Understanding between the Tarbanasa, Ibawen and Targaitamout communities in the Tamalet area

Country/entity
Mali
Niger
Region
Africa (excl MENA)
Agreement name
Understanding between the Tarbanasa, Ibawen and Targaitamout communities in the Tamalet area
Date
28 Apr 2018
Agreement status
Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement
Yes
Agreement/conflict level
Intrastate/local conflict Mali - Niger: Local cross-border conflicts
Stage
Framework/substantive - partial
Conflict nature
Inter-group
Peace process
Mali - Niger: local agreements in border areas
Parties
For Tarbanassa and Ibahawan  
Oumar Ag Mohamed  

For Targaitamout 
Jikilla Ag Wantacha
Third parties
Page 2, untitled preamble:
... representative of the Minister of State, of Interior, of Public Security,
Decentralization, of Customary and Religious Affairs, assisted by the representative of the High Authority for Peace-building (HACP) and with the help of the Center For Humanitarian Dialogue.

Signed:
Witness organizations or institutions

For the witness communities in Mali
Mainy Ould Assalik                          

For the witness communities in Niger
Yahaya Assoumane                                                


The Deputy / Mayor of Abala 
Boubacar Oumarou                                 

The Mayor of Anderamboukane
Hamad Ahmad AG Mohamad

The representative of the interim Authorities of the Ménaka region
Algharif AG BIGUI

The representative of the High Authority for Peace-building (HACP)          
Mohamed Ali Mohamed (CT)

The representative of the Ministry of State, of Interior, Security, Public, Decentralization, Customary and Religious Affairs
Mohamed Mahamadou (CT)
Description
After a series of thefts and conflicts over water and pastoralist-related land resources, the communities agree to form a monitoring committee, to eradicate theft/looting, to jointly manage access to water sources, and to strengthen traditional local authorities.

Local agreement properties

Process type
Formal structured process
Rationale
This local peace process received mediation support from the Ministry of State, of Interior, of Public Security, Decentralization, of Customary and Religious Affairs, the High Authority for Peace-building (HACP), and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue. The agreement refers to recommendations and commitments from previous meetings (Preamble, page 2), and a secondary source (see references) indicates that the Daoussahaq (to which the Tarbanassa and Ibhawan groups belong) signed a peace agreement about two years earlier with the Peulh pastoralist community in the Mali-Niger border area, suggesting that this is not an isolated local peace agreement.
Is there a documented link to a national peace process?
No
Link to national process: articulated rationale
The agreement was negotiated outside of the national-level peace process as it deals with local, inter-communal conflict. The parties to this agreement are not part of the national-level peace negotiation framework.
Name of Locale
Tamalet area, Anderamboukane municipality, Mali-Niger border
Nature of Locale
Region
GPS Lat/Long (DD)
15.423000, 3.021000
Participant type
Central state actor
Local state actor
International or transnational actor
Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder
Local community/civilian group(s)/civil society organisations
Regional state actor
Mediator, facilitator or similar
Mediator or similar referred to
Mediator (references)
Mediators: Under the chairmanship of the representative of the Minister of State, of Interior, of Public Security, Decentralization, of Customary and Religious Affairs, assisted by the representative of the High Authority for Peace-building (HACP) and with the help of the Center For Humanitarian Dialogue
Type of mediator/facilitator/similar
Central state actor International or transnational actor

Local issues

Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture)

No specific mention.

Grievance List
Page 1, Preamble, Considering the willingness of the three parties to implement the provisions of the following commitments for a final and lasting settlement of the conflict, which has divided the three communities mentioned above, for many years, around the theft/looting of livestock and pastoral resources in the Tamalet area

Page 1, Chapter 1: Causes of the conflict, Following passionate but fruitful debates, the three parties identified the following causes as being at the origin of the conflict between them:
1. In favor of the occupation of northern Mali, the communities have armed themselves, attack each other to kill their key rivals, loot and take away the goods and animals of their victims.
2. In this area, some communities seek to take control of pastoral resources while excluding other communities,
3. The distrust between the communities and the loss of the influence of religious and customary leaders means that the communities no longer consult each other over the management of their inter and intra-communal conflicts.

