Quaker Network for the Prevention of Violent Conflict
Le Réseau de quaker pour l'Empêchment de Conflit Violent


Meeting Report

QPN – AFRICA 2007 GATHERING

Kibuye, Rwanda

March 28 – April 3, 2007

Quaker Peace Network –Africa, 2007 Consultation
Kibuye, Rwanda
March 29th – April 2nd 2007

QPN exists to improve the effectiveness of Friends’ organizations, “to improve the effectiveness of Friends’ organizations to prevent violent conflicts in Africa by working on all levels, from the community base to international level”.  The 2007 consultation was organized by the organizing committee (see below) and was hosted by Change Agents for Peace International (CAPI) and funded primarily by American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) through the DEP program of the German Foreign Ministry with additional funding being provided by Quaker Service Norway’s “Change Agent Peace Programme” (CAPP).

Organizing Committee:
Zawadi Nikuze, Mkoko Boseka, Thacienne Iryanyawera, and Adrien Niyongabo
Host Agency:   Change Agents for Peace International (CAPI)
Translators:   Bridget Butt, Elizabeth Kabankaya
Secretary:  Stephanie Dyck
Participants:   50  (see attached list)

Seminar Summary

Day 1

Welcome / Devotional
• The moderator of the day, Malesi Kinaro gave a word of welcome before giving the floor to Theoneste Bizimana who shared the devotion for the day on the topic of the comfort of God.  This was followed by a welcome from Sizeli Marcellin, Assistant Clerk for the Evangelical Friends’ Church of Rwanda, and Coordinator of the Friends’ Peace House in Kigali.

Introductions
• The moderator then called on the participants to introduce themselves in song and dance by country, giving their name and their connection to, or reason for attending the consultation.

Expectations and Fears
• The participants then moved at the request of the moderator to share some of the expectations and fears that they might have associated with the consultation.  In general participants expressed a desire to listen and learn from each other, reflecting on the peace work of Quaker organizations in Africa.  Some also had specific expectations and items they hoped to bring to the table in the course of the consultation.  These included concerns from members of the Kenyan delegation regarding the upcoming elections and violence occurring in certain parts of the country.  A desire was also expressed for some discussion on better mechanisms for channeling advocacy efforts through the network as well as effective methods for peacebuilding.  A few fears were also expressed regarding the feasibility of the program given the time available, and logistical complications of those who had not arrived.  There was also recognition of the need for plans to follow-up any resolutions or recommendations that might come out of the discussions to be had during the consultation.

Nominations
• Three nominations were made for tasks to be carried out during the consultation.  Florence Ntakarutimana was given the task of time keeper and for the position of ‘village chief’ Sizeli Marcellin’s name was put forth.  In the interests of having both a francophone and an Anglophone chief, Florence Machayo was nominated as assistant village chief.  Before moving on with the consultation some guidelines were laid out for the time that would be spent together.

• The next item on the agenda was nominations for committees.  Barbara Wybar, Hollyn Green, and George Walumoli volunteered their participation for the Epistle Committee.  Justine Elakano was also nominated as an additional francophone presence on the committee.  The Nominations Committee included Hezron Masitsa, David Zarembka, Levi Munyemana, and Nokuthula Mbete.

• The final nominations were for a listening committee, given the task of providing a summary at the beginning of each day of the highlights from the previous day’s sessions.  Vickie Nakuti was nominated, and Theoneste Bizimana and John Bulimo volunteer to take part.

Apologies
• Apologies were heard from those unable to attend the consultation.  The first came from Netlyn Bernard who was delayed because of illness but would be arriving on Friday afternoon.  Bridget Butt relayed apologies from Adrien Niyongabo who was required to write exams, from Colin Glen who was required to attend the Southern Africa Yearly Meeting, Martin Struthmann, Jeremy Routledge and Lindiwe. Donald Thomas and Levy Ndukimana sent regrets as both were busy with other work that required their attention. Mrs. Felicite Ntikurako also sent regrets.  Pastor David Bucura and Cecile Nyiramana sent apologies as they were writing exams.  Health issues were the causes of the absences of Jeremy Nzabanita and Rev. Mkoko Boseka from the DRC.

The last item before break was as an explanation of a change in the program.  As a result of the absence of Jeremy Routledge, his session on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa was replaced by a presentation by Peter Woodrow.  Instead, the time slot given to Mr. Peter Woodrow, and switched with the QUNO and Strategic Planning sessions.
 

Presentation – “Quaker Peacebuilding Work in Historical Perspective” (Stephen Collett)

• Session two and three was taken by Stephen Collett who gave a presentation on Quaker Peacebuilding work in Historical Perspective.  His presentation was a retrospective look over the past 100 years of Quaker history and the peace work of Quakers in that time.  Looking primarily at activities at the international level the information was presented in the interest of exploring any possible parallels to the peace work of Quakers then to the work currently being done today, as well as any relevant tools or methods.

Stephen explained the two main motivations Quakers historically had for their work:  the early Quakers saw themselves as working towards the peaceable kingdom that would come in the final days as described in Isaiah when the lion would lay down with the lamb.  Secondly, in working for perfectibility they believed that it should be inclusive, that it could not be created by a few at the top decision-making levels.  Change for peace was thought to come not only through individuals but through societal changes, and changes in paradigms (i.e., where a society is going and how it will get there).

A first parallel was drawn by examining how Quaker peace work started.  The early Quakers began there work as Europe and North American emerged out of the destruction of World War I and II, in much the same way that much of the work of Quakers in Africa and other parts of the world has emerged as countries have begun to come out of years of civil and other wars.  The early Quakers participated in peace work through an emergency response unit that tended to wounded soldiers on both sides and gave relief to civilian populations victimized by the conflict.  AFSC and the Friends’ Service Council, now Quaker Peace and Social Witness (QPSW), were formed to coordinate these war-time activities and their work was so effective that they were approached by governments and asked to continue their work.  The early Quakers also concerned themselves with the formation of international bodies such as the United Nations and its predecessor, the League of Nations.

Another initiative was the Friends International Centers that were set up throughout Europe as Quaker embassies, to organize regional meetings and support peace dialogue.  Not only did the centers contribute to peace work, they also spread the Quaker church all over Europe.  With the beginning of World War II, Quakers resumed their humanitarian efforts, coordinated through Portugal which stayed free throughout the war.  For their work in both the World Wars, Quakers were recognized with the presentation to AFSC and the Friends Service Council of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1947.  With the failure of the League of Nations the Quakers began to work to support the new United Nations.  The Quaker UN offices were established in Geneva and New York in 1947 to help governments and representatives in the new roles they were taking on and to assert Quaker values in the creation of this new body.

After World War II, Quakers were given responsibility for Palestinian refugees.  They also began a series of conferences for mid-level diplomats for off the record discussions.  These diplomats were encouraged to bring their families and the conferences were held in the interests of open dialogue and trust building.  Diplomats were invited as individuals, not representing their respective governments.  Not only did it bring together representatives from governments that wouldn’t normally dialogue with each other, but it gave Quakers access to foreign ministries throughout the region.  Important tools that we might borrow from these activities were prior consultation as well as the outside experts and resources that were brought to the meetings.

