The Schools of Forgiveness and Reconciliation in ColombiaAna Daz, MSBridging the Gaps: Risk Reduction, Relief and Recovery ConferenceIstanbul, TurkeyMarch 31-April 2, 2009

OutlineOverview of the Violence in ColombiaThe Schools of Forgiveness and Reconciliation, ESPEREThree current initiatives

Overview of the Violence in Colombia

Some Statistics

Homicide rate at 29 per 100,000 (2005) Top cause of death in 2002: Violence Violence against women: 43% (2007) 2.7-3.1 Million estimated Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) 270,000 new IDPs in the first semester of 2008 War-related deaths: Approx. 8-10% of all homicides (2004)(Source: CODHES, PAHO, DHS Survey)Photo: El Tiempo Newspaper 09/30/08

On Top of That 31,671 paramilitaries and collaborators have demobilized (2003-2006) 17% have been estimated to have formed new armed groups

40,000 FARC and 4,000 ELN members are estimated to continue to operate

390,000 soldiers in the National Army(Source: UNHCR, Colombian Gov.)Photo: Alto Comisionado para la PazPhoto: Fundacin para la Reconciliacin

What are we Left With?I was talking to my brother in the classroom when I got hit by a soccer ball. I get really excited when I see them so I kicked it right away to send it back to the owner. I kicked it very hard though and accidently hit a girl and broke her collar bone. Before I knew it, the boyfriend came after me to hit me and actually broke my mouth . The girl was brought to the hospital. The school coordinator told me that I should have not hit the girl anyway and that the girl had told her it was intentional so nothing happened to the boyfriend and I was left as the bad guy. That night, since the girl lived right next to me, the mother came demanding money for the medical bills. Later the dad came with a gun threatening to kill me. Luckily I was working that night but my father told me what happened. My father was so mad that he hit me . We were in that dilemma for 6 months.

The ESPERE Schools of the Fundacin para la Reconciliacin

The Schools of Forgiveness and Reconciliation, ESPERE

An approach that focuses on the process for removing emotional and identity barriers that block the way to ending interpersonal conflict Building capacity and motivation to self- repair, repair others Empowerment: Creating community mediators and trainer-of-trainersPropose restorative justice as an alternative to punitive justice

Photo: Fundacin para la Reconciliacin

The Schools of Forgiveness and Reconciliation, ESPERE cont.The ways people respond to conflict:

Taking revenge or distancing oneself from the victim both socially and emotionally to ameliorate feelings of powerlessness and guiltThese routes are likely to intensify rather than end conflict

Apology-forgiveness cycle to remove the emotional barriers to reconciliation for both victims and perpetrators, at their own pace Forgiveness process helps officialize a personal story and offer a new point of departure

(A. Nadler & N. Shnabel in The Social Psychology of Intergroup Reconciliation , 2008)

ESPERE MethodologySocial reconnectionSafe environmentTell their story: narrative truth Self-reflectionPhotos: Fundacin para la ReconciliacinAssertive communication

Challenges of the MethodologyAddresses interpersonal level conflictNot stand-alone sessionsProcess does not end after 80 hours Preservation of basic principles in TOT ModelEvaluation, measuring impact

Basis for Sustainable Reconciliation: Healing of Emotional Wounds

Three Major InitiativesEmotional Literacy Program9,125 IDPs and former combatants primarilyThe National network of youth for Reconciliation7,000 youth (ages 13-18) in 14 schoolsPeace Leaders Program220 former combatants in Bogot

Photo: Fundacin para la Reconciliacin

What Has Worked?Internal Champions within local governments, Ministry of EducationESPERE for teachers firstPartnering with other NGOsPersonal Testimonies and preliminary outcome data

Voices of Participants[With the network] a girl from my group told me she was being bullied so, what did I do? I went and talked with the boy and his group doing the bullying and I said to them: no, you have to have this thing called ethics of care, you have to talk and so I gave them all of the concepts. The older ones in the group began to understand and some went and apologized to the girl. And I know they meant it because I can tell when someone is trying to play me. I felt I helped a lot, you know, to get the bad ones to not do this stuff anymore, as I was doing it in sixth grade. And is not like I gave them a lecture you know, because I have experience so I knew they would not listen to a lecture, I make it dynamic.

