What our readers say about Track Two

Greetings from the Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia! I was in the middle of planning a two-day workshop on conflict transformation for 16 African women on a US - State department visit to the US when I received your Occasional Paper "When Push comes to Shove" - The Failure of International Mediation in African Civil Wars by Laurie Nathan. Thanks so much for your publication - I find it one of the best that we received.
Janice Jenner
Associate for Networking and Grants Coordination
Conflict Transformation Program
Eastern Mennonite University

My name is Thivhulawi Nyambeni, a social worker by profession. I am currently a co-ordinator of first year students at Liesbeeck Gardens [a student residence] and a counsellor at the Guidance and Counselling Centre at the University of Cape Town.
A colleague of yours introduced me to your publication years back and ever since I have never looked back. After reading your Vol. 8 No. 3 - "Fatherhood, Peace & Justice", I felt a need to make Track Two an asset for my day to day work with first years.
Thivhulawi Nyambeni
University of Cape Town

As both a single father and a worker in the Community Peace Programme, I'd like to congratulate you and your colleagues on your outstanding issue, "Fatherhood, Peace & Justice". It deserves to be circulated and discussed way beyond your regular subscription lists, and I hope you will be able to find some way of doing so, in co-operation with the Commission on Gender Equity (to whom I shall forward a copy of this message).
John Cartwright
Media and Documentation Officer
Local Capacity Policing
Community Peace Programme

Thank you for the edition on "Fatherhood, Peace & Justice". The articles are quite moving, especially "The Sins of the Father". I hope the message reaches fathers in SA and elsewhere. The initiation school used to be where men were taught to take care of their families. But these days all that training is gone, people just do what is regarded as custom and a boy comes home saying he is a man. As "The Chance to end the Cycle and Begin the Dream" suggests, society as a whole is to blame for what boys grow up to be. Little girls, too, are brought up by society. How do they escape becoming violent and merciless? If Caroline's child was female, for example ("The Sins of the Father"), how much alienation would she experience? Together these articles bring out the complexities experienced in violent communities. In them there is a lot to learn for men like myself.
Abner Nyamende
Lecturer
African Languages and Literature
University of Cape Town
(Contributor to Track Two, Vol. 8, No. 3)

Thank you so much for sending me Track Two. It is very inspiring. Congratulations on your "Fatherhood, Peace & Justice" edition. It should be used in schools and by trade unions to create better domestic environs for young people. We could dramatically reduce violent crime over the next few years.
Best wishes
Dr Mamphela Ramphele
Vice-Chancellor [at the time of writing]
University of Cape Town

Laurie, you have done it again! "When Push Comes to Shove" - The Failure of International Mediation in African Civil Wars" is a wonderful second track edition. It was designed primarily for an African audience. I hope you will one day produce the same thing for global consumption. It is badly needed in all countries, developed and developing.
With good wishes.
Dr. John Burton
Renowned author on conflict resolution
USA

As a member of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Agriculture and Land Affairs and an official member of the South African Parliamentary delegation sent to observe the Zimbabwe elections, I would like to encourage you in the work you are doing and commend you on your excellent publication Track Two".
I recently read Vol. 9 No. 1, "Land Violence and Compensation" (Zimbabwe), which I found to be a helpful and balanced perspective of these complex and emotional issues.
Cheryllyn Dudley (MP)
African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP)

CONTENTS    HOME