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The Bejas, Sudan, Eritrea and the Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement

Following my earlier article on the historical nation of Blemmyes / Bejas and their ongoing persecution in Sudan, I herewith publish the integral text of the Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement that was signed in October 2006 in Asmara between the Eastern Front and the Sudanese government with Eritrea as guaranteeing power. A brief presentation of the agreement is also offered in the wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front_(Sudan)). The text promises an idyllic situation for the Bejas, but unfortunately these promises were not kept. The distance between unkept promises and present reality underscores the need for international intervention.

Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement

http://www.sudantribune.com/IMG/pdf/Eastern_Sudan_Peace_Agreement.pdf

Table of Contents

List of Abbreviations

Acronyms

Definitions

Preamble

Chapter 1: Political Issues: Governance and Power

Chapter 2: Economic, Social and Cultural issues

Chapter 3: Comprehensive Ceasefire and Final Security Arrangements

Chapter 4: Consultative Conference on Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement

Chapter 5: General Provisions

Annexure A: Timelines of Implementation

Annexure B: Development, Construction and Reconstruction Fund of Eastern Sudan

Annexure C: Declaration of Principles for the Resolution of the Conflict in Eastern Sudan

Annexure D: Agreement for Creating Conducive Atmosphere for Peace

Annexure E: Agreement for Implementation of the Provisions Agreement for Creating a Conducive Atmosphere for Peace

Annexure F: Tripoli Agreement between the Government of Sudan and Free Lions Movement

Annexure G: Implementation Of Tripoli Agreement Signed Between The Sudanese Government And The Free Lions Organization

Acronyms

CFA – Ceasefire Agreement
DDR – Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration
DOP – Declaration of Principles
ESPA – Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement
ESRDF – Eastern Sudan Reconstruction and Development Fund
GoS Government of Sudan
HJMC – Higher Military Committee
IDPs – Internally displaced Persons
INC – Interim National Constitution
JMCR – Joint Military Committee for Reintegration
NRF – National Revenue Fund
SAF – Sudanese Armed Forces
FSA – Final Security Arrangement
FFAMC – Fiscal and Financial Allocation and Monitoring Commission
ESSCC – Eastern Sudan States’ Coordinating Council
NCS – National Civil Services
NCSC – National Civil Services Commission
CC ESPA – Consultative Conference on the Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement
JCI – Joint Committee for Integration

Definitions

For the purpose of this Agreement:

Assembly: the process of relocation of the Eastern Sudan Front’s former combatants into selected sites for purpose of their disarmament and integration into selected security institutions.

Parties: the parties to this Agreement, Government of Sudan and the Eastern Sudan Front.

Assembly Areas: locations where combatants go through the disarmament and demobilization Process.

D-day: means the day this Agreement is signed.

Demobilization: the process by which the Eastern Front begins to disband their military structure and former combatants begin the process of transformation into civilian life.

Disarmament: the collection, control and disposal of small arms, light and heavy weapons and including de-mining.

Former combatant: former members of the Eastern Front.

Internally Displaced Persons” (IDPs): persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of, or in order to avoid, the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or man-made disasters and who have not crossed an international border.

Eastern Sudan Front/ Eastern Front: are used interchangablly to mean the East.

Reintegration: assistance of measures provided to former combatants in order to increase the potential for their economic and social for their economic and social absorption into civil society.

War affected Persons: persons or groups of people who have suffered persecution during the conflict in Eastern Sudan as well as those whose life and livelihoods have been adversely affected as a result of the conflict.

Agreement: refers to the Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement (ESPA)

In the Name of Allah the Most Merciful and the Most Passionate

Preamble

WHEREAS the Government of the Sudan (GoS) and the Eastern Sudan Front Sudan (hereinafter referred to as the “Parties”), having met in Asmara, Eritrea, under the auspices of the Government of the State of Eritrea, as part of their effort to reach a just and lasting settlement to the conflict in Eastern Sudan;

AFFIRMING the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Sudan;

RECOGNIZING that political, social, and economic marginalization constitutes the core problem in Eastern Sudan;

CONSCIOUS of the urgent need for reaching a comprehensive agreement that could address the root causes of the conflict and bring about a just and lasting peace in Eastern Sudan;

CONVINCED that this Agreement provides a sound basis for resolving the conflict;

AWARE that the signing of this Agreement represents a significant step towards a just, peaceful and lasting settlement to the conflict in Eastern Sudan;

NOW THERFORE, THE PARTIES AGREE, upon signing this Agreement, on the following:

(1) To fully and effectively implement this Agreement in all of its six parts: Political Issues; Economic, Social and Cultural Issues; Comprehensive Ceasefire and Security Arrangements, Consultative Conference on Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement; Implementation Modalities and Timeline and General Provisions;

(2) That the following documents shall form part of the Agreement (as Annexes), and shall from this point forward be implemented by the Parties in accordance with the relevant provisions in the Chapters of this Agreement:

(a) Declaration of Principles for the Resolution of the Conflict in Eastern Sudan, of the 19th of June 2006;

(b) Framework for a five-year Reconstruction and Development Program for Eastern Sudan ;

(c) Agreement on Providing a Conducive Atmosphere for Peace Atmosphere for Peace, of the 19th June 2006;

(d) Agreement for implementing the provisions of the Agreement on Providing a Conducive Atmosphere for Peace, of the 30th June 2006;

(e) Tripoli Agreement of 14th June 2000, signed by the GoS and the Sudan and the Free Lions Organization;

(f) Implementation agreement for the provisions the Tripoli Agreement of 25th December 2005.

(3) The agreed Arabic and English texts of the Agreement shall both be official and authentic. However, in the event of dispute regarding any provision of the text, the Arabic text shall be authoritative as Arabic was the language of the peace negotiations.

(4) This Agreement shall be referred to as the “Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement” (ESPA)

Chapter One – Political Issues: Governance and Power

General and Fundamental Principles for Resolving Political Issues. Article 1

The Parties agreed on the following fundamental principles:-

1. The Republic of the Sudan is a united, independent, and sovereign state. Sovereignty is vested in the people and shall be exercised by the State in accordance with the National Interim Constitution into which this Agreement shall be incorporated.

2. Sudan is a multi-cultural, multi-religious, multi-lingual and multi-racial nation. Recognition and respect of this diversity is an important foundation of national cohesion.

3. Citizenship shall be the basis for civil and political rights and obligations.

4. The political system in the Sudan shall ensure the respect, protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all citizens; good governance, political pluralism, and peaceful transition of power through fair, free and observed elections; and stability and sustainable development.

5. A federal system of government, with an effective devolution of powers and a clear distribution of responsibilities between the centre and other levels of government, including local administration, is essential to ensure fair and equitable participation of the citizens of the Sudan in general and the people of Eastern Sudan in particular.

6. The National Civil Service, the National Armed Forces, the Police, the Security and Intelligence Services shall reflect at all levels a fair and equitable representation of all citizens, including those from Eastern Sudan.

7. Women shall be fairly represented in all government institutions at all levels and their equal and effective participation ensured.

Principles of Administration and Intergovernmental Relations. Article 2

The Federal System of Government

8. The Republic of the Sudan has a federal system of government in which power shall be effectively devolved. Responsibilities shall be distributed between the national and other levels of government in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

Article 3 Levels of Government and their Competencies

9. Without prejudice to the status of Southern Sudan, there are the following levels of government in the Sudan:-

(a) The national level of government which shall exercise authority with the view of protecting the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sudan and promoting the welfare of its people.

