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| Conclusions
and Recommendations
- With
events in Iraq as a backdrop, the topics raised and discussed
in this seminar
were very salient. Of particular interest to participants
were the existence,
nature and perception of security within a civil society in the
midst
of a post-war but pre-peace situation. The contribution
of civilian police
to the establishment and maintenance of law and order met an appreciative
audience.
- Organizers
should continue to hold events like this one where civilians and
military
are required to work together to develop solutions to issues that
affect
them both. They will take away valuable knowledge and experiences,
and have a greater understanding of the challenges to meaningful
coordination, and the complex nature of the problems associated
with modern peace support missions.
- Once
the legitimate combatants have agreed to proceed with a peace
process,
the host nation(s) participation in planning transitions is(are)
key to
long-term peace and security. The tree transitions within
the scenario were
the return of refugees and IDPs, transitioning entire population
centers,
and DDR, but others will be likely.
- For
peace and stability to be intrinsic within the recovering society,
the efforts
to return lasting peace to the populations involved must be sustained
for
a sufficiently long enough period of time, perhaps decades.
This process
must take into account all aspects of civil society, including
opportunities
for reconciliation, so that retribution for past crimes do not
pull
apart the fabric of a fragile peace.
- The
peace enforcement operation must be planned and executed properly,
taking
into account the whole pf the culture and society, and the economic
and
political factors that affect them, or interventions run the risk
of repeating.
- Organizers
should continue to explore the concept of a uniquely Asian "Peacekeeping
Context." This idea has been raised in several venues,
in addition
to this one, namely, that Asian and Pacific Islands countries
have a great
deal of peacekeeping knowledge and experience, which they have
melded
successfully with skills such as negotiation and coordination.
Together
these attributes could be described and formalized, and then serve
as
a model for future operations, for sharing with nations, and for
the development
of new strategies for use in future missions.
- The
idea of a humanitarian flag that identifies the presence of certain
activities,
such as the use of the UN flag during peacekeeping missions, should
be considered, as its adoption and recognition may result in the
improvement
of the security environment in which NGOs can better and more
safely function.
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