Annual IAD symposium, April 23-24, to have post-conflict societies as focus

Cornell's Institute for African Development (IAD) will host its annual symposium, this year titled "Reconstruction, Reconstruction and Reconciliation: When the Wars End," April 23 and 24, on campus.

The symposium will examine issues of governance, social and economic dimensions of conflicts, impacts of conflicts on women, reconciliation, disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and postwar reconstruction, as well as the role of the international community in the implementation of peace processes. It is free and open to the public.

The keynote address, on April 23, will be given by Dr. Francis Deng, U.N. secretary general special representative on internally displaced persons and co-director of the Brookings SAIS Project on Internal Displacement. Deng will speak on post-conflict reconstruction in Africa at 2:30 p.m. in the Ramin Parlor, Sage Hall.

Wars weaken the authority of the state, breed insecurity and erode institutions of civil society. Post-conflict societies are characterized by lack of respect for the rule of law, gross human rights violations, impunity, and economic devastation and decay. The end of the conflict does not automatically bring peace, security and an end to violence. There is also always a continuing risk that the conflict might resume. In such societies, some of the most difficult tasks include the articulation of the vision of a new society, dealing with the past, defining the fundamental principles by which the country will be transformed, distribution of power within the country among the various segments of the population, engaging in effective reconstruction, and establishing and securing enduring peace. The manner in which these processes are handled can play an important role in the consolidation of peace. Many of the issues, if not handled properly, can accentuate fundamental differences and lead to renewed conflict. At the symposium, organizers say, an attempt will be made to derive common lessons learned, identify pitfalls to be avoided and articulate issues and guidelines to be considered in the design of post-conflict processes.

Session I of the symposium (4-5:45 p.m.), immediately following the keynote address on April 23 in the Ramin Parlor of Sage Hall, will deal with the social and economic dimensions of conflict, specifically focusing on arms trafficking in Africa, natural resources and extractive industries, and HIV/AIDS as a security issue.

The symposium's subsequent sessions will be April 24 in the McManus Lounge of Hollister Hall. Session II (9-11 a.m.) will focus on the impact of conflict on women and children, with discussions on gender perspectives in peacekeeping operations, child soldiers and enhancing the participation of women in post-conflict elections. Session III (11:15 a.m.-1:15 p.m.) will focus on reconciliation and past human rights violations and will deal with truth commissions and approaches of accountability in Rwanda, Liberia and South Africa. Section IV (2-4 p.m.) will deal with disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, post-war reconstruction and the building of a capable state. Session V (4:15-6:15 p.m.) will examine the role of the international community in the implementation of the peace processes.

The conference has drawn speakers from a wide variety of institutions including: Obijoro Aginam, Carleton University; Ian Gary, Catholic Relief Services; William Reno, Northwestern University; Erin Mooney, Brookings Institution; Meredith Turshen, Rutgers University; Sherrill Whittington, UNICEF; Ilene Cohn, United Nations Mine Action Service; Mark Kende, Notre Dame University; Chandra Lekha Sriram, University of St. Andrews, Scotland; Bill Berkeley, Columbia University; David Backer, University of Michigan; Marcel Kitissou, Africa Faith and Justice Network; Byron Tarr, former Finance Minister, Republic of Liberia; Robert Ostergard, Binghamton University; Peter Gantz, Refugee International; Matthew Schroeder, Federation of American Scientists. Participating from Cornell are Professors Devra Coren Moehler, Muna Ndulo and Milton Esman.

More information on the symposium is available by visiting the IAD Web site at http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/Africa or by contacting Jackie Sayegh, IAD program coordinator, 170 Uris Hall, at 255-6849.