Jersey Evening Post article

Whilst I was back in Jersey for a few days the Jersey Evening Post where I was a photographer for over 8 years very kindly published an article about the course. It’s a bit difficult to read from the attachment so I’ve posted the transcript below.

Breaking down the barriers of conflict.

Former JEP photographer Richard Wainwright has been honoured by Rotary for his work on how and why war breaks out in areas across the world.

WHEN photo-journalist Richard Wainwright reports on future conflicts around the world, he will be focusing his attention on more than the destruction and suffering they create. The former Jersey Evening Post photographer has recently become a Rotary peace fellow after gaining a deep understanding of why conflicts occur and of ways of resolving them in a lasting and satisfactory way. The experience Mr Wainwright gained in working towards this goal has led him to realise the importance of looking at the context of a conflict when he is photographing it, rather than just reporting on the violence itself.

Mr Wainwright has photographed the destruction and human suffering caused by conflict in a number of war zones, including Afghanistan, Liberia, Palestine and Uganda. Now living in Australia with his wife Terese, he was recommended by the Rotary Club of Jersey for a place on a course on conflict resolution at the Rotary Peace Centre at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.

With places highly sought after around the world, he was delighted when he was selected by the Rotary Foundation to take part with 16 others from 14 countries. There was plenty of discussion during the course about the root causes of conflict, including inequality, human rights abuse, lack of political representation, and who is allowing these injustices to take place. Mr Wainwright said: ‘When resolving conflict, the practical way forward is to examine what connectors there are between the various parties to help to find a common ground. It is also necessary to look at what dividers there are still needing to be broken down to prevent further grievances from occurring.’

Those who took part in the three month course went on a field trip to northern Thailand, where they studied issues of statelessness and human trafficking. They also spent time in Cambodia, where the focus was on transitional justice at a time when the Kymer Rouge trials are still taking place and the country is still struggling to develop in the postwar environment.

Fired up with enthusiasm to add new dimensions to his reporting about conflict, Mr Wainwright said that it was important to report situations of conflict from all sides. ‘There is also a need to report in war zones after the violence has stopped, because this is a crucial time when issues need resolving if peace is to last there,’ he said. Mr Wainwright intends to continue his journalism and reporting on humanitarian and development issues. ‘Now that I have a much greater understanding of how and why conflict in communities occur and what is needed to resolve the issues, I will be more focused in my reporting,’ he said.

He has assignments lined up in Australia, including looking into the conflict between indigenous Australians and the modern-day country. ‘I will be looking into how that situation compares with the way in which countries like Bolivia have managed their internal ethnic conflicts,’ he said.

The chairman of Rotary’s International Service Committee, Tony Allchurch, said that Mr Wainwright had been an ideal candidate to undertake the course. He has had experience of Mr Wainwright’s journalistic skills, because he accompanied him to India in February 2009 to photograph one of Rotary’s PolioPlus immunisation days involving many millions of people. Mr Allchurch, who is due to attend a peace symposium in Bradford, will be organising a similar event in the Island next year which will be aimed at the public and local schools. ‘We are hoping that Mr Wainwright will be able to attend and pass on the knowledge he has gained about the positive ways of resolving conflict for a lasting peace,’ said Mr Allchurch

Final Post…..

I’ve been back in Perth a few days now and I’m slowly recovering from jet lag and getting used to life without my fellow classmates. This week I’ll be revising all my notes. It’s been an intensive, all consuming and at times exhausting three months and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it however it’s been such a busy time that I feel I need to look back at what we have learnt to make sure I retain everything.

I received our graduation pictures through the post yesterday, some of which I have posted here and it just reminded me of how special the time has been and what an amazing collection of people I have been privileged to get to know. We are in contact on Facebook talking to each other about how we are coping with reintegrating back into our lives back home. Such a tight bond has been created it was like saying goodbye to close family. There is no doubt that many of us will meet up at some point again in the near future.

So what now ?

My post fellowship plans are already becoming increasingly busy.  I plan on returning to Cambodia to work with an ngo on their media strategy and another opportunity in northern Thailand to work with an ngo we visited in a field trip is hopefully shaping up. I also intend following up on what I’ve learnt by applying for further training in subjects that I was introduced to and would like to take further. I’ll be contacting the tutor Jake Lynch at the University of Sydney who runs the Peace Journalism course to see how I can expand my knowledge in peace journalism. Our instructors encouraged us to help train local journalists and aid workers. The ngo’s I work with now actively encourage media training for their local field staff to report on the work they are doing so this is a perfect opportunity to use peace journalism to focus on the positive changes that are happening in each situation. The aim would be to build capacity in journalism and teach them to report on the connectors in their society and help weaken the dividers allowing them to focus on building towards positive peace. There’s also a course on Conflict Trauma which teaches you how to cover trauma in a conflict sensitive manner through the Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma in the USA. Both these courses would strengthen what I learnt here and would be an invaluable tool for my reporting.