(b) The State level of Government which shall exercise authority at the state level throughout the Sudan and render public services through the level closest to the people.

(c) Local level of government, which is essential to fulfill the commitment to vest sovereignty in the people, bring power to the grassroots, ensure effective participation of citizens, promote development as close to the population as possible, and make the management of public affairs more cost effective.

Article 4 Intergovernmental Relations

10. The relationship among the different levels of government shall be on the basis of non-interference, cooperation, and recognition of the responsibilities of each other, so as to ensure national unity and achieve better quality of life for citizens.

Article 5 The Administration of Eastern Sudan

11. Exercising their rights as set out in the INC, the three states of the Eastern Sudan shall set up an Eastern Sudan States’ Coordinating Council to enhance coordination and cooperation among them.

(a) The Council shall be composed of 15 members as follows:-

Governor of Kassala State
Governor of Red Sea State
Governor of Gadaref State
Speaker of the Assembly of Kassala State
Speaker of the Assembly of Red Sea State
Speaker of the Assembly of Gadarf State

Three nominees of Eastern Front
Six other members selected by the above nine (so as to include other political parties)

(b) The chair of the Council shall rotate among the three governors.

(c) The Council shall perform its duties without prejudice to the constitutional powers and functions of the three states.

12. Without prejudice to the status of Southern Sudan as enshrined in the INC, the Parties agree that the GoS shall convene, by the end of 2007, a nationwide conference to revisit the administrative structure of the country. Representatives of the executive and legislative branches of the National Government, representatives of the executive and legislative branches of the States, representatives of political parties, civil society groups and relevant experts shall participate in the nationwide conference; The GoS shall accept and implement the recommendations of the conference.

Article 6 Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

13. The Parties reaffirm their commitment to respect and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms as detailed in the INC, and in international human rights covenants ratified by the Government of Sudan.

Effective participation of the people of Eastern Sudan in all institutions and at all levels of Government

Article 7 Guidelines for Effective Participation of the People of Eastern Sudan

14. The Parties commit themselves to ensure fair and effective participation of the people of Eastern Sudan at national, state, local, and national capital levels; and at all institutions including the Presidency, the executive, legislative, judiciary, armed forces, security services, civil service, national academic institutions and commissions.

15. Relevant precedents, population size, level of marginalization, principles of affirmative action, shall be used in determining the representation of the people of Eastern Sudan.

16. To ensure that people of Eastern Sudan participate fully in the upcoming election; representation for Eastern Sudanese shall be spread across the board in the political sphere.

17. The criteria and modalities for the exercise of power after the elections shall be determined by the result of the elections and in accordance with the provisions of the INC.

18. In ensuring the effective participation of Eastern Sudanese, the parties shall be guided by the principles of good faith, transparency and accountability.

19. Special measures shall be taken to ensure the participation of women in all institutions at all levels of government.

The National Government

Article 8 The National Executive

The Presidency

20. Upon the signing of this Agreement, the President shall appoint an Assistant to the President from a list of nominees provided by the Eastern Front.

21. The Assistant shall be a member of, inter alia, the National Council of Ministers, the National Security Council and the National Planning Council and shall participate in their deliberations and decision-making. In addition, the Assistant shall:

(a) Undertake all national tasks entrusted to him/her by the President.

(b) Serve as Deputy-Chair of the Joint Implementation Committee of this Agreement which will be chaired by the Vice-President.

(c) Supervise the work of the Eastern Sudan Reconstruction and Development Fund (ESRDF).

22. In addition to the Assistant, the President shall also appoint from a list of nominees provided by the Eastern Front, one advisor to the President.

The Council of Ministers

23. Prior to the elections, and with a view to reflecting the need for unity and inclusiveness, the GoS shall ensure effective representation of the people Eastern Sudan, including the Eastern Sudan Front, as follows:

(a) The two posts of Cabinet Minister and one post of State Minister currently held by Eastern Sudanese shall continue to be held by Eastern Sudanese.

(b) One additional post of State Minister shall be allocated to nominees of the Eastern Sudan Front.

(c) Special effort shall be made to ensure that women are represented in these nominations.

Article 9 The National Legislature

The National Assembly

24. Prior to the elections and with a view to reflecting the need for unity and inclusiveness the GoS shall ensure the representation of Eastern Sudanese in the National Assembly, including the Eastern Front. In this regard, not less than eight seats shall be allocated to nominees of the Eastern Sudan Front. It is highly recommended that some of the nominees be women.

Article 10 The National Judiciary Organs

25. Eastern Sudanese shall be adequately represented in the Constitutional Court, the National Supreme Court and other National Courts, as well as in the National Judicial Service Commission.

Article 11 The National Civil Service

26. The Parties agree that the National Civil Service (NCS), including the senior and middle levels, shall be representative of the people of Sudan.

27. The Eastern Front shall be fairly represented in the National Civil Service Commission, which, among other things, is responsible to redress existing imbalances.

28. A Panel of Experts that shall be established under the National Civil Service Commission shall determine the representation of people of Eastern Sudan in the NCS across all tiers and all levels of government. The Eastern Front shall nominate competent and qualified Eastern Sudanese to serve in the Panel:

(a) The Panel shall identify any area of imbalances that have undermined the representation of Eastern Sudanese in the NCS and make practical recommendations to redress such imbalances and discrepancies.

(b) To determine the issue of imbalances and recommend appropriate measures, the Panel shall be guided by the criteria as per Article 7.

(c) The Panel shall complete its work and submit its Report to NCSC not later than six months after the signing of this Agreement; following which the GoS shall take remedial actions.

29. While waiting for the outcome of the determination by the Panel, the GoS shall take measures to ensure the participation of Eastern Sudanese especially at the middle and upper levels of the NCS, including but not limited to Under-Secretaries, Ambassadors, Board Members and Chairpersons of parastatals, so as to address the concerns that Eastern Sudanese are under-represented at some levels. Taking into account the need for the Front to be represented within the NCS, some of these positions shall be reserved for nominees of the Eastern Sudan Front.

Article 12 Other National Institutions and Commissions

30. Eastern Sudanese, including the Eastern Sudan Front, shall be adequately represented in all institutions and Commissions provided for in the Constitution, the law and this Agreement, taking into account the requirements of qualification and competence, including in particular the National Constitutional Review Commission, National Elections Commission, National Civil Service Commission Human Rights Commission Population Census Council, Public Grievances Chamber, and Land Commission.

Article 13 Educational Institutions

31. The GoS shall give priority to promote primary, intermediary and secondary, as well as, vocational education in Eastern Sudan, with the aim of bringing Eastern Sudan to parity in the national level of educational enrollment and achievement.

32. Eastern Sudanese shall be fairly represented in the Management and Governing Councils of Public Universities and other educational institutions of higher learning in all parts of Sudan, taking into account the requirements of qualification and competence.

33. The use of local languages shall be encouraged at the primarily level and the media to promote literacy and education in Eastern Sudan.

34. The GoS shall invest in boarding schools to foster the education of children from nomadic families.

Article 14 The National Capital

35. The National Capital, Khartoum, shall be a symbol of national unity and reflect the diversity of the Sudan.

36. The GoS shall ensure adequate representation of all, particularly Eastern Front, in the Administration of the National Capital. Pending the state Elections, one position of advisor in the Executive of the Khartoum State Government shall be filled by a nominee of the Eastern Front.