Pablo, member of the Youth for Reconciliation Network .

Voices of ParticipantsWe were invited to the forgiveness workshops and I thought, here is another stupid psychosocial program. I did not have the slightest idea of the effect those workshops would have on me. I had the time to cry, to be able to find myself and for the first time in my life, I saw my own potential as a human being. I discovered also that with my temperament, I was losing the woman I love. I was able to take responsibility for my wrongdoings. I had the courage to ask for forgiveness, from the heart. I was able to recognize that I had spent my entire life wasting time over things that did not matter and that it wasnt a church what I needed. What I needed was to forgive myself.

Pedro, former combatant and today peace leader.

Thank you! Contact Information:Ana Dazanadiaz1@gmail.com

Fundacin para la Reconciliacinwww.fundacionparalareconciliacion.org

ColombiaPhotos: John Ospina

Founded in 2001Work with communities in 63 areas (municipalities and cities), and through partners in Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia and South Africa93,000 participants of ESPERE in Colombia 3,500 volunteers (trainers of trainers) in 40 cities and towns. Human rights and reconciliation classes in all schools of Bogot since 2004Awarded with several National Peace Awards as well as with an honorable mention in Peace Education by UNESCO (2006).

Components of Forgiveness Modules (6)1- Introduction to F&R: what forgiveness is and what is not2- From Darkness to Light3- Decision to Forgive4- Looking with other Eyes5- Understand my Offender6- Launching a Bridge

Components of Reconciliation Modules (4)1- Building Collective Truth 2- Guaranteeing Justice 3- Facilitating a Pact4- Celebrating, Making Memory and Offering Reparation

Correos de Paz

ESPERE Graduation

*This session will present the work of Fundacin para la Reconciliacin, a Colombian non-profit organization that since 2001 has been working to reach sustainable reconciliation by prioritizing the healing of unresolved resentment felt by victims and perpetrators of human rights abuses in contexts of entrenched violence. This approach is innovative as it fosters new learning from the past and eventually renewed trust between sides so that new pacts of coexistence can be created and sustained.*Colombia has the second worst case of forced displacement after Sudan (UNHCR)

CODHES was established in 2005 as an independent observer after the Colombia Supreme Court forced the Government to recognize the IDP situation as a humanitarian crisis.

On the positive side, UNHCR reports that the Colombian government has set aside US $2 Billion dollars in assistance for IDPs as part of a 2006-2010 plan.

Total Population: 45.5 millionTFR: 2.5 childrenLife Expectancy at birth (years): 71 males, 78 females Literacy rate: 93% Population below the poverty line: 55%Military expenditures as a percent of the GDP: 3.4%Suppliers of 90% of the cocaine in the USTop cause of death in 2002: ViolenceHomicide rate has descended since 1994. However, still very high at 29 per 100,000 (2005)Violence against women: 43% (2007)(Sources: PAHO, WHO, CODHES, CIA Fact Book, DHS Survey)

*Government figures 2005:

Close to 98% of the demobilized population is male.72% is younger than 30 years old.

between 5,000 and 8,000 paramilitaries, organized into 22 groups, are still active or have been revived in a total of 12 departments" (RSF May 2007, 1; see also International Crisis Group 10 May 2007, 6), or in 20 percent of Colombian municipalities, according to the National Commission for Reparation and Reconciliation (Comisin Nacional de Reparacin y Reconciliacin, CNRR) (Colombia Aug. 2007, 46). The CNRR is a semi-autonomous commission overseeing the demobilization process (Reuters 15 Aug. 2007). The CNRR reports that the groups have 3,000 to 5,000 members and that an estimated 17 percent of the members are demobilized AUC combatants (Colombia Aug. 2007, 5). According to estimates by the Institute for Development and Peace Studies (Instituto de Estudios para el Desarrollo y la Paz, INDEPAZ) in July 2007, there were 76 illegal armed groups, with a total of 8,924 members (July 2007). According to the Foundation for Security and Democracy (Fundacin Seguridad y Democracia, FSD), between July 2006 and February 2007, 78 groups, with a total of 3,500 to 4,500 members, had rearmed and taken over previously occupied territories (15 Feb. 2007).

