JOINT COMMUNIQUE ON YADO/YATHO DISPUTE ISSUED ON 15th AUGUST 2020 AT GRANADA HOTEL, MANDERA MUNICIPALITY.
After four days of marathon engagement between elders and leaders of the Garre and Murulle Communities, a lot of ground has been covered and consensus built on peace and cohesion within Mandera County.
A-21-member committee was selected comprising of representatives from both clans, county Government and National Cohesion and Integration Commission officials to deliberate on the contentious issues. We acknowledge and appreciate the presence and contributions of elected leaders-our MPs and MCAs as well former MPs who dedicated their time to try and broker peace during the negotiations.
After the stakeholders consultations which included full time participation of National Government through the Mandera County Commissioner Mr. Onesmus Kyatha and the County Security committee, a total of nine key issues were isolated out which consensus was reached on seven matters. However, two issues remain unresolved.
The committee agreed on the following by consensus:
1. Contestation over electoral and administrative boundaries
- Discussions on the issue of clan boundaries raised by Murulle community and contested by Garre community should be finalized by June 2021.
- Issues regarding contestations over electoral and administrative boundaries should be resolved as envisaged in Umul and related accords.
2. Previous agreements which were not honoured-Umul and related accords
3. Contestation over pasture, water and grazing lands
- This issue was isolated and it was agreed that it should be resolved as per Umul and related accords.
4. On Unresolved grievances from past conflicts/Incidents
The teams agreed that elders convene to confirm and verify all incidents and resolve them using Umul and related peace accords and in line with Somali customary laws.
5. Incitement on social media and other platforms
The National Government arm on Cohesion, The NCIC (National Cohesion and Integration Commission) should arrest and charge any person peddling inciting messages with immediate effect. Such persons must face the full force of the law.
6. Government laxity in apprehending criminals
Perpetrators of conflict must be arrested and dealt with accordingly in a court of law.
7. Presence of armed militia from both clan
The clan elders will take full responsibility for the disbandment of any existing clan militia. Immediate cessation of all hostilities should commence with immediate effect. The meeting despite making great progress, failed to reach consensus on the following two issues:
8. Creation of new settlements, Locations and enclosures in disputed areas
9. Development programmes in contested areas that trigger inter clan conflict.
The government resolves that the following guidance should be implemented going forward in the interest of peace and cohesion:
a) That the 14 member negotiation team together with two religious leaders should go to the conflict areas to preach peace and cohesion.
b) That the two communities should propose names of 5-7 neutral arbiters to mediate them further on the contentious issues.
c) That the mediators should commence the process as soon as possible and must be completed within the next two months Maximum
d) The national government and county government should invite all the stakeholders to help in the identification of the constituency boundary and both levels of government to demarcate the boundary to avoid any future dispute.
e) That there should be no further development in Yado, also called Yetho or Yedho.
f) Government to disband all armed groups within the conflict areas and take any other measure necessary to contain the situation.
Ends.
