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<DIV><SPAN class=526383323-07012004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Dear
Joel</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=526383323-07012004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Thank
you so much for sharing your experiences and your very couragous work in
Nigeria. Great work! This builds on my already high inspiration to organize a
PoP workshop over here! I wish you and your people all the best of success and
would very much like to be able to follow the story further!
</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=526383323-07012004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>Warmest regards and wishes of great success</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=526383323-07012004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Thomas
Herrmann</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=526383323-07012004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>Kungsbacka, Sweden</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
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<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Ursprungligt meddelande-----<BR><B>Från:</B> OSLIST
[mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]<B>För </B>Peggy
Holman<BR><B>Skickat:</B> den 5 januari 2004 18:20<BR><B>Till:</B>
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<BR><B>Ämne:</B> Use of Open Space Technology in
Nigeria Mediation<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>Friends,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>Below is an inspiring report that Joel Bisina of Nigeria asked me
to send to you. He came to the Practice of Peace at the Whidbey
Institute and has already begun to make a difference because of the
experience.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>from snowy Seattle,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>Peggy</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>(P.S. In his message, POP is Practice of Peace, SW is Spirited
Work)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Joel Bisina
[mailto:nigrodev2000@yahoo.co.uk]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, January 04, 2004
11:41 AM<BR><B>To:</B> maryella@pobox.com; annstad@nwlink.com;
leah@compassionatelistening.org; susan4ps@comsat.net;
peggy@opencirlcecompany.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> Use of Open Space Technology in
Nigeria Mediation<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>
<DIV>
<DIV id=message>
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<DIV><B>Subjec</B>t: Mediation In Ongoing Crisis Between Ijaws And
Itsekiris Of Warri Delta State Nigeria.</DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal>Dear Members Of POP and SW Global Community.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal>I an glad to inform you all of a successful first
phase mediation on the Seven (7) Years old intractable conflict between
the Ijaws and The Itsekiris<SPAN
class=900053214-04012004>, </SPAN>two ethnic nationalities in the
oil rich Niger Delta Region. <SPAN
class=900053214-04012004> This is a</SPAN> conflict that has
claimed well over 2<SPAN class=900053214-04012004>,</SPAN>000 lives and
rendered more than 10<SPAN class=900053214-04012004>,</SPAN>000 people
homeless<SPAN class=900053214-04012004>, as well as destroying
millions of dollars worth of property. I am especially interested
in telling you about how I was able to use what I learned at Practice of
Peace and Spirited Work to effect a positive outcome.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=900053214-04012004>My non-profit
organization, </SPAN>N<SPAN class=900053214-04012004>IDPRODEV
(Niger-Delta Professionals for Development)</SPAN> in collaboration
with IFESH <SPAN class=900053214-04012004>(International Foundation
for Education and Self Help) sponsored</SPAN> a multi-level
mediation workshop from 14<SUP>th</SUP> to 17<SUP>th</SUP> and
18<SUP>th</SUP> to 21<SUP>st</SUP> of December, 2003.<SPAN
class=900053214-04012004> In this first phase, we met
separately with</SPAN> Ijaws and the Itsekiris<SPAN
class=900053214-04012004>, targeting the leaders of the combatant groups
on both sides. The initial focus of this
intervention was to obtain a ceasefire amongst the two warring
groups and also to facilitate them to explore other creative means of
addressing the issues rather than resorting to violence.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>The member of your global community Joel Bisina led
the mediation, <SPAN class=900053214-04012004>and I a</SPAN>m
glad to inform you that the program recorded <SPAN
class=900053214-04012004>a </SPAN>high level of success.<SPAN
class=900053214-04012004> </SPAN>Not only did <SPAN
class=900053214-04012004>each</SPAN> group denounce violence as an
option for getting their needs<SPAN
class=900053214-04012004> met</SPAN>, they also pledged to
collaborate with each other to co<SPAN
class=900053214-04012004>-</SPAN>creatively <SPAN
class=900053214-04012004>find a </SPAN>solution to the
problem.<SPAN class=900053214-04012004> </SPAN>Both sides have had
follow<SPAN class=900053214-04012004>-</SPAN>up meetings with their
various groups and have resolved as <SPAN
class=900053214-04012004>a </SPAN>next step to engage in a more
constructive <SPAN
class=900053214-04012004>joint </SPAN>session.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal>My participation at POP and SW was instrumental to
the success recorded<SPAN class=900053214-04012004> .