In Australia I intend getting more involved with schools by presenting talks and discussions. I did this many times in Jersey and would like to continue that in my new home country. I’m a great believer in encouraging children to learn what is happening in the world. By putting into action what we have learnt about interactive education, it would raise the consciousness of younger people about conflict and introduce them to the importance of peace and conflict resolution. I’ll also be returning to Jersey on February 23^rd 2012 as a Rotarian from Jersey is setting up a one day peace seminar for local schools so hopefully I’ll be involved with organising and presenting that.

Finally, to have the opportunity to completely immerse yourself in your chosen field of work alongside 16 of the most professional and inspirational people is a real privilege. It will take a number of months to fully process all I have learnt and I’ll be returning with an alternative outlook on the world and how I conduct my work with a new invigorated enthusiasm.

I’d like to thank you all and The Rotary Foundation once again for such an opportunity.

Graduation Day...

Fay, Ed and Tom just after we had finished giving our final presentations.

An auction was held for pictures that we had taken over the 3 months. My image of novice monks raised the most money that went to the monastery in northern Thailand to help with their education.

After 3 months of intensive work we could finally relax a little..!!

Cambodia Field Trip

We returned earlier this week from an intensive 8 day field trip to Cambodia. Once again it was filled with visits to various ngo’s with the aim of learning about Transitional Justice and Labour issues. I’d been to Cambodia a number of times as a tourist and had little idea of how the country was actually doing following the conflict over 3 decades ago or how corrupt the government is. As I’ve written below, all seems well on the surface and for the 2.5 million tourists who visit each year, they may know about the past through visiting the killing fields but they will see little about how fishermen, rice farmers and land owners are being financially squeezed and their land rights trampled on.

On a more positive note, I met with a peace building ngo in Phnom Penh I’ve worked with previously in Africa and we are now in discussions about how I can help with their new media strategy so hopefully very soon I’ll be able to put into practice all I’ve learnt over the last 3 months.

Turning a Negative into a Positive

 To walk along the riverfront in Phnom Penh with its active bar and restaurant scene heaving under the influx of tourists, it would appear Cambodia is doing well. Whilst Phnom Penh is a little rough around the edges, development is obvious and people are happy. The war was a long time ago and as one Cambodian put it, tourists see Cambodia as Thailand was five years ago. Scratch the surface however and you soon realise what seems to be a stable country remains quite fragile.

 Cambodia’s devastating history still looms large. Whilst what happened in The Killing Fields and S-21 Prison seems to be a distant part of history, it still deeply affects the present thinking of Cambodians of all ages. What is being realised is the step from negative peace to positive peace is a long painful process.

The current trials at the Extraordinary Criminal Court in Cambodia (ECCC) have brought the disturbing past into the present and have divided opinions across the country with its legitimacy and ability to achieve justice. On trial are the senior leaders and persons most responsible for the Khmer Rouge regime between 1975-1979. They are the architects of the Khmer Rouge such as Duch, governor of S-21 and Ieng Sary the foreign minister who have been accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. The question many people are asking is should they be on trial over thirty years after the war ended. According to Bhicai Ratttakul, Thailand’s Foreign Minister at the time of the Khmer Rouge who was the first foreigner inside Cambodia and personally met Ieng Sary a number of times, it’s an unequivocal yes. ‘These are bad men and they deserve to be on trial.’ he says. Emma Leslie Director for Peace and Conflict Studies in Cambodia however believes that to put the blame on the destruction of a whole country with over 3.2 million dead on the heads of just five people over simplifies the past which doesn’t recognise the part external actors such as the USA, Vietnam and Russia played. For Youk Chhang, Chairman of the Documentation Centre of Cambodia it’s all about individual culpability. A survivor of the genocide who lost his sister during that time, he has spent over ten years collating all documents relating to the Khmer Rouge for the trial and he is clear that the trials are worthy. He said, ‘Justice should be defined not by the number of cases or the verdict but by the process. It’s all about the champion of justice and how that will help Cambodia’s judiciary system in the future.’ With transitional justice there can never be a perfect solution that suits everyone however a spokesman for the ECCC states that during a survey taken the majority of Cambodians believe the ECCC will provide justice and is a positive thing. 70% says the court is neutral and independent and that support for the court is higher in groups who lived through Khmer Rouge times and 60% are satisfied with the 19 year sentence Duch received.

Whilst the past is being dealt with, present day Cambodia has many new challenging issues to confront with endemic political corruption being the biggest problem leading to increasing structural violence and low human security. When considering the root causes of conflict, many of the key indicators are already in play in modern day Cambodia with a highly corrupt government, a deepening inequality gap, a constrained civil society and human rights abuses. According to Thun Saray, President of ADHOC, a human rights ngo, socio economic abuses and human rights infractions concerning land ownership are most prevalent. Only 30% of land is registered in Cambodia but to register is very expensive and out of reach of most poor people whereas the rich and powerful can afford the process so they now own most of the land titles. When villagers try and stop being moved off their land they are often arrested and have very little recourse to the courts which itself is highly corrupt.

