Communique: Dinka Malual & Rezeigat Grassroots Peace Conference

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Country/entity: South Sudan
Sudan
Southern Kordofan - Blue Nile - Abyei
Region: Africa (excl MENA)
Agreement name: Communique: Dinka Malual & Rezeigat Grassroots Peace Conference
Date: 25 Jan 2010
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/local conflict
Sudan Conflicts (1955 - )
Agreements relate to several distinct dyads, and also the negotiated independence of South Sudan, and subsequent internal conflict in South Sudan. Sudan-South Sudan. The long-standing conflict between the north and the south of the country dates back to colonial times, where the British introduced a so-called ‘Southern Policy’, severely hampering population movements between these big regions. Immediately after gaining independence in 1956, southern movements started to fight for independence; this fight became professionalised in 1983 with the foundation of the soon internationally supported Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA). When the Islamic Front government introduced strict sharia laws in the south after it took over power in 1988 the war intensified. A decade later, the military situation reached a stalemate, enabling internationally facilitated peace negotiations to begin in 1997. After more fighting, a final negotiation push began in 2002, leading to the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Areement (CPA) in January 2005.

Sudan-South Sudan post referendum. South Sudan became independent in July 2011; since then, relations between the two countries are complicated and violent conflict led by the SPLM (North) in the Sudanese Nuba mountains region has since intensified.

Darfur. Other long-standing violent conflicts are in the east and the west of the country. In the east, the Beja Congress, established in 1957, is the spearhead of a currently ‘peaceful’ opposition movement. In the west, the violent conflict in Darfur intensified in the early 2000s and rapidly gained international attention, even resulting in genocide charges against leading figures of the Sudanese government. The situation on the ground is complex, with over a dozen organisations (most notably the Sudanese Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement) fighting the Sudanese government and allied groups like the Janjaweed – although all parties have switched sides on numerous occasions. Several mediation attempts have not been successful, due to the shaky commitment of the Sudanese central government and the distrust among the armed opposition.

South Sudan - internal
In December 2013, after president Salva Kiir accused opposition leader Riek Machar of attempting a coup, violent conflict broke out between government forces of the SPLM/A and anti-governmental groups. In addition, several other political militias as well as communal militias have joined the conflict. In 2015 the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS) was signed. Due to unsuccessful implementation the agreement was revitalized in 2018. In September 2019, Kiir and Machar agreed to establish a power-sharing government after struggles on forming a unity transitional government.
Stage: Framework/substantive - comprehensive
Conflict nature: Inter-group
Peace process: Kordofan - Blue Nile - Abyei process
Parties: (1) Malual West, (2) Malual North (3) Malual Centre (4) Abeim and (5) Malual East being the Dinka Malual on one hand and on another hand the Rezeigat communities of (1) El Nawaiba of Western Grazing Route – Elfardous to Aroyo (2) Um Dhahiya of the Eastern Grazing Route – Abujabra, Wanjok and Warawar (3) of Abumatariq of Gok Machar and (4) Mahameed of Althouthah of Asalaya through to Timsah and Raga;

Dinka Malual:
P/Chief Achein Achein Yor of Malual East;
P/Chief Garang Diang Akok of Malual West;
P/Chief Peter Makuec Makuec Kuol of Abeim;
Chief Santino Deng Nyuol of Malual North;
Elder Anyat Dut Diing of Malual Centre;
P/Chief Ayaga Ayaga Ayaga of Ayat West;

Rezeigat:
Ustaz Mohamed Ali el Gourashi;
Ustaz Mohamud Fadhel Nabi Sharif;
El Said Abdallah Abu Basher Mohamad;
Altaib El Nair Abdaallah;
Ibrahim Musa Jad El Karim;
Third parties: Witnessed by H.E. Garang Diing Akuong, Minister of Finance, Industry, Trade and Economic Planning, Northern Bahr Ghazal State.

John Marks, USAID
Description: Agreement between the communities of Rezeigat and the Dinka Malual committing to respect customary law, create a Joint Customary Court between the two communities, enhance cultural and religious tolerance and communication and to broaden inclusion to women and children, among other commitments.

