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Introduction
     The Coalition for Work With Psychotrauma and Peace is a non-governmental non-profit organization working on issues of the rehabilitation of conflict and post-conflict areas and prevention of further conflict.  We concentrate on psychological trauma, non-violent conflict resolution and civil society.  Our approaches are described in more detail below.  We have worked in the region of eastern Croatia-western Serbia (Vojvodina)-northern Bosnia since 1995. More information is available on our website, www.cwwpp.org, which is currently being revised.  Also, a number of new papers are being written.  This material and the revised website will be available around the beginning of February.  Brochures and papers about the work of the organization generally and on specific topics are now available from us at the address  cwwppvuk@zamir.net

The Current Situation in the Region
     Despite the fact that the war ended with the Dayton and Erdut Agreements in 1995 and that the bombing of Serbia ended in 1999, the situation in the region is worsening. There are high levels of traumatization. There is little psychological help available, and capacity to give it is extremely limited.  We are one of the few organizations providing anything more than tablets.  These tablets, widely prescribed by physicians, are addictive and do not help the situation. There are high levels of alcoholism, which, combined with the high levels of drug (ab)use, lead to disaster. All of this leads to high rates of suicide and family abuse. There are also high rates of physical disease. We are trying to increase capacity, but, because of funding, do not have the staff to give the training to the groups that we would like to.

     The same situation applies to non-violent conflict resolution and civil society. There is little knowledge and few skills of either of these. Both are vital for the recovery, further development and prevention of additional violence in the region. Even if these skills and this knowledge were present, local and foreign organizations do not have sufficient funding to give assistance to the people who need it.

     There is high unemployment – in some areas estimated to be around 90% - and there is no domestic or foreign investment. In addition to the war damage, most of which has not been repaired, there is the transition from Communism to capitalism. There are further barriers of bureaucracy and corruption.  Landmines make much of the agricultural land unusable and make recreation difficult in many areas of Croatia and Bosnia.

     There have been recent parliamentary elections in Croatia and Serbia. In Croatia, a right-wing coalition, dominated by the party of the late President Franjo Tudjman, the Croatian Democratic Society (HDZ), won.  One of the other parties that won several seats is the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP), which is extremely right wing. While the rhetoric of these parties has lessened somewhat since Tudjman’s death, it remains to be seen where they take the country. Some forces in Croatia wish the country to enter the European Union in 2007. Other forces are pushing Croatia in the opposite direction. What happens remains to be seen.

     In Serbia, there was a similar result. The Radical Party of Vojislav Sheshelj won handsomely. However, this party does not have enough seats in Parliament to obtain a majority and will have to form a coalition. Again, the degree to which this will moderate their policies remains to be seen. In any event, it is not a good thing to have these governments facing one another on either side of the Croatian-Serbian border.

     Non-governmental organizations in the region that are trying to work for healing and reconciliation are not having it easy. Attention and funding is being focused on such areas as Iraq and Afghanistan, and it is a struggle for most such organizations to stay alive, let alone expand their vitally needed work.

The Current Work and Situation of the Coalition for Work With Psychotrauma and Peace

     The CWWPP has been in the region since June, 1995 when the war was in progress. Since then, we have developed principles that we believe are important for recovery and for prevention of future conflict:
    *Programs must be long-term, that is, a minimum of 5 years and probably 10-15.
   *Programs must include a variety of disciplines. It is not sufficient to rebuild homes and infrastructure, nor to provide investment. Programs must also include psychological trauma and health in general (an area that we believe has been badly ignored), non-violent conflict resolution, legal services and a host of other disciplines.
   *Programs must concentrate on building local capacity. It is not sufficient to help the groups to form.  They must be nurtured over a long period. They must take into account that attitudes change slowly.
    *Programs must work on a number of levels, at least those of the individual, the family, the group, the community and the society.
    *Programs must include the skills and attitudes of locals and internationals, not one or the other. This is necessary to be in tune with local culture and, at the same time, bring the region into the 21st century.
    *There must be good assessment at the beginning of the work and at periodic intervals. While this seems obvious, it is honored more in the breach.
    *There must be continuing research into the factors that cause conflict and those that lead to efficient and effective recovery and prevention of further conflict.

     The CWWPP calls the combination of these principles: the Strategy of Complex Rehabilitation. Based on our experience, we believe that the role of psychological trauma has been underestimated in recovery and in the process of conflict transformation and peacebuilding. Recently, Dr. Charles David Tauber spent two months in the USA speaking to colleagues and attending conferences on these issues.  These discussions affirm our belief in these principles.

     Further, it was suggested that these principles apply to many areas, including Western inner cities as well as conflict and post-conflict areas in other parts of the world. It was proposed that a multi-center project be carried out including a Western city, somewhere in the Balkans such as Vukovar, and a number of other places in the world where there has been serious conflict. The CWWPP has produced a discussion paper on this type of project. This paper will be available on our website and is now available from us.

     Since 1999, the CWWPP, working with the Jewish Community of Osijek, Europe House Vukovar and the Bench We Share Association of Osijek, has been working on the idea of an inter-institutional field institute for peacebuilding. We already have a number of potential participants locally and internationally.  Summaries of the project and a full project proposal are available. We are in the process of producing a paper on the current status of the project. All of these will be available on our website.

     At present, the CWWPP has a number of groups and patients. These include work with ex-soldiers and policemen, a group in a divided village that is being trained in trauma, conflict resolution and civil society and a group of the families of mentally ill people who must deal with the traumatization of the war, the problems of their own family members and the lack of facilities to assist them.

     Despite the problems, the CWWPP is looking to the future. We wish to consolidate and expand our work. Accordingly, we have recently produced a new strategic plan and a proposed agenda of the research. In this context, we are looking for an assistant to the Head of Mission. This person must know trauma and/or non-violent conflict resolution and management. While the pay for this job is subsistence at the moment, we expect this to increase. The person is expected to stay in the position for at least two years. Those interested should write to the Head of Mission. We are also looking for a manager with experience to work as a volunteer to take over some of those tasks and allow us to concentrate on program. Further, we are always open to long-term volunteers and interns.

     Like all non-governmental organizations, the CWWPP is in funding difficulties. We estimate that our current funding will take us to the end of March, 2004. We know that we need to continue and expand this work. Those wishing to contribute can write to us at the above address. Details of how to assist us will also be available on our website. We also expect to produce a newsletter detailing our activities within the next few weeks.  This will be available on our website.

Perspectives
     The difficulties in this region are still great and little is being done to solve them in an effective manner.  Nonetheless, we see that there are methods of solving them and are committed to work in those directions. This cannot happen without external moral and material support.

Dr. Charles David Tauber can be reached at: Coalition for Work With Psychotrauma and Peace, Gunduliceva 18, 32000 Vukovar, Croatia, tel and fax +385-32-441975, tel only +385-32-444662, cdtauber@zamir.net, http://www.cwwpp.org.

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