CONFERENCE OF AUTOCHTHONOUS ETHNIC NATIONALITIES COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATIONS
Temporary Office: No. 10 Kungfang Village,Miango Road, Jos, Plateau
State
Phone: 08036025872 E-Mail:
conaecda@gmail.com
COMMUNIQUÉ
OF THE SECOND NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF CANAECDA, HELD AT ELIEL CENTRE
RAYFIELD, JOS, ON WEDNESDAY 28TH
TO FRIDAY 30TH OCTOBER 2015
Preamble
The
Conference of Autochthonous Ethnic Nationalities Community Development
Associations (CONAECDA) held its Second Annual Conference at the Eliel Centre,
Rayfield, Jos, from the 28th to 30th October, 2015. The
2015 Conference was sponsored by the communities without any major support from
any individual or group. The Conference was attended by over 100 CDAs from the northern
states of Nigeria. The South-South ethnic nationalities were represented at the
Conference, where they delivered a powerful Solidarity Message. The theme of
the Conference was Conflict, Peace and Development.
The
Conference President was Hon. Comrade Paul Bassi, the National President of the
Bura Community Development Association, Borno State. It was declared open by
the Chairman of the occasion, Hon. Hassan Ahmadu, of the Waja Community
Development Association, Gombe State.
The
Conference Keynote Address was delivered by Dr. Z. K. A. Bonat, the National
Coordinator of CONAECDA, where he highlighted various forms of conflicts, their
causes, and their effect on peaceful national integration, mutual respect and
acceptance, as well as their consequences for the development of the
communities, the states and the Nigerian nation as a whole.
The
Conference received and critically analysed reports and presentations from
representatives of the minority ethnic communities, on key issues facing their communities.
These presentations and deliberations covered five key areas on which recommendations
and resolutions were made.
1.
Insurgency:
i.
It was observed that a key reason behind the
lingering insurgency is the insensitivity of Nigerian politicians in dealing
with the core issues surrounding the insurgency.
ii.
That government knows the sponsors of the
insurgents and it has failed in bringing them to face the law.
iii.
That communities ravaged by the insurgency
have largely been deserted with few towns/villages currently sparsely populated.
iv.
That those who attempt to enter or vacate
territories controlled by the insurgents are killed.
v.
That some of the relief materials and other
forms of aid meant for the victims of the insurgency do not get to them.
vi.
That most of the local government areas in
Borno state and some parts of Adamawa state are still under the control of the
insurgents.
vii.
That those areas currently resisting the
expansion of the insurgents are largely secured by the communities in
collaboration with the Nigerian armed force as the armed forces and police
personnel are too few to police the area.
viii.
Any process designed towards curbing the
insurgency is bound to fail if the communities are not properly engaged in the
processes.
ix.
Only the affected communities can effective
mobilize their members to return and reconstruct their communities and lives.
x.
Any attempt to force victims to return to
their communities will fail.
xi.
Community leader from affected communities
are the only reliable partners for reconstructing the communities and as such
should be engaged by civil society organizations, governments and international
partners in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the communities.
2.
Fulani
- Farmers Conflicts:
i.
It was observed that the Fulani-Farmers
conflicts have assumed the proportion of a national crisis with the conflicts
affecting all geopolitical regions of Nigeria irrespective of ethnicity and
religion.
ii.
That the successful eradication of tsetse
flies in the forest areas of Nigeria and desert encroachment from the northern
parts of the country is shifting the herders’ population southwards.
iii.
That while most Fulani herders and farmers largely
co-exist peacefully in several communities, the large scale genocide going on
in several communities is primarily politically and economically designed to
take over the land of the indigenous owners, and replace the current indigenous
populations in the minority areas and the Middle belt with Fulani population.
iv.
That these conflicts have intensified along
the river basins of the river Benue (Tiv, Idoma, Jukuns, Tarok and communities
in Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau states);along the grasslands and plain of Mambila plateau,
and the Jos plateau which includes Southern Kaduna; Within forest and grazing
reserves areas such as Wase, Kachia, Birmin Gwari grazing reserves etc.
v.
It was also observed that the core Northern
States governments deliberately failed to set up the grazing reserves specified
in the Grazing Reserves Law of Northern Nigeria, and are now justifying and
encouraging migrations of the Fulani from the Northern to the Middle Belt and
Southern States; and that the same northern elements are those sponsoring laws
to use the power of government to forcefully take over the land of minority
ethnic groups and hand them over to Fulani herdsmen and the cattle-owning elite
in the north.
vi.
It was also observed that the Nomadic Fulani
and other non Fulani cattle farmers are facing serious insecurity that largely
arises from cattle rustling and kidnapping which for the most part are perpetuated
by criminals of Fulani origin with other non Fulani criminal gangs.
vii.
That due to the rising level of poverty among
Fulani herdsmen who have lost their cattle, or who can no longer keep cattle, many
of such have taken to crime. While others have taken to alternate trades such
as security guards, drivers, farming etc. Many others are now serving as criminals
sponsored by some Fulani elements and other non-Fulani criminals where they
serve as cattle rustling gangs and mercenaries.
viii.
It is the view of communities that have
experienced genocidal attacks from so-called Fulani “herdsmen” and militants
that the attacking gangs are sponsored by aggrieved Fulani and other misguided
Fulani leaders, who are behind most of the conflicts and crises currently perpetuated
against farming communities of minority ethnic extraction.
ix.
