Protection of Civilians in the Context of Peace ... - Pearson Centre

Protection of Civilians in the Context of Peace Operations: Experiences and Recommendations from Latin American Training Centres

Workshop Report September 2011

Background to Workshop From 14 to 16 June 2011, the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre’s Latin American Peacekeeping Partnership (LAPP) and the Paraguayan Peacekeeping Training Centre, El Centro de Entrenamiento Conjunto de Operaciones de Paz (CECOPAZ) jointly organized a workshop entitled Protection of Civilians in the Context of Peace Operations. This workshop originated from a seminar on Crosscutting Challenges to Complex Peace Operations that the PPC jointly held with The Uruguayan National School of Peacekeeping Operations (ENOPU) in December 2010 in Montevideo.1 The protection of civilians (PoC) is a major concern in contemporary peace operations: mandates demand it and the local credibility and international legitimacy of peace operations depend on it. The workshop examined PoC from a multi-dimensional perspective, therefore allowing participants to fully comprehend the complexity of the issue at large as well as the practical implications for their respective organizations. The workshop brought together representatives from Latin American peacekeeping training centres, specifically from their association, ALCOPAZ, as well as guest speakers from the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Refugees International, and the Uruguayan military. The workshop was structured around four themes: 1. Current Developments Pertaining to the PoC in Peace Operations: a UN Secretariat Perspective; 2. Implementing PoC Mandate: a Military Perspective from Uruguay’s Experience in the Democratic Republic of Congo; 3. Successes, Challenges and Gaps: a NGO Perspective; 4. An Integrated Approach to Training for PoC. Training for Protection: UN Secretariat Efforts The DPKO’s Integrated Training Services (ITS) has developed standardized pre-deployment training modules that include a series of scenarios on the protection of civilians. The training modules seek to better prepare personnel prior to deploying to peace operations by:  Establishing a common understanding of what “protection” means in the context of UN peace operations, as distinct from other, non-peace operations protection functions and actors;  Clarifying UN institutional standards and expectations with regards to protection planning and the execution of protection activities;  Clarifying the different roles and responsibilities of all protection actors – civilian, police and military—within a UN peace operation, and how the work of each actor relates to and contributes to the overarching PoC objectives;  Supporting more effective protection planning by improving awareness of protection threats and civilian vulnerabilities (including those specific to women and children), and by giving peacekeepers explanations of what has and has not worked. The training modules created by the UN ITS offer a standardized approach to the most pressing issues surrounding PoC. In order to ensure that these modules are complemented by contributors’ specific requirements, they need to be assessed by national and regional peacekeeping training centres. After 1

The report on this seminar is available online at http://www.peaceoperations.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Report_Crosscutting-Challenges-to-ModernComplex-Peace-Operations-Seminar.pdf


