Open letter to Eastern Equatoria Governor from Ma’di Community
– H.E. Brigadier General Aloysius Ojetuk
– Governor
– Eastern Equatoria State
– Torit
Your Excellency,
We, the Ma’di Community in Diaspora, wish to extend to you our appreciation and congratulations on the role you played in ensuring the holding of the historic meeting between the Host Community in Nimule and the Internally Displaced Persons, mainly from Bor, in Nimule, Magwi County between the 23rd and 25th January 2009.
We assure you that that we fully support and endorse the resolutions passed in that meeting, signed by Elder Venusto Ogido Zira on behalf of the Host Community, Chief Isaac Chol Ngong on behalf of the IDPs and witnessed by Hon Beatrice Aber Samson of SSPC, which are:
1. Immediate registration, Repatriations and Return of IDPs
a- The two State Governments of EES and Jonglei states together with the Government of Southern Sudan with the help of International and UN Agencies, International, National, and Local NGOs,CBOs and all people of good will to facilitate the repatriation of the IDPS back to Jonglei State beginning February to March 2009.
b- The State Government of EES and Jonglei to provide security for the IDPs and their cattle for peaceful repatriation back to their home villages.
c- The Host community to provide safe exit for the IDPs and their property/Cattle.
d- All civil servants who are here for national duty should not be affected by the repatriation of IDPs.
2. Security, Peace and parallel administration
a- The Government of Eastern Equatoria State to recruit, train and empower police to enforce law and order in Nimule and Magwi in general.
b- The army barracks to be established outside civil population, to control intimidation of people by gun.
c- The Government of EES to immediately harmonise civil authority structures at all levels.
d- All marriage to be legalised.
e- The Government of Eastern Equatoria and Jonglei to take responsibility of the security of IDPs during return and to embark on a peace keeping programme and law enforcement that will deliver the Internally Displaced Persons from Nimule, to their villages and provide security to them while enroute to Jonglei State.
f- Hostilities between the IDPs and host community to cease immediately.
3. Cattle and crop cultivation.
The state Government of EES should identify the government soldiers having cattle in Magwi County who are deployed elsewhere in order to remove their cattle immediately.
4. Land, Construction and Compensation
a- The State Government of EES to form a committee comprising of representative from IDPs, the Host community and the State Government to meet the Government of Jonglei State on the implementation of the resolution.
b- Compensation shall be accorded to any IDPs who built permanent structure with agreement with and by land lords but for those without agreement the Governments of GOSS, EES, Jonglei States to arbitrate.
This historic event would, no doubt, contribute immensely towards defusing the prevailing precarious relationship between the Host Community in Nimule and the IDPs. We call upon you, if harmonious communal relations in the state is to prevail, to invest an equal amount of time, energy and resources in ensuring a timely and full implementation of the resolutions of the meeting and without any conditions.
The full implementation of these resolutions will expedite the return of our people in exile, whose land and houses are currently being forcefully occupied by the IDPs. These resolutions will further allow our people, for the first time since the signing of the CPA, to come close to enjoying the much promised benefits of the CPA, which include the right to return home, to reclaim their rightful property and land, and to live as free men and women in their ancestral homeland. The full implementation of the resolutions will also provide an opportunity for our people currently in exile, on return, to be able to participate in the vital forthcoming elections and referendum provided for in the CPA.
We have always believed that Nimule is, and will always be, cosmopolitan in its outlook, and we have no desire to see that change. What we expect in return is respect to our way of life, property, persons, institutions and submission to the rule of law rather than that of AK47 by anyone indigenous or not, who opts to reside in the town.
In order to promote harmonious communal relations in Nimule and the surrounding areas, and to see the full implementation of the agreements reached between the Host Community in Nimule and the IDPs, we make the following suggestions:
1- Time and resources be invested in the full implementation of the historic resolutions passed in the meeting between the Host Community and the IDPs.
2- The involvement of your counterpart, H.E. the Governor of Jongolei, is of necessity; he should not only be involved in the process, but should be seen to be doing so proactively.
3- We also appeal to you to involve any relevant NGOs involve in relief and repatriation to lend a helping hand .
4- The repatriation of the IDPs should run concurrently with the issue of cattle laying to waste crops.
5- Ensuring that only members of the armed forces are allowed to carry firearms and in accordance with military regulations.
6- Ensure that, where possible, members of the armed forces, including their dependents reside in clearly demarcated barracks.
Your Excellency,
Please accept this as our sincere words of appreciation and a statement of our intent to work closely with you and our leaders on the ground in the implementation of this historic agreement.
Yours truly,
Mairi John
For Madi Community in Diaspora.
February 3rd 2009.