PILPG - Programs:

As part of its Peacebuilding Practice, PILPG drafts and runs negotiation simulations for current conflict areas around the globe in order to train parties in negotiating techniques and to assist in the development of innovative diplomatic solutions to armed conflicts. The negotiation simulations are run both for the policy making community in Washington, D.C. and in some instances in-country as part of a training program for the parties to the conflict.

The purpose of the simulations is to surface critical issues in each conflict, test new approaches to conflicts, and devise innovative diplomatic solutions. Following each simulation, PILPG drafts and distributes a Lessons Learned Report, which highlights key lessons that may be applicable during the upcoming negotiations.

The simulation exercises follow the methodology used by the U.S. Department of State’s National Foreign Affairs Training Center to train American diplomats prior to negotiations.

The simulations and lessons learned reports are not copyrighted and are freely available for any institution which wishes to use them for training or for academic purposes.

From the beginning of Western colonization in Southeast Asia, Aceh has defined itself as a fiercely independent entity. Despite never being formally colonized by the Dutch, the Republic of Indonesia annexed Aceh shortly after it had gained independence. Ever since, Aceh has continued to experience a tenuous relationship with the Indonesian government. In 1976, Teungku Hasan di Tiro founded the precursor to the Free Aceh Movement, which continues to struggle for Aceh’s independence. In response to the organized rebellion, Suharto, the long-time authoritarian President of Indonesia intensified military campaigns and imposed martial law. Recently, his successors have changed Indonesia’s approach and have attempted to reach an agreement with the separatists.

Currently, the negotiations are centered on determining the political status of Aceh; decommissioning, disarming, and reintegrating the armed parties; establishing control over the oil and natural gas reserves in the region, and dealing with humanitarian issues such as internally displaced persons and accountability for human rights abuses. Some members of the international community, namely the U.S., Japan, and the UN, are interested in settling the conflict between Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement, even though they each have different motivations and objectives. The Henry Dunant Center and their advisors, the “Four Wise Men,” are acting as facilitators in the peace project. The following negotiation simulation identifies the perspectives of the major actors in the conflict and highlights issues that will be important in prospective peace negotiations.

Since it recognition as an independent, sovereign state, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has experienced conflict and dictatorship. The conflict has served to polarize factions with the DRC including forces that supported Kabila, as well as rebel Congolese factions. Repercussions of the conflict have had a destabilizing effect on surrounding states resulting in the involvement of regional military forces from other countries. The war has split the country into areas under the control of different competing groups and remained a concern for many west African nations.

The signing of a ceasefire as well as the “Sun City Accord” put the DRC on the road toward establishing peace. Future peace negotiations will involve both the current government of the DRC, Congolese rebel factions who still control areas of the country, and delegations from the surrounding countries, some of which have an economic interest in the country’s natural resources. As the negotiation process moves forward there are four primary issues that must be resolved by all parties involved: security, democratization, economic development, and humanitarian concerns.

After the fall of Saddam Hussein, the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) engaged in efforts to create a constitutional democracy in Iraq. An interim fundamental law was adopted in February 2004. In June 2004, the CPA transfered sovereignty to a transitional national assembly, which will draft and approve a new Iraqi constitution. This simulation covers key issues that are likely to arise during the constitutional negotiations, such as the form of government that will be established, where legislative authority will lie, the distribution of resources, protection of human, minority and women’s rights, and transitional justice.

The 275 newly elected Iraqi representatives will soon find themselves involved deeply in the process of reconstituting Iraq ’s sovereignty. While rebuilding a country is a difficult and contentious process for any country, the challenges are magnified substantially for Iraq given its complex mosaic of ethnic and religious identities, the history of repression under Saddam Hussein, the likely continuation of an American military presence, and Iraq ’s complex relations with its neighboring states. One such challenge is the management of various issues concerning Iraqi oil distribution.

The distribution of oil in Iraq presents several issues concerning the development of the Iraqi oil industry. The two primary issues are 1) the ownership of and right to extract Iraq ’s oil resources and 2) the formula for allocation of the revenues collected from the sale of oil. Other secondary issues—ownership and operation of the downstream oil sector (oil extraction and refining infrastructure), involvement of foreign companies, and mechanisms to ensure accountability and transparency—are to a large extent likely to be shaped by the resolution of the issue of ownership.

Since their partition in 1947, India and Pakistan have fought three wars over Kashmir, each claiming the region as its own. To date, over 50,000 civilians have been killed. Kashmiri residents on both sides of the Line of Control have alleged severe human rights violations, including arbitrary detention and extrajudicial killings. Over the last fifty years, many United Nations resolutions have called for talks, and while numerous ceasefire agreements have been reached, there has been no lasting solution to the crisis.

However, extreme attitudes have recently thawed on both sides of the border. Both India and Pakistan have made overtures indicating a willingness to renew talks about the future of Kashmir and the relations between the two countries in general. This simulation covers issues of final status, demilitarization, and humanitarian issues.

In 1999, a humanitarian intervention launched by NATO successfully brought an end to Serbian control of Kosovo. Although this intervention helped to end many of the human rights abuses that were occurring as a result of Serbian control, it did not resolve the complicated issue of final status in Kosovo. Over the past five years, the UN and other international actors have attempted to move towards final status negotiations in the region. However, little progress has been made on the issue thus far and ethnic violence and mistrust continue to fester. Kosovo’s unresolved final status continues to be a potential source of renewed conflict in the Balkans.

The Group has run seven negotiation simulations regarding the conflict in Kosovo. Three of the simulations were run in late 2001 and early 2002. At that point in time, no progress had been made between the parties on the issue of final status, as several international actors were concerned about addressing the politically sensitive issue of possible independence for Kosovo. A report describing the lessons learned from the negotiations was distributed to relevant parties in the region, the U.S. and Europe. In the fall of 2003, the Group ran a negotiation simulation on the final status of Kosovo. A report has also been prepared detailing the lessons learned from this simulation.

Since Nepal’s transition to democracy, Nepal has faced political instability and at times violent conflict. Nepal's attempts at democratic politics have been hindered by its history of a hereditary monarchy and the Maoist campaign against a constitutional monarchy. The King's assumption of executive powers in 2002 has brought forth a political stalemate indicating that Nepal’s future rests in political consensus.The Nepal Negotiation Simulation brings to the negotiation table the monarchy, the political parties, and the Maoists. The primary topics addressed at the simulation were the restoration of government, reintegration of forces and the peace process, the constitution, and the role of an international body. The three briefing packets for each delegation can be found below.

Since the Sri Lanka conflict began in the early 1980s, over 64,00 people have been killed. In an effort to end the conflict, a cease-fire agreement was established in February 2001 between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). One of the key issues in the negotiations is whether and to what extent the LTTE will be empowered to create an interim authority in the North and East provinces. This simulation covers the discussions concerning the adoption of an interim arrangement for self-government of the North and East provinces, and the clarification of the Cease-Fire regarding the importation of arms and interdiction at sea.

Since gaining independence from Egypt and the United Kingdom in 1956, the Republic of Sudan has experienced strife between Arab Muslims in the north and Christians and animists in the south. The Muslim majority has run Sudan ’s government since independence, and various separatist forces in the south have fought with the government almost continuously for self-determination. Among other things, the separatist groups seek control over the two most valuable resources in the south, the Nile River and oil reserves. Beginning in 1994, under the auspices of the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development, the parties to the conflict began making progressive steps towards a peace agreement. In 2002, the government and the separatist groups agreed on a framework for future negotiations.