Press Releases

BADIL South Africa study visit Tie up the details, encourage grass roots participation

BADIL Resource Center
17 November 2003
For Immediate Release


Peace agreements need to have as many details as possible tied up at the beginning and a strong grass roots social movement to help keep the process on track.

This is one of the first lessons BADIL’s 9-member Palestinian delegation has learned on its study visit to South Africa.  The group is looking at land reform, property restitution and community participation in the country’s reconciliation process to see how some of its aspects could apply to the Palestinian refugee issue.

The process of change and reconciliation is not easy, they found.  But by taking the time to clarify as many details as possible at the start, such a process could move more smoothly and help avoid unrealistic expectations of quick progress.

Land reform in South Africa is moving at a slower pace than hoped and some groups are calling for a boycott of upcoming elections under the slogan of “No land, not vote”.  Former members of the African National Congress are part of a strong public social movement pushing to speed up the reform process.

Non-governmental organizations say that the current government does not have the political will to make progress.  Others point out that although political apartheid may have disappeared, continuing economic apartheid is impeding change.

Past experience, community involvement and the rule of law are three major components of any pece and reconciliation plan says BADIL Resource Center for Paletinian Residency and Refugee Rights.  BADIL promotes research into these areas and organizes fact-finding visits to countries repairing the damage of conflict.  The South Africa trip follows a successful 2002 visit to study refugee return and property restitution in Bosnia-Herzogovina.

The delegation to South Africa is composed of Palestinians from the Occupied Territories, Lebanon and Europe. Their research visit ends 19 November.


For further information contact: BADIL, P.O. Box 728, Bethlehem
Tel/Fax: 970-2-274-7346 or [email protected] Web site: www.badil.org