STRATEGIC PEACEBUILDING

FOR ASIA

standing with Asia’s peace practitioners by

promoting strategic intervention into
violent conflict 1

Centre for Peace and Conict Studies

2010 Annual Report
 MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
Dear Friends and Colleagues,

The Year of the Tiger is notorious for being turbulent and

unseƩled, and the year of CPCS can be characterized
in this way. It has been a year with some signicant
staī changeovers, and the beginning of handling the
‘‘trickledown’’ of the global economic crisis. Despite these
challenges and transiƟons, CPCS has conƟnued to ourish,
and I am pleased to say that we are entering 2011 well
organised both programmaƟcally and organisaƟonally!

In 2010 we have farewelled Vong Bopha, our nance and

administraƟon manager of ve years, and Mark Channsitha
our Myanmar Program Manager of three years. Bopha
played a signicant role in the building of CPCS and in
parƟcular in the early years of our MA in Applied Conict
TransformaƟon Studies. Sitha has been criƟcal to our
2
work in Myanmar supporƟng CPCS to make a transiƟon
from under the radar work to evidence based lobbying
and advocacy around the world. CPCS has consequently
welcomed two new staī to our team Sem Srey Tola as
AdministraƟon Manager and Chhit Maria as Finance
Manager.

While CPCS managed to produced a numbers of reports and

documents in 2010, available on our website, I would like
to make reference to two in parƟcular. Listening to Voices
from Inside –– Ethnic People Speak synthesises interviews
with some 87 people, young and old, rural and urban across
Myanmar represenƟng eight diīerent ethnic groups. It
has been a powerful tool for accessing policy makers and
opinion formers in New York, Washington, London, Dublin,
Beijing, Bangkok and Singapore in 2010. It has given CPCS
and its associates the chance to highlight the ongoing
ethnic conicts of Myanmar and of course the conƟnuing
humanitarian crisis inside the country.
From Street Fights to Peace
Builders –– The Stories of
TransformaƟon in Timor
Leste’’s MarƟal Arts Leaders
celebrates the personal and
structural changes made in the
marƟal arts conicts of Timor
Leste. This intervenƟon into
conict, conducted over three
years in conjuncƟon with HAK
AssociaƟon in Dili highlights
the kind of pracƟcal work
which can be done to bring
about real change.
Methodology course and follow up visit to Afghan peace
Another highlight in 2010 was the nalising of the workers gave us a long awaited possibility to connect with
accreditaƟon process for the MA program Applied peace networks and organisaƟons there.
Conict TransformaƟon Studies. This has been a ve
year journey in partnership with Pannasastra University There is always more work to be done. In 2011 CPCS will
Cambodia to have the program oĸcially recognised by further enhance its role as a resource to the region oīering 3
the Ministry of EducaƟon so that the course is accredited a more diverse list of short courses, more scholarships to
to an internaƟonal standard. CPCS salutes the paƟence of MA students and the ongoing strengthening of the AcƟon
graduaƟng students, and the ACTS faculty in this process. In Asia network, in parƟcular its leadership group. Using the
2010 the fourth batch of students graduated the program. ReecƟng on Peace PracƟce methodology we conƟnue
It is increasing evident that the course contributes to CPCS to criƟque ourselves and our work, always seeking to be
main objecƟve –– enhancing strategic intervenƟons into making the most impact with the liƩle we have. Thanks to
violent conict across the Asia region as students reect our faithful and Ɵreless partners in accompanying us on this
on and evaluate their own work through the course, and journey.
realign it accordingly.
May the year of the Rabbit bring our region the signing of
While CPCS is involved in so many conicts, networks, peace agreements, the deep transformaƟon of conict and
courses and programs I would like to make special reference the realisaƟon of jusƟce and equity for all.
to the development of the South Asia Program in 2010.
The year started with the sharing of Mindanao’’s mediaƟon
experiences in Sri Lanka, followed by an in depth conict
transformaƟon course in Orissa and a conict analysis in
Manipur. These programs, while ends in themselves, have
laid a foundaƟon for a more consolidated focus on South Emma Leslie
Asia in 2011. Further the oīering of a Peace Research Director, Centre for Peace and Conict Studies
 COURSES

APPLIED CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION STUDIES

THE APPLIED CONFLICT
TRANSFORMATION STUDIES
run by the Centre for Peace and
Conict Studies, in conjuncƟon
with Pannassastra University in
Cambodia, aims to bridge the gap
between academic research and
the wealth of experience that exists
on the ground. The course is a two
year accredited Masters program,
oīering residenƟal seminars every
three months along with acƟon
research assignments focused on
4
the pracƟƟoners’’ regular work. The
program is rooted in the work and
experiences of its parƟcipants and
aims to develop parƟcipants’’ pracƟcal skills and create new In July 2010, ACTS graduated a further nine students,
theory from their own experience. who came from a variety of regions, including Myanmar,
Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Nepal and The Philippines. The
ACTS aims to: students’’ acƟon research projects were equally diverse and
Ɵtled as follows:
1. Enable and challenge individuals, organisaƟons, and
networks to become more sustained and strategic in their Š Approaching Peace Research in Myanmar Context
work for peace and jusƟce. Š Building Economic Security in the Three Poor Rural
2. Provide accessible opportuniƟes for advanced, pracƟcal CommuniƟes of Misamis Oriental, Philippines, through
learning in conict transformaƟon for people who are Social Enterprise
moƟvated by construcƟve change in their socieƟes. Š Examining The Usefulness of CollaboraƟve Model of
3. Generate literature and disseminate new knowledge, Donor Engagement to Deliver Desired Results In Conict
theory, and insights relevant to peace and jusƟce work. TransformaƟon
4. Link theory, acƟon, and reecƟon and thus contribute to Š FacilitaƟng the Building of Solidarity amongst Women’’s
the further development of this fast expanding eld. OrganisaƟons in Myanmar