State Government

Article 15 Institutions at the State Level

37. The institutions at the State level are:-

(a) The Executive, which shall consist of the Governor and the Council of Ministers.

(b) State Legislature.

(c) State Judiciary functioning under the National Judiciary.

Article 16 The State Executive

38. Eastern Sudan Front shall nominate Deputy-Governors for Kassala and Gadaref States.

39. One Ministerial position in Red Sea State and one Advisor in each of the three states of Eastern Sudan shall be allocated to nominees of the Eastern Front.

Article 17 The State Legislature

40. Ten seats in the legislatures of each of the three Eastern Sudan states shall be allocated to nominees of the Eastern Sudan Front.

41. The Chairmanship of one of the committees in each of the legislatures of the three States of Eastern Sudan shall be assumed by a representative of the Eastern Sudan Front.

Local Government. Article 18

42. The Eastern Sudan Front nominates three of the administrators (Mutamedin) in each of the three states of Eastern Sudan. In Kassala State two will be Mutamedin Mehalyyat and one Mutamed Re’asi ; in Gadaref State one will be Mutamed Mehalyya and two will be Mutemedin Re’asi; and in the Red Sea State two will be Mutemedin Mehalyyat and one will be Mutemed Re’asi.

43. Five of the members of the assembly of each local government (Meahalya) shall be nominees of the Eastern Sudan Front. The Parties agree that as long as the total number of Eastern Front nominees in the assemblies of the local governments is maintained there can be variance in the number of Eastern Front nominees in each local government (Meahalya).

Chapter Two – The Economic, Social and Cultural Issues

Article 19 General Principles for Resolving Economic, Social and Cultural Issues

The Parties agree on the following fundamental principles: –

44. The wealth of Sudan shall be defined to include natural and human resources, historical and cultural heritage, and financial assets, including credit and public borrowing and international assistance and grants. It encompasses all the means, institutions, policies, and opportunities that contribute to the generation and distribution of wealth.

45. The overarching aims of economic development in Sudan shall be poverty eradication, guaranteeing equitable distribution of wealth, ensuring quality of life, dignity and good living conditions of all citizens.

46. The State shall develop and manage the national economy with the aim of ensuring economic development, realization of self-reliance, encouraging free market, and prohibition of market monopoly. It shall foster citizen participation in economic and social policy formulation and execution.

47. The State shall develop policies and strategies to ensure social justice among all the people of Sudan.

48. The languages, cultures and beliefs of the people of Sudan are the sources of moral strength and inspiration, and thus, shall be respected, promoted and protected, including, through education and media.

49. The State shall protect and promote Sudan’s cultural and historical heritage from destruction, desecration, unlawful removal or illegal export.

50. The people of Sudan, including the people of Eastern Sudan, shall have the right to a clean and diverse environment. The State shall not pursue any policy or take or permit any action, which may adversely affect the existence of any species of animal or vegetative life, their natural or adopted habitat. Best known practices in efficient utilization of natural resources and environmental management shall be adopted.

51. Education is a right for every citizen. The State shall ensure free and compulsory education at the primary level and work to eradicate illiteracy.

52. The State shall promote public health and guarantee equal access and free primary health care to all citizens.

53. Every citizen shall have the right to acquire or own property as regulated by law. No private property may be expropriated except by law for the public interest and is entitled for prompt and fair compensation.

54. Recognizing the cumulative effect of underdevelopment and prolonged deprivation in Eastern Sudan, the state shall undertake effective and prompt measures of affirmative action and pursue policies of sustained economic and social development.

55. A special fund for reconstruction and development of Eastern Sudan shall be established under this Agreement.

Fiscal Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations. Article 20

56. Resources and the common wealth of Sudan shall be equitably shared to enable all levels of government to discharge their constitutional and legal obligations and duties to the people of Sudan.

57. The sharing and the allocation of the wealth of Sudan shall be based on the premise that all parts of Sudan are entitled to development and that war-affected areas should be beneficiaries of affirmative action.

58. The expenditure function should be assigned to that level of government whose jurisdiction most closely reflects the geographical area served by that function.

59. The respective types of income, revenue taxes and other sources of wealth to which the various levels of government are entitled shall be carried as setout in the Interim National Constitution (INC).

60. No level of government shall withhold an allocation or financial transfer due to any other level of government.

61. All the revenues and expenditures of the government shall be on-budget operations and made public.

62. All revenues collected nationally for or by the National Government shall be pooled in the National Revenue Fund.

63. The Fiscal and Financial Allocation and Monitoring Commission (FFAMC) shall ensure appropriate utilization and sharing of financial resources both vertically and horizontally; as well as transparency and fairness in the allocation of funds to all states.

Development of Land and Natural and Natural Resources

Article 21 Land Usage and Ownership

64. The regulation of land tenure, usage, and exercise of rights in land is to be a concurrent competence at the appropriate level of government.

65. Rights in lands owned by the Government of Sudan shall be exercised through the appropriate or designated level of government.

66. All levels of government shall institute a process to progressively develop and amend the relevant laws to incorporate customary laws and practices, local heritage and international trends and practices.

67. Land management structures and institutions shall be developed and legally supported to promote sustainable development and protect the environment.

68. The GoS shall ensure that all citizens affected by the development of land and/or national resources are consulted. Persons whose property or livelihood is adversely affected by development of land and/or national resources have a right to adequate compensation.

69. All persons arbitrarily or unlawfully deprived of their rights to land shall have those rights restored to them.

Coastal Area and Marine Resources

70. All levels of government shall ensure the sustainable and integrated development of the nation’s historically and economically significant coastal area and its rich fish and marine resources.

71. All levels of government shall ensure that the people of Eastern Sudan are provided opportunities in, and benefit from, the development of the nation’s coastal area; and its fish and marine resources.

72. Port Sudan, the nation’s main seaport, is a national port that is administered nationally.

73. The administration of Sea Ports Corporation shall discharge its responsibilities to contribute to the development of Eastern Sudan and the improvement of the livelihood of the people.

Economic, Social and Cultural Policies for Reconstruction and Development of Eastern Sudan

Article 22 Strategic Objectives

74. Sustained economic, social and cultural development is key to the undoing of the longstanding marginalization of Eastern Sudan.

75. The following shall be the fundamental objectives of development in Eastern Sudan: –

(a) Rehabilitation of war-affected areas;

(b) Rehabilitation of social services including health, education and water;

(c) Rehabilitation and development of infrastructure;

(d) Human and institutional capacity building;

(e) Eradication of poverty;

(f) Rehabilitation and development of agriculture, industry, tourism, fisheries and other priority sectors;

(g) Encouraging investment and job creation;

(h) Protecting and enhancing the fragile environment;

(i) Protecting and promoting historical and cultural heritages;

(j) Ensuring the return and the rehabilitation of refugees and internally displaced people;

(k) Ensuring that all the development programs address the specific needs of women;

76. The Parties commit themselves to implement the Eastern Sudan Reconstruction and Development Plan as detailed in Annex B below.

Eastern Sudan Reconstruction and Development Fund. Article 23

77. The Parties agree, immediately following the signing of this Agreement, to establish the Eastern Sudan Reconstruction and Development Fund.

