ifda dossier 74 - Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation

Special Issue on 'Military Withdrawals and Peace Building'
Guest Editor: Kumar Rupeainghe
This special ISÈU of the Bulletin of Peace Proposals (No 3, 1989) l* concerned with
the withdrawal of foreign military forces from the Third Worid. Armed intervention has
not been uncommon in Third World conflicts, but recent^ a number of intervening
governments have either pulled their troops out. or announced that they will soon do
so There is also a trend towards an increased role for the UN. The withdrawals have
attracted attention not least because several of the conflicts had been considered
hopelessly deadlocked The special issue examines this process of withdrawal, focusing
on the possibilities for peace building and conflict resolution.
Conflicts from three continents are analysed. Most of them - Afghanistan, Central
America, Sn Lanka. Namibia, Indo-China - have featured in headlines over the years,
while one - Western Sahara - haa almost been forgotten by the international cornmunrty
(perhaps reflecting the fact that it has never been a vend of superpower rivalry).
Kumar Rupesinghe's introduction links different case studies together, providing an
overall view, and showing that there are indeed general lessons to be learned from the
disparate conflicts He discusses the causes of military intervention and rts effects on
the country concerned as well U the potential for, and consequences of, withdrawals.
Among the themes touched upon are the importance of ethnicity in Third World
conflicts, the role of the UN and the international community and the characteristics and
dynamics of guerrilla warfare. Nor are the complications of the withdrawals forgotten:
peace tends to bring problems of its own. Opposition movements and alliances which
are brought into existence by war. or which live by it, are often unable to adapt
successfully to more normal conditions.
The special issue of the Bulletin of Peace Proposals is available from Sage Publications
at a cost of £6 per copy at the ind'widua! rate. of £1161 per copy at the
institutional rate. Subscriptions may also be ordered from Sage: 1 year (4 issues) costs
E201S33 for individuals and £4066 for insliiutlons. (Sage Publications, 28 Banner
Street, London EClY ME, UK)
NOS.42-3 48 RAGES JULY-DEC. 1989
Special double issue!!!
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AN OVERVIEW OF
APPROACHES AND
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by Assef Bayat