On the water, small scale fishermen are also being squeezed by foreign owned commercial fishing companies overseen by corrupt officials in the Ministry of Fisheries. Over 60% of the most fertile parts of the Tonle Sap lake which supplies more than 80% of Cambodia’s protein needs is off limits to the average fisherman. By continually using illegal fishing nets, fish stocks have dramatically reduced and most of the fish is exported. Due to corrupt officials, tight market conditions and the need to invest in modern equipment, the majority of small scale fishermen are in debt and barely able to survive.

Control of the country by the government of Hun Sen is almost complete with the army, police and judiciary all under control. With no active opposition the only independent voices are from the ngos. They are now also under threat as a new law to help control them has been drafted. The requirement to register and made to be financially accountable to the government means any ngo that the government dislikes can easily be closed down. USAID have openly said they will review their arrangements if the law goes ahead but word from the main donors Japan, France and the UK have not been heard as yet.

With everything considered, it could be said that Cambodia is now emerging out of its post conflict environment and is entering the submerged tension phase on the conflict circle. It’s at a tipping point. If the government stops corruption and advances economic development, Cambodia with all its natural resources and its young energetic labour pool could become a productive regional asset to South East Asia. Advocacy agencies such as ADHOC and FACT are at the forefront of trying to sensatise the government and gain greater freedom for working people. If however the structural violence that is currently in place isn’t addressed Cambodia could easily be at risk of entering another phase of violent confrontation. The irony is the current leadership who were once part of the Khmer Rouge, led a grass roots rebellion against a corrupt political elite. Through their actions they are once again creating that exact same situation. Is Cambodia at risk of repeating history?

A monument holding almost 9,000 skulls of people murdered by the Khmer Rouge at the infamous Killing Fields just outside the capital Phnom Penh.

One of the torture rooms in S-21 prison in Phnom Penh.

The Khmer Rouge photographed everyone entering the S-21 prison. Only a few survived.

S-21 used to be a school and the classrooms were converted into cells.

'Duch' who was in charge of S-21 on trial at the ECCC. He received 19 years.

Street scene in Phnom Penh.

Street scene in Phnom Penh

The garment industry in Cambodia makes up 80% of all export revenue. Labour organisations are fighting for better working conditions.

Whilst conditions at this factory were satisfactory the wages were very low, about $2 a day for 8 hours and the work repetitive.

Beautiful scenery on the Tonle Sap lake home to over 80,000 people who live on floating villagers.

Most of the people are fishermen. The tonal Sap provides almost all the protein needs in Cambodia but the fishermen are vitually all living in poverty and debt due to corruption and over fishing by commercial operations.

The only way to travel is by boat.

Rotary Club of Suan Luang District 3350

Last night I was invited by my Host Councellor PDG Chairat Prasertlum from the Rotary Club of Suan Luang District 3350 to give a presentation at their weekly meeting at the Ducit Hotel on the outskirts of Bangkok.

The evening started with a sumptuous buffet, which allowed us to get to know each other and enjoy some of the best Thai food I’ve had so far. We then went into their colorfully decorated meeting room with Rotary flags hanging from the ceiling and thankfully one of their members was an IT expert so the projector was set up and ready to go.

After introductions and the secretaries report I started the presentation talking about Jersey and its history, explaining the inevitable question as to why Jersey is British not French due to its geography. I then explained how I became involved with Rotary through the polio eradication campaign and showed images from the trip Tony Allchurch and myself made to India, which was well received, reinforcing to me the commitment Rotary worldwide has to the End Polio Now campaign.

I then showed a selection of images from Liberia, Afghanistan, Palestine and explained how what we have learnt over the past two months could be implemented into each of these situations concerning Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration, the need for security, reforming and strengthening political institutions and the challenges facing protracted conflicts.

There were some excellent questions and made for a very pleasant evening.

Rotary Club of Suan Luang District 3350Talking to my Host Councellor PDG Chairat Prasertlum.

Giving my presentation.

Talking to my Host Councellor PDG Chairat Prasertlum.

DDR,SSR ETC….

Last Friday we were highly privileged to have another Rotarian, past Rotary International President Bhicai Ratttakul who was also Thailand’s Foreign Minister during the time of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. We are off to Cambodia on a 10 day field trip this Saturday so he was able to give us some incredible insights into the difficulties and sensitivities of dealing with rogue and genocidal regimes. At 85, he was spritely, incredibly funny, engaging and open to answering all the questions for over an hour. He told us the story of when he, under cover, was the first foreign dignitary to cross over into Cambodia to talk to the second in command of the Khmer Rouge, Ieng Sary. This was pertinent as Ieng Sary is now on trial in Cambodia at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia which we will be visiting next week.

