The story of a conflict prevented or a war averted does not receive the attention that an on-going war or natural disaster receives. Thanks to Google.org, the BEFORE Project is now able to work on changing that with a $10,000/month grant of in-kind online advertising. This Google Grant will enabling BEFORE to get the story of conflict prevention out to a wider audience and to make the case for peace and stability. BEFORE is grateful to Google.org for supporting our efforts to prevent violent conflict around the world.

About Google.org
Google.org uses Google’s strengths in information and technology to build products and advocate for policies that address global challenges. Google.org has given more than $100 million in non-profit grants and breakthrough technology investments since 2004.

From February 5th – 7th 2010 clashes between Muslim and Christian groups in N’Zérékoré, Guinea’s third largest city in the critical southeast forest region, left one person dead, two missing and 29 – 55 injured. Fears that tensions between Muslims and Christians would rise and become a potentially dangerous factor in the Guinea presidential elections in June quickly rose.

The Regional Council of Civil Society Organizations (CROSC) of N’Zérékoré swiftly contacted BEFORE’s partner IFES to ask for support for their plans to ease tensions in the region. BEFORE immediately responded to their request with a grant of 35,000,000 GNF (approx. $7,000 USD) to CROSC, which allowed CROSC to revive dormant local conflict resolution groups – regional, prefectural and communal authorities – to address community conflicts.

BEFORE’s support helped execute this three-pronged plan:

• Open and Safe Meetings:

  With financial support these groups meet regularly to manage underlying conflicts. BEFORE’s grant has increased their mobility and access to communication channels, increasing the visibility of their actions and their important role multiplying and spreading the message of peaceful coexistence among their communities.

  CROSC organised open-meetings for people of different backgrounds, who could freely discuss recurring causes of conflict. In some prefectures there was a focus on inter-religious conflicts, in others the focus was on conflicts among different communities. There were 360 people directly engaged on peaceful, free dialogue throughout the region.

• Media Outreach:

  To reach even more people and to clarify the facts, such as dispelling the rumor that the deadly events in February were based on religion, CROSC teamed up with local radio stations in and around N’Zérékoré, organizing and broadcasting micro radio programs, talk shows and round-tables in five local languages. 50% of the population of more than one million people heard quality information and messages of tolerance, peaceful coexistence and cultural diversity on the radio.

• Capacity-Building:

  BEFORE’s grant also enabled CROSC to acquire an electric generator for its office in N’Zérékoré, providing greater administrative efficiency to the organization’s continued activities.

The impact was immediate: several latent conflicts were actually resolved during the meetings and tensions diminished among the diverse communities.

The situation in N’Zérékoré has greatly improved because of BEFORE’s grant. Community-led grassroots efforts are essential in building the foundation of a peaceful society. BEFORE and CROSC found success because we had the commitment of the members of the prefectural working groups for conflict prevention – composed of representatives of all ethnic and religious groups, of the civil society and of the youth and women.

BEFORE is closely watching the developments in the region and is ready to again rapidly act to signs of increasing violence potential. There are further activities planned for the near future, such as conferences between religious leaders and intellectuals. To learn more, or support work like this in Guinea, take action today.

In May 2009 BEFORE and its local and international partners hosted a workshop on the consolidation of peace in Guinea. With more than 50 local government, military, corporate, religious, women’s and youth leaders in attendance, a conflict map and national action plan were developed. The workshop garnered national media coverage, including a a long television segment. Here is an edited version of the television segment, with English subtitles for non-French speakers:
Click here to view the embedded video.

The workshop participants’ findings are here in the Consolidation of Peace Workshop Report Executive Summary in English or the full Rapport D’Atelier in French. Local participants thought these were the most pressing conflicts at the time of the workshop:

1. Return to constitutional governance through elections
2. Establish a effective and credible legal system
3. Reform defense and security forces
4. Promote political and judicial good governance
5. Equip Guinea with a new constitution

A team of experts then also refined a National Action Plan to Consolidate Peace. Read the Guinea National Action Plan to Consolidate Peace in English or French.

To learn more about how you can be a part of the solutions outlined above and in the Guinea Consolidation of Peace Action Plan with financial support or programmatic expertise contact us or take action today to keep hope alive in Guinea.