78. The Eastern Sudan Reconstruction and Development Fund shall be formally established by a Presidential Decree.

79. The Eastern Sudan Reconstruction and Development Fund shall serve as a principal organ in the planning, monitoring and follow up of the reconstruction and development program. The program does not incorporate national development projects that are undertaken by the national government in Eastern Sudan.

80. The Parties agree that, in addition to the share of the Eastern Sudan in the FFAMC transfers, the national government shall allocate an amount equivalent to USD 100 million as seed money for ESRDF in 2007; and an amount of not less than USD 125 million per annum for the years 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011.

81. The Fund shall be administrated in a professional, accountable and transparent method to ensure the implementation of the programs.

82. The governance structure of the ESRDF shall be as follows:-

(a) The ESRDF shall have a Board chaired by the Minister of Finance and National Economy and shall include:

The Governor of Kassala State
The Governor of Red Sea State
The Governor of Gadarf State
The Finance Ministers of the three states
Three nominees of the Eastern Sudan Front
Two persons appointed by the President of the Republic

(b) The ESRDF shall be run by a professional manager appointed by the President of the Republic from a list of nominees presented by the board and a management team under him/her composed of qualified and experienced people;

83. The ESRDF shall be set up and start operating no later than 90 days after the signing of this Agreement.

Chapter Three – Comprehensive Ceasefire and Final Security Arrangements

Article 24 General Principles

Cognizant of the debilitating effects of armed conflict, and appreciating the need for a Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Eastern Sudan, the Parties hereby:

84. Reaffirm their commitment to implement all Agreements signed. In particular, the Declaration of Principles for Resolution of the Conflict in Eastern Sudan and Agreement on Providing a Conducive Atmosphere for Peace of 19th June 2006; and Agreement for implementing the provisions of the Agreement on Providing a Conducive Atmosphere for Peace, signed 30th June 2006.

85. Affirm that lasting peace in Eastern Sudan shall be achieved and consolidated through, among other things, a comprehensive ceasefire agreement and final security arrangements that addresses the root causes and various aspects of the armed conflict.

86. Affirm that respect for the constitution, rule of law, good governance, fundamental human rights and the provision a decent standard of living for citizens of Eastern Sudan are detrimental for security and

87. Affirm that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and all other regular forces are national, professional, non-partisan in character and responsible for defending the constitutional order and serving federal rule and the popular will. And, endeavors to preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Nation.

88. Undertake to ensure that no militia forces or other armed groups exist in Eastern Sudan apart from SAF.

89. Undertake that all forces under their command at all levels will respect, implement and protect this Agreement.

Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement. Article 25

90. The Parties agreed on a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire.

91. In accordance with CCA, the Parties shall scrupulously refrain from the following activities:-

(a) All attacks against members and locations of the other Party, and seizure of property or materials belonging to the other Party;

(b) Expositing civilians to any form of violence, harassment, intimidation, and forced displacement;

(c) All attacks against developmental economic or service installations;

(d) Support or provide sanctuary to any armed groups opposed to this Agreement ;

(e) All hostile propaganda;

92. The Parties commit themselves to respect and safeguard the CCA and resolve peacefully any problem that might arise during implementation.

93. The Parties commit themselves to create a conducive atmosphere that would enable IDPs and refugees to return voluntarily to their areas of origin.

Article 26 Monitoring and Strengthening

94. To implement the ceasefire as detailed in Appendix A the Parties agree to establish a High Joint Military Committee.

95. The HJMC shall be composed of:-

a. Three representatives of the GoS;

b. Three representatives of the Eastern Sudan Front;

c. One representative of the Government of the State of Eritrea ;

96. The HJMC shall have the following responsibilities:

(a) Monitoring the CCA until the completion of integration of the Eastern Sudan Front forces into the SAF and other regular forces;

(b) Assist in resolving any dispute that might arise during implementation of the Agreement;

97. The representative of the Government of Eritrea shall chair the HJMC.

98. The HJMC shall establish sub-committees to effectively discharge its responsibilities.

99. “Appendix A” details the implementation modalities and timelines for the formation and activities of the Committees.

100. The Committees shall cease to exist with the completion of the integration process as detailed in “Appendix A”.

Final Security Arrangement

Article 27 Integration of Eastern Sudan Front Combatants into the SAF and Other Regular Forces

Principles

101. The Parties agreed to integrate the willing and qualified combatants of the Front into the Sudanese armed forces, and other regular forces.

102. The integration of Eastern Sudan Front combatants shall be subject to reasonable and fair eligibility criteria.

103. The GOS shall make positions available to Eastern Sudan combatants based on its rank structure.

104. The GoS shall arrange for combatants support and training, including accelerated training where necessary, to ensure that they meet the requirements of their rank, functions and potential promotion.

105. The Parties agree that following their integration, former combatants shall remain in the armed forces and other regular forces for a period not less than two years according the rules of the institutions; and, not be released from government service except for reasons of fitness or by a rule of a court.

Joint Committee for Integration (JCI)

106. To implement the integration process as detailed in “Appendix A” the Parties agreed to establish a Joint Committee for Integration shall be established.

107. The Joint Committee for Integration shall be composed of the following:-

(a) Five representative of the GoS

(b) Five representatives of the Eastern Sudan Front

108. The Joint Committee for Integration shall have the following responsibilities:-

(a) Categorization of Eastern Sudan Front forces and identification of those willing and are qualified to join the SAF and other regular forces;

(b) Identification of the ranks for integrated combatants in SAF, and other regular forces based on the principle of affirmative action and the rank structure of the relevant institutions;

109. An officer from SAF shall chair the JCI.

110. The JCI shall establish sub-committees to effectively discharge its responsibilities.

111. “Appendix A” details the implementation modalities and timelines for the formation and activities of the Committee.

112. The Committee shall cease to exist with the completion of the integration process as detailed in “Appendix A”.

113. The integration of Eastern Sudan Front combatants into SAF and other regular forces shall be carried out as detailed in “Appendix A”.

114. The GoS shall provide financial and other resources necessary for the integration process.

The Integration System

115. All Eastern Sudan Front combatants shall be assembled in camps as detailed in “Appendix A”.

116. Registration, screening and categorization of Eastern Sudan Front forces by the Joint Committee for Integration.

117. Disarmament and demobilization of those combatants who are not willing and/or those who do not meet the integration criteria.

118. Training will be provided for Eastern Sudan Front combatants who join SAF and other regular forces.

119. Organize training programs for Eastern Sudan Front officers integrated into the SAF and other regular forces.

120. Following training with SAF units, former combatants shall be stationed in Eastern Sudan, and will not be redeployed to other areas for a period of five years except if the security and sovereignty of the Sudan are threatened.

121. Former combatants shall comprise no less than 33% of their newly integrated SAF units for a minimum duration of two years.

Article 28 Social and Economic Reintegration of Former Combatants

122. The GoS shall be responsible for ensure that former combatants returning to civilian life or do not meet the eligibility criteria for SAF and other regular forces, are properly supported through social and economic reintegration programs.

123. Reintegration efforts shall be designed to be sustainable over the long-term and include follow-up, monitoring and continuing support measures as needed.

124. The GoS shall provide adequate financial and logistical support to reintegrate former combatants.

125. The GoS shall take necessary measures to address the issue of those who are released from service or retired for reasons related to the conflict in Eastern Sudan; and, will undertake returning all confiscated property according to the law.

126. The GoS shall take necessary measures to address the issue of those whose pension payments were frozen are a result the conflict in Eastern Sudan.