According to an article in Semana, the Black Eagles have approximately 4,000 members, organized into 22 groups and operating in 22 departments (Semana 18 Aug. 2007).

Participants receive an ex-combatants' allowance for 18 months, accommodation and training (International Crisis Group 20 Oct. 2006, 8 and footnote 70). In addition, according to parliamentarian Jos Francisco Garca Calume, [RSF English version]"[o]f the 5,000 paramilitaries demobilised since March 2006 in this region, a third of whom are in Montera, only 3 percent have found a job in the formal sector, that is to say, working for security companies, and 17 percent in the informal sector, namely makeshift methods of public transport such as motorcycle-taxis. As for the rest, they have gone back to criminal activity, this time on an individual basis and without ideology. As a result of internal feuding among paramilitaries, 150 people have died in Montera alone in the past two years." (RSF May 2007, 3)

Pilot Project back in 2005: 11 demobilized men Former FARC membersSelf-selectedAge range: 20 to 36; Mean age 28More than 2 years of demobilization4 unemployed; 1 working in construction; 7 working for ADPOSTAL (State-run Mail Carrier)

**Aunque el conflicto armado colombiano no es un enfrentamiento entre grupos tnicos, culturales o religiosos con identidades claramente establecidas, debido a su duracin y a la violencia generalizada, se hace imperante un proceso de reconciliacin de la poblacinen general.

Ello se debe a varios factores. Por un lado, en conflictos de larga duracin, como el nuestro, la violencia se institucionaliza como medio para lograr algunos fines debido a que vivir en un contexto de violencia genera un cambio de valores y de patrones de conducta. Esto se hizo evidente en los casos de El Salvador, Guatemala y Sudfrica, donde el ndice de violencia delincuencial se dispar en el perodo del post-conflicto, en parte, debido a que el apoyo al uso de armas aument entre la poblacin. Por este motivo es necesario que el proceso de reconciliacin en Colombia incluya un fomento de la cultura del perdn y la reconciliacin desde la educacin en nios y jvenes.

ALSO: Educacion para la vida. Abordaje directo de la formacion de emociones. Diferente de la pedagogia tradicional que ve las emociones como algo que se aprende indirectamente.

Important to note that ESPEREs are born in Colombian times when there is a greater emphasis in a culture of caring or collective efficacy. By local authorities, the media, educators to not be indifferent or neutral but to get involved in demanding peace, condeming violence. Changes in the language use, values promoted. Evidenced by open public participation in non-violent marches/discourses.

The pedagogy of Forgiveness and Reconciliation was born as a complement to this new holding environment. It is in a way a self-help approach for victims and perpetrators of violence alike to deal with their past in a constructive way

Interest focused is about dispositions, conflict of interests: Parties have been traditionally viewed as rational actors who try to maximize self-gain. The willingness to compromise and reach and agreement was attributable to parties perception that the costs of continuing conflict outweigh the alternative costs of ending it. Based on learning to trust the other to solve the conflict and be able to co-exist.

Human needs perspective recognizes that during conflict, parties inflict humiliation and pain on each other and that this results to threats to basic psychological needs such as worthy identity, need for autonomy, need for security and justice

These threats result in emotions that contribute to the maintenance of conflict and act as barriers to ending it.

The differential threats to power and moral identity evoke feelings of powerlessness and moral inferiority, respectively. To avoid these negative feelings and ameliorate threatened identities, victims are motivated to regain the identity of powerful actors and perpetrators are motivated to regain the identity of moral actors. They can do so unilaterally or interactively.

