“Until we are able to transform the seemingly infinite capacity of our states for war into one for peace and prosperity for our peoples, we shall remain victims”

Dr. Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem – Deputy Director for the UN Millennium Campaign, Africa

The Peace and Security Programme works in association with the Pan-African Movement, the Pan-African Development, Education and Advocacy Programme (PADEAP) and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) to promote Pan-African solutions to development and the promotion of peace. The programme has recently been accorded observer status at the African Union, and acts as a conduit representing the voices of African peoples to this organisation. Director Tajudeen Abdul Raheem who runs our Peace and Security Programme also writes a weekly Pan-African column, the Thursday Postcard.

Civil Society Initiatives to Promote an African Agenda for Regional Peace and Security

Justice Africa has an ongoing programme of promoting regional peace and security in Africa, focussing on the ‘Greater Horn’ region. Justice Africa promotes dialogue between civil society organisations and the OAU and subregional organisations, developing a consensus on core issues of peace, democracy, human rights and tolerance. A robust peace and security order in Africa is a huge challenge. It requires far more than good relations between states and functioning intergovernmental organisations. It also needs the active engagement of African civil society. Africa also needs its own capacity to analyse the challenges it faces, and develop its own doctrines of regional cooperation, intervention and common security. Justice Africa has a programme to promote civil society engagement in peace and security issues in Africa. This programme is implemented in partnership with:

1. The Pan African Movement
2. The Horn of Africa Peace Centre (associated with InterAfrica Group)
3. The Centre for Democracy and Development
4. The International African Institute

The programme has also been developed in close liaison with the OAU and subregional organisations, which are participating fully in the activities. The programme has two major components.

1. Consultations on issues of peace, security, and humanitarian action. In October 1999, the programme organised a consultation in Kigali, Rwanda, to discuss humanitarian issues and regional peace and security. This brought together representatives of the OAU with government officials and civil society. The consultation was unique in that:

It was based upon very careful and extensive preparation of the issues. Rather than asking established experts or senior political figures to speak, Justice Africa prepared unsigned issue papers based on numerous contributions, enabling the debate to focus on issues and policy options, rather than on political divisions.

It brought together African civil society organisations and intergovernmental agencies in a forum where, for the first time, the agenda was set by Africans themselves. This created a unique sense of confidence so that many neglected but important issues could be discussed in an extremely productive manner.

Justice Africa, in collaboration with its partners, is continuing this with a regular series of consultations, reproducing the same, successful format. We are also organising seminars on specific issues such as local initiatives in peacemaking and developing an African doctrine for peacekeeping and humanitarian intervention.

2. Research and publishing. In conjuction with the International African Institute and several African research institutes, Justice Africa has an ongoing programme of research into current peace and security issues, with special focus on the ‘Greater Horn’ subregion. Justice Africa is publishing books and articles on this subject and is planning an annual review of peace and security in Africa.

Human Rights Initiatives in the Horn of Africa

Justice Africa is taking a lead in promoting local initiatives to support peace and defend human rights in conflicts in the Horn of Africa.
Among Justice Africa’s activities are the following:

Bringing cases of human rights violations in the context of the Ethio-Eritrean war before the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights

One of Justice Africa’s priorities has been to find effective and mutually acceptable ways of bringing cases of human rights abuses associated with the Ethio-Eritrean war to international fora. In conjunction with the Pan African Movement, Interights, Citizens for Peace in Eritrea and InterAfrica Group (Ethiopia), Justice Africa succeeded in obtaining the consent of both governments that cases of alleged violations could be heard by the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights. Justice Africa ensured that the African Commission was ready to hear the case, and facilitated the attendance at the November 1999 Commission session of NGO representatives from both countries. One of the Eritreans who testified was herself a victim of arbitrary expulsion from Ethiopia. This was a breakthrough, in that for the first time, Ethiopian Government representatives were ready to accept that abuses had been perpetrated, and to consent to an investigation. It was also an important precedent for the African Commission. Justice Africa is continuing to work on this case, helping to facilitate the work of the African Commission, and to ensure that victims of abuses obtain justice and redress. We are supporting the Commission’s ongoing activities on this issue.

Building human rights capacities in war-affected areas of Sudan

Justice Africa has taken over responsibility for programmes of human rights monitoring and judicial capacity building in non-government controlled areas of Sudan. It has programmes in the following areas:

1. 1. Nuba Mountains: Eleven local human rights monitors, an ongoing programme of training paralegals, court clerks and police officers, and a programme of human rights education.
2. Eastern Sudan: Eight local human rights monitors, training of paralegals, and a programme to support women’s rights.
3. Southern Sudan: a programme in coordination with the South Sudan Law Society to professionalise judicial systems.

Justice Africa has prepared locally appropriate human rights education materials, copies of laws and court procedures, and a handbook of police procedures. Technical assistance to the Sudanese peace process In partnership with the Resource Group for the InterGovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Justice Africa has provided technical assistance to the peace process in Sudan. These include monthly briefings, concept papers, analyses of issues, and various forms of advisory interventions. Justice Africa acts as an informal link between a range of Sudanese civil society groups, some representing important but marginalised constituencies, and the peace process.