Small arms and light weapons move swimmingly into war torn areas across the global South. Beyond the reach of border patrols (if they are present) former Eastern European pilots swoop in to make their deliveries on behalf of private company profiteers. Hugh Griffiths provides an inside look.

Jayantha Dhanapala, former Under Secretary General for Disarmament Affairs of the United Nations, says that there is a need for political solutions to resolve the nuclear proliferation in recent times. Dhanapala is now the Secretary General of the Secretariat for Coordination of the Peace Process in Sri Lanka. He has

The management of the Spratly Islands conflict: Success or failure? Author: Sopheada Phy Originally Published at Peace and Conflict Monitor on: 06/02/2009 Category: Analysis II The Spratly Islands are situated in the South China Sea, one of the largest continental shelves in the world, which is abundant in resources such

Then They Started Shooting breaks stereotypes about “traumatized war children” by talking about children’s resilience in dealing with war hardship. In the aftermath of the Bosnian conflict, very few children showed lasting signs of trauma; instead, thoughts of their personal futures filled their minds. In her analyses of individual psychological

The state of the field. An interview with Christopher Mitchell Author: Ross Ryan Originally Published at Peace and Conflict Monitor on 09/19/2008 Christopher Mitchell is currently Professor Emeritus at theInstitute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University, Virginia, where he was the Drucie French Cumbie Professor of Conflict

Rupakjyoti Borah reviews the conflict in Assam, India in light of recent developments including the arrest of ULFA commanders. Although peace talks and other attempts to resolve the conflict have been less than successful in recent years, Borah reports that there is renewed optimism for peace in the region, provided

Building on the work of Dr Victoria Fontan and others, Muhyadin Saed challenges conventional methods of peacebuilding, with specific reference to the experiences of Somaliland. Saed proposes a human-centred, rather than institutional, approach which considers the local people to be vital assets in the design and implementation of such projects.

Muhammed Nawaz Khan provides a comprehensive analysis of opportunities and challenges for interaction between non-state armed groups (NSAGs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Afghanistan. If such interactions are approached strategically and in a principled way, Khan argues, NSAGs may be brought into development and peacebuilding efforts, and provide the necessary

This article focuses on the right of the Chechen people to self determination. It examines the legitimacy of the Chechens’ claim to self determination and assesses the policy actions of the Russian government toward the minority populations of the Caucasus. It also assesses the various aspects related to the legitimacy

In Africa, interstate and intrastate wars have hindered economic development and political stability, causing poverty and failures in nation building. The ongoing challenges of European colonial history and ethnic division continue to fuel these conflicts. In contrary to conventional views on the cause of the conflict in Africa, however, this