|
| |
GAPW - Priorities for Australia
In December 2003, the Centre for Peace and Conflict
Studies organised an inaugural meeting to initiate dialogue about the Global
Action to Prevent War program in Australia. As a result of this workshop
Professor Joseph Camilleri wrote a brief on priorities for the GAPW - Australia
initiative, incorporating contributions from various participants.
Background
Global Action to Prevent War (GAPW) is a
comprehensive programme for moving to a world in which deadly conflict is rare,
brief, and small in scale - in other words, a programme for working towards the
abolition of war.
GAPW is a thoughtfully integrated programme aimed at
the phased introduction of key components of the effort. It comprises three main
strands of activity:
- A comprehensive programme of measures (mainly
non-military) for the prevention and resolution of armed conflict, that
includes systematic development of the conflict reduction capabilities of
multilateral organizations. This strand aims to reduce internal conflict of
all kinds;
- A phased program of global disarmament, conventional and nuclear, accompanied by deliberate augmentation of the peacekeeping
capabilities of international organizations. The objectives here are to reduce
the possibility of interstate war and genocide and gradually to shift the
responsibility for international security to multilateral peacekeeping and legal
institutions;
- Continuing growth of the culture of peace.
It is envisaged that such a programme would be
implemented over the next three to four decades, with the disarmament process
divided into four phases of five to ten years each.
The concept has been developed over the last six
years through extensive consultation and redrafting, involving a large number of
advocates and experts. Key figures in the development of project in the United
States have been:
- Former Ambassador Jonathan Dean, now with the
Union of Concerned Scientists
- Dr. Randall C. Forsberg, Institute for Defense and
Disarmament Studies
- Dr. Saul Mendlovitz, Dag Hammarskjold Professor of
International law, Rutgers Law School, & Co-Director, World Order Models Project
- Dr. John Burroughs, Lawyers Committee on Nuclear
Policy.
GAPW has established a broadly based international Steering Committee and a US
National Committee, and is in the process of developing several other national
chapters. Details of the programme may be found on its website:
http://www.globalactionpw.org/.
GAPW in Australia
GAPW offers a large number of individuals and
organisations in Australia with a strong interest in issues of demilitarization,
disarmament, peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and peacekeeping:
-
an opportunity to link their activities to a programme for the global elimination of large-scale organised violence
-
a greater capacity to network within Australia and
internationally
-
an intellectually credible platform from which to
advocate far-reaching changes in Australian government policy and practice
What might be key priorities in getting GAPW off the ground in Australia?
In the light of Australia's current situation, a strong case can be made for GAPW initiatives in the areas of disarmament, conflict resolution, peacebuilding,
crisis prevention and peacekeeping. Equally, initiatives are needed to
strengthen the international rule of law, democratic governance (nationally and
internationally), and multilateral institutions, all of which can help to settle
disputes peacefully and eliminate the causes of armed conflict.
More specifically, GAPW in Australia should address the following issues:
-
Developing a coherent Australian programme aimed
at the long-term elimination of weapons of mass destruction - it would have
three prongs:
-
unilateral initiatives (terminating all
security links with the United states which directly and indirectly
support its nuclear weapons arsenal)
-
advocacy in bilateral relations and in major
international forums, in collaboration with like-minded countries, for
the phased reductions of all WMD capabilities
-
joint initiatives with Asian and Pacific neighbours
-
Strengthening the UN's security role (including
reform of UN Security Council, more effective peacekeeping, peacebuilding and
crisis prevention arrangements, and a sounder financial base for the world body
and its various agencies) and devising appropriate forms of Australian support
and involvement (including the development of appropriate skills in the armed
services, the police force, the civilian bureaucracy, and relevant professions
and NGOs)
-
Enhancing Australia's support for stronger
global and regional mechanisms for the enactment and maintenance of
international law by the international community, leading towards an
eventual system of democratic world governance
-
Ensuring strong diplomatic, financial and
organizational support by Australia for the International Criminal Court
(and lobbying for greater support by Asian governments, including signing
and ratification of Rome Treaty)
-
Detailed scrutiny of Australia's defence policies,
capabilities and planned purchases to see how they could be brought into line
with the main benchmarks of the GAPW programme (perhaps some modelling
indicating the economic and social costs of war, and of Australia's military
expenditure)
-
Support for an enhanced regional (Southeast
Asian and Pacific) capability for peacekeeping, crisis prevention and
post-conflict reconstruction that is tailored to the needs, aspirations, and
cultural sensitivities of these societies, and is in accordance with UN
norms and authority
-
Research and education highlighting the
'civilianization' of war.
What might be GAPW's contribution to this rather large agenda:
-
Public advocacy (including
representations/submissions to political parties, more effective interventions
in media, circulation of GAPW Charter inviting the endorsement of political
[MPs], religious and other community leaders)
-
Research (adapting GAPW proposals to Australia's
specific circumstances
-
Education (injecting the GAPW agenda into schools
and other educational institutions)
-
Networking (establishing more effective liaison
nationally and internationally).
Further information
Those wishing to be added or removed from contact
lists used by GAPW in Australia, or seeking contact concerning any other matter
or request with GAPW Australia, please refer to the
GAPW Contact page.
|
Page Last
Updated |
|
Friday, 03. June 2005 06:01 PM +1100 |
|
|