Š IntegraƟng Conict SensiƟvity within the OrganisaƟon
using EīecƟve and Appropriate Tools.
Š FacilitaƟng the Process of Building RelaƟonships amongst
Interfaith Youth in Myanmar’’s Restricted Areas
Š IniƟaƟng a way to Address Legacy of Memory in
Cambodia
Š A Caring Accompaniment: Learning From
Partnerships in an Authoritarian Environment
Š A Model for Couple Based Training to Reduce
DomesƟc Violence in Rural Cambodia
Not only did the acƟon-research projects contribute to
the students’’ degrees, but also directly aīected change
in each students’’ context. As the name suggests,
““acƟon research is based on the researcher performing
certain acƟons in their context””, be it designing a
workshop or implemenƟng a specic project. All of the
students taking or having taken the course, aspire to
either conƟnue their educaƟon in peace and conict
studies, or become pracƟƟoners themselves and begin
work with peace building organisaƟons in specic regions.
Another batch of fourteen students have started the ACTS
course on March 2010. Once again students come from
many conicts and cultures including, Indonesia, The
Philippines, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, India and 5
Guatemala.
 PEACE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY COURSE
THE PEACE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY COURSE is based
in values, theory and pracƟces that support peace and
reconciliaƟon, but like other social sciences, is grounded in
scienƟc inquiry. The course has been developed to teach,
in a simple and pracƟcal way, how to understand the main
ideas that guide research in the study of peace and conict
and support the development of acƟve research amongst
young pracƟƟoners.
6 future courses as well as extension
The purpose of the Peace Research Methodology course is
to provide:
1. A basic grounding in the theoreƟcal, conceptual and
empirical foundaƟons of research methods for the social
sciences.
2. An understanding of foundaƟonal concepts and theories
in peace studies and peace research.
3. A grounding in the main research processes with a focus
on developing a research proposal.
4. Opportunity for further future professional research
acƟviƟes via research networking.
In June 2010, twelve Afghan men and women involved
in peacebuilding work in Afghanistan came to Cambodia
to undertake the Peace Research Methodology Course.
They came from the following organizaƟons: CooperaƟon
for Peace and Unity (CPAU), Afghan Women’’s Social
Development Centre (AWSDC), and Sanayee Development
OrganizaƟon (SDO). All the parƟcipants successfully
completed the course and developed their own research
proposals. The proposals were on a range of signicant
issues for peacebuilding in the Afghan context.
Overall parƟcipants found the PRM course topics useful and
comprehensive in providing an overall understanding of the
peace research process as well as being applied through
exercises at each stage of the
process.
There was an expressed desire
for future courses to build on this
foundaƟon and the general feeling
that a lot was put into two weeks
that could be useful to either extend
the duraƟon or opportuniƟes for
to their colleagues and other people who could benet from
this course.
Visit to Kabul, Afghanistan
Soth Plai Ngarm and Tulsi Nepal made a visit to Afghanistan
on 30 October to 4 November 2010 as a follow-up with the
parƟcipants on the Peace Research Methodology course
conducted last June. It was also an opportunity for them
to reconnect with the Afghan ACTION Members. This visit
was very much appreciated by the members and hope to
sustain a strong connecƟon with other members in the
network. In this short visit, it was learned that the members
are expecƟng the network to support their capacity building
training by providing resource persons for RPP and also
bringing out the civil society leaders out of the country for
designing a strategic direcƟon for Afghanistan. On one hand,
they also expressed their willingness to become resource
persons for other members of AcƟon Asia network.
FUNDAMENTALS FOR PEACE AND CONFLICT WORK

The FUNDAMENTALS FOR PEACE AND CONFLICT WORK

(FPCW) is an introductory course for people who are
working in the eld of conict and peace issues, and want
to examine or deepen their individual commitment toward
peaceful social change. The course explores theories and
praxis with a focus on the disciplines of conict, peace and
violence.

ParƟcipants are guided through individual reecƟve

contextual analysis of their own situaƟon as well as through
a group shared learning experience. It employs parƟcipatory
methods of teaching and the 6-day course covers the
following modules of 2 days each:

•• Conict, Violence and Peace

•• Conict Analysis and IntervenƟon Skills
•• Conict SensiƟve Programming & ReecƟng on Peace
7
PracƟce

The FPCW which was held last August was aƩended by

parƟcipants coming from India, Hong Kong, Thailand, Nepal,
Myanmar and Guatemala. Each parƟcipant was responsible
for their airfare in coming to Cambodia and paid $500
course fee.