I designed the mediation to use several</SPAN>
strategies <SPAN class=900053214-04012004>I learned,
including</SPAN> OPENSPACE TECHNOLOGY, <SPAN
class=900053214-04012004>as well as </SPAN>THE REFLECTIVE OPENING
AND CLOSING CIRCLES.<SPAN class=900053214-04012004> However,
i</SPAN>t is worthy of note to mention that <SPAN
class=900053214-04012004> when we started the session, I saw that
the participants were very agitated, and unable to focus on moving
forward in a collaborative way. </SPAN><SPAN class=900053214-04012004>I
remembered </SPAN>my participation at the session convened
on <SPAN class=900053214-04012004>COMPASSIONATE
LISTENING </SPAN>convened by Leah<SPAN
class=900053214-04012004> Green </SPAN>and her team<SPAN
class=900053214-04012004> and decided to try that approach.
It</SPAN> was<SPAN class=900053214-04012004> </SPAN>of immense
benefit<SPAN class=900053214-04012004>, </SPAN>as <SPAN
class=900053214-04012004>t</SPAN>he participants for the first time felt
listened to and had <SPAN class=900053214-04012004>the
</SPAN>opportunity to listen to each other<SPAN
class=900053214-04012004>'</SPAN>s side of the story<SPAN
class=900053214-04012004>. </SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>The openspace technology was very helpful as it
enabled me <SPAN class=900053214-04012004>to </SPAN>open up
space and h<SPAN class=900053214-04012004>old the</SPAN> space while the
participants took responsibilit<SPAN class=900053214-04012004>y</SPAN>
for their actions and their issues. This was needed to vent tension and
anger. And it <SPAN class=900053214-04012004>created
BROTHERHOOD</SPAN>.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Some of the results of this intervention included</P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings">Ø<SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN>Change in perception</P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings">Ø<SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN>A resolution that violence does not pay any one</P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings">Ø<SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN>A resolve to collaborate for joint problem solving</P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings">Ø<SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> <FONT
size=3><SPAN class=970212715-04012004>A </SPAN><SPAN
class=900053214-04012004>commitment t</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN>o
continue to work amongst ethnic groups to hold the space for the peace
while the issues are be<SPAN class=900053214-04012004>ing</SPAN>
addressed</P>
<P class=MsoNormal>It is of further interest to mention here
that <SPAN class=900053214-04012004>I was invited to
observe </SPAN>a similar initiative that is being facilitated
by <SPAN class=900053214-04012004>an </SPAN>NGO run by an
American <SPAN class=900053214-04012004>woman</SPAN> here which is
aimed at the elders, community leaders, <SPAN
class=900053214-04012004>and </SPAN>government security agents<SPAN
class=900053214-04012004>. Unfortunately, this session </SPAN>ended
in a deadlock.<SPAN class=900053214-04012004> It was clear
the facilitator was not familiar with Open Space Technology,
Compassionate Listening, or the other techniques I was exposed
to at POP and SW. The facilitator also observed my mediation
sessions, and I</SPAN> am glad to inform you that <SPAN
class=900053214-04012004>she </SPAN>has approached me to help
out<SPAN class=900053214-04012004> and teach her some of these
skills</SPAN>.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Both <SPAN class=900053214-04012004>of
these </SPAN>initiatives <SPAN
class=900053214-04012004>are</SPAN> supported financially by USAID/The
US Embassy here in Nigeria.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal>I will let you know of the outcome of the joint
session <SPAN class=900053214-04012004> between the Ijaws and
Itsekiris </SPAN>coming up <SPAN
class=900053214-04012004>the </SPAN>second week of January
2004<SPAN class=900053214-04012004>. </SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Read and let me know what you feel<SPAN
class=900053214-04012004> .</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=900053214-04012004>Joel
Bisina</SPAN><SPAN class=900053214-04012004> </SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=900053214-04012004>I also intend to post
this on catalyst for more members of the global community to see how
they are contributing to my work
here.</SPAN></P></DIV></XBODY></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>_______________________________<BR>Peggy Holman<BR>The Open Circle
Company<BR>15347 SE 49th Place<BR>Bellevue, WA
98006<BR>425.746.6274<BR><A
href="http://www.opencirclecompany.com">www.opencirclecompany.com</A></DIV>* *
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