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Lead Papers
Condemned by individual governments and the United Nations as the most widely reviled abuse of women's human rights , military sexual atrocities against women continue unabated at the dawn of the third millennium(Eaton). Fifty years after the universal declaration on human rights assured that the atrocities of world war II would never again be repeated, these violent and abhorrent war crimes stand as a shameful indictment of male militarized violence against women at this period in history. And in a climate where militarism, fundamentalism and neo-liberalism turn a blind eye to human rights and have contributed to the expansion of armed conflict around the world, the fear of sexual violence dominates the life of every woman living in today's war zones. John, Youn and Park mentioned that when the three-year Korean War ceased in 1953, the United Nations Military Armistice Commision established the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and the Civilian Control Zone (CCZ) along the South-North Korea divide. The military nature of these zones has served to strictly limit access, thereby affording the ecological resources almost complete protection. For example, the DMZ, a 4-km wide and 250-km long corridor crossing the Korean peninsula at around 38 degree north latitude has served as sanctuary to wild-animals and plants for almost one half century since fighting ceased. The CCZ, 5- to 20-km wide farm and forest lands with a few inhabited residential and commerce areas, functions as a buffer zone for the sanctuary bio-reserves in the DMZ (John, 1998). Wildlife found winter refuge in this transfrontier natural reserve. Of special significance are the endangered red-crowned (Grus japonensis) and white-napped (Grus vipio) cranes (red-crowned,, and cranes) that spend winter in this area. Especially the red-crowned cranes need the complete protection for night-time roosting, as provided by the DMZ's de facto sanctuary.
Wars begin in our minds, and it is therefore
in our minds that the event of peace must be constructed. We may desire peace
and abhor war and also be moved by the suffering it causes but this is not
enough. We must realize that knowledge of and respect for human rights and other
universal values found in this World Congress can lead each member of The
Global Community towards the universal peace to which we all aspire.
Message from Niyi Oyewole niyioyewole@yahoo.com Subject: Congress summary and recommendation Participants: Niyi Oyewole: Eco-Partner Festus Megbwe: Biographical Resource Society Sola Olanipekun: Groundwork Initiative Nig Joke Adeniran: Eco-Partner O. Oyegoke: Manager, UNDP-Assisted Project, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Lagos.Nigeria All of the above (War, Armed Conflicts and Violence) are characterised by state of anarchy, and they negatively affect the resource base of any community, both man and natural resources suffer immensely, the impact at times could be irreversible, when it is reversible, it might take several years to attain complete restoration. They openly undermine the capability of the attain sustainable development. Causes: Economic, Political and Religious and Social factors. These remain the global causes of wars conflicts and violence.Ready example of this is the last gulf war where Iraq annexed some portions of Kuwait purely because of the economic gains. In south-eastern Nigeria, Bayelsa, Calabar and Delta states are perpetual war zones because of the perceived wrong administration or, complete lack of viable social responsibility on the part of the oil-producing companies towards community dwellers. South-eastern Nigeria remains the major oil -rich area of Nigeria.Pockets of polarised regions, ethnic, tribal and religious wars still abound in the country. Another potent cause of wars, armed conflicts and violence is the issue of marginalization of the so-called minority people groups. They feel left out in governance and so resort to wars and violence in expressing their grievances. These causes are further fuelled by absolute lack of transparency, intolerance, lack of community participation in developmental issues and governance. Only workable solution could be involvement/participation of the grassroots in governance and bridge the present ‘gulf’ between the governing body and the governed. |
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