““After coming to this course, my

understanding of conflict and peace has
broadened. I had much self retrospection:
some of them were painful, some were
difficult and others were revelations. This
training has given me an opportunity
to apply certain principles at my own
personal level and to spread the messages
of peace as my commitment.””
 REGIONAL NETWORKING
HOSTING ACTION ASIA SECRETARIAT
When AcƟon Asia Leaders met in Kuala Lumpur in October
2009, one major decision made was the request for CPCS to
conƟnue hosƟng the secretariat of the network for another
2 years which means unƟl September 2011. This was
subsequently accepted by the Board Members of CPCS.
AcƟon Asia is a network of individuals and organizaƟons
in the Asia conƟnent commiƩed to acƟon for conict
transformaƟon through the sharing of skills, knowledge,
experiences and resources. It has more than 300 members
from 17 countries in the region.
As secretariat of AcƟon Asia, CPCS takes responsibility
8
in securing funds for the network’’s various acƟviƟes and
provides human resources to carry on such acƟviƟes. The
main tasks that CPCS implement include:
•• maintaining peacebuilding programs in Myanmar, Sri
Lanka, Timor Leste, Nepal, Orissa and Manipur in India.
•• organizing the Members’’ Peacebuilders Forum and
Leaders Forum that alternately take place biennially
•• publishing experiences and lessons learned on Asian
approaches to peacebuilding
•• lobbying and advocacy on various issues with diīerent
agencies and insƟtuƟons
•• leading themaƟc projects such as poliƟcians and military
in peacebuilding
•• building the capacity of members on ReecƟng on Peace
PracƟce methodology
•• maintaining relaƟonships with other regional networks
•• keeping membership record and regular communicaƟon
to members
•• maintaining AcƟon Asia website (www.acƟonasia.org)
ACTION ASIA PEACEBUILDERS’’ FORUM
The third AcƟon Asia Peacebuilders’’ Forum was held from
19 to 23 October at the Meta Karuna ReecƟon Centre
in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Sixty members and guests
parƟcipated, including representaƟves from ACTION Global
who came from Africa, Central America and Europe. This
year’’s Forum carried the theme: TRANSFORMING OUR
WOUNDEDNESS FOR PEACE.
AŌer a short handing over ceremony of hosƟng (from
Philippines to Nepal to Cambodia), Soth Plai Ngarm, a board
member of ACT and founding-member of AcƟon Asia,
oĸcially welcomed the parƟcipants on behalf of the host
organizaƟon Alliance for Conict TransformaƟon (ACT). The
dancers from Sunrise Children’’s Villages entertained the
group with at least 5 tradiƟonal Khmer dances before the
welcome dinner.
On the formal opening of the Forum Dekha Ibrahim, AcƟon
member from Kenya and CPCS Board Chairperson gave the
keynote speech on her own experience of transforming her
violent experience to peace.
The second day of the Forum was spent for exposure visits
to Ankor Wat Temples, FACT organizaƟon and its ‘‘ooded
forest’’, and the cultural village.
The highlight of the Forum was the sharing of life journey
of 15 peacebuilders from Bangladesh, Cambodia, India,
Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines and Sri Lanka.
9
All the workshop-sharing were linked to the theme of
the Forum –– Transforming Our Woundedness for Peace.
PresentaƟons included:
•• Quest for Peace: Responses to Survival, Nasir Udin,
Bangladesh
•• An AƩempt at Peace Making, Alan Saw U, Myanmar
•• TransformaƟon of the Self –– Journeying for Peace in
Manipur and the North-east, Bobichand Rajkumar Meitei,
Manipur, India
•• The Inner Struggle of Living Out Nonviolence, Beng
Dionela, Philippines
•• Not Everything Can Be Green, Sushi Gobalkrishnan, Sri
Lanka
•• We Drink from our Inner Well, Bijay Singh, Orissa, India
•• Our Wounds Have Strengthened Our Resolve in Building
Peace, Philippines
•• The Role of Women in Sustaining Peace in Poso-Central
Sulawasi Indonesia, Ruby Kholifah, Indonesia
 •• Burmese Doll, the Reason for Resiliency, Fr. Chris Raj,
Myanmar
•• We Can Do It If We Believe We Can, Meas Sokeo, Cambodia
•• Linking My Inner Journey to the Outside World, Sagun
Basnyet, Nepal
•• A Local Experience of Building Acehnese Women’’s
Network for Peace, Tabrani Yunis, Aceh
•• Peacebuilding in PoliƟcs, Kassapa Diyabedanage, Sri Lanka
•• Peacebuilding and My Insights, Nao Sok, Cambodia
•• Building Peace Through Sustainable Development, Ashok
Gladston Xavier, India
The team of our host-organizaƟon did a marvelous job of
making all parƟcipants felt warmly welcomed, exposed
to the Khmer culture, tradiƟon and historical sites, and
most importantly helped made the Forum a meaningful
experience for everyone.
Global members sent their solidarity messages which were
10 printed out and shared with the group.
The Forum was another opportunity for AcƟon Asia
members to share experiences, learning and success stories
in the pursuit of peace as well as nurture relaƟonships,
revitalize and strengthen commitment to peace.
REFLECTING ON PEACE PRACTICE ΈRPPΉ
RPP is an experience-based learning process that involves
agencies whose programs aƩempt to prevent or miƟgate
violent conict. Its purpose is to analyze experience at
the individual program level across a broad range of
contexts, with the goal to improve the eīecƟveness of
internaƟonal peacebuilding eīorts. It is both a framework
and a methodology, designed to evaluate the eīecƟveness
of diīerent peace programs with specic reference to the
context or culture in which it operates. CPCS feels very
strongly that the RPP methodology oīers a framework to
assess impact and evaluate strategic intervenƟon.
Advanced RPP Workshop, Nepal
In May 2010, CPCS held an advanced training course on
RPP methodology for AcƟon Asia members in Kathmandu,
Nepal. The workshop was sponsored by CDA CollaboraƟve
Learning Projects and facilitated by Peter Woodrow and
Diana Chiagas, the co-directors of RPP programme at CDA.
The program was available only to parƟcipants who had
completed two prior introductory courses in Nepal and
Kuala Lumpur. The workshop sought to introduce new, more
advanced tools for project evaluaƟon and systems thinking
analysis within the framework of the RPP;
a cuƫng edge model at the forefront of
scienƟc appraisal for peacebuilding and
conict related projects.