More recent Quaker involvement in particular conflicts includes mediation of the 1965 war between India and Pakistan where they provided space for dialogue and then stepped back to allow official negotiations to take place.  Quakers were also sought out as a last resort for negotiations before war eventually broke out in Nigeria

 The speaker then went on with a discussion of the characteristics of Quaker mediation.  These were described as listening, including collecting information and impartial listening, acting as a channel of information between the different parties in a conflict, identifying priority issues, and a fourth, evaluating the information and priorities. A fifth characteristic was described as the organization of meetings and programs to bring parties together.  Overall the success of these characteristics in the interventions described were the result of a background of consultation, trust and confidence in the Quakers who were involved.  The QUNOs and other Quaker organizations continue to do this work at different levels and have established many other centers for peace and reconciliation.  As a parallel activity in Africa the establishment of peace centers has continued to be a characteristic of Quaker peace work.  The tools being used now by Quaker organizations in Africa are also being formed out of a post-war situation where a shift in paradigm is needed.

To conclude his contribution to the consultation the speaker finished by asking the participants to break up into their regional groups to discuss the similarities and differences they could identify between their work and that of the early Quakers as well as to examine the paradigms that exist and what changes might be occurring to that paradigm.

Group Reports:

? East Africa: Getry reported for the East Africa group.  They found one similarity, that Quaker groups then and now are doing humanitarian work, but the differences were more numerous including the crowded field of Quaker NGOs that now exists, where the funding came from, and that much of the work in Africa is with the grassroots rather than high level officials.  Also before as Stephen described it was more of a call than a profession which it seems to be now.  On the question of paradigms they discussed that democratic space is increasing, peace work is becoming professionalized, there is competition between organizations, and that there is a growing culture of tolerance.

? Southern Africa:  One parallel was reported between the early Quakers and activity in South Africa where there is a Peace Center in Cape Town that was created in reaction to apartheid and to help its victims.  The group reported positive trends such as the reinforcement of civil society, tendency towards elections, vocal opposition to the political situation in Zimbabwe by the South African and Zambian governments, and increased investment by countries such as China.  On the other hand, increases in violence and HIV/AIDS are having devastating effects in South Africa.

? Central Africa: The commonalities seen by this group included willingness to build peace, and the creation of peace centers.  Differences included the question of funding limitations, the inability to foresee potential conflict situations.  Quakers in Africa also exist in greater numbers than the early Quakers and should therefore be more effective.  However some are not willing to accept the risks involved.  The paradigm currently seen to be prevailing in the region is one of political, economic and social dependence where outside factors are imposing war, ignorance, poverty and fear.

? West Africa:  Kumah provided an analysis of the region with some specific references to Ghana, his home country, which he said is often seen as an island of peace in the region.  In Ghana there are still problems of ethnicity and distribution of national and regional resources.  In different areas around the region problems of xenophobia where even those who migrated generations ago are still not accepted still exist.  Also social problems are not being addressed by current efforts towards good governance, liberalization and privatization, education is still beyond the reach of many, and crime is increasing with the proliferation of small arms.

? North America: The group reported that the prevailing paradigm in the region seems to be one of control and dominance and how to maintain them, which has produced many negative actions and results, but can also produce positive ones if carried out in a positive way.  The need for security has been important but has produced an overreaction to terrorism which might be counteracted with an emphasis on collective security.  There was also talk about trade, resources and policies that are governing these relationships.  It was also noted that the dominance of the Western style of democracy and development may not be appropriate and doing more harm than good.  Positive shifts in the paradigm were also reported including the questioning of government policies and attention to climate change.

This reporting concluded the third session, at the end of which Stephen Collett thanked everyone for their participation.

Reporting:  QPN Commissions / Regional consultations / Election Monitoring

The next session consisted of reporting activities that had been carried out or planned at since the previous consultation.  These included reports on election monitoring in DRC and Rwanda as well as the referendum in Kenya, Regional QPN meetings, fundraising, and the website.  Each was followed by an opportunity for questions.

Website
• The first report was on the status of the website.  Because Martin Struthmann, the person responsible, was not in attendance, no report could be given.  A few people reported having been to the site where information was seen about MiParec, Friends Peace House and the Uzima Foundation

Fundraising Committee
• The next report was from the people on the fundraising committee.  Three members of the committee were in attendance.  Bridget informed the group that a request for advice and financial support was sent out but only best wishes were sent in return.  The request was specifically for election monitoring but those asked said that there might be funds, but for other projects.  A question was raised as to the funding of the 2007 QPN consultation to which Bridget responded that it was partially funded by Quaker Service Norway through the CAPP program, but for the most part the funds came from AFSC’s DEP program which receives its funding from the German Foreign Ministry.  A proposal was submitted to AFSC in the name of CAPI.

Election monitoring - DRC
• Election monitoring reports took up much of the session, beginning with a report from Levi Munyemana regarding the activities that took place in North Kivu.  After 10 years of war, free and fair elections were felt to be essential to the peace process in the country.  In the DRC, observer teams were created and participated in both North and South Kivu during the referendum, the legislative and first round of presidential elections, and the provincial and second round of presidential elections.  In addition to the observers from the Friends’ Church in DRC and AYINET, international observers from QPN also participated.  The presence of these observers is thought to be one of the important factors in the national recognition of the results.  There were a few difficulties along the way. Not enough observers were recruited or trained to cover all of the polling stations and there was no specific QPN manual for training observers.  The support received from AFSC, CAPI, and the observers sent from MCC contributed greatly to the success of the monitoring mission.  The report also recognized the need for ongoing support for democracy and good governance as the country moves forward.

A question was asked regarding the number of observers that made up the team in both North and South Kivu:  Bridget Butt reported that 90 national and 8 international observers participated in the first round of elections, and in the second round there were 106 national and 6 international observers.  It was also mentioned that a report of the election monitoring was available in English if anyone was interested.

Election monitoring – Kenya
• The 2005 referendum on the constitution in Kenya was the next reported monitoring activity.  Although the efforts of Kenyan observers were constrained by a lack of funding, 31 observers participated.  The observation was done under the direction of CAPP and the observers were spread out among different posts and provided a necessary control on partisan campaigning at polling stations.  A few issues were noted including lack of civic education amongst the population, people didn’t know where they were registered, and party officials tried to come to speak with people outside of the polling stations as well as to observe people voting inside.  This was reported and necessary action was taken.  While the referendum had its share of problems, the general feeling was that it was at least peaceful.  This is continuing concern as Kenya now approaches national presidential elections at the end of this year.  A request was made for support for election observers in the country as well as for funding.

Hezron, who took part in observations in both DRC and Kenya, then gave some thoughts:  He agreed with Levi that the people in Congo are still in need of civic education and also that illiteracy remains a problem affecting successful elections.  As far as the situation in Kenya, he noted that in looking forward to the upcoming elections a letter has been sent to the electoral commission outlining their concerns.  A call was put out for the need to view the elections as a process instead of an event, clear documentation of conflict on election issues, and a post-election strategy where conflict may have occurred.

