Joint Communique

Dinka Malual and Messiriya Grassroots Peace Conference November 11 to 14, 2008, Aweil Town, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, South Sudan

November 14, 2008

Joint Final Communique Dinka Malual and Messiriya Grassroot Peace Conference Aweil Town, November 11 to 14, 2008

1. Conscious of the present and of the future expectations and desire, by the Dinka Malual and Messiriya Communities, for common and shared development projects and efforst to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and unhindered access to right of our people to their portions of national wealth as stipulated under the Protocol of Wealth Sharing Agreement of CPA;

2. Recalling the long history of peaceful coexistence between Dinka Malual and Messiriya sombreness and compassion, respect of lives, fraternity that augment and brace us as two communities with interest in socio-economic development and good neighbourliness;

3. Recalling the long history of suffering as a result of the just ended North/South war that destroyed the lives and loving youth from our communities and looting of livestock that has further caused profound grievances to our convictions and continued to by the cause of mischief to our mutual trust;

4. Cognizant of the significant of mutual recognition of each other’s cultures, values, beliefs and respect of each other’s right and of unhindered access to natural resources inside the lands of Dinka Malual and Messiriya;

5. Mindful of our shared desire to return of the innocent abducted children and women as documented by Committee for Eradication of Abduction of Women and Children (CEAWC);

6.

Recognizant, respect and committed to full and timely implementation of Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA);

7. Recalling that this conference shall signal lasting end of long history of marginalization and exploitation of our natural resources and neglect to our local interest and needs;

8. Inspired and encouraged by wisdom and good leadership of H.E. Paul Malong Awan, Governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal and H.E. Omer Suleiman Adam, Governor of Southern Kordofan and his personal representative H.E. Mohamed Doreik Bakhat and wisdom and leadership of the Presidency, H.E. President Oman El Bashir, First Vice President Salve Kiir Mayardit and Vice President Ali Osman Taha;

and appreciative of diligence by members and leadership of the Joint Committee led by Mr Aldo Ajou Deng and Hon Alkhair Al Faheim El Makki, Lt.

Gen. (RT) Abdel Rahman and Dr. Dhieu Mathok Diing for their excellent planning and supervision of this historical Conference;

grateful to the funding from USAID, RACDO/AEM, Government of NBGS and Southern Kordofan State, supported by Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement (SPLM) with flights;

and facilitation by Policy Advocacy and Strategic Studies (PASS;

and we urge the United State Agency for International Development (USAID);

European Union (EU), United Nations (UN), International/Local NGOs and both GONU and GOSS to timely response to our need to empowerment of out traditional authority, local government and priorities of our local development and support to our desire to live as good neighbourliness and people of common destiny;

9. We the conferees deplore war and we are committed to end the instability and mutual destruction to our resources and resulting unjustified impediment of development and therefore the two parties on the following recommendations that emerged from our conference as per attached to be immediately implemented upon the date of signature;

10.

thankful to the outstanding hospitality extended to this historic Conference for peace organised by the Dinka Malual, the administration and people of Aweil Town;

11. We renew our confidence and urge the current leadership and membership of Joint Technical Committee (JTC) and Joint Steering Committee (JSC) to form a gender balanced institution;

which should also involve youths, faith and the religious institutions that includes Dinka and Mesiriya communities inside and outside the Sudan to advocate for peace and development in the area;

12. We the delegates, the representatives of Dinka Malual and Messiriya Al Humus of Al Fiyareen and Awlad Kamil, have deliberated and reached consensus and passed the following resolutions:

RESOLUTIONS, DINKA MALUAL AND MESSIRIYA GRASSROOTS PEACE CONFERENCE,

AWEIL TOWN, NORTHERN BAHR EL GHAZAL STATE, NOVEMBER 11-14,2008

SECTION I

RECOMMENDATIONS ON EQUITABLE SHARING OF GRAZING LANDS AND WATER POINTS

1. The conference recommends, the Dinka Malual to allow the Messiriya pastoralists or nomads to enter Northern Bahr El Ghazal without carrying firearms.

2. The conference recommends the creation of a native administration from the two tribes which should be facilitated (empowered) so that it is able to do the following:

a) Maintain security and rule of law and inculcation of the spirit of fraternity and mutual respect between the two communities.

b) Maintain social texture and rejuvenation of the traditional alliances and nourish the spirit of natural love and respect.

3. Formation/establishment of joint native courts with wide powers to look into common customary laws and prevent stealing of livestock and properties.

4. Regarding the routes for the nomads, the conference recommends the following:

a) Demarcation of movement routes every year as early as possible, before the beginning of the migrant season to entering Dinka grazing lands;

and the two communities may establish suitable mechanisms for the implementation of these recommendations

b) Determining the date and the period for entrance into and exit from Dinka grazing areas.

c) Establishment of mobile veterinary clinics to accompany the pastoralist or nomads through their movements within Dinka Malual areas.

d) Protect pastures from fires and enact laws to prevent this.

e) Harmonize livestock tax throughout the states.

