THE LOCAL POPULATION Topics Last Week n Military

THE LOCAL POPULATION

Topics Last Week n Military u Review of earlier discussion of military intervention u Tasks u Implementation u Alternatives u Conclusions n Guest Speaker: Tanya Domi

Topics n n n Readings & exercises next week Paper Donors? UNHCR & Ruud Lubbers Readings today u Mu Sochua u Harrel-Bond u WSP n Nebiat & Connie

Peace Operations

Question n How helpful is humanitarian aid/relief? u It can be degrading u It can be ineffective u It can worsen conflict u It can create dependency

Question n Should we then stop aid? u Logical fallacy: that giving aid can cause serious problems does not mean that all aid is bad u Moral fallacy: are we really doing all we can? Can we do it differently?

THE LOCAL POPULATION n n THEY ARE THE FIRST AND FOREMOST DETERMINANT OF THEIR OWN LIVES LOCAL ACTORS CAN BE: u HIGHLY DIVERSE F REFUGEES F LOCAL COMMUNITIES F WARRING FACTIONS, ETC. u JUST HUMAN BEINGS: DON’T CONFORM TO STEREOTYPES AND INTERVENTION POLICIES

THE LOCAL POPULATION n n n THEIR PARTICIPATION IS CRUCIAL BUT RECEIVES INSUFFICIENT ATTENTION THEIR EXPERIENCE SHOULD RECEIVE MORE ATTENTION IS GROWING, BUT IT IS NOT ENOUGH YET IN ANY CASE, THEY WILL TAKE THEIR OWN INITIATIVES

THE LOCAL POPULATION TRY TO UNDERSTAND: n Power relations/Exclusion n Decision-making bodies & procedures n Coping Mechanisms/Capacities n Vulnerabilities n Language? ? n What are the entry points/points of leverage? n Etc.

WAR-TORN SOCIETIES PROJECT n n n PAPER IS POSITIVE GREAT METHODOLOGY IN REALITY….

WAR-TORN SOCIETIES PROJECT METHODOLOGY n TRADITIONAL PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH n THREE STEPS u LOCAL RESEARCH TEAM u PROJECT TEAM (WHO WANTS TO PARTICIPATE? ) u ENTRY POINTS n RESEARCHERS BECAME FACILITATORS & TRIED TO FOSTER INFO EXCHANGE AND CONSENSUS

WAR-TORN SOCIETIES PROJECT RESULTS n Great new toolbox, u methodology u neutral n n n space Often with local follow-up, but Management did not live up to its own ideals: Distinguish the rhetoric and reality of participation. The Macro methodology is one example out of the toolbox, there are more!!

Conclusions n n n More attention to actual experiences of the local population Caution: We did not differentiate between refugees and local communities. Their relationship can be tense. Concepts such as empowerment, participation, etc. are often used but very hard to implement Aid can undermine local coping mechanisms and create dependency Next week more

TOPICS n n n Readings & exercises next week Paper Donors? UNHCR & Ruud Lubbers Readings today u Mu Sochua u Harrel-Bond u WSP n Nebiat & Connie