Ceasefires: GSDRC Professional Development Reading Pack no. 41

This reading pack provide an introduction to the emerging issues and debates on ceasefires

Abstract

All peace agreements need to address the question of the cessation of violence and in most cases this is done through a ceasefire of some kind. Typically, conflict parties will seek to put in place mechanisms to immediately stop the violence and prevent its resurgence. These mechanisms will most often enjoy international support (in terms of political leverage and backing, as well as financial and technical support), with a view to support and accompany the former belligerents throughout the implementation of the said ceasefire. However, some peace agreements constitute a noticeable exception and are concluded in the absence of a ceasefire, as was the case for the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh govement (GAM) in 2005.

This reading pack defines ceasefires as “agreements, facilitated by a third party, that define the rules and modalities for conflict parties to stop fighting”. However, to get to a ceasefire though, conflict parties, mediators and third-parties will more often than not go through an initial “cessation of hostilities” agreement. This contains some elements of a ceasefire, but is usually less formal and detailed, as can be seen in the case of the agreement applying to Syria in the spring of 2016. More recently, “codes of conduct” have started appearing as another mechanism to minimise and regulate the use of violence between warring parties. Until 2012, there was only one international precedent wherein conflict parties signed a mutual code of conduct applying to their troops, the 25-point “Ceasefire Code of Conduct agreed between the Government of Nepal and the CPN (Maoist)” in 2006, which featured some elements of a ceasefire. This approach was later used as a model in Myanmar, where international advisors helped the parties agree to common rules of engagement, general principles guiding their relationship with the civilian population and a joint monitoring framework.

Citation

Chounet-Cambas, L. (2016). Ceasefires. GSDRC Professional Development Reading Pack no. 41. Birmingham, UK: University of Birmingham 5pp

Ceasefires: GSDRC Professional Development Reading Pack no. 41

Published 1 June 2016