Election monitoring – Rwanda
• The final report was by Sizeli Marcellin on the Rwandan elections of 2006.  The number of trained observers was 35 and they were active throughout Kigali and nearby areas however comprehensive coverage was not possible in places without road access because of cost.  The observation, particularly at the local level, was viewed as very important as it forms the basis for good governance in the country.  He concluded by stating that they wish to have more involvement in pre- and post-election contexts and will be hoping to do so in the parliamentary and senate elections of next year.

Some final questions and discussion on election observation followed these reports, including a discussion on the creation of a QPN election observation manual to be adapted by country.  However this suggestion was questioned by those believing that existing manuals should be reviewed and adapted for the group.  Overall it was recognized that early intervention and education was needed, and, while funding is often a necessary component for success, effective structures and organization should not be underestimated.

QPN Regional Consultations
• The final group of reports came from those who attended regional QPN consultations.  No report was presented from South Africa as none of the regional members were in attendance.  In the case of West Africa, it was noted that the planning for a consultation was done but the lack of funds meant the consultation didn’t go forward.  David Zarembka gave a report on the Central Africa consultation held in November at MiParec in Gitega, Burundi.  Thirty-five people attended and an extensive presentation on organizational development was given by Jacinta Makokha who works for CAPI in Nairobi.  There was also a discussion of election monitoring activities.  East Africa also gave a report of their consultation which was held in March of last year in Tororo, Uganda.  Reports were given and there were sessions for Strategic Planning, as well as a discussion of a document prepared by David Zarembka “On Giving and Receiving”.  The participants were 24 in total.

The floor was then opened up for comments.  Mention was made of the number and effectiveness of the committees created at various consultations.  Suggestions were made by Peter Woodrow to have fewer committees, to have them regionalized, or to have certain committees assigned to a particular country to facilitate meetings, and to distribute appointments as some individuals seem to be nominated to multiple committees while others have no appointments.  David Zarembka emphasized the importance of regional meetings as they generally cost less, discussions can be focused on issues particular to the region, and a wider variety of people can be invited.

Personal testimonies / Worship/Sharing Groups:

The last item on the agenda was a personal testimony from a member of the delegation from Burundi.  Fidele Bizimana shared about his faith journey, the call he received to his current work, and the activities he is now engaged in with the Friends’ Church in Burundi including youth programs and also some involvement with HROC.

The last session of the day was concluded by a description of Worship / Sharing by David Zarembka.  As a result of going over time with the reporting of activities and consultations the day’s session of worship sharing was postponed and the session was closed with a moment of silent worship.

Day 2

Devotional
• The moderator for the day was Levi Munyemana who started the day by requesting that Florence Ntakarutimana lead the group in a song.  A devotion was then shared by Justine Elakano from John 14 and 16 on the theme of the peace that God gives and our responsibility to share it with others around us.  Bridget then gave some announcements and notes on the program for the day including the mention of a meditation time that would be led by Hezron Masitsa at 6 am each morning for those who were interested.

Listening Group:
• The listening group then gave some thoughts on the previous day expressing that there were interesting themes discussed including election monitoring and Stephen Collett’s presentation, but not enough time given for questions and that the sessions often went over time.  There was also a recommendation to lengthen the lunch hour and it was agreed that it should be done.
 
 

Presentation – “Reflecting on Peace Practice” (Peter Woodrow)

The floor was then given to Peter Woodrow, after an introduction by Bridget Butt, who talked about his work in the region and in particular the methods he is currently working with regarding the planning and evaluation of peace work.

He began his presentation with a series of questions starting with why it is that we do peace work; what motivates us.  Some described it as a call from God, other indicated that it was for our own security, peace for ourselves and not only for society, to unite people, and to create space for development.

The next question was regarding what allows us to be effective in our work.  The responses to this question included commitment, volunteerism, creativity and flexibility, inclusiveness, continual learning, and covering our work in prayer and scripture.

The work the speaker is a part of is, is with the organization CDA – Collaborative Learning Projects whose focus is to help people do their peace work the best they possibly can.  Of the five projects, he discussed two which are called Do No Harm and Reflecting on Peace Practice (RPP).  The ‘Do No Harm’ project seeks to help development and peace organizations conduct their work in such a way that it does not create or exacerbate conflict.  Peter works directly with the project ‘Reflecting on Peace Practice’ (RPP).  The project is a long process that starts with a question which is explored through case studies in a number of countries to gather information.  An example of such a question is ‘what makes peace work effective?’.  With the information gathered a cross case analysis is done to find how they collectively answer the question posed.  Through this examination, lessons are drawn and taken back to the field for feedback as a process of validation and refinement.

After receiving and incorporating the feedback into the lessons, a report is written and then the utilization phase begins where the lessons are used in the field.  In the recent round of studies there were 26 case studies followed by 30 feedback workshops for practitioners.  They began in 1999 and the utilization phase began in 2003.  Through this phase, further refinement of the lessons will occur which may lead to new questions.  Through this process 10 themes were pulled out of the lessons that became sub-questions, such as, ‘what is the impact of peace work in a particular place in a set period of time?’.

One of the lessons from the process was about the importance of conflict analysis before writing proposals for projects; there was also recognition that well planned strategies were needed to bridge the gap between the current conflict situation and the vision for the future.  Once analysis is done, a strategy can be created and later evaluated so that adjustments can be made.  The speaker described two tools for evaluating strategy, a matrix and the theory of change.  The matrix involves placing the work we want to do into a matrix of four boxes that cover who we are approaching, key decision makers or the grassroots, and what type of change we want to achieve, change at the individual or societal level.  Work in any combination of these factors will have impact on the other but it was explained that it is important to identify where one wants to be working.

He then explained that it is important to identify where we are working so that we can also identify partners who may be able to address the areas that we are not able to cover to make everyone’s work more efficient.  He finished by briefly explaining the Theory of Change.  A simple question people often fail to ask in peace work is ‘how will our activities result in the change we are looking for?’.  It was explained that a vision is important but that specific goals or steps towards that vision must be identified to be able to see if one’s work is effective.   Peter finished by giving some contacts for resources on the material he was presenting including his e-mail address, [email protected].

PANEL #1 – National Peace Centers

Panel discussion groups provided an opportunity to showcase the work of various QPN members.  Panel members were invited to focus their presentations around the following questions:
1. What is your work for peace, and how did you first become involved?
2. What are the national themes (national « projects ») that most influence your work?  What changes would you hope to see in the national perspective (paradigm)?
3. Which themes (« projects ») are of regional importance?
4. Are there collaborative efforts between Quaker institutions to address these important themes?
5. Are there any special Quaker methods and/or tools that you find useful in your work?

