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The
genesis of AMAN may be traced back to the numerous anti-communal civic
action groups that emerged after the Delhi carnage of 1984, in the wake
of targetting of the Sikhs. Many of those who set up AMAN, were
involved in relief work for the victims of communal violence and
subsequent voluntary action to prevent further such outbreaks. In the
course of their work, they gradually came to understand that Peace
could not be achieved by passivity, but by identifying sources of
social discontent and defusing tension through positive rebuilding of
social conditions and relations.
The
present group evolved out of working together for five years in the
Violence Mitigation and Amelioration Project (VMAP) of Oxfam (India)
Trust, and supported by the Ford Foundation. The programme began in
late 1997 and ended in April 2003, after carrying out a number of
activities related to different aspects of conflict in India. Many of
AMAN's present programmes were initiated during VMAP.
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