That while the Fulani political class and
traditional leaders can call the Fulani to order they have refused to do so
because they seek to expand their influence by taking advantage of the conflict
to establish Fulani territories all over Nigeria thereby expanding their sphere
of influence.
x.
That food production and rural development is
hampered by the activities of Fulani militia and criminal cattle rustlers, thereby
hampering governments’ good intensions towards food security and stemming
massive rural to urban drift.
3.
Boundary
Problems.
i.
Conference observed that there are numerous
boundary problems that sometimes lead to violence all over the country,
especially between our member ethnic communities.
ii.
Conference also observed that there are
numerous reasons behind such conflicts, some of which are economic, socio-political
and sometimes manipulations of boundary issues to cause animosity.
iii.
Conference believes that political boundary
issues are complicated and can be addressed when members of communities are
engaged in meaningful dialogue and cooperation. Unfortunately, while mechanisms
and institutions of government have failed to address boundary disputes for
decades, politicization and lack of conflict resolution skills and goodwill
among communities have not been conducive to community-driven dialogue and
boundary conflict resolution.
4.
Community
Security and Social Cohesion.
i.
Conference observed that there is a
proliferation of ethnic militias all over the country. Conference further observed
that promoting ethnic militias among minorities is a recipe for self-extermination.
ii.
Conference observed that community security
and social cohesion is a globally accepted system of ensuring peace and safety
for communities against crises, external aggression and intra community
conflicts. Conference observed that while there is need for community
organizations to be pro-active in securing their communities by collaborating with
the armed force, state security agencies (such as the Police, Civil Defense, State
Security Service, Immigration, Customs etc), the institutional framework for
such collaboration and cooperation do not exist.
iii.
Conference observed that the first line in
community security and defense of the communities are the communities
themselves.
iv.
Conference observe and appreciate community
security efforts through existing organisations, including voluntary and
legitimate organizations and institutions that assist in security activities
such as Vigilantes, Islamic First Aid groups, Boys Brigade, Cadets and Scouts, Hunters
Associations etc.
5.
Development
i.
Conference commends the implementation of the
Millennium Development Goals and welcome the adoption of the Sustainable
Development Goals.
ii.
Conference observes the lack of involvement
of communities in developmental issues. These include development planning,
budgeting, budget tracking, implementation of development plans,
accountability, and development evaluation.
iii.
Conference observes that only community participation,
ownership and sustenance of development activities can guarantee real and lasting
community and national development.
After due deliberations, the Conference resolved as
follows:
Resolution
1: insurgency
Conference
resolves that:
i.
The Federal Government should publish the
names of all sponsors of the ongoing insurgency, and prosecute them publicly.
ii.
The reconstruction of the communities devastated
by the insurgency and militia attacks and rehabilitation of victims of the
insurgency should be done in collaboration with affected Community Development
Associations through the CONAEDA Secretariat.
iii.
With adequate provision of security and
training of Community Security Marshalls to work with State Security agencies, communities
affected by the insurgency will be willing to return and with assistance from
the state and other donors can rebuild their villages and homes under the supervision
of their community leaders.
Resolution
2: herders related conflicts and grazing reserves
Conference hereby resolves that.
i.
No grazing reserve or Fulani territories
should be created on home lands of any of the Minority autochthonous ethnic
communities in Nigeria.
ii.
A petition should be written to the following
bodies highlight the systematic genocide against our communities, the attempt
to depopulate our lands by the creation of grazing reserves and the need for
international intervention through the conflict early warning system. The
complaint should be written to all LGCs, all states governments and State Houses
of Assembly, the Federal Government and National Assembly, ECOWAS, the AU and
the UN.
iii.
All traditional rulers who are custodians of
our culture and trustees of lands, belonging to our communities should desist
from selling or allocating lands for the creation of grazing reserves/ Fulani
territories.
Resolution
3: Community Security
Conference resolves that
i.
The Federal Government should adopt the United
Nations concept on community security and social cohesion and facilitate its vigorous
implementation by the Nigerian State and communities.
ii.
The Conference Secretariat should collaborate
with state institutions such as the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Police, and
Civil Defense etc in training Community leaders (Marshalls) to augment the provision
of security and conflict management in our communities.
iii.
Conference calls on the Federal Government to
implement the 2014 National Conference resolution on multi-tier policing in the
country.
Resolution
4: Boundary Related conflicts
Conference resolves that
i.
The recommendations of the 2014 National
Conference on boundary problems should be implemented.
ii.
Community dialogue should be encouraged in
resolving boundary problems, and that where mutually agreed solutions are reached
by communities, governments should approve and implement such solutions.
Resolution
5: Community development
Conference resolves that:
i.
Communities should be involved in planning
and executing developmental programmes and projects.
ii.
Communities should adopt the UN sustainable
development goals as the framework for a master plan for community and national
development.
Resolution
6: Powers of the Secretariat
Conference resolves that
The National Secretariat is mandated to plan, strategize
and work with all communities, individuals, groups and governments in implementing
the CONAECDA 2015 Conference resolutions.
Signed
Comrade
Paul Bassi
Conference
President
Zuwaqhu
Kalli Abungwon Bonat
National
Coordinator
Suleman
Dauda Sukukum
Secretary
General
Comments
Post a Comment