冲突预防与非政府组织的作用

学界对冲突预防(CP)的理解充满争论。本文把CP分为结构型和直接型预防两类。前者着重讨论冲突原发地的潜在原因,并致力于一种长期的参与;后者主要关注短期策略以及冲突方和第三方的互动。在实践中,国家和政府间组织(IGOs)一直是CP的主导力量。联合国就是最明显的参与者,在冲突预防中扮演着重要的领导角色。鉴于当代冲突的动态和特点与传统的国家间冲突不同,NGO在预防国际冲突中的作用得到越来越多的关注。NGOs在CP中的各种角色和活动往往是和国家及政府间组织并行或同在的。在实践中,全世界各国、IGOs以及参与经济、政治和社会关系的NGOs之间存在着依存关系。提高解决当代冲突的能力和效率,我们就应该也必须通过一个跨国框架来增进国家、IGOs和NGOs之间的合作与协调。

The Role of NGOs in Conflict Prevention

Two approaches of CP have been discussed at greater length, namely direct and structural prevention. Structural prevention focuses primarily on the underlying causes as to why conflicts arise in the first place. Such an approach includes a long-term engagement and commitment. Direct prevention in contrast to structural prevention has a more limited agenda of CP. The emphasis is placed largely on short-term strategies and interaction of the conflicting actors and third parties. In practice, states and IGOs have come to dominate CP. The UN is an obvious player, exercising a critical leading role in the prevention of conflict. Since the dynamics and characteristics of contemporary conflicts differ from traditional interstate conflict, many calls are made about the necessity to rethink the role of NGO in contemporary conflicts. The diverse roles and activities of NGOs in CP often take place parallel to or together with states and IGOs. In practice, there exists an interdependence between states, IGOs and NGOs of economic, political and social relations around the globe. Consequently greater collaboration and coordination between states, IGOs and NGOs through a transnational framework is not only desirable but a necessary prerequisite if we are to improve our capacity and efficiency in addressing contemporary conflicts.