Resolutions of the Anyuak Murle Peace Conference (Otallo Agreement)

RESOLUTIONS OF THE ANYUAK MURLE PEACE CONFERENCE

Otallo, May 17th, 2003

The Anyuak Murle Peace talks started in Jwom in March 2003.

It was temporarily interrupted by the theft of Anyuak cattle.

It resumed again in Otallo under the facilitation of Larjour Consultancy and Pax Christi Netherlands between May 13th and 17th, 2003, attended by thirty delegates from Anyuak and thirty delegates from Murle including delegates from the Pibor, which is under the government of the Sudan.

A peace agreement called Otallo Peace Agreement was concluded between the Anyuak and Murle Communities.

Preamble

Aware of existence of state of belligerency in and among the ethnic communities of Upper Nile, which have been exacerbated by the long running civil war between the government of the Sudan and the Sudan People s Liberation Movement/Army;

Aware that the conflicts in and among the ethnic communities e.g. the conflict between the Anyuak and the Murle is a product of the civil war;

Knowing that South Sudan is on the threshold of realising a peace agreement between the GoS and the SPLM/A in the context of the IGAD peace process;

Mindful of the fact that Upper Nile remains the most affected by the continuing state of violence, which state of affairs prevented to date humanitarian intervention and any semblance of development in the area;

Larjour Consultancy and Pax Christi Netherlands conducted a four days peace conference between the Anyuak and Murle in Otallo, Pochalla County between 13th and 17th of May 2003 in which a peace agreement called Otallo Anyuak Murle Peace Agreement was concluded.

The conference adopted the following resolutions:

A. SECURITY AND STABILITY IN THE AREA

1. Stop the practice of abduction of children that has gone on for a long time between the Anyuak and Murle.

a. Any person caught in the act of abduction of a child shall be apprehended by the authorities and prosecuted according to law;

b. If an abducted child dies, the culprit shall be apprehended, and shall by killed in the place of the child;

c. If the child is found alive, the child shall be retrieved and the culprit forced to pay a fine of three cows.

2. Stop the practice of ambush and murder of persons travelling or hunting in the area with the view of appropriating his rifle;

a. If a person ambushes and kills a person, he shall be killed in his place;

3. Stop cattle rustling and raiding between the two communities;

a. A person caught stealing a cow, three cows shall be taken from him:

two as punishment and the other as retrieval;

b. Any chief sheltering a criminal shall be punished along side the criminal;

c. The 31 missing heads of cattle to be paid back to the Anyuak owners and this responsibility rests with the Murle chiefs.

4. Increase communication between the Commissioners of Pochalla, Boma and Pibor with the view of minimising insecurity and conflicts between the communities and to contribute to peace and stability in the sub-region.

a. The conference calls for the provision of 4 radio sets for Pochalla, Boma, Otallo and Pibor to be given to the security committee to make easy and quick communication and intervention in case of criminal act.

5. In order to prevent eruption of violence between communities joint security and surveillance committees shall be established and empowered to take action against violators of this agreement;

a. Anybody who violates the security of the region through ambushes, cattle rustling and raids shall be apprehended by the respective community or government agencies [GoS, and SPLM/A] and taken to court.

B. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUES

The conferees have recognised the marginalisation of the region as a result of the inter-, and intra-community conflicts.

The conference calls on the international community, humanitarian and development agencies and the Sudan Peace Fund to help in solving the roots causes of the conflicts:

fishing, hunting, etc.

and to contribute to social and economic recovery of the subregion as guarantees for peace and stability.

There is need for immediate rescue of the situation through the following actions:

Immediate intervention in the area to provide relief in form of food, medicines for humans and livestock;

Drilling of enough bore holes in the following areas:

Okello, Thorjoich, Waraberi, Abich, for provision of potable water;

Construction of joint schools;

Initiation of women development projects through the development of natural resources e.g. shea nuts, etc.

which abound in the area;

The conference calls on the Sudan Peace Fund to provide peace dividends to the Murle and Anyuak communities.

This peace agreement was signed by

On the Murle side:

Nganthou Kabula Chief of Lekwangole

Ngatho Kavula Chief of Kongor

Etcho Buloch Chief of Manyiranye

Loziyo ADor Chief of Lekwangole

Kikar Adhing Chief of Akello

Nyikcho Ame Chief Wunkok

Ngachalan Lotako Chief of Kavachok

Boyoi Gogol Chief of Koyoi

Stephen Alan Chief of Boma

Maraka Lotinom Chief of Kelenya

On the side of Anyuak delegation:

Nyie Adongo Agada Akway King of Anyuak

Witnesses

Elder Philip Obang Ojway, Chairman Upper Nile Peace & Development Task Force

Lt. Col.