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reviewing and complementing the standardized modules, national and/regional training courses and manuals should be developed to ensure that those expected to implement mandated task in the field are suitably prepared. This is important given that pre-deployment training of peacekeeping personnel is a Member State responsibility. In Latin America, the instruction of such training curricula which capture the complexities of protection challenges can be conducted through the existing network of ALCOPAZ peacekeeping training centres, as well as in-mission training arrangements. Latin American Contributors’ Perspectives on Protection of Civilians Latin American contributors’ perspectives on peace operations in general and therefore on PoC specifically are largely shaped by their experiences with the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), where military contingents are often performing tasks that may fall under the traditional responsibility of police actors. In addition, the complex challenges facing peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), influence the Uruguayan military’s perspective as they continue to learn from their contingents deployed to the eastern part of the DRC. Independent of mission context, workshop participants expressed that the military contingents’ perspectives on PoC is still largely linked to reactive rather than pro-active or even preventative action. For militaries, preventative protection action requires good relations with the host government and local communities. Latin American contributors’ efforts to establish good relations with local communities is rooted in their tradition of “acción cívica”. This civic action sees militaries closely engaging with communities. Almost all Latin American militaries have a historic role of participating in "acción cívica". Often, the armed forces are the only government presence that large parts of society see whether, for example, they are providing medical, social, and welfare services or tackling the consequences of natural disasters. As a result, for many Latin American militaries, PoC therefore naturally equals the provisions of such services. Based on this tradition, Latin American military peacekeepers in Haiti and the DRC have been able to rely on community-friendly activities practiced in their home countries, thus creating a level of trust necessary for proactive and preventive community protection activities. For example, in the eastern DRC, the Uruguayan military provides medical services to local communities and also organizes sporting events. However, at the same time, while pro-actively engaging communities through the provision of these welfare and health care services, Latin American military peacekeepers run the risk of stepping into the realm of responsibility of humanitarian service providers. In addition to this blurring of responsibilities, there is also a level of confusion of the meaning of the word “civilian”. In some instances, Latin American militaries only associate the “civilian” with a peace operation’s civilian component, thus limiting their protection mandate to the language pertaining to the protection of UN personnel rather than the local civilian population. Open and frank discussions between those responsible for training military peacekeepers and humanitarian actors can contribute to clarifying some of these misconceptions. Protection of Civilians Training for Latin American Peacekeepers To date, in Latin America, the provision of integrated training to mixed military, police, and civilian audiences is difficult as Latin American countries still largely focus on military contributions to peace operations. Nevertheless, ALCOPAZ members are expending great efforts at integrating their training curricula. The suggested training outline (see Table 1) reflects Latin American contributors’ focus on military contributions. The outline presents a summary of training objectives, methodology, and suggested content to strategic, operational, and tactical audiences.


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Overall objective: The overall training objective of PoC training in Latin America is to build the capacity of Latin American civilian, military, and police personnel deploying to peace operations to better understand the concepts relating to protection of civilians, distinct roles of military, police, and civilian components in-mission and shared responsibilities among them. Methodology: Training materials for all three audiences should contain introductory theoretical modules that provide an overview of issues, actors, and processes. At the strategic level, information can be conveyed in a seminar style while operational and tactical audiences should engage in scenario-based training, which should be complemented by integrated command post exercises. At the tactical level, it is important for military contingents to be exposes to integrated practical field exercises that emphasize the complexity of decision-making when implementing protection activities. These field exercises will also need to pay particular attention to the interpretation of the rules of engagement. Table 1 provides an overview of the details of the training for strategic, operational, and tactical audiences. The Way Forward The following four action-oriented recommendations were articulated during the workshop and are meant to guide ALCOPAZ members in their individual and collective efforts to move forward with the development of PoC training. 1. Continue to raise senior level officials’ awareness on PoC Regional awareness raising seminar for senior-level civilian, police, military officials: inform decision makers about achievements and gaps that focus directly on training. 2. Integrate PoC into existing training materials 2.1 Conduct gap analysis of existing training materials Analyze existing course materials for PoC-related material and identify gaps and determine level of adjustment required. 2.2 Integrate PoC into existing tactical pre-deployment and induction training Given the time constraints and logistical challenges, PoC training at the tactical level cannot be an additional course and will need to be integrated into existing training schedules. 3. Harness ALCOPZ advantages 3.1 Further discuss PoC in context of ALCOPAZ. Through venues such as the ALCOPAZ general assembly, members should determine how they can work together to maximize training benefits. 3.2 Sequence regional training and seek financial support In addition, ALCOPAZ should consider sequencing regional training by beginning to conduct regional training of trainers sessions that could be funded by external actors. 4. Clarify civil-military relationship In order to improve operational effectiveness, it is important that all training sufficiently clarify the relationship between civilian and military actors. At the tactical level, exercises should focus more on this sensitive relationship. Here, the role of humanitarian actors should be played by staff of humanitarian organizations rather than actors in order to ensure they can adequately address complex issues.