The past two weeks have again been varied and packed with information and new skills building. We covered Peace Education which involved how to construct a lesson plan and resulted in groups giving a 45 minute lesson on their chosen subjects employing as many different teaching methods as possible such as role play, class interaction and discussions and use of visual media which made a very entertaining and informative day.

We also discussed the use of Transitional Justice and where to employ Retributive vs Restorative justice approaches and how to Monitor and Evaluate Peacebuilding programs which came in very useful as I’ll be able to better measure the success of future film festivals and exhibitions. Other topics included Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration and Security Sector Reform and a day learning about the causes of the insurgency in Southern Thailand.

As you can see, the subjects are varied and complex. The idea of the course is not to become an instant expert in each subject but to introduce you to many new ideas and concepts. If it’s relevant to your working practice you are given the insight and resources to follow up on the subjects yourself. All of the instructors are experts in their field and are more than happy to keep in contact with you and point you in the right direction. Network building is one of the core aims for the course and it’s certainly delivering in that respect.

With that in mind we decided to strengthen our class network by going to Phuket on one of our rare full weekends off. It was great to get out of the city and clear our minds for the day. Whilst Phuket is very touristy it was a great opportunity to relax and swap more stories with each other whilst swimming and sightseeing.

Past Rotary International President Bhicai Ratttakul who was also Thailand’s Foreign Minister during the time of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia.

Past Rotary International President Bhicai Ratttakul who was also Thailand’s Foreign Minister talking to the class.Class discussions

On a day trip to 'James Bond Island'

Evening out in Phuket.

Media in Conflict Resolution & Ayutthaya

Definition of a Story

‘A story is fact wrapped in an emotion that compels us to take action that can transform the world.’  By Maxwell & Dickman

Another hectic but informative week, especially for myself as it was spent looking at the role of the media in conflict resolution and storytelling. I was able to contribute quite a bit to the discussions drawing on my experience but I was also introduced to a number of new concepts and ideas which I’ll be able to use when I get back to work.

One of the great things about the course is the time it gives you to think about your own practice. The tutors made us examine why we do the work we do and what made us get into this in the first place. For many, this was quite an emotional experience, with their values and ideas formed through traumatic experiences. As a group we learnt much more about each other, what motivates each person to get out of bed each day and it was altogether an inspiring experience.

On a lighter note, we also had some interview training which involved us explaining what we had learnt from the course and how we would use that knowledge when we return home. We had to talk for 30 seconds in front of the camera and then replay it to see how we looked…which was generally quite bad but very amusing. We were taught the block, bridge and build method, how to sit, not fidgeting, having a clear message and eye contact. All very useful and something we’ll repeat in a few weeks time, hopefully with some improvement !

I also learnt about the concept of Peace Journalism. This is basically what I’d describe as quality journalism and the opposite to what is termed ‘war journalism’ which takes a sensationalist angle to the story that concentrates on the violence, not why the violence is happening or the context to the story. I would like to think that I’ve been practicing peace journalism anyway and now I’ll be much more aware of how I approach a story.What I found interesting is that it encourages you to have a Solution Orientated element to the story, allowing the reader to understand what can be done to help overcome the situation. As I report mostly for humanitarian agencies this is usually included anyway but again, it reinforced what makes good journalism.

We also looked at new media and how training local journalists should be encouraged so all in all very practical lessons that I can use.

We had Sunday off so a few of us decided to go to Ayutthaya, which was the ancient capital of Thailand so a few pics below.

An iPhone for monks..very cool...!!

Back in the classroom...

One of the many afternoon energiser games..don't ask..!!

Daily Life….

For someone who hasn’t been in formal education for over 15 years and is used to spending the majority of time outdoors it was quite a change at first sitting in a classroom listening to lectures all day but I quickly got into the routine. The content is fascinating and relevant so all the work is challenging but enjoyable.

To give you an idea of an average day, I get up at 7am to read up on notes for the day ahead and class’s start at 9am. We have two sessions in the morning, share lunch together at the centre to discuss what we have been doing followed by another two sessions until around 4pm. Back to our rooms for the mass of readings for the next day or following weeks, quick evening meal to catch up with everyone and for the last two weeks, back to our rooms to write our 15 page Individual Conflict Analysis until whatever hour you can stay awake..!!

Having said that, the centre has done everything possible to enable us to just concentrate on the course. Meals are provided at lunch below our classroom and a cheap student food hall a minute from our accommodation means you don’t have to go searching for evening meals. Cooking is not allowed in the rooms but with everything so cheap here it is much quicker and certainly tastier than home cooking..!!

Our accommodation block on campus at Chulalongkorn University.

Our rooms are cleaned daily, laundry can be dropped off at reception and be back that same day and an excellent gym is available to run off any aches and pains from sitting down all day. I can see returning home is going to difficult..!!

