PressInfo #149 – Skæld ikke ud på patienten, når doktorens “freds” operationslår fejl

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 kompromis om sikkerhed, menneskerettigheder eller frihed? Hvis de specielle udsendinge, udenrigsministre og præsidenter havde lært lidt om konfliktløsning, ville de have vidst, at kompromis stort set kun er en relevant løsningsmodel, når striden handler om kvantiteter, som land eller penge, men ikke når den handler om eksistentielle kvaliteter, som værdighed, rettigheder, frihed og sikkerhed.

Deltagere

Fredsprocessen har hele tiden været befolket af topledere, regeringer, diplomater og på det sidste af CIA.

Hvad, hvis det civile samfunds grupper, unge, kvinder, fredsbevægelser og respekterede enkeltpersoner i kultur og sport var blevet inviteret til at deltage i processen og bidrage med deres (formentlig meget mere kreative) tanker om fredsprocessen? Hvis vi har frie medier, så kunne de jo spørge spørge om, hvilke fredsskabende kompetence CIA egentlig har.

Mægling

USA monopol

USA har påtaget sig (og er blevet givet) et monopol på at formidle en løsning. Vi hører igen og igen, at USA er den eneste, som kan bringe fred til Mellemøsten.

Årsagen er ikke, at USA har et fremragende generalieblad m.h.t. at skabe fred. Rækken af fejlslagne amerikanske fredskonstruktioner er voksende: Kroatien, Bosnien/Hercegovina, Kosova, Makedonien, Somalia, Afghanistan, etc. Heller ingen af de fredsplaner for Mellemøsten, som USA har været mægler for, har virket. Årsagen er, at USA har magt, indflydelse, våben og penge. Det har interesser i regionen. Og fred er ikke den højeste interesse.

Hvad, hvis der i stedet var udviklet en enhed for alsidig fredsskabelse mellem f.eks. USA, FN, EU, OSCE og Den arabiske Liga ? Og hvis regerings- og NGO-organisationer havde samarbejdet fra starten ?

Hvad, hvis vi for længe siden havde startet en OSCE-lignende proces, som ikke alene dækkede denne konflikt, men den større region, som den er en del af? Den kunne have set på mange problemer og gået gennem den grundige tidskrævende proces, det er at samle politiske, økonomiske, kulturelle og sikkerhedsspørgsmål i et stort forum og måske til sidst i en sammenhængende fredspakke, hvori alle parter havde del.

Hvad, hvis – igen – lokale israelske og palæstinensiske og regionale NGOer var blevet inviteret sammen med internationale NGOer med særlig indsigt i regionen ?

Personfikseret fredsskabelse

USA sender CIA (Mr Tenet) og en flådeofficer (Mr Zinni), som ikke har nogen professionel uddannelse i at diagnosticere eller behandle konflikter. Når det hele slår fejl, sendes udenrigsminister Powell til regionen (april 2002). Nyhederne fortæller os, at han er på en fredsmission, at han er det eneste håb, at freden i Mellemøsten hænger på denne ene mands skuldre.

Men hvad hvis fredsskabelse og mægling endelig blev opfattet som en kompleks proces, der kræver hold af professionelt uddannede folk fra mange forskellige organisationer og med forskellig kunnen og baggrund ?

Hvad hvis en så kompleks fredsmission som denne, udover diplomaterne også fik input fra andre lande og organisationer. Hvad om disse hold omfattede folk med ekspertise om området, folk af forskellig tro (jøder, kristne og muslimer naturligvis, men også buddhister, gandhianere og kvækere), socialarbejdere, psykologer og andre som ved noget om hvordan folk tænker og opfører sig i dybe, langvarige konflikter?

Hvad hvis man tog den vestlige model med smarte hurtige løsninger, pres med militær opbakning og fredsskabende Messias’er for hvad den er: svindel, storhedsvanvid, propaganda, selvforherligelse (vælg selv ordet) – og totalt urealistisk? Ingen enkeltperson har nogensinde bragt varig fred til en kompleks konflikt, men der er mange derude, som gerne vil tage æren for “freds”aftalerne.

Krig/fred cyklus

Våbenstilstand efterfulgt af en territoriebaseret aftale opfattes stadig som en grundlæggende formel.

Men hvad hvis vi i stedet så på hele cyklus fra årsagsrødderne i fortiden gennem nutiden og med fokus på fremtiden i særdeleshed?

Hvad hvis vi prøvede at fokusere på de ønskede fremtider og håb, som den almindelige borger ser dem?

Hvad hvis mæglerne brugte brain-storm for at fremkalde konstruktiv, fremtidsorienteret energi fra borgere på alle sider. Det er jo deres fremtid, som står på spil.

Hvad hvis vi hørte bare én leder/mægler sige: det virkelige problem er ikke fortiden, men fremtiden. Opgaven er at forestille sig forskellige scenarier for en god fremtid ikke mindst for dem, der er børn og unge i dag. Lad os derfor spørge: hvordan hjælper vi alle med at udvikle tolerance, gensidig respekt, forsoning og tilgivelse? Hvordan hjælper vi med at flytte folk fra frygt til håb, fra had til tolerance – for hvis vi ikke gør det, vil ingen fredsaftale om territorier eller magtdeling kunne holde.

Skift fokus og lær lektien

Sammenfattende: det er på tide vi stiller de kritiske spørgsmål om fredsskaberne snarere end om krigsmagerne. På trods af almen opfattelse er mæglere som USA en del af problemet og ikke af løsningen. Mens ingen krigsmager også er fredsmager, så er der i stigende grad “freds”-magere, der – bag de smukke ord – ser det som sin opgave at fremme egne interesser, oprustning og krig, snarere end freden. Og det er millionerne af almindelige borgere, der betaler for det, enten som vestlige skattebetalere eller som fysiske ofre i dagens konfliktzoner.

Oversætning ved Orla Jordal

Se også PressInfo 150 om Mellemøsten.

© TFF 2002

PhD, Peace & future researcher + ‌Art Photographer, Professor Emeritus and media commentator

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