Interpreters in Conflict Mediation: Skills and Needs

1. Interpreters in Conflict Mediation: Skills and Needs Third IATIS Regional Workshop – Western Balkans Translator and Interpreter Training University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Philosophy, English Department International Association of Translation and Intercultural Studies September 25-26, 2014 Novi Sad, Serbia

2. Aims • determining the translators’ influence on the mediation processes during conflicts; • determining the education level of translators and interpreters as participants in mediation processes during conflicts; • determining the educational needs of translators and interpreters to better accomplish their role; and • identifying case studies of translators and interpreters, participants in the mediation processes during conflicts.

3. Mediator as Interpreter • three intercultural roles: “an interpreter, decoding and explaining the culturally encoded messages from the sides in the mediation and allowing them to communicate clearly; a fender, protecting the sides in the conflict from painful and unwelcomed confrontations; and coordinator, harmonizing unsynchronized conventions of negotiating between the rivals, and allows for coordinated solutions to emerge in each stage of the talks“ (Cohen, 1996:112). • workshops for mediators and other conflict resolution professionals, allowing them to explore the use of language in conflict resolution and especially mediation.

4. Interpreter as Mediator • “Quasi-mediators can help build the support for peace. By showing flexibility, they raise expectation among the other side that the de-escalation initiative will be accepted. Furthermore, they can suggest how such initiatives can be articulated so that they will be credible and effective. And lastly, they can guarantee that even risky de-escalation initiatives will not be misused.”(Kriesberg, 1996).

5. Methodology • drawing primarily on my own experience • the attitudes of professional interpreters and how they see and perform their role in conflict situations Photos courtesy of Veton Latifi, Pregovorite za postignuvanje na Ohridskiot dogovor, 2008

6. Survey • 73 individuals from the Republic of Macedonia responded to the questionnaire • Life-story interviews with two interpreters involved in Track 1 mediation; and interviews with two Track 1 mediators • 81% or 58 respondents were female and 19% or 14 respondents were male. • 44% of the respondents were between 30 and 50 years of age; 30% were between 26 and 30 years of age; • 57 respondents were ethnic Macedonian, 4 Albanian; 3 were Turkish, and there was 1 Vlach and 1 Roma.

7. Neutrality • Criticism of the “in-between” metaphor for supporting the idea for a neutral space, some no-man’s land between cultures, that would allow translators to transcend cultures and politics (Tymoczko 2005, Baker 2006) • The conflict being translated for the international community creates a strong inner conflict in the translator: s/he is torn between political correctness toward her country and professional neutrality (Stahuljak 2009)

8. 73% of respondents thought that interpreters should remain invisible. Only one respondent answered with “usually no” and one respondent answered “never”, 4% of the respondents thought that the interpreter should be visible. However, about 60% of respondents agreed that the role of the interpreter was ‘always’ or ‘often’ crucial in the mediation process during conflict.

9. Code of Professional Ethics • In 2011, the newly established Macedonian Association of Translators (MATA) enacted the Code of Professional Ethics which states: • “Преведувачите  ќе  ја  извршуваат  својата  работа  со  целосна  непристрасност и нема да искажуваат никакви лични мислења во текот на извршувањето на работата. [Interpreters shall perform their tasks in full impartiality and will not express their personal opinions during performing their work]” (my translation) (16 July 2013)

10. Mediators • improve the outcome of the interpretation process in conflict mediation is improved communication between the mediators and the interpreters. “The work place lacks previous preparation, cooperation, and contact with the parties involved.” (IE1, personal communication, 9 April 2012). • neither of the mediators mentioned the visibility of the interpreter as problematic. For them it seems that interpreters are part of the mediation team, as visible as anyone else, and it is expected that they act in that manner and with all the professionalism. The mediator sees the interpreter as their close colleague, who shares the same goals and same professional etiquette.

11. Education in Macedonia • began operation in the academic year 2001/2002, immediately after end of the violent conflict in the country. It was supported by a joint European project in the framework of the TEMPUS PHARE programme. • Department offers a four-year course in translation/interpreting leading to a BA degree. On the postgraduate level, the University offers a one-year Master Course in Conference Interpreting, based on the European Masters in Conference Interpreting programe active in the European Union.

12. Community Translation and Interpreting • 2012 and 2013 the British Embassy supported the project under the title “Support to the Ohrid Framework Agreement - Capacity building for the minorities within public administration reform” was implementedby the British Council Macedonia and the Macedonian Secretariat for the Implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement. • seven-month training course in continuous professional development for fiftythree candidates received certificates qualifying them for public service interpreting and translating.

13. conclusions • Angelelli notes that the myth of impartiality of the interpreters appears to be real. This myth is not only real but also transferred to new generations of interpreters through the education process. • Both interpreters, on different levels, and the users of their services agree that having training in mediation skills and knowledge of the mediation process will improve the performance of interpreters in conflict mediation

14. Thank you! marija.todorova@gmail.com http://marijatodorova.blogspot.com