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Peace Commissioners and Secretariats for Peace: The Role of Government Sponsored Peace Institutionsť in Reducing Violent Conflicts
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possible outcomes of long-term intractable violent conflict, 1) Complete victory by one side, 2) On-going mutually hurting stalemate, 3) A Negotiated Solution between the Parties (with or without outsider power-based mediation, Zartman, 1989).
Traditionally, peace negotiations take place directly between conflicted parties (often a government and an insurgent group). However, talks often fail, given that parties may perceive that they can possibly secure a further advantage on the battlefield if they do achieve their demands in a formal negotiation process. Even when talks do succeed, there is the significant challenge of implementation.
When direct negotiations between conflicted parties do not work or fail to start, often outside negotiators and mediators are brought in to assist in the process. These outside groups and individuals can often bring critical expertise, resources, moral authority, and at times pressure to motivate a negotiation process.
Apart from individuals playing a key role in peace processes and peacebuilding there are a host of institutions from domestic players including civil society actors, such as religious institutions, to business, to international actors that can play a key role in facilitating peace processes. One of the institutional arrangements that has developed in a number of conflicted countries over the past decade is government institutions that are focused on encouraging negotiations and building the capacity for peace. These institutions have a number of different names ranging from peace commissioners, to secretariats for coordinating peace. There is also a growing grassroots movement in a number of countries advocating for the creation of ministries of peace (or similar institutions) within respective countries. Despite the increasing role of these institutions in select conflicted regions, research and writing on their impact to date is almost non-existent, and there is also a gap in the theoretical literature on the role of these institutions in contributing to peace.
Given the lack of information on these institutions and theory, this paper will provide a framework situating the ministries within the peacebuilding field. The potential role of insider government institutions in this process will also be highlighted. Moreover, this paper will seek to provide a brief overview of existing institutions based on the limited information available. A research agenda focused on better understanding the role of these institutions, and key questions for future inquiry will be outlined.
MODELS OF PEACEBUILDING
Several models can be useful in understanding approaches to addressing, reducing and potentially resolving a conflict. One of the most helpful for understanding appropriate conflict interventions at different stages of a conflict, focuses on the three distinct processes of peacekeeping, peacemaking and peacebuilding (Boutros-Gali, 1995; Diamond & McDonald, 1996; Fisher, 1993; Lederach, 1997; Sandole, 1998). According to this model, there are various approaches to intervening in a conflict, which depend on the particular stage of the conflict and the actor conducting the particular intervention (Fisher, 2007). Similar to many existing models in conflict resolution, scholars use
Zelizer, ISA Paper 2008,
Peace Commissioners and Secretariats for Peace
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possible outcomes of long-term intractable violent conflict, 1) Complete victory by one
side, 2) On-going mutually hurting stalemate, 3) A Negotiated Solution between the
Parties (with or without outsider power-based mediation, Zartman, 1989).
Traditionally, peace negotiations take place directly between conflicted parties (often a
government and an insurgent group). However, talks often fail, given that parties may
perceive that they can possibly secure a further advantage on the battlefield if they do
achieve their demands in a formal negotiation process. Even when talks do succeed, there
is the significant challenge of implementation.
When direct negotiations between conflicted parties do not work or fail to start, often
outside negotiators and mediators are brought in to assist in the process. These outside
groups and individuals can often bring critical expertise, resources, moral authority, and
at times pressure to motivate a negotiation process.
Apart from individuals playing a key role in peace processes and peacebuilding there are
a host of institutions from domestic players including civil society actors, such as
religious institutions, to business, to international actors that can play a key role in
facilitating peace processes. One of the institutional arrangements that has developed in a
number of conflicted countries over the past decade is government institutions that are
focused on encouraging negotiations and building the capacity for peace. These
institutions have a number of different names ranging from peace commissioners, to
secretariats for coordinating peace. There is also a growing grassroots movement in a
number of countries advocating for the creation of ministries of peace (or similar
institutions) within respective countries. Despite the increasing role of these institutions
in select conflicted regions, research and writing on their impact to date is almost non-
existent, and there is also a gap in the theoretical literature on the role of these institutions
in contributing to peace.
Given the lack of information on these institutions and theory, this paper will provide a
framework situating the ministries within the peacebuilding field. The potential role of
insider government institutions in this process will also be highlighted. Moreover, this
paper will seek to provide a brief overview of existing institutions based on the limited
information available. A research agenda focused on better understanding the role of
these institutions, and key questions for future inquiry will be outlined.
MODELS OF PEACEBUILDING
Several models can be useful in understanding approaches to addressing, reducing and
potentially resolving a conflict. One of the most helpful for understanding appropriate
conflict interventions at different stages of a conflict, focuses on the three distinct
processes of peacekeeping, peacemaking and peacebuilding (Boutros-Gali, 1995;
Diamond & McDonald, 1996; Fisher, 1993; Lederach, 1997; Sandole, 1998). According
to this model, there are various approaches to intervening in a conflict, which depend on
the particular stage of the conflict and the actor conducting the particular intervention
(Fisher, 2007). Similar to many existing models in conflict resolution, scholars use
Zelizer, ISA Paper 2008,
Peace Commissioners and Secretariats for Peace
2
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