Club Blog BEDWORTH ROTARY CLUB PEACE CONFERENCE – SATURDAY 20TH APRIL 2013
Bedworth Rotary Club in accordance with Rotary International’s theme of “Peace Through Service” held a “Peace Conference” on Saturday 20th April 2013 and posed the question “Is Peace possible?”
Three speakers, Canon David Porter from Coventry Cathedral’s reconciliation Ministry, Laura Payne from the Centre for Peace and Reconciliation Studies at Coventry University and Luciana Storelli-Castro from the Rotary World Peace Fellowship Programme gave presentations.
Canon David Porter referred to the Second World War bombing of Coventry in November 1940 and how it was important to offer forgiveness to the perpetrators of the destruction and to “move on” into a new world of peace and reconciliation. He said peace and reconciliation is at the heart of everything we do, it is important to find a sense of peace and to reconcile yourself with others particularly your enemy. Forgiveness is difficult but it is essential to make friends with your enemies to make progress and improve the world.
David believes the bombing of Coventry Cathedral is particularly poignant. The charred cross and the words “Father Forgive” are applicable to both the aggressor and the aggressed as there are always two sides to a war. The statement “Father Forgive” asks for forgiveness to mankind for partaking in war. Much sorrow and heartache is suffered by both sides and as is the case of the troubles in Ireland through the 1970s, 80s & 90s, peace eventually has to be negotiated and forgiveness given if mankind is to survive.
Laura Payne asks is peace possible in a rapidly changing world? A straw poll of delegates showed the consensus of opinion was that the world is becoming more peaceful. Generally there is a fall in numbers of people being murdered, tortured, enslaved and there is a reduction in armed conflict across the world. This is because economies now rely on international co-operation and the shift in global power. Currently there is more emphasis on “Human Security” whereby a greater number of people enjoy good health, sufficient food and shelter making them less inclined to start wars.
Laura believes the piece process is aided by Nations forming partnerships through sport, better training of police forces and by supporting peace studies abroad such as is currently happening in China.
She concludes by saying that although there will always be conflict in the world, this generally leads to change, resulting in an eventual decline in violence and destruction as enemies are reconciled to a peaceful co-existence.
Luciana Storelli-Castro believes the “Human Rights Acts” has promoted democracy, peace and reconciliation.
She explained how “Transitional Justice” mechanisms which bring criminal prosecutions, initiate “truth commissions,” and “reparation programmes,” reveal breaches of human rights to placate injustices of the person. This has been most evident in Uganda where children have been kidnapped by rebels and have then been coerced by threats of violence to their families, including murder, torture, mutilations and rape, into fighting the government. Approximately 30 to 60,000 children have been forced to fight for the rebel army in this way.
Since 1986 in an effort to reduce the violence the Ugandan Government has placed 1.7 million, about 90% of the population in internment camps.
In 2003 the Uganda government referred the situation to the International Criminal Court who has issued arrest warrants for the top five rebel commanders. It is intended the arrest and subsequent trial of these commanders will provide their followers/conscripts with the opportunity to return peacefully to their villages from where many of them were kidnapped when they were children.
Luciana posed the following questions: –
• Are prosecutions the only form of justice?
• Should people be accountable for their actions?
• Does reconciliation mean forgiveness?
• Can we have peace without justice?
The question for all Rotarians is what can they do either individually or as clubs to promote peace and reconciliation world wide?
