Peace commission
Apeace commissionis an organization that operates at a local, regional, or national level within a country to reduce, counter, or prevent conflict. Typically, a peace commission will involve local communities and individuals in the peace building process.[1] ATruth and reconciliation commissionis a form of Peace Commission that discovers and reveals past wrongdoings in the hope of resolving conflict left over from the past. The South AfricanTruth and Reconciliation Commissionis an example.[2] A commission such as theSouthern Sudan Peace Commissionis less concerned with the past, and more with finding ways to prevent ongoing ethnic violence from escalating, but instead to move towards a more peaceful society.[3]
Another sense for the term is a commission that represents a country negotiating the terms of a peace during or immediately after a war.
Peace promotion
[edit]Examples of peace commissions that promote the peace in unstable situations:
- Assessment and Evaluation Commission,a commission in theRepublic of the Sudanthat monitors and supports the implementation of theComprehensive Peace Agreement
- Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe,established in 1972 to assist in cases of human rights abuse
- National Commission for Justice and Peace,formed in 1985 by the Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference
- Peacebuilding Commission,established in December 2005 by the United Nations as an inter-governmental advisory body
- Southern Sudan Peace Commission,established in 2006 to promote peace among the people of South Sudan.
Peace negotiation
[edit]Examples of peace commissions established to negotiate terms of peace:
- American Commission to Negotiate Peace,delegation from the United States that participated in the peace negotiations at theTreaty of Versaillesin 1919
- Arbitration Commission of the Peace Conference on Yugoslavia,established in 1991 by theEuropean Union
- Carlisle Peace Commission,a group of British negotiators who were sent to North America in 1778, during theAmerican Revolutionary War
- Indian Peace Commission,established in 1867 to negotiate peace with Plains Indian tribes who were warring with theUnited States
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"Peace Commissions".Archived fromthe originalon 2008-07-23.Retrieved2011-07-15.
- ^"Welcome to the official Truth and Reconciliation Commission Website".Government of South Africa.Retrieved2011-07-15.
- ^"SSPC/Pact Sudan People to People Peace Building".Pact Sudan.Archived fromthe originalon 2011-09-29.Retrieved2011-07-15.