The first speaker was Nokuthula Mbete from the Quaker Peace Center in Cape Town in South Africa which was established in 1988 by the Cape Western monthly meeting.  Her involvement began after taking mediation classes.  The center works with AVP and has various women’s programs as well as a youth at risk program.  They work at the community level and in schools.  The changes that they are working towards at the national level are an end to war, understanding of peaceful coexistence and love at the grassroots level.  In keeping with Quaker principles their work emphasizes non-violence, consensus and AVP methodology.

Speaker two was Leon Mkangya Alenga from the Friends Peace Center in South Kivu, DRC and also the acting field coordinator for CAPP in the South Kivu.  The programmatic themes at the national and regional levels are AVP, women and families, literacy, HIV/AIDS, election monitoring, and trauma healing particularly for those who have been victims of sexual violence.  They currently are working in partnership with CAPP, AGLI and AFSC.

Getry Agizah reported on the creation of a Lubao Peace Center near Kakamega in Western Province in Kenya.  The center is being established with the support of AGLI to coordinate mediation and AVP activities in the region.  Future plans include counseling services as well as income generation projects.  Some of the themes being dealt with are national political divisions, tribalism, land conflicts and poverty.  The changes being sought are an awareness of democracy, human rights and a normalized political climate.  Collaborators in the Center’s work include the NCCK, AGLI, Kaimosi Theological College, CAPP and the Uzima Foundation.

The fourth panelist was Regine Ntunguka from MiParec at Gitega, Burundi.  The objective of the organization, through seminars, conferences and roundtables on peace coordinated by the center, is to help communities manage conflict from the grassroots.  They are involved in conscientization programs as well as providing assistance to local initiatives and social development.  Much of their work is done through locally based peace committees and sub-committees.  Reintegration of returnees, internally displaced, demobilized and different ethnicities is central to the peace building and reconciliation work of the organization including HIV/AIDS education, widow’s associations and cultural events.  They are working closely with MCC, CAPP and other international donors.

Finally, Sizeli Marcellin discussed the activities of Friends Peace House in Kigali, Rwanda.  The center has three objectives: to build durable peace in Rwanda, to restore human rights destroyed in the genocide, and to help and assist those affected during this period.  They have seven categories of work covering various groups such as women, street children, released prisoners, and returnees.  National themes that influence their work are the gacaca program, reconciliation and national authority structures.  Their partnerships are with CAPI, AFSC, Agli and MCC focusing on Quaker methodologies of participation, reflection and shared experiences.

Following the panel’s presentation questions were raised by participants:  There was a question regarding the proportion of funding coming from international versus African donors to which the responses indicated a greater amount coming from European and North American donors.  Other questions included how the centers work with local churches, and the reason for building centers, a physical building under which to coordinate activities.

PANEL #4 – Peace Churches  (moved fromWed. Program)

Panel four had three speakers, the first of whom was Stephen Wamboka who is a pastor in the Uganda Yearly Meeting (UYM).  The meeting has had some difficulties over the past number of years.  Issues affecting peace with in the meeting required mediation by FWCC and included discrimination, tribalism, mismanagement of funds, and misunderstanding.  The activities now being undertaken to address national issues include an HIV/AIDS project, child care centers, and building schools.  There are also AVP programs occurring in the country.

The second report came from Eden Grace, working with Friends United Meeting (FUM) in Kenya.  The four priorities of FUM projects around the world are evangelism, leadership training, global partnerships, and communication.  FUM is an organization of the friends’ church, not an NGO or specialized organization.  The activities currently being undertaken by the Africa ministries office include running the peace theological college in Kaimosi where each student must be trained in AVP, development, peace and HIV/AIDS, managing a health clinic in a border area between the Samburu, Turkana and Pokot tribes, AVP in partnership with AGLI, and working with teachers in Quaker secondary schools on what it means to teach peace in schools.  FUM has an ongoing partnership with FWCC, represents friends at the WCC, is a member of Christian Peacemaker Teams, and supports a school in Ramallah, Palestine for over 1000 students.

Finally Moses Musonga reported from Friends World Committee for Consultation.  The organization was created to bring Quaker groups, with their differing theologies and doctrines, together to resolve their differences under the guidance of a neutral organization they could all respect.  FWCC does not run its own projects but has in the past started some and then has handed them over to others to run.  The Africa section, of which he is the Secretary has been giving the task of recruiting and sending people to work in Palestine by the WCC and provides some support for CAPP and refugee programs.  FWCC is also working to strengthen the church in Africa and to help it grow both spiritually and in number.

PANEL #3 – Trauma Healing/AVP

Theoneste Bizimana began with a report on HROC in Rwanda which is run out of the Friends Peace House.  The program was initiated when the center was created and brings together people, victims and perpetrators, for reconciliation and trauma healing.  The program has as principles that everyone can be reconciled, effort is required by all participants and that healing and reconciliation work together.  The training is basic and talks about healing in general, and building trust with community celebrations at the end of the training.  Healing is a slow process but they are encouraged by the small successes that have occurred.

From Uganda, Vicki Nakuti gave a report of AVP with which she has been working, desiring to see change in individuals, particularly in Northern Uganda where good governance and reconciliation is needed.  She got involved after taking part in training and had been quite active until recently activities have stopped for a period of time.  National issues being dealt with include the problems in the north, war, poverty, and politics; however she reported that people are beginning to learn to live peaceful and become integrated.  Regionally there have been projects for income generation, poverty reduction and mediation.  Collaboration is occurring with AGLI, CFSC, RSWR, and other international donors as well as community involvement.

Florence Ntakarutimana gave a report that was similar to Theoneste’s in that she discussed HROC activities, however it was from the perspective of the program in Burundi.  She described the situation in Burundi as improving although people are still traumatized, are afraid of their neighbors, and experience poverty as a reminder of the events of the past.  As a result of the fighting people were unable to mourn and small provocations continue to create large problems and hatred.  In Burundi HROC operates through three day workshops.  Trauma, its symptoms and a definition are discussed the first day, the second day covers what loss is and gives opportunities to share experiences and the third day is about building trust.  Those that complete the three day training may go on to be healing companions as the program recognizes that healing is a long process.

Next, Rose Imbega shared about AVP in Kenya which started in 2003 and operates out of six branches of Friends for Development and Peace in Communities.  She became a facilitator after hearing about AVP in Gitega last year.  Since then she has hosted basic, advanced and training for trainers workshops.  In Kenya, she also emphasized the need to work with women and youth to be successful, and for local contributions in support of workshops for self-sustainability.

Finally, Mapendo Songoro gave a report of the situation in Tanzania which he said is in a unique position in the region.  Tanzania is seen to be a peaceful country, but as a result of the large numbers of refugees from Central and Southern Africa programs are needed in the country.  AVP is currently operating and a center is being built at Kigoma, although funds are still needed for a roof.  The center would be used by the church to coordinate activities.  There is a feeling that sensitizing refugees within the camps would be beneficial for the peacebuilding that occurs when the time comes for them to reintegrate into their home communities.

Interest Groups – Session #1

Following the meeting of the interest groups, participants separated into their groups for Worship / Sharing.