Agreement document: SS_100125_Communiqué, Dinka Malual & Rezeigat Grassroots Peace Conference.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Local agreement properties

Process type: Formal structured process
Rationale: The agreements resulted from a four-day 'Grassroots Peace Conference' facilitated by the NGO Policy Advocacy and Strategic Studies (PASS). A secondary source states that the sub-national governments of South Darfur and North Bahr El Ghazal state had agreed to this conference taking place (see reference: Reliefweb, 2010a), and there was high-level involvement at the event (Minister of Finance, Northern Bahr Ghazal State). It does not appear to be an isolated example. PASS facilitated another 'Grassroot Peace Conference' in Aweil about two years earlier (see Joint Communique: Dinka Malual and Messiriya Grasroots Peace Conference 14/11/2008), albeit not between the same groups.
Is there a documented link to a national peace process?: Yes
Link to national process: articulated rationale: The agreement references the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) (p.1) and refers to the 'wisdom and good leadership by the Presidency of H.E. Omar Basher, H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit First Vice President and GoSS President, H.E. Ali Osman Taha, Vice President of Republic of Sudan' (p.1). This agreement was preceded by the 'Joint Final Communique and Resolutions: Dinka Malual and Misseriyya Grassroots Peace Conference' (14/11/2008) which appears to be (indirectly) linked to post-CPA national-level processes.
Name of Locale: South Darfur (Sudan) - Northern Bahr al Ghazal (South Sudan) border area
Nature of Locale: Region
GPS Lat/Long (DD): 9.624437, 27.456523
Participant type: Central state actor
Local state actor
International or transnational actor
Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder
Local community/civilian group(s)/civil society organisations
Regional state actor
Mediator, facilitator or similar: Mediator or similar referred to
Mediator (references): Facilitator: Policy Advocacy & Strategic Studies (PASS) Logistical, financial, and planning supporters: Dinka Malual and administration, people of Aweil town, USAID/OTI/AECOM, PACT Sudan, Southern Sudan Peace Commission (SSPC), USAID/Bridge, Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (also see reference Winrock International (n.d.))
Type of mediator/facilitator/similar: Central state actor Local state actor Local community/civilian group(s)/civil society organisations International or transnational actor

Local issues

Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture): Page 3 (of the PDF), Unnamed preamble, Joint hands in prayer, plea and to put our destiny to The Will of All-Mighty God-The Allah;
Grievance List: Page 2 (of the PDF), Unnamed preamble, Cognizant of the consequence of instability and destruction of property that has been mutually inflicted upon our own communities during the North-South war between 1983 and 2005 where innocent youth were mobilized by the warring parties to cause self destruction, abduction of children and women, wanton killing, displacement and devastation of property in the area;
Recalling the long history of marginalization by successive government in Khartoum since
1956 until our present days;
Cattle rustling/banditry: No specific mention.
Social cover: No specific mention.

Communiqué

Dinka Malual & Rezeigat Grassroots Peace Conference

January 22nd to 25th, 2010 (Aweil, Northern Bahr El Ghazal State)

Faciliation by

PASS

 Believing in each other as one family cemented by intermarriages that bring close kinship between Rezeigat and Dinka Malual and the long history of mutual self respect, identity of esteem, sombreness, respect of lives, fraternity and compassion that augment and grip out two communities with everlasting mutual interest in the shared natural resources that dictates good neighbourhood;

 Being Conscious of each others’ culture, values, beliefs and respect to each other and in desire to exchange each others’ cultures;

 Being cognizant of each others’ right of unhindered access to and sustainable use of natural resources inside both communities’ land across the fraternal borders;

 Cognizant of the consequence of instability and destruction of property that has been mutually inflicted upon our own communities during the North-South war between 1983 and 2005 where innocent youth were mobilized by the warring parties to cause self destruction, abduction of children and women, wanton killing, displacement and devastation of property in the area;

 Recalling the long history of marginalization by successive government in Khartoum since 1956 until our present days;

 Gratified by the commitment of the Government of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State to build road networks to enhance acquaintance between Rezeigat and Dinka Malual communities for sustainable peace and mutual socio-economic development;

 Recognizing, respecting and committed to full and timely implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA);

 In respect to common destiny between Rezeigat and Dinka Malual communities despite the possible multifaceted challenges that are likely to be experienced as a result of the end of the CPA in 2011;