5. Dredging of the channel of the River Kiir (El Jerf) to restore normal flow of the water;

and establish hafirs, dams and water pumps in this area.

6. The conference recommends the holding of annual conferences, exchange visits for the following reasons:

a) Invigorate the agreements of peaceful coexistence between the two tribes.

b) Activate the role of youth from the two parties and encourage cultural activities for the youth to deepen the culture of peace among them.

c) Ensure participation of women in all community affairs.

7. Open roads to and from joint markets to ease the flow of commerce between the two states.

8. The two tribes understand (agree) that the entrance of the Messiriya with their animals into Northern Bahr El Ghazal State is for grazing only;

and have no rights to own land in Dinka land and, likewise, the Dinka have no right to own land in Messiriya land, except grazing.

SECTION II

RECOMMENDATIONS ON ABDUCTION OF CHILDREN AND WOMEN

1. The two sides agree that abduction is a commendable action by all religions, customs and human conscience and undermines the long standing relationship between the two sides.

This practice impacts negatively on the abductees and their families;

and also constitutes a big obstacle which much be removed in order to support peaceful co-existence between the two tribes.

2. Both the Dinka and Messiriya commit themselves to full cooperation with CEAWC so that it can fulfil its work and programs.

3. The conference affirms that this problem is as a result of the war in the Sudan and appreciates the role of the national institutions, especially CEAWC, to control this practice.

4.

The conference appreciates the role of the GONU, GOSS and the state governments of Northern Bahr El Ghazal and Southern Kordofan in their efforts to put and end to this practice.

5. The conference recommends granting funds to CEAWC, so that it can return the abductees to their families and close this chapter as soon as possible.

6. The responsible body should cooperate with the native administration in Messiriya area, in order to secure the ways for the voluntary return of displaced persons and refugees returning to Northern Bahr El Ghazal State;

and also to remove all the impediments to investment, and to encourage investment from sons (daughters) of the two states.

SECTION III

RECOMMENDATIONS ON SHARED DEVELOPMENT

1. Regarding education, the conference recommended the following:

a) Improve school infrastructures in both the Dinka and Messiriya areas.

b) Recognizing the importance to the education of nomads’ children from both tribes.

c) Recognizing the significance of educate to adults.

d) Recognizing the importance of education for women.

e) Construction of primary and secondary schools to absorb school dropouts.

f) Implementation of free education policy at the level of the basic schools.

g) Recognizing the significance of technical and vocational education.

2. Regarding health, the conference recommended the following:

a) Establish and improve hospitals and health centers in the area.

b) Avail trained qualified medical cadres.

c) Establish new specialized hospitals in larger towns in Southern Kordofan, like Meiram and in Northern Bahr El Ghazal like Aweil.

d) Increase health awareness campaigns to fight epidemic diseases.

e) Implementation of free medical treatment for mothers and children.

3. In the area of the potable water for humans and livestock, the conference recommended the following:

a) Dredging the River Kiir channel (El Jerf).

b) Establishment of hafirs, dams, pumps to increase rural water.

c) Sinking wells and installing hand pumps along the nomadic routes.

4. In the area of services:

a) Improve and pave internal roads that link the two states of Northern Bahr El Ghazal – Aweil and Southern Kordofan – El Meiram.

b) Improve and restore the rail link between Babanusa and Wau.

5. Regarding agriculture, the conference recommended:

a) Establishment of agricultural schemes for resettlement of monads and pastoralists in both the Dinka Malual and Messiriya areas.

b) Introduction of crops which are suitable for Dinka Malual and the Messiriya areas, like rise in Aweil, dukhun, kerkade [Hibiscus] or groundnuts in Meiram and Muglad.

c) Availing agricultural machines/equipments and other agricultural inputs to modernize agriculture in the area.

d) Availing improved seeds and pesticides.

e) To establish joint markets for agricultural products in the two areas as well as outside of the areas.

f) Improvement of quality of livestock.

g) Provide funds to the small farmers.

h) Availing equipment for mobile veterinary clinics, together with the vaccination against epidemic disease.

i) Establishing the animal breeding farms and introducing the livestock in the agricultural economy in order to play a role in the agriculture and the economy.

6. In the area of the industries:

a) The Conference recommended refurbishment factories in the area.

b) Establishing small industries, for example soap making, oil extraction and sugar, etc.

SECTION IV

RECOMMENDATIONS ON SMALL ARMS CONTROL

1. To abide by the stipulations in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) regarding the holding of firearms.

2. The conference recommended to accelerate the demobilization of ex-combatants from the two tribes and to find decent livelihood for them.

3. The native administration in the two sides of Dinka and Messiriya;

and the local authorities are to maintain security for the pastoralists in Dinka area and vice verse in Messiriya areas.