The Social Psychology of intergroup Reconciliation edited by Arie Nadler, Thomas E. Malloy and Jeffrey Fisher. Other author: Nurit Shnabel Instrumental and Socioemotional Paths to intergroup Reconciliation and the Needs-Based model of Socioemotional Reconciliation.

*Standardized manuals and trainings

-Victims and perpetrators (not of the same offense) are mixed-Share their stories-Self-reflection

-Self-forgiveness,

-Participants are asked to choose one offense in their lives and practice forgiveness throughout the workshop. Do exercises at home, with the group.

Forgiveness means: is a willingness (a choice) to abandon ones right to resentment, negative judgment, and indifferent behavior toward one who unjustly injured us, while fostering the undeserved qualities of compassion, generosity and even love toward him or her. Robert Enright

Reconciliation means: multi-level process that involves at least two people and can only happen when truth, justice and agreements on how to relate with each other can be guaranteed.

In ESPERE forgiveness precedes reconciliation

Telling the story: our personal and collective histories form a significant part of our personal identity Management of Memory: Small shifts in narratives that, for very good reasons, are widely divergent can raise the level of future cooperation and reduce the likeliness of returning to the state of violence conflict or very low communication.

Suppressed narratives, at first not taken seriously, can serve to instigate present-day tension, displaced violence

Moving towards a limited acknowledgement and eventually empathy across the different types of identification with the other results in the realm of action shifting.

Talking about history is not an all-or nothing proposition. There are many levels or stages that may be approached incrementally as the parties are ready.

Methodology:

Groups of 9-15 people from the same neighborhood, school, IDP camp, centers for reconciliation come together Trainer of Trainers Approach 80 hours workshops, divided in 10 modules (48 hours for Forgiveness, 32 hours for Reconciliation)Strict pacts of confidentialityBasic structure of a ESPERE Module Safe Environment (Experiential exercises such as games, songs, dance)Catharsis (co-counseling in sub-groups of 3-4 persons called Grupinhos, homework)Social Re-connection (Rituals with a commitment of change, perceived emotional support)Cognitive Learning (Readings, socio-dramas, role plays, assertive communication)Management of memory (Narrative Method: context,fact, emotion, meaning)

**Emotional Leadership:Este proyecto se est realizando en convenio con el Ministerio de Educacin Nacional, cuya propuesta consiste en capacitar a nivel nacional a 285 docentes animadores en formacin- en las ES.PE.RE. con un agregado de manejo emocional y conciencia corporal. Estos docentes estn trabajando en sus grupos con reintegrados, desplazados, familias en accin y poblaciones vulnerables que se encuentran en proceso de alfabetizacin en modalidad no formal con el programa CAFAM. Se cubrir un total de 7125 participantes a nivel nacional. Actualmente se adelanta este proyecto en los departamentos de: Guajira, Magdalena, Atlntico, Crdoba, Bolvar, Santander, Norte de Santander, Risaralda, Tolima, Huila, Cundinamarca y Antioquia, gracias al apoyo proporcionado por los ncleos ES.PE.RE. existentes; no obstante, en algunos sitios donde no hay presencia de estos ncleos, se estn construyendo hacia la consolidaicon de los mismos, en un futuro. El proyecto ha contado en el presente con el apoyo de las Secretaras de Educacin Departamentales, Distritales y Municipales, Accin Social, Centro de Referencias y Oportunidades (C.R.O.) y Alta Consejera Para la Reintegracin de Actores Armados. Este proyecto se encuentra en su fase final.

La Red de Jvenes por la Reconciliacin la integran jvenes pertenecientes a 14 IED de Bogot de grados 7 a 11, jvenes proactivos que muestran un verdadero inters por aprehender, por relacionarse con las dinmicas prosociales de la comunidad nacional y convertirse en gestores de cultura de paz.Las Instituciones Educativas que conforman la Red de Jvenes son: *IED General Santander, IED Florida Blanca, IED Aquileo Parra, IED Estrella del Sur, IED San Agustn, IED Juan Evangelista Gomez, IED San Cristbal, IED Francisco Javier Matiz, IED Espaa, IED Silveria Espinosa, IED Colombia Viva, IED Francisco Javier Matiz, IED Clemencia Holgun de Urdaneta, IED Jos Jaime Rojas, IED Orlando Higuita, IED Ciudad Latina, IED Atanasio Girardot, IED Republica de China, IED Simn Rodrguez, IED Jos Joaqun Casas. (*IED: Institucin Educativa Distrital)

