The regional conference of parliamentarians
on threats to peace and sustainable development in the Great Lakes
Region (AMANI Forum) has organized a training workshop for member
states' lawmakers in order to study the case of illegal armed groups in
the region.
"We want to establish a new dynamic of dialogue and cooperation among parliamentarians from the member states, to enlarge the forum by involving parliamentarians of all International Conference on Great lakes Region (ICGLR) and to improve regional lawmakers' skills in management, prevention and consolidation of peace in the region," said Senator Jean-Damascene Bizimana, the chairman of AMANI forum.
The lawmakers will also be equipped with specific skills on the functioning and financing of armed groups.
"We will also acquire skills on support measures for the victims and witnesses who consider their appearance before international courts as a form of traumatizing violence," he said.
The illegal armed groups to be discussed are mainly found in the Eastern DRC, Uganda (Joseph Kony's Lords Resistance Army) and Burundi.
"This problem is beyond one state's capacity. Particularly the illegal armed groups in the Eastern DRC are the very alarming ones. We have to study carefully the reason behind those rebels, and their impact on the region's security status. As lawmakers, we will also assess the role played by every state regarded by the issue towards a lasting solution," stated senator Bizimana.
Concerning factors generating and intensifying armed conflicts in the region, the lawmakers cite human rights not respected in some states, the implication of the international justice system which turns out to be a political tool.
According to Denis Polisi, the former chair of the forum, the Amani Forum or Great Lakes Parliamentary Forum on Peace, is an Africa-focused organization based in Nairobi, Kenya that works to promote peace and democracy, and to mitigate conflict in the African Great Lakes region.
"AMANI Forum was launched in Arusha (Tanzania) in 1998 by regional parliamentarians to create a structure to enable coordinated work towards sustainable peace. Since then AMANI has grown to a membership of over 650 parliamentarians, with national chapters in Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. In 2007 a chapter was established in the East African Legislative Assembly. Amani is the Swahili word for peace.
The training workshop, to run from Friday 26 October to Sunday, October 28, is financed by the European Union and will be attended by 11 states. Those are the seven member states of the forum with South Sudan, Congo Brazzaville, Central African Republic and Angola invited as members of ICGLR. Afterwards, the resolutions will be sent to governments for implementation and the process will be monitored by the respective parliaments.
"We want to establish a new dynamic of dialogue and cooperation among parliamentarians from the member states, to enlarge the forum by involving parliamentarians of all International Conference on Great lakes Region (ICGLR) and to improve regional lawmakers' skills in management, prevention and consolidation of peace in the region," said Senator Jean-Damascene Bizimana, the chairman of AMANI forum.
The lawmakers will also be equipped with specific skills on the functioning and financing of armed groups.
"We will also acquire skills on support measures for the victims and witnesses who consider their appearance before international courts as a form of traumatizing violence," he said.
The illegal armed groups to be discussed are mainly found in the Eastern DRC, Uganda (Joseph Kony's Lords Resistance Army) and Burundi.
"This problem is beyond one state's capacity. Particularly the illegal armed groups in the Eastern DRC are the very alarming ones. We have to study carefully the reason behind those rebels, and their impact on the region's security status. As lawmakers, we will also assess the role played by every state regarded by the issue towards a lasting solution," stated senator Bizimana.
Concerning factors generating and intensifying armed conflicts in the region, the lawmakers cite human rights not respected in some states, the implication of the international justice system which turns out to be a political tool.
According to Denis Polisi, the former chair of the forum, the Amani Forum or Great Lakes Parliamentary Forum on Peace, is an Africa-focused organization based in Nairobi, Kenya that works to promote peace and democracy, and to mitigate conflict in the African Great Lakes region.
"AMANI Forum was launched in Arusha (Tanzania) in 1998 by regional parliamentarians to create a structure to enable coordinated work towards sustainable peace. Since then AMANI has grown to a membership of over 650 parliamentarians, with national chapters in Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. In 2007 a chapter was established in the East African Legislative Assembly. Amani is the Swahili word for peace.
The training workshop, to run from Friday 26 October to Sunday, October 28, is financed by the European Union and will be attended by 11 states. Those are the seven member states of the forum with South Sudan, Congo Brazzaville, Central African Republic and Angola invited as members of ICGLR. Afterwards, the resolutions will be sent to governments for implementation and the process will be monitored by the respective parliaments.
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