"I was truly amazed at the lesson these kindergarten children had learned. They learned that collectively, they could take on a problem that was bigger than they were (literally and figuratively), and that through a process, they could change a situation that was threatening to them. They not

Sina Rahmani begins his work in a Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut from the Lebanon

John Keane, Global Civil Society, Cambridge University Press, 2003, www.cambridge.org ,ISBN 0 521 89462 X paperback pp.220

Democracy Plutocracy Kleptocracy: Are we going backwards? Author: Simon Stander Originally Published at Peace and Conflict Monitor on: 05/26/2003 Category: Editorial Historically, the installation of democratic institutions and the development of genuine democratic societies have not come easily. Indeed, democracy is new and fragile everywhere in the world where it

"There is something different about the way Peruvians do politics," writes Rafael Velasquez. "Something scary, it should be said." Politicians use everything from the powerful coca leaf influence to old resentment towards neighboring Chile to squeeze out a political advantage over their opponents. It is, says Velasquez, a dangerous recipe.

General Rios Montt whose human rights record after he seized power in Guatemala in 1982 was truly appalling. It had been hoped that since 1999 the chances of a growing and genuine democracy in that country was going to be good. Since Rios Montt announced his desire to return to

The author reflects on the recent peace process in Burundi and its shortcomings and calls for an international criminal tribunal.

Alphonse Nshimiyimana describes his work in his home country of Rwanda at the Center for Conflict Management funded largely by UNDP and where, understandably, there is much to be done.