Chukudum Crisis Peace Conference

20 Aug 2002

4. DECLARATION:

We, the undersigned people of Didinga and the representatives of the SPLM/A, commend this conference for opening up a fresh opportunity for peace and reconciliation, and beginning a new process of healing between us.

Having listened to all our deliberations and perspectives, we acknowledge and regret the shameful loss of life, suffering and destruction of property that has occurred over the years and ask forgiveness for the suffering caused to our loved ones, relatives, and the community at large.

We all share the blame for yielding to 'blind revenge' and thus intensifying the crisis, but we pledge today to forgive one another and open a new chapter.

We believe we have proved to one another that through honesty and genuine openness, we can unite and solve our own problems.

We make a pledge therefore to implement the spirit and resolutions of this conference as a practical challenge that will reflect our collective will to build a new, independent, free, just and peaceful nation for all southern Sudanese in the five regions of the New Sudan.

In this regard, we, the leaders of the SPLM/A, are encouraged by the long-standing commitment of the Didinga people to the liberation struggle and we are grateful to them for hosting the army and numerous displaced communities, over the years.

We would like to apologize unreservedly to the Didinga people for any wrongs committed against them by the movement and we are determined to implement the resolutions of this conference and make practical measures to improve our relationships with the community.

On our side, we the people of Didinga take as a sign of assurance and leadership the acknowledgment by the SPLM/A that the root causes of the problems have been caused by the conduct of elements within the army over the years.

We accept the apology offered by SPLM/A and also acknowledge any wrongdoing that might have been caused by our people against the movement during the Chukudum crisis.

We resolve to improve our relationship with the movement and to work together in pursuit of our common goal.

Together, we believe that healing and trust can be restored through greater openness, dialogue and accountability in the county and the determined efforts to implement the resolutions listed below.

We ask NSCC and all the witnesses and observers of this conference, to support the implementation committee and accompany us in solidarity to bring peace and stability to Budi County and the surrounding areas:

Signed:

Johnson Juma Okot

SPLM/A Deputy Regional Secretary

For Equatoria Region

Signed:

Chief Lino Atiolmoi

Didinga Community

Witnessed by:

Telar Deng

Peace & Advocacy Coordinator

New Sudan Council of Churches

RESOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CONFERENCE

The following resolutions were endorsed by the conference.

While all of the conference recommendations are deemed critical in restoring confidence and trust, the delegates from Chukudum were particularly keen to see rapid progress in:

i) the removal of mines,

ii) the sensitive management of the Captain Lorot case,

iii) the continued reorganization of personnel within the army (in terms of improving the ethnic mix of officers and transferring individuals associated with past controversies), and

iv) the conditions necessary to attract back organizations to assist with needed humanitarian and development services in the area.

The County Secretary is expected to call the first meeting of the implementation committee shortly after the conference and begin the process of drawing up in more detail the mechanisms and a timetable for making the conference resolutions operational.

3.1 The conference delegates affirm that, for the sake of peace and reconciliation, and given the general amnesty granted to all through the February 2002 agreement between the SPLM/A and the SPDF (Addendum 1), that past crimes and human rights abuses committed by either the SPLA, militia groups, gangsters, organized groups or individuals in Budi County be pardoned.

3.2 The conference recommends that the initiative already started to encourage Capt.

Peter Lorot and his cohorts to reconcile and return to their community be continued, in the understanding that a general amnesty has been declared and their security has been pledged.

The conference further recommends that membership of the committee to follow up this task be sensitively chosen around the existing delegation already undertaking the task.

3.3 The conference reaffirms the common interest of all parties in Budi County to work towards the elimination of hostile elements and organized militias from the area through the following measures:

§ by forming a committee to negotiate with the heads of the militia to abandon their stand and to reassure them of their security;

§ by devising appropriate policies to integrate militias into the SPLA since the general amnesty applies to them and their communities;

§ by improving communication, building confidence and raising awareness among hostile groups in Budi County so that they will refrain from military activity in the future;

§ by calling upon every chief to ensure that militia activities are rooted out of their areas of jurisdiction;

§ by ensuring that militias relinquishing their activities are provided with a copy of the amnesty and supported through the provision of food items, blankets, cooking pots and other appropriate services to assist their transition and reintegration into the community and/or the movement;

§ by the provision of transport and logistical support to the local monitoring committees responsible for the transition process by organizations such as the DOT, NSCC and other NGOs.

These tasks will be overseen by a transition and monitoring committee, made up of the following members:

§ Commissioners from Budi and Kapoeta Counties.

§ Elders & Chiefs

§ Army representative

§ Police force

§ Political representative

§ SRRA representative

§ IDP representative

3.4 Following a review of the resolutions of the National Mobilization& Reconciliation Commission, (24th of February 1999), the conference recommends that the provisions not yet fully implement be immediately acted upon as a public sign of confidence building between the SPLM/A and the Budi County community.

According to their original numbers, the outstanding recommendations for full implementation are indicated below:

N° 3 "... that those [bodyguards] who have been in Chukudum for over two years should be transferred."

N° 5 that "Sector One command must provide food and ammunition [for mobilized recruits] to avoid frustration and desertion of mobilized forces."

