Joint Statement by Peace & Conflict Resolution Organisations

Hands Across the Divide statue in Derry by Maurice Harron

On the 20th anniversary of 9/11, Inter Mediate and other leading European peace making organisations have issued a joint call for governments to do more to explore political solutions with proscribed armed groups, including through dialogue. We are concerned at the rising human and economic costs of the West’s security-led CT strategies over the past two decades, which show no sign of generating lasting peace. And meanwhile, proliferating counter-terrorism laws and proscription regimes are effectively criminalising efforts at diplomacy. Since proscribed armed groups look set to dominate conflicts for years to come, we need to refocus conflict resolution strategies on what may work better: including making it politically and legally easier for governments and peace NGOs to discuss political alternatives to violence.