John Prendergast
John Prendergast
John Prendergastis an American human rights activist, author, and former Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council. He is the Founding Director of the Enough Project, a nonprofit human rights organization affiliated with the Center for American Progress. Prendergast is a board member and serves as Strategic Advisor to Not On Our Watch Project. He is a member of the faculty and Advisory Board of the International Peace and Security Institute...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionActivist
Date of Birth21 March 1963
CountryUnited States of America
based changing doubts firmly glad major mosquito question shows worked
There isn't one celebrity I've worked with who doesn't have major doubts about what impact they are having. I am glad when they question the impact, because it shows they are based firmly in the reality that peacemaking isn't the same as changing a streetlight or distributing mosquito nets.
aid civil dangerous fought front lead lines majority peace vast wars
Africans are on the front lines of humanitarian efforts, distributing life-saving aid in dangerous environments. Africans comprise the vast majority of peacekeepers in civil conflict on that continent. Africans for the most part lead peace negotiations for the wars being fought in Africa.
america continents happening historical later state
Africa is going through its own historical process of state formation just as Europe and America did. It is just happening much later than other continents because of the interruption of Africa's own historical development by the colonization of Africa by Europe.
attack bringing camel deadly either ensure forces government ground order rolling sends shooting side women
And then here come the Janjaweed on camel or on horseback, ... They come rolling into the town, shooting and torching the village, often bringing women to the side and raping women indiscriminately. And in order to ensure that the destruction is complete, the government either sends ground forces to oversee the operation, or the attack helicopters, which often are the most deadly things.
crises elsewhere forgotten movements popular tradition
There is a long and successful tradition of popular movements in the U.S. and elsewhere having an impact on crises in forgotten places.
ensuring
I'm probably a little too impatient with ensuring that the networks and organizations I'm part of are doing the right thing, and pushing the right thing the right way.
advocate death impacts northern peace process solution strong
Garang's death impacts the peace process in northern Uganda because he was a strong advocate for a comprehensive solution for the north,
concrete human reduction required solid somewhere
In human rights and peacemaking, it's really about having a solid concrete goal - the reduction of human suffering somewhere in the world - and then doing what is required to get that goal achieved.
biggest block crimes feeling genocide human people rights stop vague
The biggest road block to action on genocide and other human rights crimes is ignorance. Most people just don't know that such things are happening, and often, if they have a vague idea they are happening, there is a feeling that there is nothing that can be done to stop these crimes.
card certain military movement peace
They would give away the one card they have, which is military pressure, before being certain of movement implementing the peace deal.
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I've had a number of near misses during my travels that in retrospect seem of greater concern than they did at the time. I guess that is what happens with age.
capacity couple difference hour invest life studies time tremendous turns younger
It turns out, all the studies show you invest a little time in another person's life, often a younger person, and all of us have that capacity to do it, just an hour a week, an hour every couple of weeks, and you can make a tremendous difference in a kid's life over their lifetime.
claim nations united
The U.S. has not been forward-leaning on this issue. It's disingenuous to claim that the United Nations is not doing all it should.
rights racism abuse
Slavery, racism, sexism, and other forms of bigotry, subordination, and human rights abuse transform and adapt with the times.