Day 3

Devotional:
• The third day was begun by a meditation by Hollyn Green, assisted by Edwin Kumah Drah, of silent worship.  This was done in recognition of the diversity of the Quakers in attendance but also around the world.  This was followed by the report of the listening team by John Bulimo.  In summary, they noted the good reviews given on the presentation by Peter Woodrow and also mentioned the appreciation that was felt through the worship sharing as people learned about how God is working in the lives of many of the participants.  There was then a few minutes of announcements and an introduction of Abdul Kamara who arrived late due to travel problems in the UK.

The session continued with the next of the panel presentations, with the moderator for the day being Hezron Masitsa.

PANEL #2 – Advocacy (moved from Tues. program)

There were three panelists.  The first to present was Florence Machayo from Kenya who spoke on her involvement on the Kenyan constitutional committee which was working on the only constitution being drafted during a time of peace.  While they were progressing quite well they were stopped after a few months because of a decision by the president.  There were protests which we stopped when the military was sent in.  When it resumed activity, the committee was made up of representatives of NGOs, women, religious leaders, political party officials, and other interest groups.  Some members of parliament were also taking part but as it came closer to the time to present our draft, the process reached a stalemate because of government opposition on sections touching the devolution of Executive powers.  The opponents meant to prevent a draft from being created but when the group persevered and presented one the government decided to put it to a referendum.  The draft was defeated.  The activities of those advocating for a new constitution are now requesting minimum reforms on a few chapters before national elections are held this year.

Jessica Huber, the representative from the Quaker UN office in New York then spoke on the advocacy role of the two QUNOs, one in New York and the other in Geneva.  The role of the offices is to work at the international policy level so that those creating policy are being informed of the impact of those policies on people on the ground.  As there are many issues being addressed at this level the QUNOs have a strategic plan to focus their efforts.  The New York office runs a program on emerging conflicts and crises and also is starting a new one concerning the UN’s Peacebuilding Commission.  The Geneva office concentrates its work on economic issues, human rights, and disarmament.  The important of the work being done by the two offices is great.  The type of advocacy being done is considered quiet diplomacy which is considered to be more effective because of the way the UN functions.  We communicate information through informal meetings and luncheons at the Quaker houses in both cities as well as individual meetings with diplomats.  Both offices both view field visits as essential as it facilitates better communication of your stories to the UN.

Finally, Abdul Kamara, a Sierra Leonean living in the UK, spoke about his work in West Africa and the UK.  He gave a report on QPN West Africa, explaining that they had not met because of a lack of funding, although the organizing was done.  He then went on to explain the process of registration that he was able to complete to register QPN West Africa (QPNWA) as an NGO in the UK.  Since completing this process he has been fundraising and from various yearly meetings in the UK has been able to collect £4700.  The QPNWA newsletter was also distributed for participants to look at.  Lastly he reported on funds that had been donated by AFSC a few years ago for a communication project that has been running in Sierra Leone and Liberia.  Computers were bought but the internet no longer functions as it was too expensive to continue but people continue to use them.  There has however been no follow up of this project by the donors.

The questions that followed the panel discussions focus almost exclusively on the issue of the Kenyan constitution.  From the responses given by Florence participants were informed that Kenya is still using its old constitution but that the efforts of those working for change have decreased as many of them were voted into office and are now part of the government.  She also emphasized that the work was not done in vain as many people have now been educated on constitutional issues and addressed the question of a Quaker presence on the committee.  The reason given for the lack of official Quaker representation was that there are 15 yearly meetings and some representation was given through the NCCK which was represented.  Florence indicated that she was there not as a Quaker but as a female member of an NGO, and that there were a significant number of Quakers present in roles similar to herself.

Before the start of the next panel, Aimable Barayagwiza and Sita Dubois introduced themselves as they had just arrived from Goma and Congo-Brazzaville respectively.

PANEL #5 – Community Peacebuilding/Reconciliation

The first presentation was given by Justine Elakano on the work of AFSC in DRC.  She described the many levels at which they are working in the country.  First a contextual analysis was done which gave a clear message regarding the areas that needed to be addressed, one of the most important being sexual violence which was used as a weapon of war against women in the area.  After the analysis a follow up was done to explore possible methods of intervention.  A regional team was created to unite all those working with victims of sexual violence and to form a network for the region.  The job of the network will be to survey and monitor the situation in the region, to act as a watchman to ensure that similar acts do not continue to occur.  It is also hoped that the network will not only work at the national and regional level but should also be sending information to QUNO regarding the situation on the ground.  Other plans are to have training of all the organizations in the network and to also advocate for implementation of new legislation on sexual offences.  Another AFSC project is the humanitarian relief being given to assist those who have been affected by the conflict, particularly women.

Musafiri Adock next presented on the Friends Peace House, a Christian organization working under the Friends Church in Rwanda whose principal mission is peace and reconciliation for all regardless of race, ethnicity, beliefs or gender.  The objectives which have been mentioned before are accomplished through various programs including peace education, reintegration and gacaca, mediation, HROC, and youth and women and HIV/AIDS programs.  Through the work coordinated by the center it is hoped that reconciliation, respect for human rights, social integration and gender balance will be achieved.  These are also goals for the region as a whole.  Methods used include consensus, mediation, quiet diplomacy, peace meals, reflection days and participation.

Levi Munyemana was the third panelist and he presented a description of the current situation in North Kivu.  He explained the path DRC has taken since independence including the transitions and wars that have been experienced.  The work he is doing was begun because the needs of people were so apparent and much needed to be done to rebuild trust and peace amongst the population.  Some changes have slowly begun to emerge and democratic institutions are being established.  With this has come a greater respect for human dignity.  Areas of focus for programs in the area include democracy, peace education, conflict resolution, AVP and civic education.  Regionally there is also a focus on reconciliation, mediation and peacebuilding.  The work in North Kivu is being done with support from and partnership with CAPP, AFSC, and Agli who are all Quaker organizations.  Apart from these partnerships we are also building a relationship with the UNDP and have some connections to Caritas and MONUC.  Methodology being used includes quiet diplomacy, mediation and community events.

Three questions were asked by participants who had been listening to the presentations.  The first was on what was being done in DRC to ensure that democracy was taking root not only at the state level but also in the general population.  A second question asked whether there were in fact programs addressing good governance and rule of law issues in DRC as those seem to be identified as major issues in the country.  Finally, a question was asked regarding what the network AFSC helped create was doing about those already victimized.  The panelists recognized the fragile state of democracy in the country and also pointed out how new the steps being taken were for the country.  On the question of assistance for victims of sexual violence Justine responded that there are many NGOs working in this area and that the focus on the network was to fill what was seen as a gap in activities in the region.

