Conflict, Disaster & Risk

Alternative conflict mitigation; insurgency analysis; stakeholder analysis

  • Bangladesh- Facilitated public seminar on "Stakeholders in Major Conflicts: non-participation, Prolifration & Spillovers" at the International University of Business, Agriculture and Technology (2007).
  • Canada- Pearson Peacekeeping Certificate. Lectured on Nepal conflict at Carleton University’s Norman Patterson School of International Affairs (2003) and Thompson Rivers University (2002). Key staff of a pilot outdoor adventure rehabilitation project aimed at young criminal offenders, for the Alberta Corrections Service (1983).
  • France- Lectured at INSEAD to 4th year MBA class on alternative conflict resolution and stakeholder analysis, focusing on the Nepal insurgency; September 2006.
  • Ghana- Coordinated the development of a submission to support development initiatives with the research and implementation of conflict mitigation measures aimed at improving the relationships among development projects and hosts.
  • Indonesia- Instrumental in the feasibility study for, establishment and further development of the CIDA bilateral-funded Centre for Social Forestry in Kalimantan Timur (1998-2004). This Centre is a multidisciplinary establishment instrumental in harmonizing the contending forces on forest lands and in mitigating conflict arising from multisectoral and interethnic usage among transmigrants, indigenous Dayaks, governments (at local, district and national levels) as well as Indonesian and foreign industries. Extrapolated multi and interdisciplinary approaches from work here in harmonizing contending forces regarding land issues among communities, government, extractive industries.
  • Korea (North)- Officially invited in 2002 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was their guest for meetings with the Ministry, various post secondary and technical institutions, as well as health and tourism services. Discussions covered, among other aspects, the conflicting situation with South Korea and the United States; strategies for lasting peace in the region; and the politicization of development. I have learned from my experience in the DPRK and even afterwards in sustained communication with the government and institutions, about the importance of gathering perspectives from all sides of an issue and in attempting to facilitate mutual understanding by different sides.
  • Nepal- Interviewed in Nepali on Metro FM (106.7, Kathmandu) on special “Peace Process Issues in Nepal” programme, December 11, 2007; Consultant to international firms working in conflict areas (2002-2006); interviewed in Nepali on Metro FM (106.7, Kathmandu) on special “Conflict in Nepal” programme, December 12 and 18, 2004. Requested in 2002 to engage in mediation to establish the potential for negotiation. Undertook a Socio-Cultural Impact Assessment (including social risk assessment) in the Tarai for Petro Canada International Assistance Corporation.Participant, National Disaster Planning Seminar, Nepal, 1992; National Symposium on Disasters Planning Seminar, Bir Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal, November 2-3, 1992. Member, Government of Nepal and UNDP Disaster Coordination Group, September-October 1993; Ministry of Health and WHO, National Task Force on Strengthening District Health Systems in Nepal, 1994; Nepal Health Donors' Coordination Group, 1994 to 1995; Nepal Drug Schemes Coordination Group, 1994 to 1995.
  • Invited as observer in political issues such as the referendum in 1980, Panchayat elections in 1981 in northwest Nepal, and was an intimate observer and discussant in the Peoples’ Movement of 1990, the ensuing multiparty elections in 1991, etc.
  • Nicaragua- Led a participatory evaluation team in 1989 to evaluate 15 CIDA NGO Branch-funded projects in agriculture, health, social rehabilitation and education sectors in different regions of the country.
  • Pakistan- Researched northern Pakistan (Taliban, Al Qaeda, tribal) conflict backgrounds and influences on development projects. Lectured on conflict in development at Quaid-I-Azam University; on conflict in development at Peshawar University; on conflict research and conflict transformation at Karachi University; managed complex, multisectoral development project in the North-West Frontier Province.
  • Russia- Initiated and managed the Gorbachev Foundation-funded Policy Training and Delivery Project with the Academy of National Economy's School for Management Consultants. A major component was training in conflict mitigation and negotiation between different levels of government, government and industry, government and civil society, industry and civil society. Organized and was one of the key facilitators in seminars on Advanced Negotiation and Conflict Technology in May, 2003, in September/October 2003, in October 2004 in Moscow; and again in August 2005 in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia.
  • Slovakia- Co-developed and managed a 6 year CIDA bilateral project with the systemically discriminated Roma (Gypsies), ending in December 2003. Although a holistic project involving basic needs, health, local governance and education, an important element has been conflict mitigation with the surrounding ethnic Slovak community, sensitization of Slovak officials to the Roma issues and issues' resolution by the Roma in their interaction with Slovak functionaries at the municipal, district, regional and national levels.
  • Sri Lanka- Invited as member of a cross-Canada interuniversity team under the World University service of Canada (WUSC) to identify targeted opportunities for various campus constituencies to participate in post-tsunami rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts, facilitate linkages between Canadian universities and local organizations for the purposes of building capacity, developing joint programming and shared research opportunities, and strengthen WUSC’s capacity and programming as well as that of Sri Lankan partners. April 29 – May 10, 2005.


RELATED PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

Articles

  • “Identifying Stakeholders: Approach to Social Forestry Conflicts”; International Journal of Social Forestry; Vol.1 No. 1; June 2008, 83-95. http://www.ijsf.org/dat/art/vol01/ijsf_vol1_no1_05_somlai_transstakeholders.pdf
  • “TransStakeholder Approach in Drawn-out Conflicts”; Media CSF, Universitas Mulawarman, Vol.7, No. 1; Samarinda, Indonesia; March 2006 http://www.csf.or.id/dat/media/vol7_no1_jan_mar2006.pdf
  • “TransStakeholder Approach”; IODA Newsletter; International Organisational Development Association; March 2006

Books, book chapters and published proceedings

· “The Role of State and Society in Conflict Transformation: a process in asymmetry”; Department of International Relations, University of Karachi. 2011.