Mobile phone photo of Guinean soldiers using sexual violence against a female Guinean demonstrator.

Official statements of condemnation and concerns come from the international community over the last ten months. However, as a result of the deadly events of September, the international community -including European countries and well-known international organizations-is beginning to take away support.

For years people have been warning Guinea’s instability could lead to a crisis. The time to stand in the gap for Guinea is now. Guinea is one of the most mineral rich countries in the world. The stakes for power are high. BEFORE will continue work with local partners in Guinea and asks you to join us by making a donation for peace and stability in Guinea today. Guineans need support now – before it’s too late to do more than put a bandage on a wounded country.

Learn more about how we work to prevent mass crises or our work in Guinea-Bissau.

That’s how long Lansana Conte ruled the West African country of Guinea-Conkary. Yet toward the end of those two and a half decades, as Conte became ill and battled death, many warned that political violence could break out when Conte died.

The BEFORE Advisory Committee for West Africa responded to those warnings by sending a team into Guinea and starting a political violence prevention program in Guinea. Conte died shortly thereafter. The leadership void was immediately filled by several members of the military via a group called the National Council for Democracy and Development (Conseil National de la Démocratie et du Development, CNDD).

Workshop attendees become aquainted with BEFORE's conflict analysis objectives.

1. Return to constitutional governance through elections
2. Establish a effective and credible legal system
3. Reform defense and security forces
4. Promote political and judicial good governance
5. Equip Guinea with a new constitution

To learn more about the participants’ findings, read the Consolidation of Peace Workshop Executive Summary in English and the Guinea National Action Plan to Consolidate Peace in English, or the Rapport D’Atelier in French and the National Action Plan to Consolidate Peace in French.

To become a part of the Guinea Consolidation of Peace Action Plan with financial support or programmatic expertise, contact us.

To support the work of bringing about the peace people in Guinea are hoping for in this new phase of their country’s future, take action today.

However, there are signs of turmoil within the country. Under Constitutional law Guinea-Bissau needs to now hold presidential elections. As presidential candidates vie for political power and balance varying pressures, tensions are rising across the country. Elections are scheduled for the end of June, but research shows that political violence is most likely before, during and after elections.

In April 2009, BEFORE’s local partners saw a great need for a spirit of calm for all Guineans and requested funds for a grant to do a national radio campaign in the weeks before the election. Through the International Peace and Prosperity Project (IPPP), we gave local partners a grant to produce and broadcast 3 radio messages. Communicating peace, hope and unity, Guineans are inspiring and supporting each other.

One message comes from the only leaders in the country with wide-spread legitimacy – those within the Catholic, Evangelical and Muslim communities. After living through multiple coups and counter-coups Guineans sometimes question the motives of political and military leaders. With a strong focus on their spiritual lives, Guineans look to their religious leaders for guidance. The 6-minute message from religious leaders encourages their fellow citizens to put aside thoughts of revenge, ethnic favoritism and violence – and pick up their common humanity and the memory that they all fought side-by-side for independence.

Two shorter radio clips remind people of the president’s duties and publicize a national Night of Peace and Democracy in early June. You can listen to the radio spots that aired in Guinea in June here:

Full 6 minute radio clip from the Religious Leaders/ Read the English Translation.

2 minute clip sample from the Religious Leaders/ Read the English Translation.

1-minute radio spot explaining Presidential duties/English translation coming soon.

2-minute radio spot on the Night of Peace and Democracy/English translation coming soon.

The radio spots aired nation-wide, several times a week on two national radio stations and in 5 different languages. Take action today to support Guinea-Bissau on their path to stability.

1,200 t-shirts with the message “My Vote is Not for Sale” were produced and distributed by CGWTF through a series of small grants. The 2005 work had such a nation-wide impact (see National Elections Part 1) that they decided to again help in the 2008 Parliamentary elections.

The same message was put onto 3,000 silicone bracelets and 22,500 pamphlets. The pamphlets were in Crioulo, a local language spoken nearly the entire country, and distributed to national and community radio stations as a voter education campaign encouraging freedom of choice.

