April 2002

Detta är en uppföljning av PressInfo 148. Vi fortsätter med att till den fredsskapande analysen lägga följande dimensioner: Fredsprocessen Förhandling är enda metoden. Tonvikten läggs vid att “få dem till förhandlingsbordet”, dvs. vid förhandlingar och kompromisser. När man inte vet vad man skall göra, kallar man in en konferens! Tänk om tonvikten hade lagts vid att först föra dialoger med var och en av parterna, dialoger grundade på att man aktivt lyssnar till vad de har att berätta, till vad som är deras fruktan och deras förhoppningar? Med andra ord, först djupgående förståelse och utvecklande av åtminstone en liten aning förtroende och ömsesidig respekt. Därefter skulle det då följa mer överläggningar/samtal och mer förtroende. Och slutligen några slags förhandlingar formade kring kärnfrågorna så som de definieras av parterna, i stället för en förhandlingsdagordning upprättad av regeringar i utlandet vilka var och en för sig söker främja sina egna intressen i...

Ikke siden kernevåbenalderens begyndelse ved slutningen af den anden verdenskrig har faren for en kernevåbenkrig været større. Og hvad der er ligeså bekymrende, denne fare er ikke opfattet rundt omkring. Flere udviklingsforløb er årsag til denne meget frustrerende situation. Den amerikanske regering synes at have vedtaget planer, der arbejder med anvendelsen af kernevåben mod bestemte lande og under en lang række forskellige omstændigheder. Terrorist netværk med folkemord på dagsordenen har gjort alvorlige forsøg på at skaffe sig kernevåben og andre masseødelæggelsesvåben. Spredningen af biologiske og kemiske våben øger den politiske motivering til at true med kernevåbengengældelse. Det amerikanske pres for at skaffe sig et raketforsvar får sandsynligvis andre kernevåbenmagter til at øge deres arsenaler. Indien og Pakistan, fjendtlige naboer, fortsætter deres konflikt om Kashmir med deres kernevåben lurende i baggrunden. Og oven i har den atmosfære, der skabtes af 11. september angrebene, givet anledning til et sorthvidt verdensbillede, som bevirker,...

Dette er en fortsættelse af PressInfo nr 148. Fredsprocessen Forhandling er den eneste metode. Der har været talt meget om “at få dem til forhandlingsbordet,” om mægling og kompromis. Og når man ikke véd, hvad man skal stille op, kan man altid indkalde til en konference ! Hvad hvis vægten først var lagt på dialog med hver part, baseret på at man aktivt lyttede til deres fortællinger, frygt og håb ? Med andre ord, først dybere forståelse og udvikling af et minimum af tillid og gensidig respekt. Derefter kunne der være samtaler/møder og mere tillid. Og til sidst en slags forhandling, der drejede sig om kerneproblemerne, sådan som parterne ser dem, snarere end en forhandlingsdagsorden lavet af udefra kommende regeringer, som samtidig forsøger at gavne deres egne interesser i regionen ? Hvad hvis man skrottede princippet om kompromis og vi havde forstået, at ingen side kan forventes at acceptere noget...

Not since the dawn of the nuclear age at the end of World War II has the danger of nuclear war been greater. And what is as troubling, this danger is not widely understood. Several developments account for this most disturbing situation. The US Government has apparently adopted contingency plans that look for the use of nuclear weapons against specific countries and in a wide range of circumstances. Terrorist networks with genocidal agendas have been making strenuous efforts to acquire nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. The spread of biological and chemical weapons increase political incentives to threaten nuclear retaliation. The American push for missile defense is likely to lead other nuclear weapons states to increase their arsenals. India and Pakistan, hostile neighbors, continue their conflict over Kashmir with their nuclear arsenals lurking in the background. And, in addition, the atmosphere created by the September 11 attacks has given...

Inte sedan atomålderns gryning i slutet av andra världskriget har faran för ett kärnvapenkrig varit större än nu. Lika oroande är att denna fara i vida kretsar inte är insedd. Åtskilligt i den senaste utvecklingen ger förklaringar till denna ytterst upprörande situation. USA:s regering har uppenbart antagit planer för oförutsedda händelser som innefattar utnyttjande av kärnvapen mot särskilt utpekade länder och avser ett brett spektrum av händelser. Terroristnätverk med folkmord på programmet har gjort trägna ansträngningar att skaffa kärnvapen och andra massförstörelsevapen. Spridning av biologiska och kemiska vapen stärker den politiska drivkraften för att hota med kärnvapenvedergällning. Den amerikanska satsningen på robotförsvar leder troligtvis till att andra kärnvapenstater ökar sin arsenaler. Indien och Pakistan, fientliga grannstater, fortsätter sin konflikt rörande Kashmir med de respektive kärnvapenarsenalerna lurande i bakgrunden. Den stämning som skapats av attackerna den 11 september har givit upphov till synsättet att världen består av onda och goda och...