· “The Advantages of Links with Weak Peripheral Groups in Environments of Conflict”; Department of International Relations, University of Karachi. 2010.

· “The Web in the Shadows / Chaayaamaa Maakuraako Jaalo: Anatomy of stakeholder influences in an insurgency”; chapter in book “Contentious Politics and Democratization in Nepal”, Sage, August, 2007.

· “A Glimpse of Peace Education”; Dr Bindeshwar Prasad Yadav; Madhesh Peace University, 2007 (1st edition); critique of draft manuscript.

· “Trening Konsultantov vo Ulravleniu” (Training Consultants to Manage Organisational Conflicts); chapter in book “Publichnaja Politika v Rossii”; Gorbachev Fund; Moscow; 2005.

· “Police Radio Recording”, postscript chapter (p.232-262) in book Jantaa Jaagekaa Belaa (Nepali translation of Kathmandu Spring: The People’s Movement of 1990; Kiyoko Oguraa); (1st Edition); translated by Mohan Mainali, Ritaa and Shivamaayaa Mainali, Basanta Thapa; Himal Association; Kathmandu; 2004.

Selected manuals and major reports

  • “Initiating Work in Maoist Affected Tarai Areas of Nepal”; prepared for (Confidential); January 2005
  • “Final Report of the Advanced Negotiation and Conflict Mediation Project” in collaboration with BEST training RUSSIA”; TRU Project 17-607-94042; AUCC PTP Project 1102/Contract Number 3121 September 20 to October 2, 2003; October 7, 2003
  • "District Health Emergency Plan"; 4th edition; Health Development Project and HMG/ Ministry of Health, Surkhet, Nepal, 1992; 100 pages.

Presentations

  • “Obama’s Afghan policy: Impact on FATA”; Experts Panel; Department of Defence & Strategic Studies, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. February 17, 2011.
  • “The Role of State and Society in Conflict Transformation: a process in asymmetry”; and Panel Chair, International Seminar on Conflict Transformation and the Challenge of Peace, Karachi, Pakistan, December 6-7, 2010.
  • “The Advantages of Links with Weak Peripheral Groups in Environments of Conflict”; and Panel Chair, Regional Workshop on Conflict Resolution Research, University of Karachi, November 10-11, 2009.
  • “Stakeholders in Major Conflicts: non-participation, proliferation and spillovers”; IUBAT, Bangladesh, December 13, 2007
  • “Democracy, Conflict and the State in Nepal” Panel Chair, University of Wisconsin-Madison Centre For South Asia’s 34th Annual Conference on South Asia, October 7, 2005 (www.wisc.edu/southasiaconference). Concurrent Presenter of “The Web in the Shadows”, an anatomy of stakeholders in the Nepal conflict.
  • “Stakeholder Complexity and the Need for Integration & Independence from Foreign Influence of Disparate Stakeholder Groups”; Nagarik Shaanti Samiti (Civic Peace Committee); Kathmandu, Nepal, November 2004.
  • “Risk Assessment and Management Guidelines for International Service and Project Management”, commissioned by the Association of Community Colleges of Canada, 2004.
  • “Stakeholders in the Shadows of Conflict”; PhD instructors’ forum, Universitas Mulawarman, Samarinda, KalTim, Indonesia, March 13, 2004.
  • “International Conflict Stakeholder Analysis”; Advanced Negotiation and Conflict Mediation seminar, School for Management Consultants-Academy of National Economy, Moscow, September/ October 2003.
  • “Dialogue in Conflict Regarding Sri Lanka and Nepal Seminar”; Thompson Rivers University, facilitator with Dr. Poorna Kanta Adhikary of the Institute for Conflict Management Peace and Development (ICPD), Kamloops, B.C. Canada; July 4, 2003.
  • “Risk Assessment and Management in International Work”; Association of Canadian Community Colleges Annual Forum, in Vancouver, B.C. Canada, May 2003
  • “Ethnobureaucratic Analysis Within Conflict, and its Relationship to Mediation and Negotiation: the Example of Nepal and its Application to Russia”; Advanced Negotiation and Conflict Mediation Technology seminar of the School for Management Consultants-Academy of National Economy, Moscow, Russia, May 2003.
  • “Ethnobureaucratic Considerations in Conflict Mitigation in Nepal”; Norman Patterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada: January 28, 2003
  • “Hidden Challenges: Risk Assessment and Management”; British Columbia Council for International Education’s Fall Institute in Vancouver, Canada, October 2002.
  • "The Maturation of Trust in International Partnerships"; School for Management Consultants, Academy of National Academy, Moscow, Russia; April, 1999.

Curricula, facilitation guides, major proposal development etc.

  • Proposal development of “Conflict-Sensitive Development in Northern Ghana”; Thompson Rivers University, Graybridge International Consulting Inc., Centre for Policy Alternatives (Ghana)

Media

  • Frequently interviewed on CBC and Radio Free Asia for Nepal-related issues; 2002-2006.
  • Interviewed on Metro FM (106.7, Kathmandu, Nepal) on a special programme on “Conflict in Nepal”, on December 12 and 18, 2004; special “Peace Process Issues in Nepal” programme, December 11, 2007.
  • Interviewed on Radio in Pakistan on conflict research, November 2009.

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