Ogato Cham, SPLM County Secretary Pochalla County

Cdr. Babur Mazi, Representative of the SPLM County Secretary Pibor County

A/Cdr.

Simon Didingo, Peace Supervisor Pibor County

Mohammedan Nicho, Representative of the Commissioner of Pibor

Pastor David Gayen, Envoy of Governor Ismael Konyi

Dr. Peter Adwok Nyaba, Managing Director Larjour Consultancy.

Facilitator

Mr. Jervasio Okot, Journalist Dryland Journal

Otallo, May 17th, 2003

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LIST OF CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS

ANYUAK PARTICIPANTS

Nyie Adongo Agada Akway, King of Otallo

Nyie Akway Nyigwa Akway, King of Okadi

Nyie Ocudhu Odol Aballa, King of Budhi

Mr. Ogato Cham Gilo

Mr. Gilo Obang Okello

Mr. Kwot Bwogo

Mrs. Akway Ajai Okello

Mr. Achumi Gada Bui

Mr. Joseph Abulla Ojullo

Mr. Ogiel Cham-Chala

Mr. Peter Gwino Deng

Mr. Obali Ogoni

Mr. Odong Cham-chala

Mr. Okello Ojwok Nyigwa

Mr. Ochan Agwa Nyang

Mr. Akway Obongi Nyigwa

Mr. Ochwa Olango Alwiny

Mr. Ogali Owar Akola

Mr. Okumo Ochan Okello

Mr. Okolo Othow

Mr. Abulla Agada Akany

Mrs. Opat Atach Aballa

Mr. Ojullo Oman Akway

Mr. Palata Mamour

Mr. Obotha Nyang Deng

Mr. Nyigwo Adou

Mrs. Akello Agada Akway

Mr. Ochang Okello

Mr. Philip Obang Ojway

Mrs. Aryet Akway Obang

Mr. Maduk Alier, Brigade Commander

Mr. Garang Deng Jurkuch, Education Coordinator

Dr. Charles Yor Odhok, Medical Officer, World Relief

Mr. Jervasio Okot, Journalist

Dr. Peter Adwok Nyaba, Larjour Consultancy

Mr. Pito Adwok

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MURLE PARTICIPANTS

1. Mr. Nyikcho Ame, Pibor [Wunkok]

2. Mr. Simon Achik, Pibor [Lekwongole]

3. Mr. Ngachalan Lotako, Pibor [Karachok]

4. Mr. Maraka Lotinom, Pibor

5. Mr. Ngachamachi Lopim.

Pibor

6. Mr. Kikar Ading, Pibor [Akilo]

7. Mr. Boyoi Gogo,l Pibor [ Koyoi]

8. Mr. Gayin Lokode, Pibor [ AKilo]

9. Mr. Nyelo Tawan, Pibor [ Muntakar]

10. Mr. Ngari Nyati, Pibor [Lekwongole]

11. Mr. Baba Tormam, Pibor [Dulimang]

12. Mr. Babur Maze, Boma

13. Mr. Simon Idinga, Boma

14. Mr. John Lorech, Boma

15. Mr. Stephen Allan, Boma

16. Mr. Lokidang Lotiboi, Boma

17. Mr. Jacob Logocho, Boma

18. Mrs. Margaret Korock, Boma

19. Mrs. Tereza Chacha Komen, Boma

20. Mr. Kuju Kidilam, Boma

21. Mr. Juma Koko, Boma

22. Mr. Apolat Ngare, Boma

23. Mr. Ngatho Kavula, Lekwongole [Kongor]

24. Mr. Eticho Boloch, Lekwongole [Manyirange]

25. Mr. Loziyo Dor, Lekwongole

26. Mr. Johnson Ngare, Lekwongole

27. Mr. Adoch Agul, Pibor

28. Mr. Mohammedan Nicho, Pibor

29. Mr. Kirer Eticho, Pibor

30. Mr. Baal Wayabok, Pibor

31. Rev. David Gayin, Envoy of Ismael Kony

2 There were in fact more than seventy Murle who attended the conference.

The members of Brigade Militia refused to have their names recorded.

1 Only those registered as participants were thirty Kwei Luak [chiefs and sub chiefs] appointed by the King but the whole male population of Otallo participated in the conference deliberation.