Cross-Border Relations Project - Tables of Recommendations

8/8/2019 Cross-Border Relations Project - Tables of Recommendations

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A Peacebuilding Initiative Financed by the European Commission

Cross-Border Relations Project

Cross-Border Relations Beyond the Referendum

Challenges and Opportunities

Tables of Recommendations


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The Cross-Border Relations Project

Concordis International is working in Sudan in partnership with the Centre for Peace and De-

velopment Studies (CPDS) of the University of Juba to facilitate a research-based dialogue

project aiming to inform local and national peace and development processes, supporting

cooperative, secure and economically viable relations across Sudans North -South border be-yond 2011.

The project involves engaging border communities and authorities in the states along the

North-South border as well as decision makers and opinion leaders in Khartoum and Juba.

A round of workshops are being facilitated in the border states, informed by a team compris-

ing Concordis staff, CPDS researchers, and senior African experts. After these state-level meet-

ings, the project will bring workshop participants and additional policy makers together in a

series of regional cross-border workshops, conferences, and briefings.

Rationale

The borderland between Northern and Southern Sudan is the locus for a number of conflict

triggers which could undermine security for border communities, national peace processes,

and in turn regional security. Whether the 2011 referendum on Southern Sudanese self-

determination delivers unity or secession, there are significant risks of escalating tensions and

renewed violence in both scenarios.

In either scenario, the way in which social, economic and security relations across the border

are managed could determine whether conflicts resume or peace is sustained. The needs and

interests of border communities, as well as those of state elites, should be reflected. If either

condition fails, sources of instability may outweigh sources of calm.

2010 will see high level negotiations between the parties to the CPA on post-2011 arrange-

ments. The Cross Border Relations Project is working to support border populations to con-

sider, agree and articulate what kind of arrangements would meet their needs and provide a

basis for a viable and peaceful future.

Core Aims and Objectives:

Build trust and understanding between border c ommunities within and across border

states;

Develop consensus on principles for how the border should be managed peacefully;

Develop proposals on development initiatives to support peaceful coexistence at the bor-

der;

Introduce principles and proposals to relevant national and local peace processes, such as

negotiations on post-2011 arrangements, and to inform donor policy to reflect local needs.

The Tables of Recommendations

Each of the seven state workshops has produced recommendations, which can be read in the

written summary produced for each workshop and which can be found at our website:

www.concordis-international.o rg. These recommendations have been collated and tabulated

under the following headings: General matters, Security, Justice, Citizenship and Movement,

Economy and Trade, and Infrastructure and Services.

The tables summarise each recommendation and show which workshop supported it. Thefact that a workshop is not shown as supporting a recommendation does not, of course, mean

that the participants would not support it, just that it did not form part of the agreed sum-

mary of their recommendations. Where forwarded slashes are used in the summary of the

recommendations this is intended to indicate a difference in formulation of the same basic

idea (although it hasnt been possible to do this in all instances). We have also tried to show

in the body of the table where the recommendation from a particular workshop has been

more specific than the summary of the recommendation in the left hand column (again it has-

nt been possible to do this in all instances).

The tables show support from 6 or 7 workshops for the following recommendations:

All Sudanese should have freedom to move and trade on either side of the border (in

safety)

Coordination between police on both sides of the border (esp relating to cross border

crime) should take placethis has sometimes been referred to as joint border policing

Cross border trade should be promoted or facilitated this was also offered as a means of

facilitating peaceful coexistence

Cross border markets should be established or developed at points along the border

some workshops suggested on both sides of the border

Roads should be constructed to connect areas along and either side of the border

Schools should be built to provide basic and academic education

Veterinary services should be improved

The infrastructure and services table shows recommendations that might be expected in any

developing country in the situation of Sudan. The key to the use of this table will be the devel-

opment of priorities for action.

Concordis International: A British NGO that works to support peace processes by facilitatingdialogue. Concordis is registered in northern and southern Sudan.Centre for Peace and Development Studies (CPDS) University of Juba: CPDS, based inKhartoum and Juba, produces high quality research with a view to inform the resolution of ten-sions in Sudanese society.Experts and Partners: International expert consultants with experience of diverse inter-governmental and grass-roots community cross-border security and development initiatives fromacross Africa.


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Recommendation Bentiu Renk Kosti Agok El-Muglad Kadugli Damazin

Consultation

Border communities should be consulted in any negotia-

tions concerning the post-referendum status of the borderand about politicial process that impact on them

x

(position ofthe border)

x x

(inc position ofthe border)

Infrastructure development should be effected in con-

junction with local populations and traditional authorities

x x

(local commu-nities)

