Leone. Other facilitators included Professor Andrea de Guttry, the Director of the International Training Programme for Conflict Management at the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, in Pisa, Italy and Professor Kofi Kumado Director of the Legon Centre for International Affairs, University of Ghana.

The rich mix of participants resulted in interesting and sometimes passionate discussions. They came from seventeen countries and included UNMOs and CIMIC officers, as well as Political Affair Officers, Public Information Officers and Human Rights Officers. HRO was determined from the start to include military as well as civilian officers.

Thanking the SRSG for his steadfast support for the work of the Human Rights Section, Officer-in-Charge Gillian Kitley said her section would continue to provide training for UNMEE staff in order to increase awareness of human rights issues and ensure that the Mission’s human rights mandate is understood and discharged effectively, in accordance with relevant Security Council Resolutions. "This training has been hugely successful and we thank the SRSG and others in UNMEE who made it possible. We intend to organize more seminars like this in the future," she said. She hinted that discussions were ongoing as to the possibility of holding a similar training seminar in Asmara before the end of the year.

Major Joy Rautenbach, MIlitary Liaison Officer receives a certificate from the SRSG

Participants were drawn from the Mission area in both countries