The Facility for Advisory Support for Transition Capacities (FASTRAC) facilitated a 3-day Workshops on Transitional Justice, Normalization, and Internal Waters/Territorial Seas for members of the MILF Transition Commission (TC), Technical Working Groups and their Secretariat.
The sessions were held at the Golden Lace along Macapagal Street from August 15-17.
The knowledge sharing workshops were facilitated by experts from the United Nations and the World Bank who have extensive practical experiences in the field of post-conflict reconstruction, rehabilitation and development in some of the most challenging conflict-affected regions in the world.
Mohagher Iqbal, Chairman of FASTRAC Consultative Committee, acknowledge the importance of the workshops in his opening statement. He said that the workshops will greatly enhance the perspectives of the member of the participants in the formulation of the remaining annexes of the GPH-MILF Peace Process. Atty. Naguib G. Sinarimbo, UN Advisor on Political Transition, explained that the rationale of the workshops is to primarily share to the participants various theoretical and practical experiences in the field of post-conflict peace-building scenarios.
The UN and WB experts shared to the participants key choices on transitional justice as part of the normalization process in post-conflict scenarios. One key choice is the concept of “Forward-Looking Vs. Past-Oriented” transitional justice. Forward-Looking, as shared by the experts, possesses the characters of ensuring full access to justice irrespective of location and identity; targeting disadvantaged communities and locations with priority investments, and improved service delivery; taking positive measures towards a shared identity; reconstructing shared historical memory; improving human rights, gender, and conflict sensitivity of the judiciary and of the security sector; and asking specific new measures to address recurring drivers of grievance and violence.
On the other hand, past-oriented transitional justice is one where past war crimes and human rights abuses are investigated; offering reparations or compensation for war damage or human rights abuses; reconstructing and highlighting the distinct history of a marginalized group; linking security sector reform to past abuses; centering violence prevention initiatives on past patterns of violent conflict.
A second key choice on transitional justice presented by the Experts is the question whether to establish specialized bodies, or utilize the existing formal/informal processes or institutions, or both to cater to the demands of post-conflict peace-building. A third key choice on transitional justice is the notion of restorative justice vs. prosecutions, or both. Under this scheme, the Experts shared that the major stakeholders of the process shall deeply ponder and decide whether to adopt the traditional or the non-traditional methods of healing and whether to go for amnesty of not. In addition, it is also important to decide whether “memorialization” of those damaged by the conflict, whether at the level of individuals of communities, be done at the local or national level. The last point to consider under the restorative justice or prosecutions, or both, scenario is whether to adopt an investment or compensation scheme in response to the damages as a result of the armed conflict.
During the workshops, the issue on territorial seas/internal waters was also discussed and debated. Atty. Sinarimbo presented various models of formulations in determining a country/region’s territorial seas and internal waters using both a country’s specific policies/laws, international standards and United Nations guidelines.
The knowledge sharing workshops resulted into a productive engagement not only between the Experts and participants but more significantly among the participants themselves who are directly involved in the crafting of the remaining Annexes of the GPH-MILF Peace Process. It was emphasized, however, by the Experts that the post-conflict scenario of the Bangsamoro has no precedent among the countries/regions engaged in post-conflict peacebuilding. As a result, the Experts encouraged the participants to be innovative in this process as the window of opportunities for innovative approaches are wide open.
Perhaps, it is also noteworthy to stress in the search for a sustained post-conflict peacebuilding environment in the Bangsamoro what James D. Wolfensohn stated in his address during the 1997 World Bank Annual Meeting in Hongkong that “One does not have to spend long in Bosnia or Gaza or the lakes district in Africa to know without economic hope, we will not have hope. Without equity we will not have global stability. Without a better sense of social justice out cities will not be safe and our societies will not be stable. Without inclusion, too many of us will be condemned to live separate armed and frightened lives.”
The Experts who facilitated the knowledge sharing workshops were CHETAN KUMAR, Team Leader, Conflict Prevention Group, Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery based in UN Headquarters, New York; RON KRAYBIL, UN Peace and Development Advisor with personal knowledge and experience in the South African transition ; and CLIVE SCOFIELD, International Maritime Expert based in Australia.