Position of the border

Current proposals are not acceptable x x

Promotion of peaceful relations

Joint cross-border committee of traditional leaders

should be established to promote peaceful relations

x

Agreements should be implemented in good faith with

appropriate guarantees

x

Cross border radio stations should be established x

Social interaction

Border communities should be free to interact socially

with one another

x

Inter-marriage should be encouraged to support social

and economic relations across the border

x

Services in border areas should be available to local resi-

dents and migrating populations

x x x x

Sports and social programmes should be supported to

promote community relations across the border

x x

Clubs for youth and women should be established bring-ing together commuties from either side of the border

x


There should be freedom of religion and respect for di-

versity, which should be protected by law

x

MATRIX OF CBRP WORKSHOP RECOMMENDATIONSGENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS


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MATRIX OF CBRP WORKSHOP RECOMMENDATIONS - SECURITY


General

Security agencies should be subject to the rule of law and

locally accountable

x x x x

Demilitarisation

Demilitarised zone should be established with SAF and

SPLA stationed away from the border

x x

Armed forces should withdraw from civilian areas and

not interfere with public security issues or administrationof justice

x x x x

CPA security arrangements should be followed and theJIUs enhanced

x

Traditional authorities and other political military forces

should refrain from arming tribes

x

Communities/civilians in the border areas should be dis-

armed with only police carrying weapons ((re-)activateDDR programme)

x x x x x

Guarantees should be given to nomadic pastoralists of

protection if arms given up and local security provisionshould be strengthened to give such protection

x x x

Landmine clearance and awareness programmes shouldbe established/intensified

x

Strengthening the police

Police forces should be established and strengthened and

should work to protect peoples property, physical safetyand rights

x x x

Police stations should be established at the populated ar-

eas along the border and where concentration of crossborder movements occurs

x x x

Coordination between police on both sides of the border(esp re: cross border crime) should take place (joint bor-

der policing)

x x x x x x


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Cross border security committee(s) should be established

to define the ambit of joint police operations

x

Transport infrastructure should be developed to facilitate

police access to remote areas

x

Role of Native Administration

Native Administration should coordinate with the policeto enhance police capacity to manage local conflicts

x

Conflict resolution role of Native Administration should

be strengthened

x x x

Inter-tribal conferences and other communications shouldtake place to address security issues

x

Provision of information

Systems giving early warning about the possibility ofpolitical violence should be established

x

Education and workshops should take place about agreed

paths of migration

x

The media should play a constructive role in promoting

understanding and supporting people in their right to ac-cess information

x x

Landmine awareness programmes should be put in place/

intensified

x

International support

There should be an international presence to support/

oversee peace and security at the border

x x

MATRIX OF CBRP WORKSHOP RECOMMENDATIONS - SECURITY CONTINUED



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MATRIX OF CBRP WORKSHOP RECOMMENDATIONS - JUSTICE


Courts - location

Courts should be established at border posts/populated

border locations in the Abyei area to assist in settlementof disputes

x x x

Traditional courts should be established along pastoralmigration routes

x

Courtsjurisdiction

Both traditional and state courts are necessarytradi-tional courts dealing with social disputes and state courtsdealing with criminal matters

x x x

Joint cross border courts with jurisdiction over areas both

sides of the border should be established

x x x x

Joint tribal courts should be established to manage social

disputes, involving traditional leadership of all tribesalong the border

x x

Joint administrative arrangements should be established

between local government and traditional leaders

x

Traditional leaders should build on existing traditional

mechanisms for managing social conflicts

x

Process for establishing content of rules

Communities should be consulted in relation to/draft the

rules to be applied by traditional courts and principlesshould be based on popular consensus

x x

Political parties and government authority should be en-

gaged in the process

x

Rules should take into account diversity of religious be-liefs and local customs

x

Protocols should be established between farmers and

herder to distinguish agricultural and pastoral land and toidentify what agricultural land can be grazed after harvest

x


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Training/improvement

Steps should be taken to enhance the functioning of exist-

ing courts

x

State courts should be provided with an inspector generaland a public attorney to carry out investigations andprosecutions

x

Traditional leaders should be provided with training in

managing social disputes through a court system and theresources they need to operate the system

x x

Mediation

Mediation services should be made available to border

communities to assist in settlement of disputes

x

MATRIX OF CBRP WORKSHOP RECOMMENDATIONS - JUSTICE CONTINUED



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MATRIX OF CBRP WORKSHOP RECOMMENDATIONSCITIZENSHIP AND MOVEMENT


Citizenship

In the event of separation, people should be citizens of

either North or South and there should not be dual citi-zenship

x

Movement

All Sudanese should have freedom to move, reside, trade

and own property on either side of the border (in safety)

x

(goods/ trad-ers)

x

(goods/people)

x x

(movement)

x

(movement)

x

(movement)

No restrictions should be placed on freedom to move

across the border

x x x x x

People should not have to carry arms for personal protec-

tion when they cross the border and their personal pro-tection should be maintained under the law

x

(support ofsecurity ser-

vices)

x x

(safety)

Services in border areas should be available to local resi-

dents and migrating populations

x x x x

A popular committee should be established to manage

movement across the border

x

A joint mechanism should be established betweenneighbouring states to support freedom of movements

x

Procedures and documentation

Procedures regulating movement at the border should besimple and not time consuming

x

Systems of documentation should support freedom of

movement and should be coordinated by authorities onboth sides of the border

x x

State governments should issue identity cards, proving

they originate from that state, to enable cross bordermovement

x

Identity documents should be easily obtained and free ofcharge

x


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MATRIX OF CBRP WORKSHOP RECOMMENDATIONSCITIZENSHIP AND MOVEMENT CONTINUED