Since the devastating carnage of World War II, a war that left some 50 million people dead, far-sighted individuals have worked for a world in which the force of law will prevail over the law of force. The first step toward realizing this vision was the establishment of the Nuremberg Tribunals to hold leaders of the Axis powers to account for crimes committed under international law. This unprecedented step on the part of the Allied powers was led by the United States. The American Supreme Court Justice, Robert Jackson, who became the US chief prosecutor at Nuremberg, argued in his opening statement: “We must summon such detachment and intellectual integrity to our task that this trial will commend itself to posterity as fulfilling humanity’s aspirations to do justice.” Following the trials, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Principles of Nuremberg, principles of individual accountability that were meant to serve...

LONDON – It is all too easy both to understate and to overstate the results of the first round of the French general election. To overstate is to forget that Jean-Marie Le Pen achieved back in 1995 14% of the vote as against his present 16.86%, hardly a mammoth increase. He is still far behind the electoral pull of his Austrian counterpart Jorg Haider and the peripheral position of his National Front party gives it no chance of being a critical element in supporting a government, as does its Danish counterpart the Peoples Party. Yet again is all too easy to understate the significance of his victory over Lionel Jospin. Le Pen is part of a marked trend in European politics. Admittedly Haider seems to be losing support but in many countries rightist candidates with an anti-immigrant tone and policies that underline tough law and order themes are still gaining ground....

This is a follow-up to PressInfo 148. We continue the peace-making analysis with these dimensions: The peace process Negotiation as the only method There has been an emphasis on “getting them to the table”, on negotiations and compromise. When not knowing what to do, call a conference! What if the emphasis had been on dialogues with each party first, based on active listening to their stories, fears and hopes? In other words, deep understanding first, and the development of a minimum of trust and mutual respect. After that there would be talks/conversations and more confidence. And finally, some kinds of negotiations shaped around the core issues as defined by the parties rather than a negotiation agenda set up by external governments that seek simultaneously to promote their own interests in the region? What if the principle of compromise had been scrapped and we had recognised that no side should be...

LONDON – On September 17th President George Bush declared that the capture or death of Osama bin Laden was his prime objective. “I want justice”, he said, “There’s an old poster out West I recall that said, ‘Wanted Dead or Alive.'” He also said that the purpose of going to war in Afghanistan was to “smoke him out”. Almost to the day, seven months later, a new video tape of bin Laden surfaces on the screens of al-Jazeera tv station seemingly suggesting he is still alive. Washington appears almost insouciant. Meanwhile, Afghanistan has been intensively bombed. But no one bothers much to cast aspersions on the reports that more innocent civilians, including many more children, died than they did in the destruction of the World Trade Centre. For sure an odious regime was pushed aside and one that harboured bin Laden, but bin Laden had never been short of hiding...

For the project INSTEAD OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS By the Swedish Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (SLMK) in cooperation with International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) Ten years after the so-called end of the Cold War, nuclear weapons are still with us. There is the BMD, the risk of diversion of fissile materials, the fear of nuclearisation of terrorism. The weapons and their means of delivery have become ever more sophisticated. Through base systems, sub-marines, aircraft carriers, the global reach of militarism has intensified. Still, in proportion to the increasing threat all this represents to humankind’s survival as well as to democracy and global development, public debate with visions of a nuclear-free is desperately feeble. Advocates of a nuclear-free world, face immensely powerful governments and military-industrial-scientific structures. We also face the arrogance of power of the roughly 600 individuals (presidents, prime ministers, defence ministers, chiefs of...

LONDON – As Israeli tanks roam at will through Palestinian territory, it is apparent to all but the most blinded that the ability of Yasser Arafat and his people to regain the initiative has never been more circumscribed. No one doubts the power of the Palestinian militants to inflict enormous pain on Israeli civilians. No one should minimise the sheer fear that runs through everyday Israeli family life. Indeed, no one should be surprised if tens of thousands of young highly educated families pack up their bags and join other Israelis in the modern day diasporas of places like the San Francisco Bay area where some 30,000 of them have already built new – and safer – lives. And no one should feign surprise if, among battle hardened veterans of previous Israeli campaigns, the number of peaceniks begins to grow. But the truth is however large the peace movement or...

TFF does not work with the larger Middle East and the Israel-Palestine conflict inside it. But the situation in spring 2002 is so serious that we feel we cannot ignore it on our website. We want to help disseminate information and assist our visitors in understanding and taking action for peace. What you find below – a work in progress by the day – is by no means systematic, comprehensive or impartial. But it offers access to perspectives often left out in mainstream media coverage, including nonviolent options and possible longterm solutions. We will post links, analyses and articles as we find them. So come back soon and read more. Local peace organisations Ariga The Courage to Refuse. Combatants’ letters Neve Shalom-Wahat al-Salam, Oasis of Peace Peace – A Mid-East Dialogue Group Peace Now Yesh Gvul. Supports soldiers who refuse B’Tselem Dor Shalom An Entire Generation Demands Peace Givat Haviva...