Page 4, Section II: Access to pastoral resources (especially water sources), Article 7:
Apart from theft and looting of cattle, exclusion from access to water sources is one of the major causes of conflicts in the area.
Cattle rustling/banditry
Page 1, Preamble, Considering the willingness of the three parties to implement the provisions of the following commitments for a final and lasting settlement of the conflict, which has divided the three communities mentioned above, for many years, around the theft/looting of livestock and pastoral resources in the Tamalet area

Pages 2-3, CHAPTER II: Agreements between the communities in conflict, Section I: theft / looting of Livestock, ARTICLE 1:
Through this agreement and within the framework of peaceful coexistence, the three communities commit to:
• Ceasing all confrontation for any reason whatsoever,
• Firmly condemning acts of aggression
• Pro-actively eradicating theft / looting of livestock from any party and throughout the border area (especially the Tamalet area).

Page 3, CHAPTER II: Agreements between the communities in conflict, Section I: theft / looting of Livestock, Article 2:
To eradicate the theft / looting of livestock (which poisons relations between populations), the three communities commit to identifying and denouncing to the authorities of Mali and Niger, thieves, and / or all those who stir up tensions between the communities.
In the process of identifying and denouncing thieves, community leaders must try to avoid confusing themselves: a thief does not represent their family or their community.

Page 4, CHAPTER II: Agreements between the communities in conflict, Section I: theft / looting of Livestock, Article 6:
...
The mission of this committee is to:
...
3. Support communities in the search and return of animals that are stolen or lost.

Page 4, Section II: Access to pastoral resources (especially water sources), Article 7:
Apart from theft and looting of cattle, exclusion from access to water sources is one of the major causes of conflicts in the area.
Social cover
Page 3, CHAPTER II: Agreements between the communities in conflict, Section I: theft / looting of Livestock, Article 2:
To eradicate the theft / looting of livestock (which poisons relations between populations), the three communities commit to identifying and denouncing to the authorities of Mali and Niger, thieves, and / or all those who stir up tensions between the communities.
In the process of identifying and denouncing thieves, community leaders must try to avoid confusing themselves: a thief does not represent their family or their community.

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TARBANASSA,IBHAWAN AND TARGAlTAMOUT COMMUNITIES FROM THE TAMALET AREA, RELATING TO THEFT AND LOOTING OF LIVESTOCK, AND THE PEACEFUL USE OF PASTORAL RESOURCES ALONG THE MALI-NIGER BORDER

April 2018

Preamble

Under the chairmanship of the representative of the Minister of State, of Interior, of Public Security, Decentralization, of Customary and Religious Affairs, assisted by the representative of the High Authority for Peace-building (HACP) and with the help of the Center For Humanitarian Dialogue, a mediation meeting took place in Niamey between representatives of the Tarbanassa, Ibhawan and Targaitamout communities in the Tamalet area (commune of Anderamboukane / Mali);

hereinafter referred to as "the parties",

This meeting was held on April 26, 27, and 28, 2018 in Niamey in the presence of the Arab, Tuareg, and Haoussa communities of Mali as well as the Peulh, Haoussa, Djerma and Touareg communities of Niger and other key persons.

Considering the recommendations of the meeting on peace and security, held in Tillabéry on July 23, 2011

Considering the commitments relating to the return of peace and security along the border, made by the leaders of the Daoussahaq community before the Malian Minister of Security and Civil Protection, in Ansongo on August 10, 2011

Considering the willingness of the three parties to implement the provisions of the following commitments for a final and lasting settlement of the conflict, which has divided the three communities mentioned above, for many years, around the theft/looting of livestock and pastoral resources in the Tamalet area

Both parties have agreed as follows:

CHAPTER 1:

Causes of the conflict

Following passionate but fruitful debates, the three parties identified the following causes as being at the origin of the conflict between them:

In favor of the occupation of northern Mali, the communities have armed themselves, attack each other to kill their key rivals, loot and take away the goods and animals of their victims.

In this area, some communities seek to take control of pastoral resources while excluding other communities,

The distrust between the communities and the loss of the influence of religious and customary leaders means that the communities no longer consult each other over the management of their inter and intra-communal conflicts.

CHAPTER II:

Agreements between the communities in conflict

Section I:

theft / looting of Livestock

ARTICLE 1:

Through this agreement and within the framework of peaceful coexistence, the three communities commit to:

Ceasing all confrontation for any reason whatsoever,

Firmly condemning acts of aggression

Pro-actively eradicating theft / looting of livestock from any party and throughout the border area (especially the Tamalet area).

Article 2:

To eradicate the theft / looting of livestock (which poisons relations between populations), the three communities commit to identifying and denouncing to the authorities of Mali and Niger, thieves, and / or all those who stir up tensions between the communities.

