Dr Hannes Siebert, special advisor to the Pyidaungsu Institute (PI) for Peace and Dialogue, told Civil Society Forum for Peace in Rangoon Friday that not involving in the national dialogue does not necessarily mean the CSOs have no important roles to play.
"CSOs can contribute in the National Dialogue in various ways," he was quoted as saying at the 8th Civil Society Forum for Peace at Panda Hotel, organized by the Shalom Foundation.
"They included:
- Holding parallel forums (as safety net but not to replace the decision making mechanism)
- Technical and knowledge support
- Organizing public participation, education and advocacy
- Secretariat and administrative support
- Deadlock breaker and consensus building
- Accountability and rights mechanism and advocacy."
Dr Sieberts' presentation came two days after representatives of the Laiza conference rejected proposals for the participation of academics and CSOs.
"How can a CSO claim its representation of the people or their voice?" he asked rhetorically. "It is not voted and cannot claim how many support it."
According to him, 20% of 580 organization involved in the Yemen National Dialogue were CSOs, mainly youth and women In Tunesia, two large CSOs: experts committee and General Union workers were involved.
However, no CSOs were involved in national dialogues in South Africa, Lebanon, Kenya and Iraq. "But they provided technical and secretarial support for the national dialogues," he said.
The forum, participated by more than 130 representatives from more than 70 CSOs around the country, also discussed ceasefire monitoring activities, research on gender violence and business and peace.
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