Presentation:  “Peacebuilding Commission” / Quaker Mapping project (Jessica Huber, Aletia Dundas)

Jessica Huber and Aletia Dundas of the New York and Geneva QUNO offices respectively presented a new initiative of their offices in response to the creation by the UN of a Peacebuilding Commission.  Recognizing that the international response to countries exiting conflict was insufficient, the UN general assemble created the commission to be a body that would provide recommendations on strategies that could be implemented by other stakeholders in countries exiting conflict situations.  The Commission convened in 2006 and chose Burundi and Sierra Leone as the first two countries to be concentrated on.  QUNO has identified two priorities in working with this Commission.  First is a desire to help the commission clearly articulate its mandate as QUNO sees an opportunity for it to be a lead coordinating body within the UN.  Secondly, QUNO wants to focus on the external work of the Commission in two ways, where there are country specific situations to help create clear country specific recommendations and generally as the Commission develops its own ideas on peacebuilding and how it might respond to influence these ideas and responses.  The purpose of this presentation is to inform you of the intentions of the Commission and also to map Quaker projects in Burundi and the surrounding region to get an idea of where Quakers are working in relation to the country priorities identified by the Commission.  This will help to facilitate discussions and civil society participation where as yet there has been little.

The remainder of the presentation involved participants identifying current projects and programs that fit into the three priorities the Commission has identified for Burundi, promoting good governance, strengthening the rule of law and the security sector, and ensuring community recovery.

Questions were then fielded regarding different aspects of the Peacebuilding Commission.  Levi Munyemana asked what criteria were used in choosing Burundi and Sierra Leone.  Also asked were questions such as the openness of the commission to QUNO intervention, how the representatives were named to the Commission, and how the country priorities were chosen.  In response it was suggested that the Commission might have been looking for countries which were at a particular place in their transition out of conflict and also that the Commission wanted some assurance of a level of success in their first attempts at intervention.  It was also indicated that countries had to put in an application and that Haiti and East Timor were being considered for the next round.  The QUNO representatives felt that the UN is as open to their intervention as they would press them to be as they have had a presence there for 50 years and have a good reputation.  They indicated that the representatives were country ambassadors and therefore not experts on the issues the Commission would be dealing with which they felt underscored the importance of QUNO participation.  Jessica also noted that the priorities that were chosen for each country weren’t chosen in consultation with civil society and therefore it is important that they become involved now to influence the direction the Commission will take.

Strategic Planning:  (David Zarembka)

The time left until lunch was filled with recommendations for strategic planning led by David Zarembka.  He started by laying out how QPN started, what it is and the current structure of the consultations as many of the participants were attending for the first time.  He read the mission and strategic plan that was created at the previous consultation in Gitega to give a picture of where QPN was headed at the time, and then facilitated brainstorming of recommendations by the group.  Some of the suggestions were as follows:

? A method should be developed for deciding who is or is not invited to QPN Africa
? The appointment of a convener to ensure that assigned tasks are completed
? Creating regional or national committees to for various tasks allow for functionality of the committees.
? The creation of an election manual
? To have Africa consultations every three years instead of every one and a half
? Organizing a larger peace conference to which organizations outside of the closed QPN meeting could be invited
? A letter of introduction about QPN posted on the website that could also be sent to funding agencies
? Inviting more young women to the consultation
? Enhancement of the website to include sections for members and non-members
? Collaboration with other regional networks to press for regional recommendations
? The organizing of QPN organizations into a coalition that could generate larger grant proposals
? Inviting more young people to the consultation

PANEL #6 – International Collaboration

The panel presented a number of issues after which questions fielded by the panelists.

Julian Hopwood (QPSW) started off this panel with a short analysis of the conflict in Northern Uganda and the actors involved.  He started off by laying out the various explanations that are given for the conflict.  One version is that it originated out of the civil war in Sudan, and a second is that the whole conflict turns around the stance of one person, Coney, the commander of the LRA.  Coney’s motives are not clear and are sometimes expressed as spiritual and other times in Acholi nationalism but neither is able to fully explain the situation.  He described the three main actors as being the LRA, the Acholi people, and the Ugandan government and army, the UPDF.  The victims are a difficult group to define because the LRA has abducted and killed many of their own people.  QPSW is working to communicate the situation to others and provide some clarity to various parties.  They work behind the scenes with the UN, and attempt to take a more holistic approach than other organizations are able to.  However the bulk of QPSW’s work is with women’s programs in different camps and approximately ¾ of their funds are directed towards these activities.

 From AFSC, Netlyn Bernard gave an outline of the current AFSC structure in Africa and the ongoing as well as future plans of the organization.  AFSC works in Burundi, Rwanda and Eastern DRC in the Great Lakes region and in the south are operating in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique with possibilities being explored in Angola.  An exploratory mission was also sent to Somalia three months ago.  She is working as the Assistant Regional Director, with the Regional Director based in South Africa.  AFSC is both a funder and an implementer and in many cases employs local staff to run programs.  Their strategic plan for is in the process of being finalized and outlines the three focuses for the Great Lakes region where she is based.  These are, in Burundi, peace and non-violence and humanitarian relief in connection with peace education, in Rwanda, peace and non-violence, and in DRC, humanitarian relief connected to peace education and sexual violence.  To close she informed the group that AFSC is looking to set up a regional office for the Great Lakes and are currently exploring Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda as possible sites for the office.  There are no current plans to expand programs into East Africa but the interest of participants from the region was noted.

 Aaron Froehlich was the next panelist to present.  He gave an outline of the work and rationale of the MCC program in Rwanda specifically but also in general.  He noted that MCC is not a Quaker organization but is a part of the historical peace churches.  It provides assistance in 70 countries around the world.  The work of MCC is inspired by the call to feed the poor, to cloth the naked and to work with the poorest of the poor.  He explained the reasons why his family has chosen to serve internationally, the most important of which was to come and learn and work with the people of Rwanda.  He gave an analogy of how many international NGOs work overseas, acting as a monkey who is saving a fish from drowning, explaining that MCC wishes to work in collaborative relationships to avoid this phenomenon by building strategies together to reach everyone’s goals.

 Next to present was David Zarembka from the African Great Lakes Initiative (AGLI).  AGLI has a large focus on AVP for which his ultimate goal is to be used to prevent conflict so that the HROC program does not need to be brought in afterwards to heal people’s wounds.  Some of the trainings that are being done are bringing together Congolese and Rwandese, as well as the Turkana and Pokot tribes in Kenya.  They are also hoping that AVP can be used to ease tensions in some settlement camps in Rwanda where people have been forced to move from the camps in Tanzania.  Another initiative that Agli hopes will be started in the future is an emergency response team and he is counting on CAPI, MCC and AFSC to work with them in this effort.  It was explained that the absence of AGLI in Uganda was due to lack of funding.  He also made a point about the funding relationships between international and local organizations saying that the many of the attitudes of 100 hundred years ago when educated Christian saviors coming to help the backward pagan Africans has been broken down but it is still in existence in many places.  Part of his work is to bring Americans to Africa to gain a better understanding of the continent.  He also commented that wazungu should not be relied on for all funding but that the work should be shared and everyone should be contributing and that local organizations should not be playing international donors against each other.

