In a deal reached in March 2016 between the European Union (EU) and Turkey, “all new irregular migrants” who reached Greece after March 20 were to be returned to Turkey. In exchange the EU would resettle more Syrian refugees living in Turkey, increase its financial support for refugees in Turkey, and remove visa requirements for Turkish citizens (Collett 2016). To …
Maribel Gonzales 1953 – 2015
In Memoriam On Tuesday, April 28 we learned that our friend and former colleague, Maribel Gonzales, had died at her home in Guelph, Ontario. Maribel worked with Project Ploughshares from 2008 until 2013. She quickly took charge of a project in the Caribbean, working with civil society organizations to address the plague of armed violence in their communities. Maribel coordinated …
Hope for Liberia: Trauma healing and reconciliation
Author Aloysius B. Nyanti Published in The Ploughshares Monitor Volume 35 Issue 1 Spring 2014 Aloysius B. Nyanti (email: anyanti@lcl-thrp.com) joined THRP in 1998 and has worked on conflict resolution, peacebuilding, trauma healing, and leadership development programs. As Program Officer, he is responsible for program oversight and staff management. More information about THRP can be found at www.lcl-thrp.com. A program promoting …
South Sudan at odds with itself
Author John Siebert Published in The Ploughshares Monitor Volume 35 Issue 1 Spring 2014 A total shattering of the peace has led to more than 10,000 deaths and upwards of one million displaced We opened with a minute of silence to remember those who have been victims of violence since December 15, 2013, when the world’s newest country, the Republic of South …
South Sudan at odds with itself
By John Siebert We opened with a minute of silence to remember those who have been victims of violence since December 15, 2013, when the world’s newest country, the Republic of South Sudan, began a descent into chaos. On February 26 the Centre for International Policy Studies at the University of Ottawa and the Subsahara Centre hosted a gathering of …
South Sudan needs Canada’s support
Letter urging Canada to offer support to South Sudan dated January 24, 2014 from from Project Ploughshares to John Baird, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada, and Christian Paradis, Minister of International Development. Please click on attachment to view document
Is war ever justified? Workshop
In Niagara Falls on October 26 Ploughshares Executive Director John Siebert and Intern Charmila Ireland facilitated a workshop on the question “Is war ever justified?” The event was organized by the Presbytery of Niagara of the Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC) and the Norma Goldsmith Lay School of Theology. More than a dozen people with a wide range of knowledge, …
Canadian arms exports to Egypt: fudging the figures
The current crisis in Egypt is complex and fluid. To date Canada’s response has been measured, but understanding the situation and Canada’s role in Egypt is not improved by misrepresentation of relevant facts. A recent article in The Globe and Mail noted: “Canadian companies have exported small amounts of military equipment to Egypt, worth less than $1-million a year on …
Canada’s contributions to peace and security in Mali
Author John Siebert The Ploughshares Monitor Volume 34 Issue 1 Spring 2013 The crucial decision about further military contributions is not “boots on the ground” or “no boots on the ground,” but what those boots do when they are on the ground to contribute to sustainable peace in Mali. This applies whether the boots are from Canada, France, Chad, Mali, …
Mali & Non-combat Military Contributions by Canada
Author John Siebert Presentation to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs 11am – 12 noon, February 14, 2013 Thank you for this opportunity to discuss Canada’s current role in Mali. Let me start by saying that the cautious approach being taken by the Canadian government to events in Mali is welcome. Canada has provided heavy-lift air transport …