The FASTRACT is a facility created by the United Nations and the World Bank to provide “on-demand advisory services and access to the most relevant national and international expertise to contribute and help move forward with the peace process especially in the drafting of the Basic Law that will reflect the Bangsamoro people’s aspirations for genuine autonomy while establishing the basis for efficient and accountable government”.
http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/512-fastrac-facilitates-experts’-workshops-on-the-remaining-annexes-of-the-gph-milf-peace-process
The knowledge sharing workshops were facilitated by experts from the United Nations and the World Bank who have extensive practical experiences in the field of post-conflict reconstruction, rehabilitation and development in some of the most challenging conflict-affected regions in the world.
Mohagher Iqbal, Chairman of FASTRAC Consultative Committee, acknowledge the importance of the workshops in his opening statement. He said that the workshops will greatly enhance the perspectives of the member of the participants in the formulation of the remaining annexes of the GPH-MILF Peace Process. Atty. Naguib G. Sinarimbo, UN Advisor on Political Transition, explained that the rationale of the workshops is to primarily share to the participants various theoretical and practical experiences in the field of post-conflict peace-building scenarios.
The UN and WB experts shared to the participants key choices on transitional justice as part of the normalization process in post-conflict scenarios. One key choice is the concept of “Forward-Looking Vs. Past-Oriented” transitional justice. Forward-Looking, as shared by the experts, possesses the characters of ensuring full access to justice irrespective of location and identity; targeting disadvantaged communities and locations with priority investments, and improved service delivery; taking positive measures towards a shared identity; reconstructing shared historical memory; improving human rights, gender, and conflict sensitivity of the judiciary and of the security sector; and asking specific new measures to address recurring drivers of grievance and violence.
On the other hand, past-oriented transitional justice is one where past war crimes and human rights abuses are investigated; offering reparations or compensation for war damage or human rights abuses; reconstructing and highlighting the distinct history of a marginalized group; linking security sector reform to past abuses; centering violence prevention initiatives on past patterns of violent conflict.
A second key choice on transitional justice presented by the Experts is the question whether to establish specialized bodies, or utilize the existing formal/informal processes or institutions, or both to cater to the demands of post-conflict peace-building. A third key choice on transitional justice is the notion of restorative justice vs. prosecutions, or both. Under this scheme, the Experts shared that the major stakeholders of the process shall deeply ponder and decide whether to adopt the traditional or the non-traditional methods of healing and whether to go for amnesty of not. In addition, it is also important to decide whether “memorialization” of those damaged by the conflict, whether at the level of individuals of communities, be done at the local or national level. The last point to consider under the restorative justice or prosecutions, or both, scenario is whether to adopt an investment or compensation scheme in response to the damages as a result of the armed conflict.
During the workshops, the issue on territorial seas/internal waters was also discussed and debated. Atty. Sinarimbo presented various models of formulations in determining a country/region’s territorial seas and internal waters using both a country’s specific policies/laws, international standards and United Nations guidelines.
The knowledge sharing workshops resulted into a productive engagement not only between the Experts and participants but more significantly among the participants themselves who are directly involved in the crafting of the remaining Annexes of the GPH-MILF Peace Process. It was emphasized, however, by the Experts that the post-conflict scenario of the Bangsamoro has no precedent among the countries/regions engaged in post-conflict peacebuilding. As a result, the Experts encouraged the participants to be innovative in this process as the window of opportunities for innovative approaches are wide open.
Perhaps, it is also noteworthy to stress in the search for a sustained post-conflict peacebuilding environment in the Bangsamoro what James D. Wolfensohn stated in his address during the 1997 World Bank Annual Meeting in Hongkong that “One does not have to spend long in Bosnia or Gaza or the lakes district in Africa to know without economic hope, we will not have hope. Without equity we will not have global stability. Without a better sense of social justice out cities will not be safe and our societies will not be stable. Without inclusion, too many of us will be condemned to live separate armed and frightened lives.”
The Experts who facilitated the knowledge sharing workshops were CHETAN KUMAR, Team Leader, Conflict Prevention Group, Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery based in UN Headquarters, New York; RON KRAYBIL, UN Peace and Development Advisor with personal knowledge and experience in the South African transition ; and CLIVE SCOFIELD, International Maritime Expert based in Australia.
The FASTRACT is a facility created by the United Nations and the World Bank to provide “on-demand advisory services and access to the most relevant national and international expertise to contribute and help move forward with the peace process especially in the drafting of the Basic Law that will reflect the Bangsamoro people’s aspirations for genuine autonomy while establishing the basis for efficient and accountable government”.
http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/512-fastrac-facilitates-experts’-workshops-on-the-remaining-annexes-of-the-gph-milf-peace-process
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