Successful Conflict Resolution Between Peacekeepers and NGOs: The Role of Training and Preparation in International Peacekeeping in Bosnia

Abstract

We look at the relations between two third-party actors involved in violent conflict situations: international peacekeepers and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in an ethnopolitical conflict site (i.e. Bosnia). We link the peacekeepers contact with NGOs (frequency and importance) to successful conflict resolution styles. We further link the peacekeepers choice of conflict resolution style to occurrence of problems between NGOs and peacekeepers. We also examine the moderating effects of training and perception of preparedness for the peacekeeping mission on the relationship between frequency of contacts with NGOs (cooperation with NGOs) and conflict resolution with NGOs. We develop hypotheses based on the literature on third party intervention and conflict (Jehn, 1997, Tinsley & Pillutla, 1998, Zartman, 1995, Rupesinghe, 1995, Herausberger, Calliess & Merkel 1995), cooperation and competition (Deutsch, 1973), training (Dupre, 1976, Pruegger & Rogers, 1994). We test our hypotheses on survey data from a sample of Dutch military peacekeepers on missions between 1995 and 1999 in Bosnia (N = 907). Implications for cooperation and effective intervention on that part of peacekeepers and NGOS in real conflict situations are discussed.