BEFORE’s model of action across sectors meant that while CGWTF organized at the grassroots level, the International Peace and Prosperity Project (IPPP) delivered special training on election dispute resolution capacity building and discussed Guinea-Bissau’s readiness for the elections with the National Electoral Commission and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

The Outcome
The bracelets were very well-received and CGWTF leadership remarked:
“[We] started distribution [of the bracelets] immediately with the youth network which organized a workshop with military personnel and civilians. Everyone who receives it wear it immediately. Today we took 500 to the National Electoral Commission. Can you believe that the President himself put one on his hand?”

The people of Guinea-Bissau came out in strong force to vote for their leaders. A number of global media outlets, including BBC News, reported peaceful National Assembly elections and nearly 85% voter turn-out. It was a monumental achievement for a country that has only elected three other National Assemblies since it gained independence 35 years ago.

However, several days after the election results were announced, there was an attack on the home of President-elect Joao Bernardo “Nino” Vieira. General Tagme responded by providing protection to the newly elected President – even though the attackers were from his own ethnic group. Read more about how General Tagme’s Security Sector Reform efforts aided peaceful elections.

• Journalists wouldn’t be able to report objectively for fear of upsetting political leaders and not receiving their monthly wages.

• . Journalists would also lack the type of training required to objectively report on certain issues while using a range of sources and their perspectives.

This is the press corps of Guinea-Bissau. Guinean journalists get about $20 per month and little professional training. The result is an inexperienced press corps that is vulnerable to political struggles, manipulation and misinformation – and a partially-informed public and national dialogue.

The Response

Courtesy of CIIAN

Six months later Reseau Liberte, an organization that specializes in developing independent press in new democracies, was commissioned to deliver an investigative journalism workshop.

Finally, in April 2008 grants were given to the local Union of Journalists and Technicians of Social Communication (SINJOTECS) to hold a one-day media conference. There conference participants reviewed and adopted the West African Standardized ECOWAS/WAJA Framework Collective Agreement (SEWFCA). The agreement has helped establish a collective labor contract with public and private media employers.

Workshop participants prouldy display their investigative journalism training certificates. (Courtesy of CIIAN)

The Outcome
While freedom of press still has a ways to grow in Guinea-Bissau, most people interviewed in a 2008 program evaluation feel that public dialogue is more open and less restrictive. Today the local press reports and investigates previously taboo subjects, even government and military corruption.

Courtesy of CIIAN

Local contacts of the International Peace and Prosperity Project’s (IPPP) had heard that General Tagme wanted to keep the separation of the military and executive branches of the government firm – unlike other Army heads that had either helped mastermind coups or looked the other way when sitting presidents were threatened by the Armed Forces. The IPPP was quick to jump at the opportunity to meet this new Armed Forces Chief of Staff and offer technical assistance on national security and support his interests to stay objective in the midst of national politics.

The Response
Through the next 4 years, high-level meetings were held with General Tagme. Retired British Brigadier Vere Hayes and former Zimbabwean freedom fighter and Carter Center’s Security and Rebel Group Specialist Jeffery Mapendere offered technical assistance. In addition to meeting with the USA, British, Canadian foreign embassies in Dakar and crafting a guiding letter to General Tagme, Brigadier Hayes gave General Tagme support on how to respond to the needs of the Armed Forces’ enlisted men.

The Outcome
General Tagme him-self began to work on reconciling factions – a major stumbling block for stability in the country – within the armed forces. Working side-by-side with his civilian counterpart, the Minister of Defense, General Tagme was taking steps to reform the military – even sending high-level military officials on a national tour of all the military bases to share the vision of reconciliation among the armed forces.

A few days after both the Presidential 2005 and the Parliamentary 2008 election results were released attacks were made on the residence of the newly-elected President. Some reports framed the attack as an attempted coup and others said the attack was waged by a small group of soldiers dissatisfied with the election results. Nevertheless, General Tagme and his Armed Forces provided protection to the democratically elected presidents in both cases – even when one group of the attackers belonged to General Tagme’s own ethnic group – and investigated the attacks in the aftermath.

His actions were illustrative to the success of the IPPP’s efforts over the last 4 years to reinforce the need of the rule of law reign and the separation between politics and the armed forces.