Community members celebrating with the Government of a
Kenyan District Commissioner in support of the Turkana-Dodoth
cross-border peace accord to end inter-communal violence.
East African countries in which
the Cross Border Conflict Mitigation
Initiative of the PEACE Program
operates. |
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The pastoralist arc of the Horn of Africa is plagued
by conflict that stems from competition over scarce
resources. Disputes over pasture, access to water and
livestock are common and often fueled by an abundance
of automatic weapons. Under the Cross Border Conflict
Mitigation Initiative of the PEACE program, USAID is
supporting coalitions of state and non-state actors
to perform governance functions in ungoverned areas.
Under this initiative, governance coalitions - comprised
of women, religious and traditional leaders and community
activists - build relationships and negotiate agreements
to resolve issues such as equitable grazing, migration
and watering arrangements as well as general agreements
for peace and cessation of hostilities. The result
is resumption of economic activity, including the re-opening
of local markets and the return of internally displaced
people to areas previously plagued by conflict. USAID
supports the process with direct grants to NGOs and
the provision of specialized technical assistance and
training to groups involved in project development,
conflict management and peace building.
One such agreement was reached in December 2005, between
Dodoth and Turkana youth in the cross border areas of
Uganda and Kenya. The Provisional Peace Agreement calls
for a ceasefire, sharing of natural resources such as
water and pasture, recovery of stolen stock, compensation
for loss of livestock and severe penalties for violence
against women and children.
The agreement followed a series of community reconciliation
activities which included refurbishment of the Ugandan
side of the cross border Kamion-Oropoi road and the
return of a 14 year-old Turkana boy captured during
a livestock raid.
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