Open Space in conflict zones

[EVERETT813 at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/2/04 9:31:02 AM, lisaheft at pacbell.net writes:


> This fine gentleman of faith and skill and humility reported at our 
> workshop that the Open Space worked marvelously.  
> 

Lisa,

This is probably not a popular question but what does it mean for OS to "work 
marvelously"?   My Senex Self is growling along the lines of--working 
marvelously??   What are the criteria? What are the real results on the ground?   Are 
there any changes in the decisions and the decision-makers, the one's who 
decide who lives or dies in many areas of the world?   Is the surrounding region 
more prosperous, peaceful or what?   Do people have truly better lives or is 
the OS just an oasis in an otherwise bleak landscape, a temporary refuge from 
the desperate scenes of their lives? 

I'm wondering about Haiti where John Engle has labored mightily to bring some 
sanity and hope to one of the most intractable, poverty-stricken regions of 
the world.   I presume there were many OS's there.   Now, he has had to leave 
in the face of the complete collapse of any sort of order other than that which 
grows out of the barrel of a gun.

I guess what I am wondering about is can OS make lasting change in un-free 
societies?   Is that a reasonable expectation or are we fooling ourselves and 
our clients?   Or, equally valuable, does it open the door for change but often 
nobody really ends up walking through because they value their lives, health, 
etc., in the face of anti-freedom violence.   

I'm struggling with the whole concept of making or enabling change in the 
world.   Is force the only way for un-free people to become free?   It would seem 
like it because I can't think of a transition from dictatorship or other 
non-democratic government, especially a repressive one, that hasn't been preceded 
by violence and force.   (I guess the collapse of the Soviet Empire was 
relatively non-violent, although not entirely so).   Or, in which the people didn't 
slip into abject poverty and degradation first (there was a lot of violence in 
South Africa before it emerged in a negotiated way from white rule).   

And is OS really most useful for already-open societies to find out how to 
work together better to resolve the inevitable collisions of interests and that 
is its real claim to effectiveness?   Is that where we should be focusing our 
efforts (and it probably already is where most of the OS work is occurring.)

Man without answers.

Paul Everett

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