Encouraging Peace Not Enforcing It

Forty-eight years ago the United Nations was brought into being as an
international forum committed to cooperation and conflict resolution.  The
U.N. declarations and documents on human rights embody our clearest
aspirations for creating a harmonious world.

In this spirit, U.N. peacekeeping programmes were originally proposed as a
means of using unarmed international observers to intervene in areas of
conflict.  This intervention could build trust on both sides through a
non-partisan show of global concern for the welfare of all involved.

Witnessing recent U.N. interventions in Cambodia, Somalia, and ex-Yugoslavia,
it is quite clear that military thinkers and planners desire to keep U.N.
peacekeeping operations under their control.  Yet these same interventions
have amply demonstrated that war-torn and shattered countries are desperately
in need of dispute resolution and reconciliation programs, a kind of training
and skills not widely possessed by soldiers.  As a result of this lack on the
part of military officers, U.N. intervention has been sliding into peace
enforcement, which is simply a euphemism for war.

As concerned citizens of the member nations, we declare that October 24, U.N.
Day, be a day of reflection.  We call on the U.N. to take this opportunity to
re-examine its original mandate and honestly begin a search for a more
effective means for encouraging communication, cooperation and nonviolent
conflict resolution.  This should include actively involving NGOs
(non-government organizations) and other citizens groups in the search for
alternatives to armed peacekeeping missions.
Coalition for Peace & Reconciliation,
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Nonviolence International SE Asia,
Bangkok, Thailand