We have all learnt an enormous amount already. The trick is trying to find the short amount of free time available to be able to mentally process all these new ideas. Whilst the course content is excellent, it’s the experience and anecdotal stories from all the other students that underpin everything we learn. With each subject, there is usually someone who has had first hand experience of the issue so evenings spent having dinner together and socialising are always informative and quite often lively.

It’s not all work and we usually get a day or two off at the weekends for catching up on course work and more importantly socialising. Real friendships are starting to be formed and every time we go out we learn something new and fascinating about each person.

Catching the river ferry for a night out.

Street food in Bangkok

Discussing life in general with Michael Fryer our first week instructor and Anil Naik from Mumbai.

Typical street scene in Bangkok.

Morning tea break at the centre.

Northern Thailand and Photography

I though I’d post some more images from our trip to northern Thailand. The first set are by myself and there are a number of others from my fellow students.

I made a conscious decision before setting off on this course not to bring all my equipment so I only have one camera and one lens. That may sound strange for a photographer but I realised that this was an academic study course, not a photo assignment. It’s been a bit frustrating at times because I’ve missed making some nice pictures but the trip to the north made me realise I had made the right decision. When I’m taking pictures, I get into this ‘zone’ where nothing else matters but the image. To make the most of the course you have to write copious amounts of notes and listen to all the lectures and concentrate on what is being said…something you can’t do when taking pictures.

However, when we visited a Buddhist Monastery right on the border I couldn’t help myself because it was just screaming out to be photographed..! My fellow students were laughing, watching me work, oblivious to everything else, saying my whole body posture and attitude had changed. Whilst I think I made some nice pictures, I wasn’t ‘present’ for those 20 minutes. This course is giving me invaluable information, insights and new learning experiences that I don’t want to miss out on and will certainly help me in my future reporting. I’m happy to miss a few shots to get that experience..unless it is just to good to miss..!! So I must thank all the other students who are taking lots of pictures as well and we now have a good sharing system going..

Novice monks and students at Wat Fa Wiang from the Shan State line up for their lunch at 12pm. The won't eat again until the next morning.

Many Shan people fled Burma and took refuge in the monastery after heavy fighting in this area in 2002 between the Shan State Army and the Burmese Government.

Novice monks and students at Wat Fa Wiang from the Shan State

Novice monks and students at the Sangha Metta Project. They are also taught how to grow rice and be self sufficient.

A Burmese soldier looks across the border into the Wat Fa Wiang from what used to be dormitory for a number of novice monks from the Shan State. The monastery lost this part of the building after heavy fighting in this area in 2002 between the Shan Sate Army and the Burmese Government. Many Shan people fled Burma and took refuge in the monastery.

To give you an idea how close the border is. Anil, Hasim, Ed and Mary listen to the briefing with the Burmese soldier looking on with the border marked by the rough bamboo fencing.

Singtong Seewong who farms garlic at his home in a village in Mai Ai northern Thailand. Originally from Burma he fled extortion aged 19 and married a Thai national. He cannot receive citizenship because the law says he must earn over 30,000Thb a year to qualify which is far out of reach. A University Professor earns about this amount.

A mosque in Baan Pang Saa Village northern Thailand. Northern Thailand and the borderlands between Burma and Laos are home to a number of stateless hill tribes.

Development and Education Program for Daughters and Communities in Mai Sai the northern most point of Thailand.

A Thai military check point in Piang Luang. They are mostly looking for drugs and arms but also illegal immigrants and human trafficking.

Brad Darling who managed to secure lots of books from his company to give to novice monks and students at the Sangha Metta Project.

Being welcomed at the Sangha Metta Project.

Getting a well deserved massage from Marty after a long hot sweaty day in the field.

Human Trafficking and Statelesness in Northern Thailand

We arrived back in Bangkok from a week long trip to northern Thailand on Saturday after a hectic but insightful look into the problems concerning human trafficking and statelessness on the borders of Burma and Thailand. The north is a beautiful place with its green hills, rice paddy fields and exotic fruits. As with most parts of the world, on the surface all looks well but you don’t have dig to far to find some serious issues that affects not just Thailand but the surrounding countries as well.

The north is home to the famous Golden Triangle which used to be the centre of opium production but following a crack down on the drugs trade by the Thai police the smugglers have now turned their business towards human trafficking.

At the end of our trip, we had to write a paper on our experiences. I decided to write it as a news style report but must add if I was actually writing for publication I would need to do much more research and include more personal accounts from traffickers and the trafficked themselves. Having said that, if you have the time to read it, it will give you an overview of what is happening in Thailand at the moment.

View from Thailand over the Golden Triangle with Burma on the left and Laos on the right. Northern Thailand and the borderlands between Burma and Laos are home to a number of stateless hill tribes and is reknown for drug smuggling and human trafficking.

