A Crowded Stage: Liabilities and Benefits of Multiparty Mediation

Abstract

In today's environment, the international response to conflict often entails multiple mediators as well as other third-party actors such as peacekeeping forces, development agencies, nongovernmental organizations~NGOs!, and lone operators. Such a profusion of actors has often made peacemaking efforts messy, difficult, and at times chaotic. The vicious nature of internal conflicts, however, and the high costs for the international community of failing to prevent or end war make it critical to understand these multiple third-party interventions. The principal question is: do these multiparty mediations help or hurt the cause of peace? If the answer to that question is that a multiplicity of third parties can hurt a peace process, does the solution lie in stopping multiple third-party attempts at peacemaking? On the other hand, if the answer is that multiparty mediation can help, are there ways of increasing the chances that it will?

In the Streets and at the Table: Civil Society Coordination during Peace Negotiations

“…A body of scholarly knowledge exists on the dynamics of coordination in thirdparty intervention (Bhattarai 2016;Crocker, Hampson & Aall 2001;Fisher 2006;Kriesberg 1996;Nan & Strimling 2006;Vuković 2012), and the coordination literature is helpful in creating an understanding of how the interaction between the table (elite-based negotiation) and the street (mass action) can unfold.…”

“…These include passing the buck of responsibility, enhancing the risk of 'forum shopping' between different negotiation tracks, creating misunderstandings, and increasing the risk that different actors work to undermine, rather than strengthen, each other's' efforts. A lack of coordination between actors can lead to mixed messaging, which in turn can increase the gaps in communication and lead to misunderstanding between the parties (Crocker, Hampson & Aall 2001). In line with these concerns, Kriesberg (1996) identifies how the multiplicity of intermediaries can create obstacles for peacemaking processes such as leading to divergent expectations, the undermining of the policies, and draining on the main parties' attention.…”

International Multiparty Mediation: Prospects for a Coordinated Effort

“…As a consequence, peace mediation is no longer a process reserved for state actors. Depending on their particular impetus and relative capabilities, envoys of international and regional organizations, non-governmental entities and illustrious individuals, may assume specific roles at different stages of the peacemaking cycle and fundamentally contribute to an effective process (Crocker et al, 2001). In general, success in peace mediation is contingent upon a mediator's ability and willingness to facilitate communication between the parties, assist them in exploring and formulating creative solutions to their dispute, and if needed, incentivize them to accept solutions that are outside conflicting parties' original purviews.…”

Conflict Resolution: The Dynamics of Agrarian Conflict Solution Between Harjokuncaran Villagers and Tni-Ad (Army) in Malang

“…The intervention of the third side can result a thing that is needed to take them to the court. Opening the new communication might encourage the sides to negotiate their own solution (Crocker et al, 2001).…”