Beyond Intractability: A Free Knowledge Base on More Constructive Approaches to Destructive Conflict
Introduction:
Mari Fitzduff, former Executive Director of Irish conflict resolution organization INCORE, and now Professor and Director of the MA Conflict and Coexistence Programme at Brandeis University, suggests that cease-fire agreements and peace processes take a long time to develop and will likely hit several stumbling blocks along the way. She describes the lengthy process in Northern Ireland and highlights the importance of celebrating small victories.
This rough transcript provides a text alternative to audio. We apologize for occasional errors and unintelligible sections (which are marked with ???).
Northern Ireland Peace Process
Mari Fitzduff
Professor and Director of the MA Conflict and
Coexistence Programme at Brandeis University
We eventually got the agreement ceasefire. Ceasefires in '74
broke down, that's not uncommon either. We eventually got a labor party that was quite
brave. We got the agreement in '98 and now we're five years on and just about
dribbling into the ends of the problems. So by and large most people will be on
board with policing probably by the end of this year. The leftover troubles at
the cold face, which are really partly loyalists who did not have places in the
new scheme of things, they're easing up a little. I suspect that they will
disappear fairly quickly within this year, and we think even Parades is probably
going to be finished by this year or next year.
There's a good lesson there, is that it does take time, there's rarely a moment when you say I remember having a celebration party after the ceasefires were called, and that was actually '94, '95. I said, "Look, I know we're going to have a difficult time, but let's just celebrate this moment." You've got to realize that the work certainly does continue on after that.
I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge -
That myth is more potent than history,
I believe that dreams are more powerful than facts -
That hope always triumphs over experience -
That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death." -- Robert Fulghum
Featured Links Organizations Making Noteworthy Contributions to Efforts to Promote More Constructive Conflict Alliance for Conflict Transformation
Other Resources from Beyond Intractability Peacebuilding Checklist: Adversaries A list of things to think about if you are involved in a difficult or damaging conflict.
Nobel Peace Prize Winners
Kim Dae-jung Former President of South Korea, and 2000 Nobel Peace Laureate
The Beyond Intractability Knowledge Base Project Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess, Co-Directors and Editors c/o Conflict Information Consortium(Formerly Conflict Research Consortium), University of Colorado Campus Box 580, Boulder, CO 80309 Phone: (303) 492-1635; Fax: (303) 492-2154; Contact
