CI NEWS

International Center for Ethics, Justice, and Public Life: Coexistence and Justice in West Africa

Over the past several years, two program areas of the International Center for Ethics, Justice, and Public Life have carried out work in the West African region. Programs in International Justice and Society have concentrated on the role and performance of judges and examined the more general “justice landscape” found in the region, while Coexistence International has focused on social inclusion in diverse and often divided societies by engaging with local civil society organizations whose work is concerned with questions of coexistence, governance, and justice. To learn more about the work these two initiatives have undertaken in West Africa, please visit here.

September 15th: International Day of Democracy

On September 15th Coexistence International will hold an event to recognize the International Day of Democracy . More details will be made available as the date approaches. If your organization is planning any activities to recognize this day, please let us know by emailing coexistenceintl@brandeis.edu and we will post details on a special page of our web site.

For more information on the International Day of Democracy visit: http://www.un.org/events/democracyday/

Screening of

On October 21, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. Coexistence International will screen the documentary film “Pray the Devil Back to Hell,” a movie about a group of women in Liberia who were instrumental in bringing peace to their country after decades of civil war. The film will be introduced by one of its protagonists, Janet Johnson Bryant, a Liberian journalist, and Abigail E. Disney, the producer of the film. It will be followed by a discussion and question session.  

To read the transcript of Bill Moyer's interview with Leymah Gbowee of "Pray the Devil Back to Hell" visit: http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/06192009/watch.html

The film screening is part of the newly launched Social Justice Leadership Series. Support for this event comes from Coexistence International and The Goldfarb Library.

EVENTS

Nigerian Peacemakers Pastor James Wuye and Imam Ashafa visit Brandeis

On May 20, 2009 Imam Muhammad Ashafa and Pastor James Wuye, founders of the Interfaith Mediation Center (IMC) in Kaduna, Nigeria, appeared at Brandeis to screen a documentary on their lives called The Imam and the Pastor, which depicts how they overcame a violent past and built a partnership for peace.

Imam Ashafa and
Pastor James

Former sworn enemies who as youth participated in the ethno-religious violence that plagues Nigeria, Ashafa and Wuye have since gone on not only to reconcile with one another, but have joined forces to found the IMC, which works to strengthen coexistence among Muslims and Christians throughout Nigeria and increasingly, in other parts of the world.

The film, which has been shown at the UN and the British House of Commons, details their membership in militant groups involved in conflict between Muslims and Christians in Kaduna, northern Nigeria. In a defining event that occurred while taking part in an outbreak of violence, Wuye lost his hand while Ashafa’s spiritual mentor and two close relatives were killed.

Following the screening, the imam and pastor answered questions, including on the role of women in peace efforts as well as the influence of religion in Nigeria. “Religion has been misused and abused,” said Ashafa. Religious identity can trigger violence, he added, but the cause is typically political or over resources.

The imam and pastor describe how they made a transition to a peaceful path, fueled by a commitment to their religious faith and its teachings on the importance of peace and forgiveness, which inspired them to come together for the good of their community. “We stay together for the human family,” said Wuye, “just as a married couple sometimes stays together for the sake of the children.”

The event was cosponsored by Cooperative Metropolitan Ministries, Coexistence International, the International Center on Ethics, Justice, and Public Life, Brandeis Interfaith Chaplaincy, the BUILD (Brandeis University Interfaith Leadership Development) Fellow Program, and the Graduate Programs in Dispute Resolution at the University of Massachusetts/Boston.

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PUBLICATIONS

Focus on Coexistence and Democracy-building in West Africa

CI is proud to announce the most recent addition to its "Focus Paper Series", Focus on Coexistence and Democracy-building in West Africa. This paper explores the relationship between a society’s ability to coexist and its ability to create a sustainable democracy, and how democratic structures that are coexistence-sensitive support a framework for a more inclusive and peaceful society.

In the context of West Africa’s experience with repression, exclusion, and unequal access to resources the paper highlights examples from the region that demonstrate the importance of being attentive to intergroup relationships through inclusive leadership and good governance. Practitioners working on issues of good governance, accountability mechanisms, peacebuilding, and social inclusion understand that concerns such as repression, exclusion, and unequal access to resources are both a cause and a symptom of intergroup conflict. Therefore, any long-term strategy for creating sustainable democracies and peaceful societies must be multifaceted and take into account questions of coexistence.

Through examples, and with recommendations for civil society and governments in the region, the paper suggests ways to develop more inclusive and sustainable democracies and peaceful societies amidst the rich social diversity in the region.

The paper is available here.

Country Study: Ghana

As part of its "Country Studies" publication series, CI is pleased to announce the release of its latest study, which focuses on Ghana. CI country studies describe the state of coexistence within different countries, and compares diversity and coexistence policies from countries around the world. CI has made no attempt to assess the implementation or success of such processes, or to endorse any of the initiatives mentioned in the report. We believe, however, that the documentation of the existence and scope of such efforts can contribute to a wider understanding of the variety of approaches for addressing issues of coexistence and intergroup conflict. To read the Ghana country study, click here. For a complete list of available country studies, click here.

COEXISTENCE TOPICS IN THE NEWS

Rights at Heart of Marriage Issue -- Nashua Telegraph, May 17, 2009

This article captures the complexities of the polarizing topic of same-sex marriage from various perspectives, raising questions about how differing sides may choose to coexist. Both sides defend their position by citing the concepts of equality and freedom.

For a homemaker in a heterosexual marriage, same-sex couples must demonstrate that their relationship benefits society in the same way as “the authentic, natural institution between a man and a woman”. A same-sex couple in a civil union seeks the same death benefit as a heterosexual marriage, but finds that they are excluded because of the federal Defense of Marriage Act. “You can’t be separate but equal,” said one woman in the civil union. A conservative think tank argues “people are willing to be tolerant . . . what they don’t like is being told they are going to be forced to accept something” while the New Hampshire governor demands that religious freedom of dissent for churches and their employees be included in legislation legalizing same-sex marriage.

The article includes the voices of both sides and reveals the challenges of coexistence when a society grapples with an issue that has the potential for profound social change.

Related CI publications include:

What is Coexistence and Why a Complementary Approach?

Visit the Coexistence Topics in the News Archives to read additional media stories that reflect coexistence topics.