N° 6 that the practice of trading has "greatly affected the efficiency of the army" ... and should be replaced through "the establishment of army cooperatives and other income generating activities ...".

N° 7 that following the reorganization of road blocks, that "Sector One Command to immediately arm the present police-force that has been trained by the county authorities."

N° 8 that property looted from individuals and local/international NGOs be recovered through the "formation of a committee to control and recover ..." items.

N° 11 that the "Didinga community [works] closely with the army to track down common criminals known as mujirimoi.".

3.5 The conference recommends that all Didinga soldiers loitering in the villages be brought together and deployed in various areas.

3.6 The conference calls on the SPLM/A to ensure that there is greater ethnic diversity among the officers and commanders in the area.

3.7 The conference recognizes the need for roadblocks in the county for the purposes of security and revenue collection, but recommends that;

a) they are restricted to the following locations:

§ New Cush (border Kapoeta / Budi county)

§ Kikilai (Kadepo / Chukudum)

§ Chukudum

§ Budi (Kapoeta / Torit Junction)

§ Moyo Shukun (Kanangurok / Uganda border)

b) they are managed by trained and informed personnel from the police and revenue authorities so that they are courteous to the public, and are aware of and apply the current taxation schedule for the New Sudan.

c) any revenue collected must be issued with a legitimate SPLM receipt (form 15) as local receipts are invalid.

3.8 The conference calls upon the appropriate authorities within the SPLM, with assistance from SIMAS and OSIL, to urgently clear all mines in the Chukudum area from September 2002 and be completed before the next planting season.

It is recommended that this process is accompanied by mine awareness - especially for the children in the area.

3.9 The conference calls for immediate measures to be taken by the SPLM/A and the local community to remove the threat of ambushes from the area, by;

§ the SPLA, the police force and the home-guards undertaking constant patrols on the roads;

§ co-opting the local chiefs to cooperate and coordinate with the security authorities to apprehend known culprits;

§ targeting the youth within the community and setting up youth committees so that they can resolve rather than contribute to the problems of road ambushes;

§ establishing effective prison facilities in order to detain apprehended culprits;

§ making the community aware about dangers of road ambushes and requesting their assistance to cooperate in finding a solution.

3.10 The conference calls upon the SPLM/A and the local authorities to control the theft of small weapons in the area by;

§ developing harsh laws and deterrents against the theft of small weapons;

§ apprehending the criminals and issuing heavy punishment;

§ locating and destroying small weapon markets.

3.11 The conference recognizes the primary role of the civil administration and supporting traditional institutions to administer justice and maintain law, order and stability in the county, and recommends;

§ a programme to strengthen the capacity of civil and customary institutions administering justice, law and order;

§ the establishment of proper job descriptions to avoid the unnecessary overlapping of powers;

§ the establishment of a rudimentary police force;

§ the establishment of a prison forces;

§ the provision of uniforms and arms for these civil forces;

§ the building of proper prisons;

§ NSCC to assist in the establishment of paralegal training in the county;

§ that NSCC, the DOT and the SRRA assist the civil administration in acquiring radio communication

§ the full implementation of the law;

§ that the Didinga community cooperate with the law and order enforcement institutions in Budi County;

§ that the military authorities actively support and respect their obligations and the functions of the civil system.

3.12 The conference calls upon the local authorities and other specialist agencies (such as NSCC and DOT) to urgently initiate a process of conflict resolution and peace building to address inter-communal and inter-ethnic conflict in the east bank sub-Region (such as cattle raiding).

3.13 The conference strongly recommends to the SPLM, SRRA and other relevant international organizations circulate a statement explaining that a peace conference has taken place and that the crisis between the SPLM/A and the Didinga community has been peacefully resolved.

3.14 The conference requests all agencies to verify security information with the local authorities before it travels from the county to Loki, Nairobi or the Internet.

3.15 The conference calls upon all agencies associated with the area to support a request from the county officials for international organizations to make an assessment of Budi County so that they can support peace through development activities.

In particular, the conference requests;

§ SRRA to improve their reporting system from the county and for SRRA Headquarters to advocate for assistance in the area without delay;

§ DOT to resume its services and continue to preach the spirit of peace;

§ CDS to spearhead local planning with the civil authorities;

§ NSCC to follow up the implementation of the recommendations.

3.16 The conference recommends the immediate formation of a committee to oversee the implementation of the conference resolutions and to report biannually to the Regional Secretary for Eastern Equatoria, the local SPLA and civil authorities and community representatives on the progress being made.

The committee should include representatives from the local authorities, the military, community and traditional leaders, DOT (names will be confirmed by the Budi County Secretary before the end of August, 2002).

3.17 The conference appeals to all agencies to support the various committees overseeing the peace process (especially with transport), so that they can follow up their activities in a timely manner.

3.18 The conference calls upon NSCC to assist the peace committees with technical assistance and provide independent follow up monitoring on the conference's resolutions by;

§ making a visit within three months to assist the committee in devising an operational plan for the implementation of the resolutions;

§ making three subsequent follow up visits to monitor progress every quarter;

§ making a brief progress report for circulation to the relevant authorities and representatives.

SIGNED BY WITNESSES TO THE RESOLUTIONS