:: Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies at Chulalongkorn University ::

Module 3 Week 3 : Peace Process in Southern Thailand

Module 3 week 3 will also explore peaceful military operations and the role of the media in peace building. It will also highlight the importance of involving civil society, the military, and the public sector in achieving sustainable zones of peace both locally, regionally, nationally, and globally.
	Dr. Kamarulzaman Askandar, the Regional Coordinator of the Southeast Asian Conflict Studies Network lectured on the role of civil society in resolving conflicts and building peaceful societies. Likewise, he used the Aceh and Mindanao cases in understanding peace processes and negotiations. Dr. Askandar specializes in Southeast Asia focusing on issues of peace and conflict in the region with a keen interest in self-determination type conflicts and peace building activities in Aceh (Indonesia), Mindanao (Southern Philippines), and Southern Thailand.
	Col. Songwit Noonpakdi, Speaker from 11th Infantry Regiment King’s Guard who has experiences in Southern part of Thailand. He taught about Military’s comprehensive approach to armed conflict which has case study on violence in Southern Thailand. Participants have chanced to understand the security environment of today’s world, and the concept of how to solve them by using military’s approach and assets. They have discussions on the origin of the problem, government policies, implementation of policies, and civil-military operation.

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Cambodia Field Study: 7 – 16 March 2008

The RPCS Class III participants traveled to Cambodia Field Study Trip to gain information about the restoration of democracy and civil society in Cambodia. The trip focused on examining the issues of national reconciliation, restoration of democracy and the rule of law, and the protection of civil and human rights.

Choeung EK Genocide Memorial at the Killing Fields - The Killing Fields is a site in Cambodia where large numbers of people were killed and buried by the Communist regime led by the Khmer Rouge, which had ruled the country since 1975. The massacres ended in 1979, when Communist Vietnam invaded the country, which at that time was officially called Democratic Kampuchea, and toppled the Khmers.

Tuol Sleng Genocidal Museum (former S-21 Prison) is a museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This site is a former high school which was used as the notorious Security Prison 21 (S-21) concentration camp by the Khmer Rouge regime. The buildings at Tuol Sleng are preserved as they were left when the Khmer Rouge were driven out in 1979. The regime kept extensive records, including thousands of photographs. Several rooms of the museum are now lined, floor to ceiling, with black and white photographs of some of the estimated 20,000 prisoners who passed through the prison.

Visit to Kep Village, Former Khmer Rouge stronghold: Participants spent the whole day with villagers to learn villager’s lifestyle and their opinions about Khmer Rouge.

In the post conflict environment, Cambodia has many NGOs working on anticorruption, labor and land conflicts. Participants were separated into 3 groups to learn about the peace building and other important process which are useful for Cambodians to develop their country.

Extraordinary Chamber in the Court of Cambodia (ECCC) This court is called the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia for the prosecution of crimes committed during the period of Democratic Kampuchea by the Khmer Rouge.


Above: from left Joy Balazo, Valdir Pavao, Assabah Khan, Ann Schmacher, Susan Carew, Kishu Daswani, and Jennifer Banza.		Above: from left Paskaran Sathasivam, Stephanie Pollack, and Anas Khalifa.

Angkor Wat (or Angkor Vat) is a temple at Angkor, Cambodia, built for King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. The largest and best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation—first Hindu, dedicated to Vishnu, then Buddhist. The temple is the epitome of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors.

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Module 4 Week 1 : Transforming Conflict: Building a Sustainable Peace

This week’s lectures focused on building a sustainable peace. Participants learned about the work of truth commissions and post conflict justice and about capacity building and training in peace work.

Working on group exercises

Mirsad “Miki” Jacevic is Director of Training and Strategic Advocacy at the Initiative for Inclusive Security. He has worked with the organization since its inception in 1999, originally liaising with various members of Women Waging Peace Network in conflict areas around the world.

Left : from left Nancy Ross, Ann Schumacher, Ellis Luciano, Stephanie Pollack, Triveni Goswami, and Paskaran Sathasivam
Right : from left Gina Donoso, Kishu Daswani, Susan Carew, Valdir Pavao, and Assabah Khan.

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Module 4 Week 4 : Transforming Conflict : Building a Sustainable Peace

This week, we are looking at society recovering from conflict; the module introduces the concepts of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, security sector reform, and economic reform.

Dr. Abhoud Syed Lingga is executive director of the Institute of Bangsamoro Studies in Cotabato City, Philippines. He lectured about disarmament, demobilization and reintegration after conflict.

Prof. Geoff Harris is Professor of Economics at the University of Natal, where he is also Director of the Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies Programme. He is a development economist with a particular interest in military expenditure in developing countries.

Group discussion during session and group photo.

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