RPP Introductory Workshop,

Indonesia

In partnership with the American Friends

Service CommiƩee (AFSC), further 24
AcƟon Asia members parƟcipated in this
introductory workshop held last 10 - 14
August this year in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
The feedback was very posiƟve and
CPCS has intenƟons to further uƟlise this
model on its various programs and as an
evaluaƟon tool for many of its exisƟng
iniƟaƟves.
TRANSCENDͳJAPAN EXPOSURE VISIT TO
MYANMAR WOMEN’’S NEWORK CAMBODIA 11

EXPOSURE VISIT
CPCS hosted fourteen women from 11 diīerent organizaƟons
belonging to a women’’s network in Myanmar who came for
an exposure visit to Cambodia. The purpose of said visit was
for these women to learn from Cambodia’’s experience on
peacebuilding work and networking strategies. They visited
various women and youth organizaƟons as well as nonviolent
communiƟes in Koh Kong province.
From 25 to 30 March, the Centre for Peace and Conict
Studies hosted a visit from TRANSCEND-Japan members.
The exposure visit sought to raise the levels of awareness
and knowledge of Japan’’s involvement in Cambodia’’s
diverse history; most notably in the years of 1941-1945,
when the Empire of Japan occupied the country, and how
that history has or may have shaped the current situaƟon in
Cambodia.

During this September visit, the women also had the
chance to dialogue with organizaƟons who are involved in
the elecƟon processes in Cambodia including the NaƟonal
ElecƟon Commission. The women’’s network wanted to
gain some ideas on how they can engage in the upcoming
Myanmar elecƟon.
The group visited various historical sites, such as Toul Sleng
Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields, as well as Angkor
Wat. ParƟcipants expressed a keen interest in learning more
about the current situaƟon in Cambodia and discussed
intenƟons to send another group to Cambodia, this Ɵme
focusing on youth parƟcipants. The visit was considered to
be an expression of solidarity between Japan and Cambodia,
and furthermore, between East Asia and Southeast Asia.
 COUNTRY PROGRAMS

MYANMAR
Preparing Myanmar Civil Society for
ElecƟons

CPCS conƟnued to work to build the

capacity of Myanmar civil society in 2010 by
iniƟaƟng a project to raise awareness and
commitment of Myanmar civil society in
working towards free and fair and credible
democraƟc elecƟons. The project brought
three groups of civil society members from
various organisaƟons to Phnom Penh on
an exposure visit in early part of the year,
12 where parƟcipants learned about Cambodia’’s
experience with democracy, parƟcularly
how civil society has sought to engage the
electoral process in order to make it more
meaningful, transparent and accountable.
The exposure visits were followed by training in Yangon on and have made themselves available for future consultaƟve
various elecƟon-related issues and concepts, such as voters’’ work on elecƟons in Myanmar with CPCS.
educaƟon and more carefully breaking down the electoral
process and the ways civil society can engage with each RPP EvaluaƟon of the AcƟon Asia Myanmar
process. Programme