Article 29 Effective Participation of Eastern Sudanese in SAF and Other Regular Forces

127. The Parties affirm that the armed forces and other regular forces shall reflect at all levels a fair and equitable national representation. Eligibility for joining these forces is grunted to all Sudanese provided they meet the criteria of the relevant institutions.

128. The Parties recognize that economic, social and educational conditions weakened the effective representation of Eastern Sudanese in the regular forces.

129. The Parties agree on the need for affirmative action to ensure effective participation of Eastern Sudanese in SAF and its institutions. The GoS is committed to provide opportunities and take practical steps to increase the intake of Eastern Sudanese in the regular forces, its institutions, colleges and academies. In this regard the GoS shall ensure a fair intake of Eastern Sudanese in the army and police academies.

130. To increase the participation of Eastern Sudanese in the armed forces and other regular forces, the Parties agreed to encourage conscription in all institutions of SAF and other regular forces.

Implementation and Lifting Emergency. Article 30

131. The GoS shall take appropriate measures to lift the state of emergency in Eastern Sudan within a week following the signing of this Agreement.

132. Release of prisoners and detainees associated to the conflict in Eastern Sudan will take place a week following the signing of this agreement.

133. Following the assembly of Eastern Sudan Front forces, regular Sudanese police forces and civil administration shall be deployed in all areas previously controlled by the Front, to provide security and service for citizens and ensure a smooth transition.

The Tripoli Agreement. Article 31

134. The Parties commit themselves to continue the implementation of the Tripoli Agreement signed on 14 June 2000; and its implementation Agreement signed on 14 December 2005.

Implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement. Article 32

135. The ceasefire shall come into force 72 hours following the signing of this Agreement.

136. The CFA and FSA shall be carried as set out in the implementation modalities detailed in “Appendix A”.

Chapter Four – Consultative Conference on Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement

Article 33

137. Pursuant to the Declaration of Principles of 19 June 2006 and following up on the consultative meetings that were held by the Eastern Sudan Front on 2-5 July 2006 in Tesseney and by the GoS on 13 July 2006 in Khartoum, the Parties shall jointly convene a Consultative Conference on the Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement ( CCESPA).

138. The CC ESPA shall have the following aims:

a. Publicizing and mobilizing support for the ESPA;

b. Building up momentum and providing a conducive atmosphere for the timely and effective implementation of the ESPA

c. Providing a forum for all stakeholders to present their observations and recommendations to the national and Eastern Sudan authorities;

139. The CC ESPA shall be chaired by a prominent Sudanese personality selected by the Parties.

140. All the stakeholders, including community and traditional leaders, political parties, civil society organizations, trade unions, professionals, religious leaders, business leaders, and members of the diaspora shall participate in the CC ESPA. There shall be adequate and effective representation of women and youth.

141. The CC ESPA shall be convened within thirty (30) days of the signing of this Agreement in one of the three States of Eastern Sudan.

142. The Parties shall establish a joint preparatory committee for the CC ESPA within seven (7) days of the signing of this Agreement.

143. The joint preparatory committee shall:

a. Decide the number of delegates and observers to the CC ESPA;

b. Establish a secretariat for the CC ESPA;

c. Organize logistics for the CC ESPA;

d. Disseminate widely information about the CC ESPA;

144. The outcome of the CC ESPA shall be presented to the relevant national and Eastern Sudan authorities.

Chapter Five – Implementation Modalities and Timeline

Article 34 Implementation Modalities

145. The Parties commit themselves to implement all the provisions of this Agreement faithfully in accordance with the timeframe provided for in “Appendix A”.

146. The Parties agree to establish a Joint Implementation Committee composed of representatives of the GoS and the Eastern Sudan Front to monitor the implementation of this Agreement.

(a) The Joint Implementation Committee shall be composed of five representatives for the GoS and five representatives for the Eastern Front.

(b) The Vice-President of the Republic shall be the chairperson and the Assistant to the President from Eastern Sudan shall be the vice chair.

(c) The President of the Republic shall issue a decree to establish the Joint Implementation Committee.

(d) The Joint Implementation Committee shall be established within thirty (30) days of signing this Agreement.

Chapter Six – General Provisions

Article 35

147. This Agreement shall be incorporated into the INC.

148. This Agreement can not be amended save with the consent of the Parties.

149. The Parties agree to settle any disagreement or dispute arising from this Agreement by peaceful means. The Parties further agree that in the event of a dispute concerning the interpretation or application of this Agreement, they shall refer the constitutional issues to the Constitutional Court and other matters to a tripartite committee composed of representatives of GoS, the Eastern Front and the GoE. The tripartite committee shall be chaired by the representative of GoE.

150. This Agreement shall enter into force upon its signing by the Parties. Accordingly, the Parties shall take immediate steps to implement their obligations hereunder, including appropriate steps to give legal effect to the arrangements agreed herein.

151. The Parties commit themselves to ensure that all of the institutions, bodies, commissions, committees and other entities under their control, including their members, shall observe the terms of this Agreement.

152. The Government of the State of Eritrea shall register this Agreement with Secretary-General of United Nations.

Appendix A – Timelines of Implementation

A table

Annexure B: Development, Construction and Reconstruction Fund of Eastern Sudan
(text is missing)

Appendix C

In the Name of Allah the Most Merciful and the Most Passionate

Declaration of Principles for the Resolution of the Conflict in Eastern Sudan

Preamble

We the Government of Sudan (GOS) and the Eastern Front (EF), henceforth referred to as the parties, meeting in Asmara, Eritrea, under the auspices of the Government of the State of Eritrea and on the basis of the agreement on procedural issues that we signed on May 25, 2006;

Reaffirming our commitment to the unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Sudan;

Convinced that Sudan can prosper and flourish in peace only when it ensures equitable participation and development of its people throughout the country;

Determined to address the root causes of the conflict in Eastern Sudan, ensure stability and security and find a lasting peaceful settlement that benefits the people of Eastern Sudan and the whole country;

Committing ourselves to respect the integrity of the talks and the mediation and to negotiate in good faith;

Taking into consideration what has followed from the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 9 January 2005 as well as the particularities of Eastern Sudan;

Agree that the following principles shall form the basis of a just and lasting peaceful settlement of the conflict in Eastern Sudan

1. Unity with recognition of and respect for diversity, protection of the fundamental freedoms and rights of citizens, devolution of powers within a federal system, and equitable distribution of national wealth are essential foundations for a united, peaceful, just and prosperous Sudan.

2. Political, economic, social and cultural marginalization constitutes the core problem of Eastern Sudan.

3. Effective participation and representation in all government institutions and at various levels shall be ensured for the people of Eastern Sudan.

4. A fair share of national resources and affirmative action to address past inequalities as well as sustained social, economic and cultural development are key to a just and lasting settlement.

5. Security arrangements for the consolidation of peace shall be addressed as part of an overall agreement.

6. Rehabilitation of war-affected areas will be given priority and assistance provided to refugees and internally displaced people to return to their homes.

7. The Parties commit themselves to involve the people of Eastern Sudan from the beginning of the peace process; and to convene an Eastern Sudan Consultative Conference to ensure support for, and active participation in the implementation of, a Comprehensive Agreement.

8. The parties undertake to immediately cease all military hostilities and to maintain a military stand-down during the negotiations on the basis of the “Agreement on Creating a Conducive Atmosphere For Peace” signed on 19 June 2006.

