Humanitarian agreement between Bambara and Bozo farmers, Fulani herders as well as hunters from the area (‘circle’) of Djenné

  • Country/entity
    Mali
  • Region
    Africa (excl MENA)
  • Agreement name
    Humanitarian agreement between Bambara and Bozo farmers, Fulani herders as well as hunters from the area (‘circle’) of Djenné
  • Date
    1 Aug 2019
  • Agreement status
    Multiparty signed/agreed
  • Interim arrangement
    Yes
  • Agreement/conflict level
    Intrastate/local conflict ()
  • Stage
    Framework/substantive - partial
  • Conflict nature
    Inter-group
  • Peace process
    Mali Local Processes
  • Parties
    Representatives of the hunters

    Sinali MAIGA
    Amadou DIARRA


    Representatives of the Peulh breeders' community

    Alpha Samba LANDOURE

    Malick TOURE
    Village chief of Diaba peulh


    Representatives of the farmers' community

    Dramane COULIBALY
    Mayor of the Derary commune

    EL Hadj DJETTE
  • Third parties
    Representatives of the facilitators

    Binkè KONATE

    Ali TOURE


    Witnessed

    The village chief of Djenne

    Sidi Yeya MAIGA


    Witnessed

    Mayor of the urban community of Djenne

    Lassine YARO


    Witnessed

    President of the council of Djenne circle

    Alassane BOCOUM


    Witnessed

    Prefect of Djenne circle

    Bolle Maouloud BABY


    [Note: The agreement also refers to 'mediation facilitated for ten months by the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue' (p. 2).]
  • Description
    Short local inter-communal humanitarian agreement calling for a cessation of hostilities between pastoralists, agriculturalists, and hunters, including cattle-rustling; and provisions on sharing of natural resources; reparations for damage caused to crops and livestock; mobility; and freedom of movement of people and goods. Makes recommendations to the Malian state, including to ensure the safety of civilians, and provides for the establishment of a peace agreement monitoring committee.

Local agreement properties

  • Process type
    Formal structured process
  • Rationale
    The agreement was signed 'within the framework of mediation facilitated for ten months by the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue' (p. 2). The agreement refers to another 'Agreement for the prevention of a conflict between breeders and farmers in the Djenne circle signed in November 2018', suggesting that this is not an isolated case of local peacemaking.
  • 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. The parties to this agreement are not part of the national-level peace negotiation framework.
  • Name of Locale
    Djenné cercle
  • Nature Of Locale
    Region
  • GPS Lat/Long (DD)
    13.905161, -4.554995
  • Participant type
    Local state actor
    International or transnational actor
    Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder
  • Mediator, facilitator or similar
    Mediator or similar referred to
    Mediator (references)
    Mediators: Binkè KONATE and Ali TOURE (Center for Humanitarian Dialogue)
    Type of mediator/facilitator/similar
    International or transnational actor

Local issues

  • Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture)

    No specific mention.

  • Grievance List
    Page 1, Preamble, Conscious that the conflict that has been taking place between our communities for more than two years fuels the multidimensional crisis which is shaking the Mopti region;
    Aware that the violence which involves the members of our respective communities may not end immediately with the signing of this Agreement, but will rather require a constant commitment on our part to peacefully deal with the disputes;
    Determined to improve the peaceful cohabitation between our communities in a current climate marred by massacres likely to divide us more;
  • Cattle rustling/banditry
    Pages 2-3, Chapter II: Commitments of the Parties, Article 2: The Peulh community undertakes to:, Article 3: The farmers' communities (among others Bambara and Bozo) agree to:
    ...
    c) Compensate for the damage caused to livestock in a prompt, adequate and effective manner.
    Article 4: Dozo hunters agree to:
    ...
    b) Stop hunting all livestock;
    Article 5: In addition, the parties jointly undertake to:
    ...
    h) Stop all taking of livestock regardless of the owner's community and facilitate searches for stolen goods and animals.
  • Social cover

    No specific mention.

Humanitarian agreement between breeders, farmers, and Dozo hunters in the Djenné circle

Mopti Region, Mali

August 2019

Preamble

We, Peulh breeders, and Bamabara and Bozo farmers and hunters, hereinafter called the Parties:

Recalling that in the past, the communities living in the Djenne circle have always resorted to dialogue to manage tensions linked to the resources they share;

Conscious that the conflict that has been taking place between our communities for more than two years fuels the multidimensional crisis which is shaking the Mopti region;

Aware that the violence which involves the members of our respective communities may not end immediately with the signing of this Agreement, but will rather require a constant commitment on our part to peacefully deal with the disputes;

Determined to improve the peaceful cohabitation between our communities in a current climate marred by massacres likely to divide us more;

Satisfied that the Agreement for the prevention of a conflict between breeders and farmers in the Djenne circle signed in November 2018 has effectively allowed for the peaceful return of herds to the borgou fields of the Djenne circle;

Satisfied that the preparatory meeting of Gagna, on July 18 and 19, 2019, established the main outline of this Agreement, and that this was well received by the members of our communities;

Meeting in Djenne within the framework of mediation facilitated for ten months by the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, requested by community leaders and the Djenne authorities, we commit to:

Chapter I:

Generalities

Article 1:

On the general commitment of the Parties

With this Agreement, the Parties guarantee the physical safety and the free movement of people, goods, and livestock in the Djenne circle.