Thailand-An Economic Vortex

 With it’s bright city lights, skyscrapers and potential of riches, Thailand has become a vortex, sucking in millions of migrants from all over the greater Mekong region into the seedy underbelly of Bangkok or the labour hungry machines driving its economic success. Migrants are considered an expendable and renewable resource with many coming from the most vulnerable parts of society, fleeing war, poverty and oppression. They search in vain for a better future but instead often end up locked into servitude in the voracious appetite of the sex industry fuelled by both local Thais and moneyed foreigners. Others are relentlessly exploited at sea in South Asia’s biggest fishing industry or in Taiwanese owned garment factories.

The gateway to Thailand is found among the lush green rolling hills surrounding the northern provinces such as the Golden Triangle in Mai Sai. Once famous for its drug smuggling, this region has swapped opium for humans as its preferred business after Thailand clamped down on the drugs trade. Human trafficking has been calculated to be the third most profitable global industry worth at least $60 billion a year after drugs and arms, both of which are still evident to some degree here.

It is easy to see the lure that Thailand holds for migrants. One of the original Tiger economies, Thailand has faired much better than its neighbours Laos, Cambodia and Burma, where the majority of the migrants come from. Lt Col Pattanapon from the Mai Sai Immigration Office explains, ‘Getting into Thailand is relatively easy. Our borders are porous and you can walk across at many locations or you could easily obtain a border pass that allows you to freely cross over the border to trade.’ Statistics are hard to verify but according to Lt Col Pattanapon an estimated 10 million illegal migrants are thought to be in Thailand (out of a population of 63 million) with more arriving everyday.

A border crossing between Mai Sai in Thailand and Burma linked by a bridge across the river which acts as the border and no mans land. People from either side are able to cross freely to trade after obtaining a border pass.

Thailand is unusual as it is a Source, Transit and Destination for human trafficking. For most migrants, Thailand is the final destination but there are some who are sold and trafficked through Thailand to other countries in Asia the US and Europe, mostly destined for the sex industry. However, it’s also a source, being home to possibly one of the largest populations of stateless people in the world. There are an estimated 2 million stateless ethnic and hill tribe people who live in the unmarked buffer zone between Thailand and Burma. By quirks of history, constantly changing immigration policies and remoteness, many of these ethnic minorities have no forms of ID or birth certificates. There are a number of organisations such as The Law Clinic in Mai Ai that are assisting people to gain Thai citizenship but as Director Boon Pongma explains it’s often a long process.

Development and Education Program for Daughters and Communities in Mai Sai the northern most point of Thailand. They help educate the stateless people from hill tribes and ethnic minorities, who are the most vulnerable from human trafficking in Thai society.

Being stateless means you have no rights and therefore they remain the most vulnerable people in Thai society and are one of the main targets for human traffickers. A figure of 10,000 both girls and boys aged from as young as 8 years old are said to be trafficked from the north each year, the vast majority into the sex industry but there is a fine and often contentious line between who are considered trafficked and who are willingly smuggled. Karen Smith from the New Life Centre in Chiang Mai explains, ‘There are many different shades of human migration. Thankfully, the practice of forced human trafficking where a person is abducted, trafficked across the border into Thailand and kept under lock and key in the sex industry is relatively rare. More often than not, migrants are approached by agents in their home villagers with the prospect of work in Thailand. They willingly go with them and don’t realize what situation they are in until it’s to late and they are told they have to pay off their bond first by working in a brothel.’ Lt Col Apichart Hattasin the Commander of Crime Investigations in Chiang Mai agrees that these days it is hard to find cases of forced prostitution. Most women are willing to do it but under the Human trafficking Law if they are under 18 they are considered to be forced. According to Jamie Houston from the Development and Education Program for Daughters and Communities (DEPDC) in Mai Sai who uses The Bloodsucker Cycle model to explain the above process of trafficking, estimates 25% of people trafficked are minors under 18.

What is obvious is the severe lack of resources on all levels in fighting and detecting the extreme cases of human trafficking. The police made just 5 raids on brothels last year and rescued around 50 girls. After further investigations they only found 21 cases of human trafficking in the north. Asked how protection could be improved Ms Supranee Sommanar Operation Centre on Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking said,‘ To help stop this I would like to strengthen our networks and get the population more involved with reporting to us. We spend so much time in the office so would like more public involvement. They know what is happening on their streets, they need to tell us.’

A Thai military check point in Piang Luang. They are mostly looking for drugs and arms but also illegal immigrants and human trafficking.

With an economic advantage to a wide span of parties, the political will and economic benefit to stopping the trade will be difficult to enforce. Then there is the widespread corruption on all levels. Lt Col Pattanapon from the Mai Sai Immigration Office admits that, ‘The number of police directly involved with human trafficking is very little. The numbers indirectly involved are very high. Often they look the other way but most of the time they don’t receive payment. ‘

Whilst the sex industry is the most high profile destination of the human trafficking network, the fishing, construction and garment industries attract far more migrants through much the same methods and they are treated with equal indifference and indignity. Thailand has a huge need for unskilled labour. With more Thai nationals and ethnic Thai’s getting better education more overseas migrants are going to be needed. With a new highway being finished linking south China to Thailand through Laos it’s going to make migration and human trafficking that much easier.

