Commitment to a unilateral ceasefire from Youssouf Toloba and his armed group, Dan Nan Ambassagou

• Country/entity

  Mali
  
• Region

  Africa (excl MENA)
  
• Agreement name

  Commitment to a unilateral ceasefire from Youssouf Toloba and his armed group, Dan Nan Ambassagou
• Date

  27 Sep 2018
• Agreement status

  Unilateral document
• Interim arrangement

  Yes
• Agreement/conflict level

  Intrastate/local conflict ()
• Stage

  Ceasefire/related
• Conflict nature

  Inter-group
• Peace process

  Mali Local Processes
• Parties

  For the Dan Nan Ambassagou group
  
  
  For the general staff
  
  Youssouf TOLOBA
  
  
  For national coordination
  
  Mamoudou GOUDIENKILE
  
  
  For the Bankass coordination
  
  Oumar GUINDO
  
  
  For the Douentza coordination
  
  Seydou MAIGA
  
  
  For the Bandiagara coordination
  
  Boureima SAGARA
  
  
  For the Koro coordination
  
  Alhaty KAMOKO
• Third parties

  Unsigned, but agreement refers to mediation process undertaken by the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue
• Description

  Short unilateral ceasefire declaration in which Dan Nan Ambassagou, a non-state armed group led by Youssouf Toloba, commits itself to immediately stop perpetrating violence. The group declares to sanction violations committed by its members, to oppose theft, and to raise awareness of the benefits of peace. It also calls on the Malian state and its partners to, among other things, provide humanitarian assistance, accelerate the DDR process, and support the families of conflict victims.

• Agreement document

  ML_180927_Engagement en faveur d'un cessez-le-feu unilateral de Youssouf TOLOBA et son groupe arme de Dan Nan AMBASSAGOU_tr.pdf | Download PDF
• Agreement document (original language)

  ML_180927_Engagement en faveur d'un cessez-le-feu unilateral de Youssouf TOLOBA et son groupe arme de Dan Nan AMBASSAGOU.pdf | Download PDF

Local agreement properties

• Process type

  Formal structured process
  Isolated example
  
• Rationale

  This unilateral ceasefire was announced in the context of a 'seven-month mediation process undertaken by the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, with the support of the regional authorities, on behalf of the Malian Government' (p.1). Limited contextual research does not suggest a track record of signing such agreements (Dan Nan Ambassagou was founded in 2016).
• Is there a documented link to a national peace process?

  No
• Link to national process: articulated rationale

  The agreement was negotiated outside of the national-level peace process as it deals with conflict in central Mali. Dan Nan Ambassagou does not take part in the national-level peace negotiations at the time of writing.
• Name of Locale

  Koro, Bankass, Bandiagara, and Douentza cercles (Mopti region)
• Nature Of Locale

  Region
• GPS Lat/Long (DD)

  14.388871, -3.329351
• Participant type

  Local armed group
  
• Mediator, facilitator or similar

  Mediator or similar referred to
  Mediator (references)

  Mediator: Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, with the support of the regional authorities, on behalf of the Malian Government
  Type of mediator/facilitator/similar

  International or transnational actor

Local issues

Commitment to a unilateral ceasefire from Youssouf TOLOBA and his armed group, Dan Nan AMBASSAGOU

September 2018

Preamble

In accordance with the "Dan Nan Ambassagou Militia Declaration" dated September 16, 2018, Youssouf TOLOBA and his group armed group Dan Nan AMBASSAGOU confirm their commitment to the peace process;

Reunited in Sevare as part of the seven-month mediation process undertaken by the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, with the support of the regional authorities, on behalf of the Malian Government, which will support the peace efforts of the communities of Central Mali;

Youssouf TOLOBA and his group Dan Nan AMBASSAGOU agree to follow, in full and in good faith, the provisions of this agreement.

Chapter I:

Reasons for Hunters’ Involvement in the Conflict

Youssouf TOLOBA and his militia group Dan Nan AMBASSAGOU recognize that the following events are the origin of the tensions / conflicts in the area:

- Attacks and repeated looting of villages and hamlets by armed individuals;

- Targeted assassinations of hunters and influential personalities;

Massive theft of cattle;

- Attacking travellers;

- Lack of authorities and security forces in most localities;

- Feeling that the neighbouring community is joining forces with armed groups to get revenge against the original hunters' community;

- Frustration due to unresolved or badly resolved conflicts regarding access to natural resources that are shared between communities.