One workshop parƟcipant, when comparing the situaƟon
in Cambodia to Myanmar, said, ““There are many chances
to parƟcipate in the electoral process in Cambodia, which is
diīerent from those in Myanmar. But what we can do is to
network and try to create and provide space for the other
civil society groups to come together and do something.””
Two resource people from Cambodia facilitated the training,
Koul Panha of COMFREL and Ok Serei Sopheak of COPCEL,
In June, CPCS conducted an evaluaƟon of its AcƟon Asia
Myanmar programme using the ReecƟng on Peace PracƟce
(RPP) framework. Two AcƟon Asia members, Charmaine
Baconga from Philippines and Fernando da Costa from
Timor Leste evaluated the programme, and were assisted
by two CPCS staī. The evaluators interviewed a variety of
parƟcipants in the programme, including those involved in
the programme’’s incepƟon from 1999-2010.
The following are some important recommendaƟons
submiƩed by the evaluators:
•• Organize a strategic planning for Myanmar Program to
be parƟcipated in by AcƟon Asia members in the country
and strengthen commitment of members in becoming
strategic partners to run and manage the Myanmar
program
•• ConƟnue the conduct of the Conict TransformaƟon
Course and more engagement in civic educaƟon
•• ConƟnue exposure program in other countries and
cultures
•• ConƟnue lobbying on issues within the region and
internaƟonal agencies
•• Strengthen networking and acƟve parƟcipaƟon in the
INGO’’s and local NGO’’s forum and increase scope of
partnership with other sectors
•• Linking peace building and economics
•• Establish an alternaƟve informaƟon disseminaƟon
mechanism.
Modular Course on Conict TransformaƟon
The Conict TransformaƟon Course aims to raise the level
of awareness and commitment of Myanmar civil society
members in building a posiƟve peace. UƟlising the Centre’’s
exisƟng networks in Myanmar, the course brings together
various members from key civil society organisaƟons for
a four module course that explores the foundaƟons of
conict transformaƟon and peacebuilding, and how to
pracƟcally and strategically apply peacebuilding in the eld.
Each module lasts six days and builds oī from previous
modules through experienƟal learning, where parƟcipants’’
experiences and knowledge acquired during the course
becomes a ““living textbook”” for the parƟcipant to draw
from, thereby increasing individual capacity to acƟvely
relate and apply abstract theories and concepts to real-life
situaƟons.
The Conict TransformaƟon course has been operaƟng in
Myanmar since 2008. In 2010, the course brought together
25 parƟcipants from diīerent civil society organisaƟons.
This is the third batch of students to go through the course,
which began the rst module in September.
Lobbying and Advocacy Tour
Research inside Myanmar is no mean feat, and yet not
impossible. The value of such research to the internaƟonal
community and those who shape Myanmar related policy
is invaluable. In 2010, through a wide network of partners
and individuals across Myanmar, built up over ten years,
CPCS was able to produce three publicaƟons raising the
voices of people most directly aīected by those policies.
PublicaƟons include Listening to Voices from Inside –– Ethnic
People Speak and Listening to Voices from Inside –– People’’s
PerspecƟves on Myanmar’’s 2010 ElecƟon.
While documenƟng evidence and opinion from the ground 13
is important, it only has meaning when it is in the hands of
those who can make a diīerence. While debate conƟnues
to rage about which country or internaƟonal mechanism has
the most leverage in Myanmar, CPCS conƟnued its mission
to beƩer equip the internaƟonal actors to make informed
policy choices.
Consequently delegaƟons of Myanmar civil society leaders
along with CPCS Director, Emma Leslie visited New York
focusing on the United NaƟons missions; Washington
focusing on Congress and the State department; London,
Dublin and Amsterdam focusing on members of parliament,
civil servants and ministries of foreign aīairs; Beijing focusing
on media, university think tanks and inuenƟal individuals
in the Myanmar China relaƟonship; Bangkok focusing on the
Ministry of Foreign Aīairs and culminaƟng with a seminar
in Singapore with the InsƟtute of South East Studies. While
a whirlwind approach to global lobbying the linkages,
relaƟonships and networks built through these visits have
 started to prove criƟcal. Feedback from policy makers has
shown increases in humanitarian assistance to Myanmar,
more nuanced diplomacy and a greater understanding of
China’’s complex poliƟcal role in Myanmar.
Realising this global approach is unsustainable, CPCS hosted
a meeƟng of like minded organisaƟons also engaged in
promoƟng perspecƟves from inside Myanmar in the global
arena. That meeƟng helpfully aligned such eīorts and in
2011 CPCS will focus its advocacy primarily in Asia with
special aƩenƟon on ASEAN, India and China. CPCS is also
intending to work more strategically with media, realising
that it is signicant in shaping public opinion in Asia.
ORISSA, INDIA
The Conict TransformaƟon and Peacebuilding
Course in Orissa works with the same ideals as
the parallel course in Myanmar described above.
14 Via the use of exisƟng networks in India, the
four module program brings key members of
civil society organisaƟons together to explore
the foundaƟons of conict transformaƟon, and
how to apply strategic frameworks and theory to
pracƟcal peacebuilding iniƟaƟves in the eld.
The course graduated its rst year of students on 20 April
2010 in Kathmandu, Nepal aŌer the exposure visit and
module 4 with 25 individuals who fully parƟcipants in all
4 modules. AŌer the training, they have re-vitalized their
network (where there are 12 NGOs) that was formed
during Kandhmal conict in 2008. All the parƟcipants have
drawn up an acƟon plan for their individual organizaƟon.
Mostly, they have planned to analyze the conict in
their working area and to start taking iniƟaƟves with the
communiƟes they work by forming community level peace
commiƩees. SFDC is coordinaƟng among the network
members.
CPCS will provide more capacity-building projects in the
coming months including a workshop on RPP to the NGO
leaders, another cycle of modular course on Conict
TransformaƟon and Peacebuilding and Peace Research
Methodology workshop.
MANIPUR, INDIA
Emma Leslie, Ramji Neupane and Tulsi Nepal conducted
a conict analysis and needs assessment in Manipur in
September 2010 aŌer several aƩempts of arranging such
visit because of the long and bureaucraƟc process to obtain
Protected Area Permission to enter into Manipur. The visit
concluded that the local organizaƟons striving for peace in
Manipur are in need of outsiders like AcƟon Asia primarily
to help in bringing together various organizaƟons to a
common forum and analyze the situaƟon that potenƟally
leads to some collecƟve iniƟaƟves. During our visit,
many of the organizaƟons and individuals proposed us to
support conducƟng the following acƟviƟes: conict analysis
integraƟng with the ReecƟng on Peace PracƟce framework;
Peace Journalism; Peace Research Methodology; and,
documentaƟon of peace iniƟaƟves that people have
undertaken.
If these peace iniƟaƟves will be materialized in
near future, it was agreed that CPCS will partner
with CPA (Change and Peacebuilding AcƟon)
and the Department of Manipur Studies Centre
under the Manipur University. However, all other
peacebuilding organizaƟons would be involved in
these acƟviƟes iniƟally sending their parƟcipants
and ulƟmately the bigger group could become
a Strategy and Analysis Group in Manipur. All
the people we met have acknowledged this
approach.