Chapter II:

Commitments of the Parties

Article 2:

The Peulh community undertakes to:

a) Cease any recourses to violence against the Bambara agricultural community;

b) Respect the routes set up for transhumance and facilitate their development;

c) Not allow animals to graze at night during the agricultural season;

d) Inform the community of the calendar for the arrival of breeders and their herds;

e) Not hinder the agricultural season;

f) Compensate for the damage caused by livestock to crops, in a prompt, adequate, and effective manner.

Article 3:

The farmers' communities (among others Bambara and Bozo) agree to:

a) Cease all use of violence against the Peulh pastoral community;

b) Respect the routes established for transhumance and facilitate their development;

c) Compensate for the damage caused to livestock in a prompt, adequate and effective manner.

Article 4:

Dozo hunters agree to:

a) Not use armed force against civilian communities

b) Stop hunting all livestock;

Article 5:

In addition, the parties jointly undertake to:

a) Support ending the violence that obstructs the 2019 transhumance and agricultural seasons;

b) Settle any dispute through dialogue;

c) Facilitate access for the population of the Djenne circle to weekly health fairs and centres;

d) Not to hinder the free movement of people and their goods;

e) Encourage community leaders to commit to peace by spreading messages of cohesion and peace;

f) Condemn any act in violation of this Agreement;

g) Respect and ensure respect for the local rules of access to pastoral resources;

h) Stop all taking of livestock regardless of the owner's community and facilitate searches for stolen goods and animals.

Chapter III:

Recommendations addressed to the State

Article 6:

The Parties request the State to support their efforts and more particularly to:

- Ensure the safety of people and their property

- Negotiate and agree with the armed groups of the Djenne circle on a model of demobilization and reintegration;

- Deliver aid to mitigate the food crisis that affects community members;

- Support the efforts of the Agreement's monitoring committee.

Chapter IV:

Monitoring of the implementation

Article 7:

The Parties undertake to meet each month from the signing of this agreement in order to take stock of its implementation and, if necessary, amend its commitments.

Article 8:

A monitoring committee will be set up;

whose mission is to:

a) Review the progress of the implementation of the commitments made under this Agreement with the Parties in order to strengthen their scope;

b) Prevent and resolve disputes between the Parties which may lead to non-compliance with this Agreement;

c) Identify, if necessary, additional measures necessary for the process of inter-communal reconciliation;

d) Spread the content of the Agreement in all the Djenne circle municipalities and all those neighbouring;

e) Review regularly with the authorities the progress of the implementation of the commitments made under this Agreement in order to strengthen their scope;

Eleven (11) people are designated by consensus to make up the monitoring Committee.

These will include five representatives of the Bambara community, five representatives of the Peulh community, and the mayor of Gagna.

Chapter V:

Managing Disagreements

Article 9:

The Parties will do everything in their power to settle amicably and through negotiation any disagreement arising between them, in the spirit of cooperation and friendship that underline this Peace Agreement.

Article 10:

In the event of failure to implement this Agreement or in the event of a dispute relating to its interpretation, the Parties will use the Monitoring Committee so that a consensus solution is identified and applied.

Article 11:

In the event of failure to apply the solution identified with the monitoring committee, the Parties will refer to the authorities together to resolve their dispute.

Article 12:

In the event of a serious breach of the application of this Agreement, and failure of any negotiation attempts to remedy this, the Parties may terminate this Agreement.

Such a decision will take effect on a specified termination date.

In this case, the Parties will take all necessary measures to minimize the impact of such a decision on the peace efforts already undertaken.

Chapter VI:

Final provisions

Article 13:

This Agreement shall come into force from the date of signature by the Parties.

Done in Djenne, Thursday 01 August 2019

Signatories to the humanitarian agreement between breeders, farmers, and Dozo hunters in the Djenne circle

Representatives of the hunters

Sinali MAIGA

Amadou DIARRA

Representatives of the Peulh breeders' community

Alpha Samba LANDOURE

Malick TOURE

Village chief of Diaba peulh

Representatives of the farmers' community

Dramane COULIBALY

Mayor of the Derary commune

EL Hadj DJETTE

Representatives of the facilitators

Binkè KONATE

Ali TOURE

Witnessed

The village chief of Djenne

Sidi Yeya MAIGA

Witnessed

Mayor of the urban community of Djenne

Lassine YARO

Witnessed

President of the council of Djenne circle

Alassane BOCOUM

Witnessed

Prefect of Djenne circle

Bolle Maouloud BABY