9. All Agreements reached by the parties shall be incorporated in the Interim National Constitution.
Asmara, June 19, 2006

Appendix D

In the Name of Allah the Most Merciful and the Most Passionate

Agreement to Create a Conducive Atmosphere for Peace

We, the Government of Sudan and the Eastern Front, hereby referred to as the parties;

Confirming our commitment to arrive at a negotiated just political solution to the problem of Eastern Sudan;

Adhering to our commitment to immediately cease all military hostilities and to maintain a military stand-down in the Eastern Front during the negotiations;

Confirming our commitment to work towards creating a conducive atmosphere for peace;

Agree on the following:

1. Cease all attacks on the military personnel and positions and seizure of property and equipment of the other side.

2. Refrain from all acts of violence against civilians, as well as threats directed at them and their forceful displacement.

3. Cease all attacks on developmental, economic and social services infra-structure and institutions.

4. Refrain from supporting armed groups that are opposed to peace.

5. Cease all hostile propaganda and media campaigns.

6. Cooperate in observing and respecting the cessation of hostilities and work to contain and resolve problems that might occur.

7. Endeavor to create a conducive atmosphere that encourages the return of internally displaced people and refugees to their homes.

8. Establish a tri-partite committee, composed of representatives of the Government of Sudan, the Eastern Front and the Government of Eritrea to monitor this agreement and agree that the committee would meet immediately after the signing of this agreement.

The two parties commit to take further steps as conditions permit to build confidence between them and create a conducive atmosphere for the peace process. These steps would include:-

(a) Lifting of the state of emergency in Eastern Sudan.

(b) Releasing all prisoners of war and all those detained because of their links to the problem of Eastern Sudan.

(c) Implementing the agreement between the Government of Sudan and the movement of the “Free Lions” signed in Tripoli on June 14, 2000, and its implementation protocol of December 24, 2005.

Asmara, June 19, 2006

Note
Picture: The Bejas live in dire conditions, betrayed by all.
From: http://www.acordinternational.org/acord/var/images/programmes/women_and_children_picture_from_sudan_084_400.jpg

Tags: Agreement, Bejas, Eastern, Eritrea, Peace, Sudan

Becoming a Justice of the Peace

We all have gathered here to bind these two in the thread of holy matrimony, is not a very unfamiliar phrase and all of us are pretty much acquainted with it. That is what is mostly said by a justice of the peace in the USA, while officiating at a wedding. It is one of the most honored positions, even though not very powerful. Nevertheless, there is more to the position of justice of the peace than just officiating at weddings. In the USA, the justice of the peace presides over a court of limited jurisdiction and settles petty issues like misdemeanor, traffic violations and the likes in some states.

So here is more on how to become a justice of the peace and what are the variations in the position in USA and other countries.

How to Become a Justice of the Peace?

Becoming a justice of peace is not a mean feat. Application for the position of the justice of the peace is an uphill route. However, if you are determined enough, well you can surely be one. Here is how you can be one.
First of all, you cannot just apply for the position randomly. Hence, you would need to get in touch with the secretary of state office and ask about the requirements and the whole procedure.
The basic requirements are state citizenship, voter registration and you have to write an oath stating no conviction against a crime. For that, you would have to go through the routine police records check and also pay a fee for the overall commission.
What you need to do is to submit all the necessary documents, fees and evidences to the secretary of state office.
Keep your fingers crossed and brace your patience, because it’s a long and winding way, and wait ahead. You would need to wait for at least 10 weeks for your application to be processed, after all the background checks!
If your application is approved, check out and wait if the governor and executive counsel appoints you. If you are appointed, you would be commissioned to be a justice of the peace for five years. The other things like related material to follow your duty will be taken care of later.
That was a very brief description on becoming a justice of the peace.

As mentioned earlier, there is more to the position of justice of peace than just officiating at weddings. Therefore following is a brief overview of the duties and the connotation of the justice of the peace.

Becoming a Justice Peace: Global View

Justice of the Peace in the USA: In some states of the USA, a justice of the peace acts as a judge in court with limited jurisdiction. In other cases, a justice of the peace also serves as a magistrate or a quasi judicial officer with a few common or statutory law magisterial powers. Normally, justice of the peace presides over court cases related to petty crimes like traffic violations, registering orders, misdemeanor cases and so on. In some states justice of the peace is appointed and in some it is an elected position. The offices of the justice of peace according to national directory of justice of the peace are located in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Texas, Louisiana and Vermont. The office is an elected one in Texas, Louisiana, Oregon and Vermont. Apart from this, the office of the justice of the peace in USA is most associated with being the wedding officiate. Becoming a justice, gives an individual an opportunity to be a witness and participant in a wedding ceremony. This is considered as the most widespread duty of the office of justice of the peace.

Other Countries: In the United Kingdom, specifically in England and Wales, summary justice is done by a magistrate’s court comprising a bench of three justices of the Peace or magistrates. Summary justice refers to crimes which do not account for an imprisonment of more than 6 months. Moving on to Asia, and the orient, in India, this office is a very ornamental one. Even though it exists, it is not a permanent one. In Australia, it apparently is less rigid as compared to other countries. In Australia, justice of the peace is a person who is basically a god human being, having respect in the society. Such person is authorized to sign statutory declarations and affidavits and to authenticate and attest copies of original documents. In some countries you also need to have qualifications certifying you as a lawyer or an attorney for becoming a justice of the peace.

The travesty is, even though this is such an advantageous and a practically useful office, in a few countries, this office is totally draconian and real judicial powers are seldom vested in the office.

Nevertheless, if you want to be a part of weddings and achieve a certain status in the society, well, justice of the peace is what you should apply for!

Tags: Becoming, Justice, Peace

Banker to the World’s Poor Wins Nobel Peace Prize

A Bangladeshi economist yesterday won the Nobel peace prize for helping to lift millions out of poverty by lending tiny amounts of money directly to the neediest people on the planet.

Muhammad Yunus, the microcredit pioneer, and the bank he founded in Bangladesh, Grameen, were presented with the award and the 10m kronor cheque (£800,000) for his work in creating a nation of entrepreneurs.

The Nobel committee said their efforts showed how working to eliminate poverty could result in peaceful development.

“Lasting peace cannot be achieved unless large population groups find ways in which to break out of poverty,” it said in its citation. “Microcredit is one such means. Development from below also serves to advance democracy and human rights.”

Mr Yunus became the first Bangladeshi to win the Nobel peace prize and was immediately feted in his home country, where he is already a national hero.

Bangladesh’s prime minister Khaleda Zia, a childhood friend and schoolmate, thanked him for the “selfless service that you have rendered to the poorest of the poor bringing hope to the hopeless and giving them a cause of life”.

Although not a household name in the west, Mr Yunus is a familiar name on the international development circuit where he is known as “banker to the world’s poor”. Such was his reputation that in 1987, when Bill Clinton was the governor of Arkansas, he approached Mr Yunus to help them replicate its model in his state.

Mr Yunus’s insight was to recognise that the surest route out of destitution was to help the poor to help themselves. As a professor of economics in 1974 he was astonished to learn that women in a nearby village making bamboo stools could not make money because they were being charged extortionate rates of interest. The outstanding loan, which ensured a life of penury, was just $27 (£15).

