SIPAZ Activities (March – April 2000)

Among team activities during March-April 2000:

CONTACTS AND VISITS

• Visit to the northern region (communities in the counties of Tila and Sabanilla) to speak with peasants, displaced persons, returned refugees, representatives of various churches and social organizations, leaders of Development Peace and Justice, and local authorities.
• Visit to the northern region (Jolnixtie y Libertad) as part of an investigation on the condition of children in the context of low intensity warfare.
• Visit to the Margaritas region to speak with displaced Evangelicals.
• Visits to communities in the highlands to speak with religious contacts.
• Organization and accompaniment of an ecumenical delegation from the US and Mexico.
• Several visits to the Cerro Hueco prison to interview Evangelical prisoners.
• Visit to Nicaragua by two team members to study the work of the Peace Commissions there.
• Accompaniment of the British ambassador on a visit to indigenous communities in the highlands.

INFORMATION

• Convening, organization, and facilitation of a meeting of organizations working with children in Chiapas in connection with an investigation on this subject.
• Several interviews with persons and organizations that work with children.
• Collaboration on a case study as part of the international project “Reflecting on Peace Practice” conducted by the Collaborative for Development Action (US) and the Peace and Life Institute (Sweden).

EDUCATION

• Convening and organization of workshops on managing trauma, led by Mary Litell of Capacitar (US) for the SIPAZ team and other NGOs.
• Facilitation of workshops with educators on conflict transformation at the Casa de la Ciencia.
• Training of one team member in conflict transformation through the Mennonite Peace and Justice Network (Central America.)