|
|
|
|
|
|
Special Report |
LAST UPDATE August 18, 2008
|
|
| site design imagesparkle.com |
| June 19, 2007 |
Global Gatherings for Peace: GPPAC Asia Pacific Meets Onboard Peace Boat |
|
| |
 |
|
The Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) works across 15 regions of the world
|
In 2001 Kofi Annan, the previous Secretary General of the United Nations, called on local and international non-governmental organizations to come together to help prevent conflict alongside the UN. It was an ambitious appeal that would need enormous dedication, cooperation and hard work to fulfil. Yet six years later, GPPAC – the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict – is doing just that. GPPAC is uniting people who aim to prevent conflict rather than react to it once it has started. It does this by connecting the practical work and experience of various local grassroots movements in 15 regions of the world into an international network. Through this network, GPPAC can raise awareness of the threats to peace and share innovative approaches to peace building. |
site design imagesparkle.com |
 |
|
Carmen Lauzon-Gatmaytan from Southeast Asia region looks at ideas
put forward by the group
|
From June 15-19, Peace Boat welcomed onboard 20 members of GPPAC for the first ever meeting of the four regions across Asia and the Pacific. Against the backdrop of rolling waves, the focus of the forum was to highlight current barriers to peace, look at how to better share information and explore ways to work together more effectively in building peace across Asia Pacific. Following the discussions, several ideas were put forward to put this into practice, including the creation of a Global Peace Index to show areas at risk of sliding into conflict. Another idea is to produce a common history textbook for the region. By doing so, it is hoped that past military actions can be accurately recorded, the suffering of those affected can be fairly recognised and the tensions between states can be eased through such open acknowledgement. |
| |
 |
| Prof. Rupasingha Ariyaratne helped draw attention to the deteriorating human rights situation in Sri Lanka |
Coming together as a group on the ship allowed the members to tackle country specific issues as well. Hearing of the deteriorating human rights situation in Sri Lanka, the group proposed to send a fact finding mission to the island. There was also a response to recent allegations in the Japanese media that intelligence services there have been illegally monitoring the work of peace organizations. Releasing a joint statement from aboard the Peace Boat, GPPAC Asia Pacific called on the Japanese government to publicly investigate these matters. |
| |
 |
| A Peace Boat participant signs the petition to free Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma |
The forum gave GPPAC members a chance to talk face to face with local groups and people in ports across the region, as well as with the participants onboard. Whilst in Da Nang, members heard firsthand from those still affected by the use of Agent Orange during the Viet Nam War. The meeting boosted their determination to stop such hardships from reoccurring. Onboard, GPPAC members Khin Omar and Szu-chien Hsu spoke of the lack of democracy in Burma, prompting 650 participants to sign a petition calling for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and 1,100 other political prisoners in the country. |
| |
 |
| Ms. Khin Ohmar of Burma looks out at the birthday banner for Aung San Suu Kyi |
After an intense five days, the GPPAC members left the voyage at Singapore, but not before unfurling a 30 meter banner across the side of Peace Boat wishing Aung San Suu Kyi a happy birthday. They also held a press conference at the port to raise awareness of GPPAC’s work in the region. Later the same day, the group welcomed other interested parties from across the region and beyond, including the European Commission and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), to a final roundtable discussion. At the discussion, they called for government organizations to open their doors further to civil society organizations working to prevent conflicts. |
| |
 |
| Mr. Tatsuya Yoshioka sees the Peace Boat as the ideal place for GPPAC Asia Pacific to come together |
The first GPPAC Asia Pacific forum was so successful that plans are underway to meet again next May. Tatsuya Yoshioka, Director of Peace Boat and a member of GPPAC, said “This is the first time we’ve had a UN recognised forum on the ship. I think it is a great place for discussion as we need to look at the issues of conflict prevention from many different perspectives, particularly from the perspectives of people that live there.” As it passed through the Asia Pacific region, Peace Boat gave the GPPAC members that opportunity as well as continuing to act as a space beyond borders for open and international dialogue.
Peace Boat acts as Secretariat for GPPAC Northeast Asia.
Learn more about our involvement at: www.peaceboat.org/english/rsic/gppac/index.html
View the statements and full list of those who attended the GPPAC Asia Pacific forum here: Asia Pacific Peacebuilders Unite
GPPAC Asia Pacific Statement concerning the monitoring of civil society’s activities for peace by Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Forces
Find out more about the work of GPPAC at:
www.gppac.net
|
| |
|
|
|