Instead Mr Yunus lent the villagers the money to buy their own materials and cut out the middleman. They all paid him back, day by day, over a year, and his impulsive gesture slowly became a fully fledged business with the founding of Grameen Bank in 1983. “In showing that poor people could be productive and make money he broke with the old mindset that all aid should be about providing services like education and health,” said Kevin Watkins, director of the UN human development report office.

Since then Grameen has lent $5.7bn, in a country where almost half the country’s 140 million people live in poverty.

Today Mr Yunus’ bank has 6.5 million borrowers in Bangladesh, 97% of whom are women.

Many say this alone has changed the fabric of the Islamic nation. “This is a significant change empowering women. I think Grameen is powering a social revolution in our country. We have seen evidence of this in sharply increasing primary school enrolment rates,” said Debrapriya Bhattacharya, director of Policy Exchange, a thinktank in Dhaka.

Mr Yunus has recently pointed out that Bangladesh has been reducing poverty by 2% a year since the turn of the millennium. If sustained this rate of poverty reduction will see the country halve the number of poor people by 2015.

Mahfuz Anam, editor of Bangladesh’s Daily Star, said: “He passionately believes that, like freedom of speech, credit is a fundamental human right and everybody should have access to it. Without access to money how can you live is his view.”

But Mr Yunus’ hard-nosed approach extends to a refusal to respond to beggars. “I feel bad – sometimes I feel terrible – that I’m denying the person,” Mr Yunus told Reuters in a 2004 interview.

“I would rather try to solve the problem than just give them a hand and take care of them for the day.”

How it works

Microfinance is lending to poor, often illiterate, people who have no collateral, no business experience and who therefore cannot normally borrow from the banks.

In the developing world the poor often work at home with raw materials bought with borrowed money.

The finished wares have to be sold back to the moneylenders, leaving scarcely enough, after repaying the loan with interest, to feed the family. So to make the next batch of goods poor people have to return to the moneylenders.

A failure to repay a debt ends up with people paying by working. The result is bonded labour, often with the children bearing the burden of unpaid debts.

Microfinance banks break the cycle by lending to the poor to buy raw materials. This means the workers can sell at a fair price on the open market, a price which means enough to service the debt, feed the family and make a profit.

To ensure that debts are paid, money is lent to groups, often women, who appear to respond better to financial terms.

Less than a dozen clients guarantee each other’s loans and a default by one could result in the entire group being penalised.

The resulting peer pressure means repayment rates exceed 95%.

The idea has spread across the globe. More than 10,000 microfinance institutions are in existence with a loan portfolio exceeding $7bn (about £3.8bn).

Most of them are very small, with a client base of less than 2,500.

Tags: Banker, Nobel, Peace, Poor, Prize, Wins, World's

Auto Club Membership – An Investment In Peace Of Mind

For many people, a membership in an auto club is as essential as having standard auto insurance. For those not familiar with auto clubs, they tend to think that is just about having access to emergency towing service. However, today auto clubs have evolved to offer a wide range of products and services that will give drivers peace of mind when they travel, whether it is short distances or long distances. Below are a number of benefits to having an auto club membership.

Enhanced Emergency Roadside Assistance: Today, auto clubs offer more that just towing services with their roadside assistance packages. The services provided can include: dead battery boost, changing a flat tire, vehicle towing, and replenishing such fluids as antifreeze, motor oil, and brake fluid. As well, a technician can even bring out enough gas so that a driver can get to a gas station.

They will also send someone out to replace lost or stolen keys, and help a driver get into their vehicle if they lock themselves out leaving the keys in the vehicle. Roadside assistance is available every day of the year, including holidays, 24 hours a day. All that a driver has to do is call the number included with their membership. Drivers can travel with peace of mind knowing that help is only a phone call away.

Membership Fee Is An Investment: Depending on the auto club you choose, a membership fee can be as little as $70.00, depending on the package you choose. The fee can be considered an investment because just using the emergency tow service once almost makes up for the cost of the membership. As well, there are many other discounts that come with the memberships.

Discounts on Travel: One of the perks of being an auto club member is that all members have access to discounts for such places as hotels, rental cars, campgrounds, restaurants, and certain attractions such as amusement parks. A member can often save 10 to 15% on travel discounts.

Many auto clubs often offer travel accident reimbursement. This means a member will be reimbursed if they are in an accident while on a trip that is far from their home. This can include such expenses as transportation back home and food and accommodation expenses. Auto clubs will also offer travel assistance such as trip routing, road maps, travel guides, and an online map service.

Auto Club Services: There are many services that come with a membership in an auto club. They can assist a member with helpful advice on buying a new car. An auto club can also provide members with help on locating a good and honest auto repair shop. They will recommend repair shops that have been pre-screened by consumer and government agencies.

Community Education: Many auto clubs will offer informational and education programs on such topics as: teen safety driving, how to reduce fuel consumption, defensive driving, how a car operates and important mechanical features, and tips on buying and maintaining a car.

Auto Insurance: There are a number of auto clubs such as CAA Auto Insurance that provide quality and reasonably priced auto insurance plans. These insurance programs are designed to be flexible, reliable, and affordable. They even offer special incentives such as accident forgiveness where a member’s first at-fault accident will not result in increased insurance premiums and a penalty to the driver’s license. These auto clubs believe in rewarding good drivers with good rates.

Purchasing a membership in an auto club will significantly reduce any worries when you are on the road and provide a host of other services that will save you money.

Tags: Auto, Club, investment, Membership, Mind, Peace

Prosperity, Peace and Unity – and a Midlife Crisis for Eu at 50

For decades Samy Swasebard has been wandering around Europe, peddling pots and pans. He always returns to Strasbourg where he has lived for 40 years. “This is my favourite place, the place I call home,” says the 72-year-old, a retired Teflon salesman. “And if it wasn’t for Europe, between them the Germans and the French would have destroyed this place.”

Fought over for centuries, the city changed hands between the warring French and Germans four times within three generations until 1945. That a re-run of such horrors now appears inconceivable is due, at least in part, to the birth of the European Union 50 years ago this week.

A younger generation with scant knowledge of the Third Reich may yawn when political leaders sermonise about peace in Europe. For Mr Swasebard, born in Belgium to a family of east European Jews, the message still resonates.

“Most of my family were gassed by the Nazis in Auschwitz,” he says quietly. “So I know what Europe has done for us. Look what we had before. It couldn’t have been worse.”

He marvels at the contrast of his childhood with the current reality of Strasbourg. Tens of thousands of French Alsatians cross the bridges over the Rhine every day to work in south-west Germany. There are no border controls. The fancy French restaurants are full of well-heeled Germans scoffing foie gras. Europe’s success here is a product of the 1950s, when six countries wound around a Franco-German axis created the European Economic Community at a palace in Rome.

To get a glimpse of the very different EU of today, a vast single market of almost 500 million people stretching from Connemara to the Black Sea and taking in 27 different countries, you need to travel 400 miles east across Germany to another bridge on another river, the Oder, marking Germany’s border with Poland. You still need a passport here when you stroll over the bridge from Frankfurt an der Oder into the bustling small Polish town of Slubice.

Hundreds of lorries queueing to head east from Germany to Poland, the Baltic states and beyond testify to the daily impact of Europe’s single market. In the three years since Poland and seven other central European countries joined the EU, Poland’s exports, too, have hit an all-time high.

If Strasbourg is the embodiment of comfortable, prosperous old Europe, Slubice is the rawer face of the new, booming from the cross-border trade and traffic. That means students flocking here from all over Poland to get closer to the west, as well as rampant prostitution, car-theft mafias and people-trafficking, as well as high-minded German-Polish seminars debating the history of the two neighbours.