 Finally, Bridget Butt presented Change Agents for Peace International (CAPI) and cleared up some confusion regarding the difference between CAPP and CAPI.  CAPI was registered as an international NGO based in Kenya in September 2006.  It has an African international board which met a few weeks ago and its mission is to build the capacity of its partners and individual change agents at a national and international level.  It grew out of requests by local partners for better follow up, representation and responsive programs.  CAPI has three intervention points.  First is capacity building and training for peace programs, second is organizational strengthening and third is entrepreneurial development which is seen as addressing some of the root causes of conflict.  A long term vision is for international teams of professional, well equipped mediators that can intervene in conflict situation sin the region.  A five month “Change Agent for Peace” curriculum is also being developed. We have partnerships with local and international Quaker organizations as well as with the Mennonites and the church community in general.  Its relationship to CAPP is that CAPP is now one of the programs of CAPI.  The ability of CAPI to work in Uganda is limited as with Kenya because our funder does not permit it.  Central to our beliefs about peacebuilding and change is our connection to God through Jesus Christ.

Interest groups - Session 2

Following the meetings of the interest groups and before breaking up for Worship / Sharing a personal testimony was shared by Abdul Kamara.  His testimony covered his experience growing up in Sierra Leone, the events of the war in the country and the details of his escape to Ghana where he connected with the Quaker meeting in Accra.

Talent night followed dinner with many dances and other performances that were enjoyed immensely by the group.
 

Day 4

Being Sunday, the participants attended church at the new but growing Friends’ Church in Kibuye.  Moses Musonga preached a sermon on Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the Peacemakers”.  After church, participants laid flowers at a Kibuye genocide memorial site marking together with the country the beginning of a period of mourning for the victims of the 1994 genocide.  A survivor of the massacre at the site gave the story of the events that took place there.  After returning to the Centre Spirituel Bethanie, the rest of the day was spent visiting and relaxing.
 

Day 5
 

Devotional:
• The final day of the consultation began as Abdul Kamara, the moderator of the day, gave the floor to the Kenyans to open the day with a song.  This was followed by a devotional by Stephen Wamboka on the story of David and Goliath and the power of our positive confession, relying on God to win the victory of peace for us.

Letter re Mt. Elgon:
• Before moving on the next item on the program David Zarembka interjected to propose that a letter by QPN be drafted to the government of Kenya, encouraging negotiation and a peaceful resolution to the various conflicts in the country.  It was decided that a small group would convene to draft a letter and later present it to the plenary for consideration.

Listening Team:
• After a few announcements the Listening Team gave their report of the previous day.  Vickie Nakuti described the events of the previous day at the Friends’ Church and also the visit to the memorial site.

Moving on, Hezron Masitsa and Malesi Kinaro directed the reporting of the recommendations from the interest groups which were given as follows:

? Quaker Advocacy Network – Eden reported that the group began by creating a definition of advocacy.  To stimulate “advocacy thinking” a list of questions was created.  As recommendations Jessica Huber agreed to compile materials on advocacy and we agreed that QPN should have training on how program work and policy-making inter-relate and how we can be effective advocacy partners.
? Non-violence and Trauma Healing #1 – Julian gave the following recommendations, that programs should recognize degrees of trauma and respond with a range of long and short term interventions which are culturally sensitive and function at an individual and community level, that there should be ongoing support systems and that they should recognize the value of social and cultural activities as well as the sharing of experiences.
? Non-violence and Trauma Healing #2 – Alexia reported the following recommendations; that AVP be used for prevention as well as reconciliation, that AVP and HROC be used together, and that these activities be done in with the belief in the possibility of healing for all through God.
? Income Generation #1 – Eric reported their recommendations as follows, that volunteerism should be emphasized, that proposals should be well planned and clear reporting given, and savings and microfinance programs should be implemented.
? Income Generation #2 – Regine reported the following; a feasibility studies for each project that take into account the environment, actors, and beneficiaries, organizations to present projects to donors should be found, and sensitization on mobilizing people for local fundraising.
? Small Arms Trafficking – Barbara gave the following recommendations, that the issues be integrated in to the programs of Quaker organizations, the media should be involved, QUNO should be get in touch with grassroots groups, and an action network should be established and work with larger international networks.
? Quaker Peace Theology – John Bulimo reported one recommendation from the group, that there needs to be further exploration of the issues and Quaker peace testimony written on the activities of Africa Quakers.
? Women in Peacebuilding – Florence N. reported the following recommendations; sensitization on women’s rights, awareness raising on the education of girls, a women’s forum, involving mothers in the process, and perhaps inviting young women to the next consultation.
? Media in Peacebuilding – Edwin Kumah Drah reported the following; encouragement of journalists reporting on peace including an award for peace news, a strategy for interfacing with media outlets, a network of radio listeners who could report violent messages to the appropriate body, and identifying key players in the media, perhaps to invite them to an AVP training.
? Humanitarian Assistance – Leon reported that the group discussed the questions when to give assistance, to whom to give it, and how assistance should be given so that it does not lead to further conflict.

Strategic Planning:

The discussion then moved to strategic planning which was directed by examining the mission statement and objectives developed at the last meeting and taking any recommendations for amendments or future activities.

The mission statement was amended so that it now states “to prevent violent conflict and to actively transform current conflict”, where before it only discussed the prevention of conflicts which was thought to be incomplete since many are working in situations of ongoing conflict.

1. A lengthy discussion on the first objective, “to have a continental network with effective communication”, followed and was dominated by the problem of internet access.  It was concluded that despite the related difficulties, a website was still of some importance but that other forms of communication should also be incorporated.

Two recommendations for more effective communication included a newsletter and a communications tree.  The second recommendation was made by Aaron who explained that it would operate by having a point person in each region or country to whom important information would be communicated for further dissemination to actors in their region or country.  This would allow the communication of a particular piece of information to then travel by which ever mode of communication would be most time and cost effective in a particular country or region.

2. The next objective examined was “to reinforce the voice of community-based experience at the policy level”.  The wording was acceptable to all and two recommendations were put forth.  The first was to circulate the questions developed by the advocacy interest group and the second was to organize training on effective advocacy accompanied by the circulation of materials that Jessica volunteered to put together.

3.           The third objective, “to facilitate exchange and ‘twinning’” required some clarification.  Twinning was explained to those who requested it as combining different trainings to reinforce and standardize to some extent the information being taught.  Some concern was expressed regarding the capacity of QPN to facilitate these activities without having a staff.  Consequently, the objective was amended to read “to encourage and facilitate exchange and ‘twinning’”.

4.            The next objective was added to so that “to evaluate, replicate and reinforce successes” would include recognition of short comings.  Netlyn Bernard suggested adding “and learn from our mistakes” to the existing phrase.  As a response Bridget Butt volunteered that since CAPI would be doing much of the reporting on the 07 Consultation some type of evaluative component could be incorporated.  She also noted that she was given responsibility at the East Africa consultation for circulating some RPP materials and tools to those who were interested.

5. The next objective had been discussed to some extent in earlier sessions, “to build on experiences from election monitoring”.  It was agreed that this was an essential component of the work of QPN and its participants.  Concern was voiced about financial difficulties and what might be done about the upcoming Kenyan election.  It was recommended that relationships be built with other observer teams in cases where complete coverage of a country or region is not possible by a QPN team.  Eden and Bridget agreed to work on fundraising for this using an existing CAPI proposal.