 Conscious of huge potential for development of out natural resources, agriculture, forestry and livestock owned by Rezeigat and Dinka Malual and the desire for attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the unhindered access to the rights of our people to their portions in the distribution of the national cake;

 Inspired and encouraged by wisdom and good leadership by the Presidency of H.E. Omar Basher, H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit First Vice President and GoSS President, H.E. Ali Osman Taha, Vice President of Republic of Sudan and H.E. Paul Malong Awan, Governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State;

 Urging the United State Agency for International Development (USAID), European Unions, United Nations and International/Local NGOs and both GoNU and GoSS to timely respond to our needs to empowerment of our traditional authority, local governments and priorities of our local development and support to our desire to live as good neighbours and people of common good;

 Thankful for the outstanding hospitality to this Historic Conference for grass root peace by the Dinka Malual and administration, people of Aweil Town,

USAID/OTI/AECOM, PACT Sudan, Southern Sudan Peace Commission (SSPC), USAID/Bridge, Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and facilitation by Policy Advocacy & Strategic Studies (PASS);

 Joint hands in prayer, plea and to put our destiny to The Will of All-Mighty God-The Allah;

 We the delegates that are representing the following communities:

(1) Malual West, (2) Malual North (3) Malual Centre (4) Abeim and (5) Malual East being the Dinka Malual on one hand and on another hand the Rezeigat communities of (1) El Nawaiba of Western Grazing Route – Elfardous to Aroyo (2) Um Dhahiya of the Eastern Grazing Route – Abujabra, Wanjok and Warawar (3) of Abumatariq of Gok Machar and (4) Mahameed of Althouthah of Asalaya through to Timsah and Raga;

 Have agreed to commit ourselves:

1. That the Rezeigat should provide security and protection of Dinka people who reside in Rezeigat’s land including their property;

2. That for the Dinka Malual to provide security and protection of Rezeigat people that reside in Dinka’s land and their property;

3. To respect and conserve names of villages, natural features, historical places and rivers without renaming them with strange names;

4. To respect and conserve human life and dignity and sustainable environment for prosperity;

5. That political challenge that emerges from Khartoum and Juba should not influence the citizens of the two communities.

They should not involve themselves in political issues within the border of the two communities of Dinka and Rezeigat;

6. That Intermarriage shall be lawful in accordance with cultures, norms and believes as observed by the two communities;

7. To support the creation and establishment of joint traditional and customary courts of Dinka Malual and Rezeigat that shall be called as Joint Traditional Court where leadership of such court shall be alternating within the leadership of the two communities as shall be agreed upon and governed by law;

8. That the Rezeigat will conform to Dinka Malual customs and this should consult with Dinka Malual traditional authority to allow entry to Dinka Malual Land, use of water resources and passage in agricultural areas;

9. That the Dinka Malual and Rezeigat should promote religious tolerance and not to allow those elements that call for conflict and wars within areas of the two communities;

10. That for the governments and the local and international developmental organizations to provide and to construct all weather roads between the two communities starting with the road of El Dhaein and Aweil;

11. That for the governments to facilitate and to enhance movement of trade between the areas of the two communities;

12. To prohibit the carrying and use of fire arms when entering any of the two communities’ areas;

13. That the communities must exert all the necessary efforts to bring to reality all the resolutions of our conference between Rezeigat and Dinka Malual at Aweil of January 2010 through legislation by the lefislative assemblies and joint institutions in the two sisterly states of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State and Southern Darfur State;

14. To extend and include the neighbouring communities in the terms of the accords of our conference;

15. To reactivate the role and to include the women, youth and intellectuals of the two communities in the accords of this agreements;

16. To dissemination of culture of peace between Dinka Malual and Rezeigat communities through sports, theatre and traditional dance;

17. To lobby for the establishment of joint boarding schools for girls and other for boys in the areas of the two communities and;

18. To seek support for formation of joint institutions to implement this agreement through Traditional Authorities and Civil Society.

On behalf of Dinka Malual signed by the following:

at Aweil on January 25th, 2010

John Marks USAID

Communique: Dinka Malual & Rezeigat Grassroots Peace Conference

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