Time for Moral LeadershipTime for Moral Leadership

Address to the Canadian Council of ChurchesAddress to the Canadian Council of ChurchesJoanna Santa BarbaraJoanna Santa Barbara

McMaster University Centre for Peace StudiesMcMaster University Centre for Peace StudiesPhysicians for Global Survival - CanadaPhysicians for Global Survival - Canada

Canadian-Afghan Peace PartnershipCanadian-Afghan Peace Partnership

Plan for SessionPlan for Session

• PresentationPresentation

• QuestionsQuestions

• Small groupsSmall groups

• Large groupLarge group

• SummarySummary

Timing and ContextTiming and Context

• In AfghanistanIn Afghanistan - Worsening situation- Worsening situation - Afghan anger- Afghan anger - Risk of collapse of government- Risk of collapse of government• In CanadaIn Canada - doubt about Canadian role- doubt about Canadian role -discrediting of war as a means of conflict -discrediting of war as a means of conflict

resolutionresolution - Canadian Forces dropping peacekeeping - Canadian Forces dropping peacekeeping

for war-fightingfor war-fighting

PrinciplesPrinciples

ChristianChristian

•Reject violenceReject violence

•Make peaceMake peace

•Love your Love your enemiesenemies

•ForgiveForgive

•Take care of Take care of people who are people who are

hungry, sick or in hungry, sick or in prisonprison

Peace StudiesPeace Studies

• NonviolenceNonviolence

• Peace through Peace through dialoguedialogue

• Empathy for all partiesEmpathy for all parties

• ReconciliationReconciliation

• Attend to basic needs Attend to basic needs and human rightsand human rights

CCC’s pathway to CCC’s pathway to understanding Canada’s role in understanding Canada’s role in AfghanistanAfghanistanLetter to Standing C’tees on Foreign Letter to Standing C’tees on Foreign

Affairs and on National DefenceAffairs and on National Defence

• Legality of war?Legality of war?

• Has Canada accepted Bush doctrine Has Canada accepted Bush doctrine on ‘war on terror’?on ‘war on terror’?

• Treatment of detainees?Treatment of detainees?

Forum on Afghanistan Jan. Forum on Afghanistan Jan. 20072007• Canada has responsibility to Canada has responsibility to

AfghanistanAfghanistan

• ‘‘War on Terror’ not the right responseWar on Terror’ not the right response

• Use of lethal force is undesirableUse of lethal force is undesirable

• Canadian Forces should protect Canadian Forces should protect populationpopulation

• Political dialogue needed with Taliban Political dialogue needed with Taliban and with Pakistanand with Pakistan

Draft letter, May 2007Draft letter, May 2007

• Need for diplomacy, with insurgents, and Need for diplomacy, with insurgents, and with neighbourswith neighbours

• Exclusion of some population groups from Exclusion of some population groups from governmentgovernment

• Need for reconciliation processesNeed for reconciliation processes• Promotion of human rights, especially for Promotion of human rights, especially for

detaineesdetainees• Canadian resources for development, not Canadian resources for development, not

for warfor war• Troops for protection not for warTroops for protection not for war

The Third OptionThe Third Option

• Stop war-fightingStop war-fighting

• Resume peacekeepingResume peacekeeping

• Peace dialoguesPeace dialogues

• ReconciliationReconciliation

• Development assistance (not Development assistance (not militarized)militarized)

Peace DialoguesPeace Dialogues

• McMaster Group 2004McMaster Group 2004• Lawrence Martin G&M 06 and 07Lawrence Martin G&M 06 and 07• Lakdar Brahimi, UN envoy to Afghanistan, 06Lakdar Brahimi, UN envoy to Afghanistan, 06• Najibullah Lafraie, former Foreign Minister, 06Najibullah Lafraie, former Foreign Minister, 06• Bill Frist, US Senate Majority Leader, 06Bill Frist, US Senate Majority Leader, 06• Chris Alexander, UN official in Afghanistan, 07Chris Alexander, UN official in Afghanistan, 07• Gordon Smith, U Victoria, 07Gordon Smith, U Victoria, 07• Peggy Mason, former Amb. Disarmament, 07Peggy Mason, former Amb. Disarmament, 07• Jack Layton, May 07Jack Layton, May 07• Afghan Senate May, 07Afghan Senate May, 07• Canadian Public 62%Canadian Public 62%

Vicious CycleVicious Cycle

Armed insurgency Armed insurgency

^ l^ l

l Vl V

Militia Recruitment CounterinsurgencyMilitia Recruitment Counterinsurgency

^ l^ l

l Vl V

Afghan civilian angerAfghan civilian anger