Bangkok Tour…

After our first week of studies the centre arranged a tour of Bangkok for the group. I first came to Thailand about 20 years ago (that makes me feel older than I actually feel..!!) and what has struck me over the years is how developed the whole country has become. It is still a crazy city with lots happening but gone are the mountains of rubbish and plastic bags on the streets, the traffic is still terrible but pollution is much better and the BTS Skytrain which glides above all the street based chaos is cheap and efficient. There are taller and taller buildings being built everywhere but the city has managed to keep its spiritual heart with ancient and beautifully decorated Wats found dotted amongst the modern urban landscape. The Chao Phraya river that runs through the city is a great way to experience Bangkok old and new all for approx 20p a ride ! Below are some pictures from our day out, many taken by fellow students who shoot many more pictures than I do…!!!….but more on that subject later.

A novice monk at Wat Arun.

The group boarding a long tail boat for a trip down the Chao Phraya river.

Travelling through the old canal system of Bangkok.

Feeding fish outside a Buddhist Monastery. Whilst the river looks quite polluted it is full of life.

DF a policeman from Philadelphia with a Thai sentry outside the Royal Palace.

A sleeping Buddha.

The group....

DF from Phili, Jeanne from Brazil, Hasim from Indonesia, Lucia from New York and Elaine from Malaysia at Wat Arun.

Old and new Bangkok on the Chao Phraya river.

Catch up..The Last Three Weeks….

Well, it’s been an exciting, intensive, stimulating and exhausting three weeks since I last posted with lots happening and a plethora of new ideas, lessons learnt and skills taught. I’ve a backlog of blog posts so I’ll be uploading them over the next few days with lots of pictures.

We’re just back from a field trip to northern Thailand visiting aid agencies and government organisations who are dealing with issues surrounding human trafficking and statelessness but more of that a little later on.

So what’s been happening so far..? The first week we concentrated on the structural reasons for conflict and the dynamics and terminology behind the reasons why violent conflict happens. We were taught the difference between negative peace where violence has been stopped and positive peace in which all the underlying disputed issues have been resolved therefore allowing a better chance of sustainable peace.

We were also introduced to a variety of concepts such as Do No Harm and Human Security. Whilst most of the week is spent in a classroom there’s a lot of role play and interactive learning which helps reinforce all the new ideas. One example was to see how Identity can be used as a root cause of conflict. Our instructor Michael divided us up into Team A and Team B and we had to work together as a team to compete to grab a pen at the end of the line. Very quickly without consciously realising it, the opposite team became ‘the other’ as the competitive energy grew and the prizes became higher. It was a good example of how Identity can be used and manipulated to mobilise populations towards violent conflict.

The Identity game.

The second week taught us how to be more analytical with the data and information we have about conflicts. We were taught how to use the Conflict Triangle model which is an excellent way of mapping out all the data, reasons and connectors and dividers in conflicts. Also how the attitudes and behaviours of principle actors interact and what root causes of conflict need to be addressed before violent conflict happens or how it can be resolved. I found these subjects fascinating and whilst I have a good understanding of why conflicts occur, I’m now able to understand them in a more analytical manner. It made me look at conflicts I’ve reported on to see if I missed anything obvious that I should have looked at.

Bjorn Holmberg - Secertary General, Swedepeace who taught us the Conflict Triangle Model.

The third week was all about the skills of facilitation and mediation in Interest Based Negotiations looking for the ultimate win-win result, which again involved lots of role play covering various scenarios. It was the first time I’d tried the role of mediator and my scenario involved mediating between a landlord and tenant about the return of a bond. Sound familiar..? I enjoyed the challenge of ‘active listening’ whilst assimilating the facts, reading and managing expectations. Jan our instructor has decades of experience in this field and he gave us a real insight into the skills of a professional facilitator.

Jan Sunoo front our facilitator instructor and behind fellow instructor Joseph Mansolillo.

This coming week we are looking at the media in conflict situations which I’m obviously looking forward to so will report back again soon.

The class and instructors after Week 1 at the Rotary Peace Centre in Chulalongkorn.

One of the many group discussion sessions.

Brad Darling an educator from the USA and Hasim Adnan from Institute for Culture and Religion Studies in West Java Indonesia.

The Second Generation

On the first day of lessons we were taught about how there have been five generations in the field of conflict resolution, with each being influenced by what was happening in the world at that time.

The Second Generation between 1945-1965 had a new sense of urgency with dealing with nuclear weapons and this was graphically illustrated by a time-lapse piece on nuclear weapons testing taking place globally from 1945 until 1998. Have a rough guess as to how many test were carried out during that time…you may be surprised..!

Sawatdee krab

Sawatdee krab or hello from Bangkok Thailand.