SRI LANKA their own model of civil society led, community driven
mediaƟon.
When the AcƟon Asia network was formed one of its main
missions was to develop links between Asian peace builders While recognising that one model cannot neatly t into
so they can rely on each other for resources, models, the context of another, the sharing of experience gave Sri
frameworks and inspiraƟon. It was in this vane that Kaloy Lankan peace workers, weary from the recent transiƟon
Manlupig, President of Balay Mindanao, and independent in their conict, fresh ideas and inspiraƟon for their work.
secretariat of the GRP and his colleagues Franklin Quijano Through dialoguing on another context parƟcipants were 15
(former government negoƟator) and the negoƟator for the able to consider how they might re-align their eīorts in
RevoluƟonary Worker’’s Party - Mindanao visited Sri Lanka the new Sri Lanka context of post war, but far from post
twice in early 2010. On both occasions, at the request of conict.
local partners and networks, oīered workshops showcasing
Owing to increased visa and travel restricƟons for Sri
Lankans around the region, the
possibility for parƟcipaƟon in
courses on ReecƟng on Peace
PracƟce Methodology in Nepal
and Indonesia was denied.
Consequently in late December,
CPCS rallied Sri Lankan AcƟon
Asia members for their own
workshop in RPP methodology.
CPCS through AcƟon Asia
conƟnues to seek ways to support
its Sri Lankan membership in this
newly restricted context.
 CONSULTANCIES

CPCS accepts consultancies which match its mission

to strengthen strategic intervenƟons into violent
conict in the Asia Pacic region. Naturally it is a
source of income generaƟon towards CPCS’’s goal of
being 30% self suĸcient. CPCS oīers support through
consultancy services in areas such as conict analysis,
strategic planning, peace program design, training
and research.

CONFLICT ANALYSIS, THAI BURMA

BORDER CONSORTIUM AND
CARITAS SWITZERLAND
Following the previous analysis done in 2009, CPCS
16
expanded the scope to two addiƟonal camps –– Mae
La and Umpian Mai. Workshops on conict analysis school systems in Thailand. CPCS worked with the
were provided to camp leaders and ethnic commiƩees. Commission to beƩer prole its work and to arƟculate in
The analysis was enriched by interviews with Karen refugee strategy in addressing some of Thailand’’s issues of jusƟce
CommiƩee, the Karen NaƟonal Union , Thai Burma Border and peace.
ConsorƟum staī and camp leaders. Findings of the
reports were presented to TBBC staī in Bangkok, as
well as members of TBBC in their London meeƟng.

DEFINING PEACE PROGRAM,

CATHOLIC COMMISSION ON
JUSTICE AND PEACE THAILAND AND
MISEREOR
The Catholic Commission on JusƟce and Peace in
Thailand has developed signicant pieces of work
in Southern Thailand and in delivering human rights
educaƟon through the Catholic and government
PACTͳKENYA
Baht Latumbo co-facilitated for the PEACE II program
in Kenya. PEACE II (Peace in East and Central Africa) is a
regional Conict PrevenƟon and Peacebuilding program,
covering the Northernly Arc zone that is commonly referred
to as the Somali and Karamoja clusters. This program is
being implemented by Pact Inc. in partnership with Pact-
Kenya and a number of local organizaƟons in the two
clusters. The main goal of PEACE II is to enhance African
leadership in the management of conict within the Horn of
Africa.
The workshop, from 19 to 25 July 2010 in Garissa, Kenya
was aƩended by 30 parƟcipants. ““Making Change Happen:
A Leadership Training for the Youth”” was a seven day
intensive workshop designed for youth leaders and peace
workers from the Somali sub-cluster and Karamoja sub-
cluster. The goal of the course was to deepen parƟcipants’’
understanding of leadership, social change and conict
transformaƟon at both a theoreƟcal and pracƟcal level.
Heavily drawing from their own knowledge and reecƟve
capacity, the parƟcipants conceptualized when and how
their intervenƟons ““make change happen.””
DO NO HARM CONSULTATION
From 22nd March to 2nd April, CPCS hosted a ‘‘Do No Harm
ConsultaƟon’’. The purpose of the event was for CDA to
beƩer understand the ways in which NGOs in Cambodia
understand and apply the concept of ‘‘Do No Harm’’ in 17
their organisaƟons. The intent of this consultaƟon was
to introduce and provide a framework for NGO’’s working
in Cambodia, which can allow evaluaƟon not only of
the benets that various development projects bring to
diīerent regions, but more importantly the potenƟal
negaƟve externaliƟes of their work, be these with conict
related issues, or otherwise.
The consultaƟon was facilitated by Marshall Wallace and
Nicole Goddard of CDA’’s Do No Harm Project, and Emily
Brady, consultant to CDA. In aƩendance were over twenty
civil society members from a range of organisaƟons,
including the U.S. Embassy, Church World Service, American
Friends Service CommiƩee, World Vision, Mennonite
Central CommiƩee.
 CPCS INTERNS