Peace Leaders Program:CENTROS DE RECONCILIACIN (C.R.) CONVENIO CON LA ORGANIZACIN INTERNACIONAL PARA LAS MIGRACIONES (O.I.M.), SECRETARA DE GOBIERNO DE BOGOT Y ALTA CONSEJERA PARA LA REINTEGRACIN.Inici su ejecucin el pasado mes de septiembre del ao de 2007 con una duracin de dos aos en las localidades de Ciudad Bolvar y Suba en Bogot, con proyecciones en la segunda fase a las localidades de Engativ y Usme. Ha sido promovido y acompaado por Lderes de Paz para facilitar el acompaamiento comunitario a reintegrados a la vida civil, desplazados, poblaciones vulnerables y organizaciones de accin social comunitaria. Se constituirn dos Centros de Reconciliacin en cada una de las localidades en la primera fase, para alcanzar cuatro centros en la segunda fase.

CONVENIO CON MINISTERIO DE DEFENSA NACIONALEste proyecto tiene como objetivo prevenir a travs de la capacitacin tanto en las Escuelas de Perdn y Reconciliacin como en tica del Cuidado el reclutamiento ilegal de jvenes de instituciones educativas pertenecientes al Distrito de Bogot. Acompaan este proyecto como animadores un grupo de Lderes de Paz coordinados por el rea Educativa de la FPR. TICA DEL CUIDADO Y PREVENCIN DEL SOMETIMIENTO ESCOLARCONVENIO CON SECRETARA DISTRITAL DE EDUCACIN DE BOGOTSe ha desarrollado durante los aos 2006 Y 2007. Tiene como objetivo promover la tica del Cuidado y la deteccin y prevencin de prcticas de Sometimiento Escolar entre educandos en 24 instituciones educativas localizadas en la capital colombiana. El proyecto est dirigido a la comunidad educativa y promueve la Red de Jvenes por la Reconciliacin.

70,000 students in 28 schools in the city of Bogot as part of the program Youth for Reconciliation Network150 demobilized guerrilla and paramilitary members in the Cauca region as part of the program Journey back home for indigenous populations (Retorno a Casa, armonizacin de actores armados en comunidades indgenas)20 self-demobilized guerilla members who now work for the Foundation as ESPERE trainers in the program Peace Leaders (Lderes de Paz)50 former child soldiers in Bogot in partnership with the CROJ (Centro de Referencia y Oportunidades Juveniles)

In the World: The Economist issue of Oct.4-10 Article on apology on the topic of financial crisis in wall street

The world is becoming more receptive of this notion.

The Center for the Conciliation of Memories, South Africa

International Institute for Mediation and Historical Conciliation

*What has helped made F&R work relevant to the Colombian context?

At a minimum, the practice of forgiveness stops the escalation of violenceTraining in conflict resolution skills without forgiveness skills do not guarantee the use of the former to solve interpersonal problems: There is no interpersonal reconciliation without forgivenessThe Human Rights discourse needs to include the right to forgiveness and reconciliation (as a categorical imperative)Human development is incomplete without the formulation of new personal and collective narrativesThe promotion of Forgiveness and Reconciliation methods complements the traditional education system

*43 years old from Tulua Valle, Pacific Coast of Colombia. Neglected as a child, lived in the streetsTrying to find a job ended up growing coca leaves and before he knew it he had build enemies with the paramilitaries. (Who had once tried to recruit him) He said to the FARC, Im going to be killed, here is your farm, I dont want it. Victim of injustice from various sources throughout his life, Pedro self-medicated (abused drugs, was abusive himself to those in his immediate surrounding, did not want to trust anyone)

*32 departments 440, 831 square miles of territory48% rainforest

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