It has only been 4 days but already our group have bonded and we feel we have known each other a lot longer. Our class of 17 led by the always helpful and welcoming Deputy Director Jenn Weidman consists of a colourful mix of nations from Brazil to Malaysia, USA to India, Zimbabwe to Italy with backgrounds as varied including aid workers in Sudan, policemen in Mumbai and Philadelphia, a researcher in Java, social worker in Rio and land issues consultant in Argentina.

After a day of introductions and all the necessary formalities we were straight into giving our Individual Conflict Presentations. 8 minutes on an area of conflict that we are working on or have experience of. This was the first opportunity to listen to and understand the wide variety of issues the fellows are involved with.

Monday started the formal lessons and for the next two days we were straight into intense but fun lectures and role play scenarios about group dynamics, negotiation techniques and ethical and cultural dilemmas you face when negotiating.

With lessons starting at nine am, lots of reading and follow up work, dinner getting to know all the other students the days are long, tiring but invigorating.

I’ll write about our accommodation, facilities and Bangkok in general here a little later but rest assured we are being well looked after and are more than comfortable. Below are some pictures from the first few days.

The Rotary Peace and Conflict Resolution Course, June 2011 at The Rotary Centre in Thailand.

Myself talking to Anil Naik a police inspector in Mumbai India.

Some of the team before heading out to dinner.

Departure Day

I’m almost packed and ready to go. Its been a very busy week sorting out last minute arrangements, catching up with people and making sure I have everything I need for the next 3 months. I bought my first new suit in about 10 years last week which was an interesting experience..! When I pack to go on assignment everything is kept to an absolute minimum as you normally end up having to lug all your gear for miles so this is quite a luxury having a suitcase full of clothes instead of a small backpack. It will also be a first time were I’m not stressed out trying to sneak 18kg of camera equipment on board as hand luggage, with batteries and cables, lenses et in every pocket..!! I am obviously taking a camera, just not everything which my back will be happy to hear !

For the last week I’ve been preparing my Individual Conflict Presentation which is an 8 minute presentation on an area of conflict you have worked in. I chose to look at the situation involving The Lord’s Resistance Army, a rebel group from Northern Uganda. I first reported on this 10 years ago when things were really bad in that region. I was lucky enough to have an assignment back there a few months ago. The LRA left Northern Uganda about 4 years ago so it was great to see the same region now at peace and trying to establish a sense of normality. Unfortunately, the rebels are still very active and now operate along the borderlands of Sudan and DRC. I’ll be posting more about this as the course goes on but for now please have a look at a multimedia presentation I completed from the last trip.

Rotary Peace and Conflict Resolution Video

If you’d like to learn a bit more about the course and hear from past participants this video will give you a good overview.

The Belfast Peacelines

As the course gets closer I’ll be posting some conflict related images and multimedia presentations from previous assignments. This first post was from an assignment to Belfast in Northern Ireland and forms the third part of my long term project on Borders and Barriers around the world.

Although a very short trip I still managed to get around most of Belfast thanks to the many community groups who helped out. I met some fascinating people who have dedicated large parts of their lives to help understand and report on the consequences of these peacelines or peace walls and the overall situation in Northern Ireland. I also met and interviewed participants of ‘The Troubles’, many of whom spent years in prison and were released as part of the peace process and now work in community relation groups.

Belfast is quite possibly one of the friendliest places I’ve worked in but spending time in the interface areas (places where Catholic and Protestant communities live next to each other), away from the now buzzing city centre, an air of uncertainty, distrust, anxiety and underdevelopment is still very much evident. On either side of the walls, life continues as normal and many people are happy to drive from one area to another but most said there are areas they would not feel safe to walk in. In many cases, people who live just meters apart, divided by a 20 ft high multi layered barrier have never met or even have the desire to meet each other. Segregation permeates all areas of life both physically and psychologically, from housing where over 95% of social housing is either Catholic or Protestant to education where only around 5% of children attend integrated schools. Whilst most of the violence of the 90′s has stopped, rioting in flashpoints still does occur and virtually all residents who live next to the peacelines and interface areas do not want the walls to come down. At night, gates are closed to both traffic and pedestrians, effectively cutting off Protestant from Catholic areas. They feel safer, at least physiologically, with these physical barriers intact which they say they now hardly even notice.

The first peacelines where erected back at the start of ‘The Troubles’ in the late 60′s and were supposed to be temporary structures separating the Loyalist Protestant from the Republican Catholic communities. Ironically, since the peace agreement over 10 years ago, many more barriers have been built. In 1994 there were approximately 24 walls, there are now an estimated 90 structures in place throughout Belfast from obvious 20 foot high walls to thinly disguised disused houses, waste land and community gates with the latest wall being built little over 24 months ago.

If you have any questions or comments please feel free to ask.

New Rotary Peace and Conflict Resolution Course Blog

Welcome to the newly formed Rotary Peace and Conflict Resolution Course Blog where I’ll keep you updated on what is happening on the June-Aug 2011 Rotary Peace and Conflict Resolution course at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.