Delia María Dávila Illescas Phy Sopheada

Since early January Delia Sopheada is Cambodian who

started her internship with joined CPCS from January
CPCS with a primary task of to April. He coordinated the
designing the future CPCS Myanmar ElecƟon Project
Peace Centre that would that included exposure visits
include oĸces, a training to Cambodia of members
room and dormitories for of various organizaƟons
workshop parƟcipants. She from Myanmar in 3 diīerent
has carefully conceptualized schedules. He also coordinated
the architectural design of the visit of Transcend-Japan
a 4-storey building that is members in late April.
basically inspired by the aƩributes of a lotus ower.
18 Sopheada has extensive experience in research
Delia has been oīered scholarship to aƩend the CPCS MA domesƟcally and internaƟonally including independent
course on Applied Conict TransformaƟon Studies (ACTS). research in South Korea and Thailand as part of the
She nished her internship last week of November but will research fellowships he was awarded. Also, he was involved
come back to Cambodia to pursue her ACTS course. in a number of peace building acƟviƟes, most noƟceably
the 1992-Human Rights Drawing Contest held by the
Delia is a Guatemalan architect who graduated from the United NaƟons TransiƟonal Authority in Cambodia, the
University of San Carlos de Guatemala. She is a member of 2007-Young Leaders Summit held in Siem Reap by the
the Center for Peace and AcƟon for Conict TransformaƟon, Global Peace IniƟaƟve of Women, and the 2010-Building
PAZci, Guatemala. Delia parƟcipated in the ACTION the Common Good in Asia: Future Leaders’’ Dialogue held
America Dialogue MeeƟng in Guatemala in 2008. She has a in Bangkok by the Building a BeƩer Asia. Sopheada holds
postgraduate degree in Urban Development and Real Estate a Masters degree in InternaƟonal Peace Studies from the
ValuaƟon. United NaƟons-mandated University for Peace, Costa Rica,
in collaboraƟon with Ateneo de Manila University, the
Philippines, where he wrote his honorary thesis on ““Foreign
Aid-CorrupƟon Nexus in Cambodia: Its Consequences on
the Propensity of Civil War””.
Naw Ohnmar Shwe Dara Pichmolika

From June to mid-October Ohnmar joined CPCS as intern Molika is another Cambodian
for Myanmar Programme acƟviƟes and her rst task who is nishing her university
was to assist in the evaluaƟon of AcƟon Asia’’s Myanmar course on InternaƟonal
Programme. She then organized the exposure visit to RelaƟons at the Pannassastra
Cambodia of the women’’s network from Myanmar during University. Molika was with
the last two weeks of September. Ohnmar is currently CPCS from mid-September
pursuing her Masters Degree in InternaƟonal Peace unƟl end of January 2011. She
Studies at the University for Peace. She also parƟcipated assisted in the exposure visit of
in a modular course on Conict TransformaƟon and Myanmar Women’’s Network
Peacebuilding which was given in Myanmar few years last September, supported
ago. Prior to this she worked with Swissaid Myanmar in organizing the AcƟon Asia
Programme, rst as an AdministraƟve Oĸcer and Peacebuilders’’ Forum last October in Siem Reap, and helped
Coordinator for Gender PromoƟon then became the in preparing and guiding the exposure visit of parƟcipants
organizaƟon’’s Program Oĸcer. from Myanmar on the Modular Course on Conict
TransformaƟon. CPCS agreed to support the Pannasastra
University-Cambodia internship program by receiving two
interns a year.
19

CPCS PARTNERS

American Friends Service CommiƩee

CAFOD
CDA CollaboraƟve Learning Projects
ICCO
Misereor
Norwegian People’’s Aid
Oxfam Australia
Pyoe Pyin
SƟchƟng Building CapaciƟes for Peace
Trocaire
United Stated InsƟtute for Peace
 PUBLICATIONS

LISTENING TO VOICES FROM INSIDE: ETHNIC PEOPLE

SPEAK
The Centre for Peace and Conict Studies in June 2010 released its second in the series
of Myanmar publicaƟon, Listening to Voices from Inside: Ethnic People Speak, that
presents perspecƟves from both majority and minority ethnic groups on the current
situaƟon in Myanmar, specically ethnic relaƟons and the challenges ethnic groups
face. The research was conducted in July-August and September-October 2009, a Ɵme
when tensions between ethnic insurgent groups and the government were parƟcularly
tense. It was an intense process, taking the four researchers eleven months in total to
complete the publicaƟon.