Chapter II:

Strengthening the peace process between the Dogon and Peuhl communities

Section I:

Commitment to a ceasefire and negotiations

Article 1:

With this commitment, Youssouf TOLOBA and his Dan Nan AMBASSAGOU armed group declare a unilateral ceasefire for the peaceful coexistence of the area's communities.

Article 2:

With a view to the effective implementation of the unilateral ceasefire, Youssouf TOLOSA and his armed group Dan Nan AMBASSAGOU commit themselves to:

• Stop all military clashes for any reason;

• Make a strong appeal to its fighters to immediately stop any violence and to report to the competent military authorities in the event of threats or attacks;

• Sanction any violations of the present ceasefire that may be committed by its members;

• Strongly condemn any acts of aggression and violence committed by members of their community;

• Oppose the theft / plundering of livestock regardless of its ownership;

• Raise awareness among young people and opinion leaders about the benefits of Peace;

• Urge the authorities to take all necessary measures to ensure the security of persons and their property in the area concerned and in the entire region of Mopti;

• Support legitimate figures at a local level to help find amicable solutions to communities coexisting.

Article 3:

To support efforts for peaceful coexistence between the communities, Youssouf TOLOSA and his armed group Dan Nan AMSASSAGOU ask:

- The State of Mali and its partners to work to provide humanitarian assistance commensurate with the needs of all communities in the area affected by the crisis:

food aid, medical care, repair, construction and rehabilitation of basic social infrastructures (health structures, schools, water points, etc.).

They also ask for support for economic recovery through the financing of activities such as cattle trade, transport, stock rebuilding, and so on.

- The State to provide specific support to the families of the victims (who died during clashes);

- The State of Mali to accelerate the implementation of the Algiers Agreement by completing the Demobilization, Disarmament and Reintegration process (DDR), and to put in place a process to demobilize key armed figures who have links to various parts of the communities.

This DDR process will help to recover a significant number of young people who fuel violence on behalf of their community, and help to catalogue and recover weapons circulating in the area.

- The authorities to strengthen traditional and religious establishments at a local level so that they are able, once again, to work to prevent and manage tensions and conflicts in an impartial manner.

Section II:

Access to pastoral resources (water points, passage of animals etc.)

Article 4:

Apart from the theft and looting of the cattle, the exclusion of certain users from access to water points is one of the major causes of conflicts in the area.

Thus, Youssouf TOLOBA and his armed group Dan Nan AMBASSAGOU commit to no longer interfere with conflicts relating to accessing natural resources and to let the authorities manage these.

He also states that revitalizing traditional spatial management mechanisms will be an important tool in the peaceful use of pastoral resources.

Article 5:

Youssouf TOLOBA and his group Dan Nan AMBASSAGOU ask the national and regional authorities to organize campaigns to promote local pastoral resource management conventions.

Section III:

Respect of customs by the communities

Article 6:

Youssouf TOLOBA and his armed group Dan Nan AMBASSAGOU are committed to restoring the moral authority of traditional and religious establishments, to enable them to play their role effectively in the appeasement of social tensions and aid of peaceful coexistence.

Article 7:

To build trust between communities and community groups, governments and partners need to increase inter- and intra-community activities in the area.

Chapter III:

General Conditions and Recommendations

Article 8:

To ensure the implementation of this commitment, a monitoring committee will be set up.

It will meet Youssouf TOLOBA, representatives of his Dan Nan AMBASSAGOU armed group and of communities benefiting from his cause.

This committee will have the following mission:

• Ensure the implementation of this commitment with by combatants and the communities.

Prevent and manage acts and behaviours that may lead to non-compliance with this commitment.

• To report to the regional authorities and the defence and security forces in the area on all issues related to the implementation of this commitment.

• Appeal to, in the event of failure to comply with this commitment, any party able to put an end to this.

Article 9:

Any failure to follow or any difference of interpretation of this commitment will be settled amicably.

The monitoring committee will meet to discuss and find any solutions.

Article 10:

This commitment will come into force from the date of signature.

In witness whereof the group has agreed to this commitment.

Signed in Mopti on September 27, 2018