6. The objective “to reinforce peace education (especially with youth, churches and women)” was discussed and the parentheses were dropped so that it would be more inclusive.  There had been concern that different groups might be left out such as men, although it was pointed out that men are found in churches and in groups of youth.  In place of the parentheses “in communities” was added.

7. To the objective of “to nurture the spiritual foundation of our work”, theological was added in recognition of the unique nature of Quaker peace theology.  A recommendation was made by Eden Grace for an Africa peace theological conference that could be sponsored by QPN and the Friends Theological College in Kenya.

The discussion of the objectives was ended there, with the remaining being left for discussion at a later date.

Discussion :  “On Giving and Receiving”

David Zarembka began the third session of the day by opening up a discussion on a document he had prepared and which had been adopted by the East Africa consultation in November of last year.  The purpose of this discussion was to introduce it to QPN Africa to be considered for adoption by the larger group.  The document, entitled “On Giving and Receiving” began with an introduction to the issues surrounding funding relationships between the North and South, followed by separate guidelines for donors and implementers.  In particular, the guidelines outline appropriate policies for the use and donation of funds and the reporting on funds received by an organization.

After reading through the document questions and comments were given by the plenary.  While it was agreed that it was an important document, outlining guidelines for donor, recipient relationships a debate was had on the language used in the opening paragraph, construed as offensive by a significant proportion of the plenary.  Two recommendations for amendments to the document were a policy to protect whistle blowers, and clarification on the prohibition of professional fundraisers.  Other issues raised included differences in what might be considered ‘good practice’ between the North and South given the infrastructure differences that exist, and the requirement of a Board of Directors which may exclude many small community-based organizations.  It was concluded that there were too many points of disagreement for the document to be adopted but it was suggested that recommendations for amendments be given in writing.

The next item on the agenda was the report on the work of the Nomination Committee which had, by this time, shrunk to two members in attendance, Hezron Masitsa and David Zarembka.  The nominations were as follows:

? QPN 2008 Organizing Committee: Adrien Niyongabo, Zawadi Nikuze, Getry Agizah, Rose Imbeka and Eden Grace.  The retention of Adrien and Zawadi was for the purpose of continuity and the rest were chosen from Kenya with the assumption that the next consultation would be in that country.
? Mediation Committee: Stephen Wamboka, Rose Imbega, Marcellin Sizeli, Jean-Pierre N., Mkoko Boseka, Malesi Kinaro, Mapendo Songoro, and Bridget Butt
? QPN Africa Clerk: Colin Glen
? QPN Africa Assistant Clerk: Hezron Masitsa
? Regional Representatives: East Africa – Malesi Kinaro; West Africa – Abdul Kamara; South Africa – Martin Struthmann; Central Africa – Adrien Niyongabo
? Communications Committee: Martin Struthmann, Aaron Froehlich., and Edwin Kumah Drah.  It was also decided that contact be made with each regional representative for the election of a point person for the communication tree in each country.
? Election Monitoring Committee: Justine Elakano, Hezron Masitsa, Rose Imbeka, Eli Nahimana, Jeremy Routledge, and George Walumoli.
? Fundraising Committee: Colin Glen, Abdul Kamara, David Zarembka, Moses Musonga, Jeremy Routledge, Bridget Butt, and Hollyn Green pending her accepting the nomination.
? Advisory Committee:
? Country Representatives: Kenya – Malesi Kinaro; Tanzania – Emmanuel Haraka; Sierra Leone – Abdul Kamara; Uganda – Vickie Nakuti; Rwanda – Cecile Nyiramana; Burundi Adrien Niyongabo; DRC – Levi Munyemana; Congo-Brazzaville – Sita Dubois; South Africa – Martin Struthmann; Ghana – Edwin Kumah Drah; and Liberia – Samuka Parker
? The final note by the nomination committee was that CAPI, led by Bridget Butt, would be taking on the responsibility for administrative work (Secretariat) for QPN.

Closing:
 

The activities of the final session of the 2007 consultation proceeded as follows.  Bridget gave a report of on the process for the minutes of the consultation.  She indicated that the notes shortened and summarized within two weeks with the French translation completed and sent in four weeks.  Upon its distribution reactions and/or corrections would be welcomed.

The Epistle Committee, represented by Barbara Wybar read the Epistle.

Eden Grace then presented the outline and drafted portions of the letter addressed to the Kenyan government.  While some participants felt that they were not well enough informed to sign on to the letter the importance of making such as statement in the end lead to an agreement that Eden would finish the letter and send it out for review.  At that time anyone who had not signed on at the consultation could add or remove their names from the list.  This process would also allow those who needed board approval to sign on.

The plenary then discussed the location and date of the next QPN Africa consultation.  It was agreed to continue with Africa consultations every one and a half years to avoid losing contact if the interval was extended to three years.  The question of location required some discussion as Kenya had been assumed by the nomination committee as the next location but Congo, who was supposed to host the 2007 consultation, was requesting to host the next one.  After much discussion is was agreed that in accordance with the desire for the consultation to rotate among the regions that it would go to Kenya in 2008.

The participants then filled out evaluations of the QPN 2007 consultation.

To close the consultation, Musafiri Adock and Justine Elakano moderated the closing ceremony.  Stephen Wamboka was first asked to lead the group in a song.  Words of thanks and closing were then given in the following order, Etando Mkoko for DRC, Sita Dubois for Congo-Brazzaville, Fidele Bizimana for Burundi, Vicki Nakuti for Uganda, Rose Imbega for Kenya, Edwin Kumah Drah for Ghana, Abdul Kamara for Sierra Leone, Sarah Nyiramutamuwa for Rwanda, Mapendo Songoro for Tanzania, Aletia Dundas for QUNO, Zawadi Nikuze for the organizing committee, and Bridget Butt for the host agency CAPI and the funders.

After a few brief closing announcements the group was led in silent worship by Eden Grace.
 
 

Abbreviations:

AFSC – American Friends’ Service Committee
AGLI – Africa Great Lakes Initiative
AVP – Alternatives to Violence Project
AYINET – Africa Youth Initiatives Network
CAPI – Change Agents for Peace International
CAPP – Change Agent Peace Programme
CFSC – Canadian Friends’ Service Committee
DEP – Dialogue and Exchange Program
DRC – Democratic Republic of Congo
FCK – Friends’ Church in Kenya
FUM – Friends’ United Meeting
FWCC – Friends World Committee for Consultation
HROC – Healing and Reconciliation of Communities
LRA – Lord’s Resistance Army
MCC – Mennonite Central Committee
MiParec – Ministere de Paix et Reconciliation sous la Croix
MONUC – United Nations Mission in Congo
NCCK – National Council of Churches of Kenya
NGO – Non-Governmental Organization
QPN – Quaker Peace Network
QPSW – Quaker Peace and Social Witness
QSN – Quaker Service Norway
QUNO – Quaker United Nations Office
RPP – Reflecting on Peace Practice
WCC – World Council of Churches
 
 

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