A total of 87 people were interviewed for this research, represenƟng the eight major
ethnic groups in Myanmar: Bamar, Chin, Kachin, Karen, Kayah, Mon, Rakhine and Shan.
20 Their voices highlight the centrality of ““the ethnic issue”” in the Myanmar conict,
arguing that it is a fundamental conict dynamic that must be beƩer understood by
both domesƟc Myanmar civil society as well as the internaƟonal community if posiƟve change is to be actualized in Myanmar.

REPRINT OF LISTENING TO VOICES FROM INSIDE:

MYANMAR CIVIL SOCIETY’’S RESPONSE TO CYCLONE
NARGIS
Due to the overwhelming response to this landmark publicaƟon, the Centre for Peace
and Conict Studies has reprinted another 2000 copies of Listening to Voices from
Inside: Myanmar Civil Society’’s Response to Cyclone Nargis. The newly released ediƟon
will include an updated Preface.
LISTENING TO VOICES FROM INSIDE: PEOPLE’’S
PERSPECTIVES ON MYANMAR’’S 2010 ELECTION
The third in the series, Listening to Voices from Inside: People’’s PerspecƟves on
Myanmar’’s 2010 ElecƟon combines research from the Ethnic People Speak project
with data collected from the Centre’’s work on building the capacity of Myanmar civil
society to engage the electoral process and democracy in early 2010. This publicaƟon
presents the six perspecƟves towards the elecƟon that were raised by interviewees
in the Ethnic People Speak project, and are expanded on with data from the elecƟons
project. This small publicaƟon aims to increase internaƟonal knowledge of how local
civil society actors perceive the elecƟon and the potenƟal opportuniƟes it may bring. It
also explores potenƟal forces which may posiƟvely or negaƟvely aīect the elecƟon as
idenƟed by local civil society actors.

21

LISTENING PROJECT FIELD VISIT REPORT: MYANMAR/

BURMA
This collaboraƟve eīort between CDA CollaboraƟve Learning Projects, CPCS and
Myanmar-based Nyein FoundaƟon explores the impacts of internaƟonal assistance in
Myanmar. The project sought to ““listen”” to recipients and deliverers of internaƟonal
assistance as a means of improving those pracƟces at both country and global levels.
The data collecƟon for this project was conducted in the laƩer half 2009, but was not
publicly released unƟl early 2010. This publicaƟon is available for download on both
the CPCS and CDA websites.
 FROM STREET FIGHTERS TO PEACE BUILDERS: THE
STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION IN TIMOR LESTE’’S
MARTIAL ARTS LEADERS
This publicaƟon, supported by Oxfam Australia, is the inspiraƟonal story of a conict
transformaƟon program that took place from May 2006 unƟl July 2008 in Timor Leste,
formally known as East Timor. The book tracks everything from the projects birth and
discusses frameworks and methodologies used by CPCS and AcƟon Asia in order to
maximise the benets brought about by their intervenƟons. It examines the barriers
that had to be broken down in order to create posiƟve change and the challenges that
were faced throughout the process, most interesƟngly the response received from the
indigenous people. The book is available to download free on our website.

22

BUDDHA OF THE BATTLEFIELD IN KHMER

In June 2010 the Centre for Peace and Conict Studies translated and released
SanƟdhammo Bhikku’’s famous book on Maha Gosananda, The Buddha of the
BaƩleeld, in Khmer. This publicaƟon aims to increase Cambodian’’s knowledge
and understanding of this dynamic and crucial gure in Cambodian history. It was
distributed to various civil society actors in Cambodia, specically to local and
internaƟonal NGOs with a focus on peacebuilding and conict transformaƟon. The
book is also available to download for free on our website.
 CPCS Board Members
(from leŌ) Yayah Khisbiyah,
Simon Fisher, Neb Sinthay, Dekha
Ibrahim Abdi, Soth Plai Ngarm

23

CPCS Staī
(front row from leŌ) Chea
Sophiep, Dara Pichmolika, Delia
Maria Davila Illescas, Baht
Latumbo, Sem Tola Sreypeou, Um
Sotheavy; (back row from leŌ)
Mark Channsitha, Monica Alfred,
Mark Satvansay, Tulsi Nepal,
Chhit Maria, Emma Leslie
 The Centre for Peace and Conict Studies is home
to a range of interconnected programmes that
promote the advancement of peace processes,
research and learning. It creates opportuniƟes for
pracƟƟoners, students, academics and analysts to
access informaƟon and resources that are
contextually grounded.
24

Centre for Peace and Conict Studies

PO Box 2552
Phnom Penh 3
Cambodia
www.centrepeaceconictstudies.org