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Table1: Overview of Suggested PoC Training as Developed During Workshop

Participants

Objective

Themes

Strategic audience  Senior military, police and civilian decision-makers working in peace operations departments;  Senior-level employees deploying to peace operations. Improve the level of awareness and understanding of national senior decision-makers and planners as well as those senior officials taking up mission leadership positions of protectionrelated concepts and activities.  International dimensions of PoC;  PoC in the context of peace operations; o Phases in protection responses; o Understanding of protection terminology;  Vulnerable populations;  Risk and threat assessment;  Roles and responsibilities of humanitarian agencies and civil-military-police cooperation relating to PoC;  Integration of PoC in strategic planning for mission and inmission.

Operational audience  Mid-level civilian employees;  Military staff officers;  Police planners.

Tactical audience  Military contingents;  Military observers;  Individual police officers.

Strengthen the capacity of military, police, and civilian staff to plan and execute protection activities inmission.

Strengthen capacity of military contingents, individual police officer, and military observers to implement protection activities in the field.

    



Overview of protection responsibilities; Planning of protection activities; Integrated protection planning; Incorporating protection in mission campaign plans; Coordination between mission components and with local authorities; Integrated scenario-based inmission training.





 o o o o o o

o

o o o o

Definition of protection actors and their roles and responsibilities; Definition of protection terms relevant to the tactical level, including imminent threat, necessary action Concrete protection activities: Code of conduct; Confidence building; Interaction with local communities, authorities; Community assessment; Local cultures and customs; Coordination with different actors (local, civilian, police, military); Use of force – practical training on rules of engagement; Community engagement; Civil-military activities; Conducting pro-active patrols; Non-military protection activities.


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Table 2: Workshop Program

“Protection of Civilians in the Context of Peace Operations Workshop” Program PPC -CECOPAZ, Paraguay 13 - 17 June 2011 14 June 2011 – Day 1 Time

Activity

Lead

Location

8:30 – 9:00

Opening Ceremony

CECOPAZ

Salón Los Pacificadores, CECOPAZ

9:00 – 9:15

Official Photo

CECOPAZ and PPC

In Front of CECOPAZ

9:15 – 9:30

Coffee Break

CECOPAZ and PPC

CECOPAZ

9:30 - 10:00

Introduction

Facilitators


10:00 – 11:30

Presentation: Current Developments Pertaining to the PoC in Peace Operations: a UN Secretariat Perspective

Kyoko Ono, Political Affairs Officer Peacekeeping Best Practices Section


11:30 – 13:00

Group Discussion

Facilitators

CECOPAZ Classrooms

13:00 – 14:30

Lunch

CECOPAZ and PPC

El Casino de Oficiales del Ejército de Paraguay (Officers Mess)

14:30 – 15:00

Group Report/Conclusions

Facilitators


15:00 – 16:30

Presentation: Implementing a PoC Mandate: a Military Perspective from Uruguay’s Experience in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Lt. Col. Marcelo BILBAO, BATALLÓN DE INFANTERÍA MECANIZADO Nº6


15 June 2011: Day 2 Time

Activity

Lead

Location


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8:30 – 10:00

Group Discussion

Facilitators

CECOPAZ Classrooms

10:00 – 10:30


Facilitators


10:30 – 10:45

Coffee Break

CECOPAZ and PPC

CECOPAZ

10:45 – 12:15

Presentation: Successes, Challenges and Gaps: a NGO Perspective

Erin Weir, Senior Advocate for Peacekeeping, Refugees International


12:15 – 13:00

Student Demonstration : Checkpoint

CECOPAZ

CECOPAZ

13:00 – 14:30

Lunch

CECOPAZ and PPC

14:30 – 16:00

Group Discussion

Facilitators

El Casino de Oficiales del Ejército de Paraguay (Officers Mess) CECOPAZ Classrooms

