When Peace Prevailed Over War
While news of violence keep dominating the headlines today, leaders perhaps need to look at examples of peaceful resolutions to violent conflicts in the past to solve those of the present.
While wars aren’t as common today as it was only just 70 years ago, several violent conflicts happening around different parts of the world still affect the everyday lives of millions of people. The gun battles and displacement of people going on around countries like Syria, Iraq, Nigeria and Yemen still serve as a stark reminder of how wars can cause misery to the lives of the ordinary people.
However, there have been many examples too where discussions happening on the table, have put an end to wars and conflicts. Several round of difficult negotiations and compromises led the people to move on over its difficult past and look on to the future.
Here are some of the examples of countries, where the decision to end wars were taken by mutual agreements between previously hostile parties.

1. Nepal
Nepal was host to a terrible 12-year long civil war, where communist rebels affiliated to the CPN(Maoist) party fought against the government security forces, causing the death of over 13,000 people and over 1,300 disappearances. The war displaced over 50,000 people from their homes and adversely affected the economy. However, after a popular movement that overthrew a despotic monarchy, members from opposing parties formally went together on the table and decided to permanently declare a ceasefire. While some degree of political instability still persists in the country, the agreement effectively ended to the armed conflict and it was heavily favored by an overwhelming majority of the country. In the following constitutional assembly elections after the war, the rebels emerged as the biggest winner in the election and formed a coalition government to write a new constitution. However, despite several years of wait, the assembly failed to pass a constitution within the stipulated time. However, the parties agreed to give another try to forming a constitution and held another constitutional assembly election. After a destructive earthquake and a lot of uncertainties, the major political parties finally united to pass a new constitution. Some violent episodes did emerge after the announcement of the constitution but the situation largely remains calm today with the country steadily progressing towards becoming an established democratic federal republic.

2. Northern Ireland
Centuries of ethnic conflict between Irish Catholic natives and Protestant settlers arriving from England and Scotland began to turn extremely violent in the late 1960s in Northern Ireland. The situation got even worse with the heavy-handed approach employed by the security forces. Ultimately, it turned into an ugly war following the formation of the Irish Republican Army and its factions on the Catholic side and the UDA and UVF on the Protestant side. The violence peaked in 1972, with dozens of fatalities, which included many innocent civilians as well. Terrorist bombing throughout the UK happened on a regular basis. The series of violence continued through the 90s. However, some members from the conflicting sides began exploring the possibility of peace and a ceasefire was finally agreed for the first time in 1994. However, the peace process failed to get traction and it was only in 1998, following the ‘Good Friday Agreement’ that the possibility of a permanent ceasefire became a reality. Although a few violent episodes continued, most people and politicians practiced immense patience and resolve in dealing with them. Except a few isolated incidents, the situation has been largely very peaceful in the last decade.

3. South Africa
Mounting international pressure against the elitist and White-supremist apartheid regime and growing discontent amongst the majority black population meant that in the early 1990s, South Africa was on the brink of a civil war. Thus, recognizing that the situation and the time weren’t in their favor, the apartheid rulers agreed to come to the table and meet with their political opponents. This also meant releasing several political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela, who had been fighting for the rights of the blacks and was imprisoned for 27 years. But the brutal rulers weren’t willing to let go of their advantages easily on the negotiating table. However, Mandela and his deputies practiced a lot of patience throughout the negotiations and ultimately paved the way for a peaceful transition to democracy. South Africa, today is the richest country in continent of Africa, although a lot needs to be done to ensure that the discrimination and violence is eliminated completely.

5. Tunisia
After a popular revolution that deposed a brutal despot out of power, a lot of unrest followed throughout Tunisia. There were many hurdles on the path to making Tunisia a democratic country. However, political parties and members of the civil society practiced a lot of restraint and patience to ensure that a free and fair Constitutional Assembly election was held in 2011. After the results, some uncertainty followed with the political parties undecided about the nature of the new constitution. Meanwhile, other movements across the Arab nations had begun failing as well. But Tunisia emerged as an exception and managed to pass an inclusive democratic constitution that was welcomed by an overwhelming majority.

6. Aceh-Indonesia
The Aceh province of Indonesia was host to a brutal Islamic insurgency and government suppression that saw the deaths of over 15,000 people over a period of 3 decades. Although, there were multiple rounds of international efforts to mediate peace between the two fighting parties, there was hardly any achievement. However, after the Indian Ocean Earthquake in 2004, which led to the death of over 150,000 people in Aceh, both the parties took part in serious talks to end the civil war so as to allow for a swifter reconstruction of the region. Finally, in August 2005, a peace agreement was signed by the two parties in Helsinki, which saw the state being granted autonomous role within Indonesia.

7. Equador-Peru
Many countries in South America fought wars between the 19th and 20th centuries to claim disputed territories. The last of those wars were fought in 1995 between Equador and Peru. The countries fought each other over a period of 2 months in 1995 over a claim of territory along the Cenepa River. However, with mediation efforts from neighboring countries including Brazil, Argentina and Chile, as well as the involvement of the United States, both the country sat on the table and agreed to solve all their border disputes. By 1999, both countries agreed on a definitive solution which was endorsed by the public and the government from both the nations. The situation has since been very peaceful.

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