Proof of identity and nationality should be provided on

crossing the border

x

Native Administration should be involved in the design

of the process for obtaining identity documents

x

Ownership rights

Existing land ownership rights should be recognisedhowever the border is demarcated. Individuals shouldnot lose property or investments if border is drawn be-

tween them and their assets

x

Social interaction

Border communities should be free to interact socially

with one another

x

Inter-marriage should be encouraged to support socialand economic relations across the border

x

Sports and social programmes should be supported to

promote community relations across the border

x x

Clubs for youth and women should be established bring-

ing together commuties from either side of the border

x

There should be freedom of religion and respect for di-

versity, which should be protected by law

x


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MATRIX OF CBRP WORKSHOP RECOMMENDATIONSTRADE AND ECONOMY


General

Cross border trade should be promoted/ facilitated/will

facilitate peaceful coexistence

x x x x x x

Joint administrative offices should be established to

regulate and coordinate cross border trade

x

Commercial agreements should be made to facilitate

trade and prevent multiple taxation

x

Bank branches should be opened to increase local access

to finance and foreign currency

x

Special laws that apply to border communities should be

considered

x

Markets

Cross border markets should be established/ developed at

points along the border/on both sides of the border

x x x x x

(gum arabic/animals)

x

Cross border markets should be promoted by traditional

leaders

Cross border markets should be supported widely by

state authorities, local communities and NGOs

x

Common investment objectives should be agreed be-tween border states

x

Resources for investment should be provided by govern-

ments in Khartoum and Juba

x

Taxation/licences

An appropriate taxation system should be developed x

Taxation should removed or minimised for goods cross-ing the border

x x

Multiple taxation should be prevented x x x x

Where taxes are collected clear rules should apply x x

Consistent principles of taxation should be applied (by

border states)

x x


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MATRIX OF CBRP WORKSHOP RECOMMENDATIONSTRADE AND ECONOMY CONTINUED


Easily obtained trade licences should be issued for thoseengaged in cross border trade/an appropriate permit sys-tem should be used

x x

Movement

Cattle herders should have free movement across borders

with the support of local government

x

Security

Police should provide security at markets and on trade

routes/traders should be protected from robbery and ban-ditry

x x


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MATRIX OF CBRP WORKSHOP RECOMMENDATIONSTRADE AND ECONOMY


Transport

Roads should be constructed to connect areas along and

either side of the border

x x

(along bor-der)

x x x

(between Mis-seriya areas)

x x

Bridges and river transport should be enhanced x

(along bor-der)

x x

(bridges)

Transport infrastructure should be safe and secure x

Utilities

Electricity supplies should be improved x

(along bor-der)

x

Water resources should be developed. Irrigation systems

and reservoirs should be provided

x x

(in Abyei area)

x x

Drinking water resources for people and animals should

be developed

x

(along bor-der)

x

Renewable energy use should be encouraged x

Livelihoods

Farmers should be provided with increased technical

support, enhanced storage facilities, fertilisers and farm-ing equipment

x x

Agricultural schemes should be established in order to

provide food security and produce development

x x x x

Agricultural projects should be established as coopera-

tives involving people from the local area

x

Veterinary services should be improved x

(along bor-der)

x x

(in Abyei area)

x x x

Mobile veterinary services should be provided for no-

madsavailable both sides of the border

x x


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Industrial and service sectors of the economy need devel-

opment

x

Capacity building and development projects for womenshould be established

x

Graduates and qualified people from border areas should

be given priority for local employment and positions ofauthority

x

Education

Schools should be built to provide basic and academic

education

x x

(along bor-der)

x x

(in Abyei area)

x

(inc Koranicschools)

x x

Hostels should be provided for students and teachers x x

(in Abyei area)

x x

(teachers)

Schools should be a mix of single sex and co-educational x

Mobile schools should be provided for nomads x

Technical and vocational training centres should be es-tablished

x(inc agri-

cultural)

x(agricul-tural)

x x

Scholarships should be provided to students x

Education curriculum should be harmonised x

Aim that students should have access to IT, internet and

email

x


Health

Health clinics/centres should be constructed x

(along bor-der)

x x

(in Abyei area)

x x

Health services and services for the promotion of goodhealth should be improved

x x(along bor-

der)

x x(inc trainingmidwives)

x


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Concordis International

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Mobile health services should be provided for nomads

available both sides of the border

x x

Womens centres should be established to mobilise themon issues of public health

x

Services should be provided to populations on a fair and

equal basis

x

Miscellaneous

Housing should be improved x

Fire service should be developed x(in Blue Nile)

Blue Nile University should be enhanced and developed x

Documents

Cross-Border Relations Project - Tables of Recommendations