In the process of identifying and denouncing thieves, community leaders must try to avoid confusing themselves:

a thief does not represent their family or their community.

Article 3:

For a more peaceful coexistence , the three parties ask the States of Mali and Niger to help them by carrying out income-generating activities (IGAs) and employment for the benefit of young people (livestock trade, transport, ...), training which could lead to young people learning trades, and facilitating the installation of local finance institutions

Article 4:

The communities ask the State of Mali to accelerate the implementation of the Algiers agreement by carrying out the Demobilization, Disarmament, and Reintegration (DDR) process.

DDR makes it possible to identify and recover any weapons circulating in the area

Article 5:

As part of the resolution of inter and intra-communal conflicts, the three communities commit to putting the Kadis, traditional authorities, and communities at the center of the prevention and management of their conflicts.

The leaders of the three communities commit themselves to sincere neutrality and dedicate themselves to peace.

Article 6:

To monitor the implementation of this agreement, pending installation of the Tamalet municipal authorities, the three parties agree to set up a monitoring committee in the commune of Anderamboukane, whose composition is as follows:

The mayor of the municipality or his representative

A representative of the community leaders network

Two representatives of the Targaitamout communities

Two representatives of the Tarbanassa and Ibahawan communities

A representative of the other communities in Mali,

A representative of the other communities of Niger

A representative of the commune of Abala

A representative of the municipality of Tillia

A young representative of the Arab community in the border area

A young representative of the Peulh community in the border area

The mission of this committee is to:

Monitor the implementation of the reconciliation agreement signed by the three parties

Prevent and manage conflicts that may arise between communities in the area

Support communities in the search and return of animals that are stolen or lost.

For the resolution of conflicts, the three parties commit to banishing all forms of revenge and to refer instead to the committee any inter or intra-communal conflict to be resolved.

Section II:

Access to pastoral resources (especially water sources)

Article 7:

Apart from theft and looting of cattle, exclusion from access to water sources is one of the major causes of conflicts in the area.

The three parties ask the States of Mali and Niger and the partners to help the communities by building modern water sources.

Livestock feed stores should be established to reduce conflicts around pasturing of fields during the off-season.

The parties ask the States and their partners to organize training and awareness-raising campaigns around the peaceful use of pastoral resources and coexistence.

Article 8:

For access to water sources, livestock breeders must apply to the committees or traditional authorities responsible for the management of said sources.

They must strictly observe the rules or conventions regulating access to these water sources.

Article 9:

The State of Mali must organize campaigns to raise awareness of the pastoral charter and promote local conventions for the management of pastoral resources.

The revitalization of traditional space management mechanisms will be an important tool in the peaceful use of pastoral resources

Article 10:

To combat animal diseases prevalent in the area, the States of Mali and Niger must make veterinary products available and train veterinarians throughout the area.

Section III:

Respect for customs and traditions by the different communities

Article 11:

In this area, some communities continue to function as in the past.

Today, technology and change of perception and behavior have arrived in the most remote corners of our countries.

The technical and financial partners and the States of Mali and Niger must improve access to education and the servicing of sedentary areas (modern water sources, health centers, electrification, etc.).

Today, traditional leaders, religious leaders, and community leaders have lost all credibility in the area,

The three parties commit to restoring the moral authority of the traditional chiefdom to allow it to play its full role in the appeasement of social tensions and in promoting peaceful cohabitation.

Article 12:

To break down the barriers of mistrust between the three communities, the partner States must increase inter and intra-communal meetings in the area.

Article 13:

Any dispute arising from the application or interpretation of this agreement will be settled amicably.

Each party may request in writing any review or amendment of all or part of this agreement.

Article 12:

This agreement comes into force from the date of signature,

Done at Niamey on April 28, 2018

In Five Original copies, in French

For Tarbanassa and Ibahawan For Targaitamout

Oumar Ag Mohamed Jikilla Ag Wantacha

Witness organizations or institutions

For the witness communities in Mali For the witness communities in Niger

Mainy Ould Assalik Yahaya Assoumane

The Deputy / Mayor of Abala The Mayor of Anderamboukane

Boubacar Oumarou Hamad Ahmad AG Mohamad

The representative of the interim Authorities of the Ménaka region

Algharif AG BIGUI

The representative of the High Authority for Peace-building (HACP)

Mohamed Ali Mohamed (CT)

The representative of the Ministry of State, of Interior, Security, Public, Decentralization, Customary and Religious Affairs

Mohamed Mahamadou (CT)