16:00 – 16:30


Facilitators


16 June 2011: Day 3 Time 8:30 – 8:35

Activity Plenary Discussion: Training for PoC

Lead Facilitators

Location Salón Los Pacificadores, CECOPAZ

8:35 – 10:00

Group Discussion

Facilitators

CECOPAZ Classrooms

10:00 – 10:15

Coffee Break

CECOPAZ and PPC

CECOPAZ

10:15 – 10:45


Facilitators


10:45 – 11:00

Plenary Discussion: An Facilitators Integrated Approach to Training for PoC


11:00 – 12:30

Group Discussion

Facilitators

CECOPAZ Classrooms

12:30 – 13:00


Facilitators



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13:00 – 14:30

Lunch

CECOPAZ and PPC

El Quincho del Ejército (Army’s Barbeque Area) Salón Los Pacificadores, CECOPAZ

14:30 – 16:00 16:00 – 16:15

Experts Roundtable: Voices from the Field Coffee Break

Facilitators and Guest Speakers CECOPAZ and PPC

16:15 – 16:30

Workshop Closure

Facilitators


16:30 – 17:00

Post-Workshop Questionnaires

Jaimi Gardner, Project Officer, PPC


20:00 – 22:30

Closing Ceremony/Dinner

CECOPAZ and PPC

Army, Navy and Air force Centre

CECOPAZ

17 June 2011: Participant Departures Time

Activity

Lead

Location

All Day

Participant Departures

CECOPAZ

Sheraton Lobby

Table 3: Participant List

Pais/ Country Argentina Argentina

Cargo/ Position Jefe del Departamento Educación, CAECOPAZ Facilitador, PPC

Bolivia

Director, DOPE

Brasil Canada Canada Canada

Jefe Seccion Contigente, CCOPAB Jefe del Programa, PPC Oficial del Programa, PPC Investigador, PPC Senior Advocate for Peacekeeping, Refugees International

Canada Chile Colombia Colombia Ecuador

Nombre/ Name Vicecomodoro Carlos Alberto Maver Tomas Varnagy Cnl. DAEN Omar Jaime Salinas Ortuño Major do Exército Brasileiro LEANDRO NERY ALVES VARGAS Coronel (retirado) Mike Snell Jaimi Gardner Martin Fischer

Ms. Erin A Weir Capitan de Navio IM Claudio Director, CECOPAC Zanetti Muñoz Encargado de Educación Militar, Capitan John Jairo Montealegre ESMAI Briñez Facilitadora, PPC Laura Gil JEFE DEL DEPARTAMENTO DE TCRN DE E.M Edwin Gonzalo OPERACIONES DE PAZ DEL Villacres Serrano


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Guatemala

Japon Paraguay Paraguay Paraguay

Paraguay Paraguay

Paraguay Paraguay Peru Uruguay Uruguay

COMANDO CONJUNTO DE LAS FF.AA Subdirector en la Dirrecion de Operaciones de Paz del Estado Coronel Oscar Jacobo De León Mayor de la Defensa Nacional Argueta Political Affairs Officer Peacekeeping Best Practices Section Policy, Evaluation and Training Division Department of Peacekeeping Operations Ms. Kyoko Ono Cnel DEM Gilberto Melanio Comandante del CECOPAZ Arriola Osorio Jefe de Plana Mayor del Cnel DEM Celso Javier Sarubbi CECOPAZ Davalos Comandante de la 2º Compañia Cnel DEM Eusebio Ramon de Ingenieria Multirol, CECOPAZ Ortellado Ayala Jefe de RRPP del CECOPAZ y Ayudante del Comandante, Cap Art Edward David Gaete CECOPAZ Rolon Policia Nacional de Paraguay, Oficial Primero OS. Carolina CECOPAZ Isabel Rolon Silva Oficial de Logistica y Oficial de Relacciones Publicas, CECOPAZCIM Capitan Robert Jackson Gwynn Oficial de Comunicaciones, Teniente de Communicaciones CECOPAZ Robert Alfredo Benitez Cardoso Capitan de Navio Roberto Barrios Director del CECOPAZ Coloma Subdirector del Instituto Militar Coronel Raúl Gustavo Passarino de Estudios Superiores Colombo Jefe del Batallón de Infantería Mecanizado Nº 6 Tnt. Col. Marcelo Bilbao


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