The French war veterans of Strasbourg fear that the young have forgotten what Europe is for. “I desire with all my heart that people in Europe understand why the EU is really necessary: to avoid war and conflict,” says Eduard Gillet, a retired Strasbourg electrician, 83, who entered the city with the victorious allies in 1944 and has never left.

“It’s very easy to forget the big disasters we lived through. The young people nowadays are very different.”

Jagoda Olech, in Slubice, is an example. The 24-year-old Polish student will not be partying this weekend when European leaders gather in Berlin for the EU’s 50th birthday bash. “All this 50th anniversary stuff is not for us,” she says.

In contrast to the nostalgia of the old men of Strasbourg, the talk among the young women of Slubice is of new opportunities.

“As a girl from Poland, I used to feel I was not a real European,” says Ms Olech. “If I travelled in the west, people would ask me where I was from. When I said Poland, they’d think I was from Russia or even Asia. But we Poles like to look west, that’s the model for us. And finally in 2004 a dream came true. You see it in all sorts of little ways. I’ve got lots of friends working in Britain and Ireland, though I don’t know a single one who says they are not coming back.

“You don’t always need a passport to travel; it’s easier to get scholarships abroad. We couldn’t do all this before. Now we feel more European.”

But if Germany and France have laid the ghosts of the past to rest, the same cannot be said about Germany and Poland.

“I’m a beneficiary of the EU,” says Jaroslaw Janczak, a young Polish political scientist in Slubice, working at a university in Frankfurt an der Oder. “But when I told my grandmother I was going to work in Germany, she thought I was in danger, I was being punished for something. They went through the war, and for that older generation, Germany is still the embodiment of evil.”

Before Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany went on a charm offensive to Poland last week, parts of the Polish press depicted her as a Nazi. The problem is mutual. A poll on German television this week asked Germans who were their “least favourite Europeans”. The Poles won, beating the Romanians by two to one. The Poles were three times less popular than Britons.

Mr Janczak thinks it is just a matter of time before the Poles and Germans learn to like each other. “For my generation, of course, the perceptions are totally different. We don’t blame each other.”

And he thinks the Strasbourg model of European integration is a thing of the past, with the newcomers from the east irreversibly changing the way the EU operates and behaves. As a result of the close contacts along the border, he says, the Poles are becoming a bit more German and the Germans a bit more Polish.

“The EU was founded on notions of German order and French administrative centralism. Around here that just doesn’t work. Things are absolutely different. You can see it every day here, the way we work with the Germans. The Germans end up being more relaxed, while the Poles become a bit more disciplined.”

This weekend’s birthday party in Berlin will pay tribute to the past, to the Strasbourg model. That is the easy bit. The trouble comes with trying to redefine how the Europe of 27 (and growing) should work and take decisions. At 50, the EU – or at least the western part of it – is going through bad-tempered middle age. The energy and the enthusiasm come from the east.

“What do we get from the EU?” asks Mr Janczak. “Security, prestige, western values penetrating Poland. The EU solves problems.”

But in Berlin the mood will be one of forced and calculated jollity. Ms Merkel will labour to confect a party mood with a ringing Berlin Declaration meant to get the EU fit for the future, by which she means reviving the EU’s comatose constitution.

But the very way the declaration has been drafted highlights the problem. The favourite guessing game in Brussels now is trying to work out what the declaration will say. It was revealed to the other 26 governments only late on Thursday.

“As of today, we have not received the text, and when we do get it we won’t be able to change anything in it,” Alexandr Vondra, the Czech minister for Europe, said on Wednesday. “Compromise is not when someone writes something and everybody else says yes or no.”

Ms Merkel’s main aim (and the main bone of contention with others such as Britain, the Czech Republic and Poland) is to deliver a formula that might salvage the constitution – which was seemingly ruled out almost two years ago when France and the Netherlands voted against it in referendums.

Peter Mandelson, the EU trade commissioner, supports the main changes that Mrs Merkel is after – more majority voting, a fixed-term president rather than six-monthly national presidencies, and a single figure in charge of and coordinating “European” foreign policy.

In Slubice, which was part of Germany until 1945 and which barely existed as a Polish town when the EU was born, Mr Janczak is confidently indifferent to the birthday party.

“I’d be optimistic. We’re all very pro-European here. It means democracy and prosperity. But these anniversaries are all about the past.”

Tags: Crisis, Midlife, Peace, Prosperity, Unity

Prayer, Personal Growth, and World Peace

When called to write a column for his church’s periodical, my friend asked if I had any thoughts on praying in response to terrorism. Applying prayer to our own lives can often be confusing – it becomes much more so when we hope to use it in any meaningful way to affect global events. Still, many of us wish to participate in this manner: how can we make our efforts more effective?

Faith is the active demonstration of our belief: prayer should reflect this. If we believe in universal laws such as “ask and you shall receive,” or that God provides for our needs before we know of them, then our supplications should be expressions of gratitude rather than requests. We enter the flow rather than attempting to direct its course.

Obvious, though, is that there is more to the process: if the situation were this simple the medical efficacy of prayer would be well documented – it is not. Rather, it seems many people can pray for something over time and it still not happen. Is the problem that prayer does not work, or that we are confused about its purpose?

Our Creator is a divine parent, a portion of whom resides in our minds: we are all family and expected to love one another. While our own children may ask for many things, the wise mother lovingly only gives them what is appropriate for their level of development – and never is preference given to one child over another. With God it is the same.

If we have prayed to our Creator to bring our world peace, and this has not happened, then it is because we are not ready to live that way. As the freedom that comes with adulthood requires us to mature first, so will the joy of living in a world without war. This growth requires our participation: we must want to transcend our animal origins and assume our spiritual heritage.

Just because someone wishes for peace does not mean they can live peacefully. To do so requires them to put their animosities aside, forgive those who have harmed them, and relinquish every vestige of ego in their desire to serve others. Peace is a result, not the cause, of love-based action.

This is a choice to evolve: a process. Spiritual progression requires intention – never do we advance outside of our own efforts. Peace cannot be given to us, made to happen by force, or occur magically because it has been prophesied. We have to earn it, person by person, one decision at a time.

Prayer plays an important part – not to grant that beyond us, but to help us grow into that higher state of being. Thanking our Creator for guiding our world’s leaders, for comforting those in hardship, and for forgiving people who kill in God’s name helps us to release our ego: we practice selflessness.

This is the key to humanity’s evolution and the ultimate requirement for peace. Our greatest responsibility is to use prayer to express our wholehearted gratitude for guidance in transforming ourselves into better people – those who base decisions out of love, not fear. Working on our own conduct first – becoming souls who radiate the love of God – is our most effective use of communion with Deity, and gives our world its greatest chance for peace.

Tags: Growth, Peace, Personal, Prayer, World

YouTube - Paul McCartney Hey Jude ISRAEL 2008 PEACE HEY JUDE Judep22

Paul McCartney Hey Jude in Tel Aviv, HEY JUDE Israel 2008 performing my FAVOURITE CLASSIC of all time – shamelessly ‘borrowed’ from Michael1405 – thanks Michael you lucky lucky man! Hope you bumped…

Tags: 2008, Israel, Jude, Judep22, McCartney, Paul, Peace, YouTube

Re-unified Somalia – the Only Guarantee for Peace in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden