Recommendations of the 2nd All Collo Peace and Development Conference

INTRODUCTION

Fashoda Social and Benevolent Organization in collaboration with Collo Community Welfare Society in Kenya, Collo community in Renk, representatives from the four counties of Collo land (Manyo, Fashoda, Makal, and Panyikang) including constitutional holders, and Collo representatives from other parts of the Sudan and in Diaspora, held The 2^nd All Collo Peace and Development Conference in Malakal at the River Transport Conference's Hall from April 24^th ? 27^th 2007, under the theme: "thinking and working together peacefully for Development Goal".

This conference has been conducted under the Patronage of His Majesty, R?th Kwongo Dak Padiet and the Guest of Honour, H.E. 1^st Lt. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, the First Vice President of the Republic of Sudan, President of the Government of Southern Sudan and the SPLM/A C-in-C. The conference was attended by 1,500 participants including some honourable delegations from the neighbouring tribes of the Collo kingdom.

I. RECOMMENDATIONS

A. COLLO HISTORY AND CULTURE

1. Establishing an Information Centre for the collection of data regarding Collo
   History at Kodok from next year by Fashoda Social and Benevolent
   Organization if they manage to secure fund for this purpose.
2. All Collo people to encourage more research on Collo history and culture by interested Collo Writers.
3. Fashoda Social and Benevolent Organization to build a Collo History museum at Kodok from next year if some fund are got for this project.
4. Formation of Collo internal borders demarcation committee composed of elders and intellectuals who are knowledgeable in history, geography and law with the consent of His Majesty, R?th of Collo.
5. Renaming of the towns and villages of Collo which were Arabized.
6. Changing the distorted name ?Shilluk? to Collo.

B. PEACE-BUILDING ISSUES

1. Holding a conference every two years to evaluate the implementation of the previous conference recommendations regarding peace-building. All the Collo People must contribute for holding of the Collo conferences.
2. Initiating and forming committees for intra and inter tribal grassroots dialogue.
3. To recommend to the government of Southern Sudan to make cooperative organizations to eradicate poverty among the citizens.
4. The government of Southern Sudan must demarcate the borders between Collo and its neighbours as stipulated in the CPA to the borders of 1/1/1956.
5. Rehabilitation of religious centres through government support for promotion of peace with religious values in Collo land and encouragement of activities that support peaceful interaction and religious tolerance.
6. Ensuring harmony between the Collo kingdom and Collo constitutional holders based on respect of the culture.

C. ROLES OF SPECIFIC ENTITIES

a. Role of the Civil Society:-

1. Holding continuous small workshops to explain the role of civil society in peace building and development with stress on village chiefs to preach the peace building in villages.
2. Opening channels to enable women participation in all fields of work.
3. Forming specialized committees for follow up and evaluation of the role of civil society in building peace and development.
4. Encouraging participation of citizens in peace building and development.
5. Government of Southern Sudan and international NGOs should Support Collo indigenous organizations and volunteers of peace-building and development.
6. Civil Society to take part in establishing centres for the delinquent children (Immediate) like the street kids so that they get home guidance.

b. Role of the Collo Youths:-

1. Youths? developmental activities: These should be institutionalized and organized for legality and accountability safety. Within them there should be youths? administrative units for youths? programmes. Government and NGOs should use attractive policies and incentives that can attract youths to work in the development process in Collo rural areas. For any educated Collo Youth who seeks to be a member of any developmental organization working for Collo land, he/she should work voluntarily for at least 45 days in an area of his/her choice in a developmental project in Collo land. Religious values should be the guide of this work.

2. Development and politics: Collo youths should be encouraged to join different organized political bodies to enable them practice their constitutional rights that can authoritatively facilitate development.

3. Investment projects: to be initiated by youths and encouraged by government for employment and settlement opportunities for youths in Collo land. This will encourage the returnees to stick in one place.

4. Capacity building: Training 100 Collo youths cadres seriously every four years for the most basic needed sectors through grants and scholarships for both academic and technical fields. Encouraging 50 girls every year to join technical training institutions. Constructing four centres for English and Collo languages in the Collo four counties by the beginning of next year under the management of Fashoda Social and Benevolent Organization. Collo youths should be given the share of opportunities for further studies that conduct research connected with Collo land. Collo university students who face difficulties of fees and accommodation should be assisted through Fashoda Social and Benevolent Organization or any other Collo organized body from next year. Constructing a centre for documenting profiles of Collo youths graduates and professionals. Bridging the gap between the rural and urban youths by going to them in villages during holidays, and inviting them to come to towns too for exchange of experience and lifestyle. Collo students yearly conveys to different areas of Collo should be encouraged from next year.

5. Combating alcoholism: There should be clear regulations from the governments to prohibit youths from drinking alcohol and adopting negative foreign cultures from the beginning of next year. If the situation demands, government should not allow brewing, importation or licensing of alcohol to Collo Counties starting from next year. Drunkards should not be allowed to assume or continue to stay in leadership positions that are connected with peace-building and development. Construct Collo cultural and musical centres in four Collo counties and encourage all Collo youths to take their recreation time there. Befriend the alcoholic lost members of Collo youths rather than despise them so that they can regain their dignity. Sport competitions and fields should be established in Counties and Payams where none exist.

6. Constructive dialogue: This should start after this conference between Collo youths themselves and with Collo elders for shared understanding of the burning issues and finding ways of resolving them peacefully.

7. Sexual Management: After this conference, elder men and women should withdraw the fear of teaching openly the growing youths about avoiding sexual risks like early pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and STDs. Collo youths should also start to encourage Collo girls to continue their education even when they have got conceived unmarried. Encouraging youth lovers to going out to Open gardens for recreation rather than close doors.

8. Traditional Marriage: After this conference, Collo elders should start to form a committee to revisit the new cultures that has entered into Collo traditional marriage, making it an expensive affair for the youths who intend to marry officially. The so called Shaila should be abolished and Collo marriage taken back to its originality.

9. Culture and traditions: After this conference, youths, women, and men who know Collo tradition should teach the ignorance Collo youths about it and should continue to encourage them to practice it independently. Collo girls should wear lawo always and not in occasions only.

C. Role of the Collo Women:

1. Empowering women economically by supporting them with small scale businesses like tea and vegetable selling.
2. Women should be discouraged from engaging in making local brews and should be encouraged to get into better businesses and investment.
3. Easy access of women to loan/credit for investment without stringent collateral.
4. Ensuring that all economic policies are favorable for women/girls for their economic development.
5. Supporting women access to control of land, especially inheritance of husband?s land or property by wife or children.
6. Women should equally be employed like men and given equal pay.
7. Special attention should be given to those who laid off from jobs and some of those categories like house girls working in areas of displacement for them to be employed.
8. Support to widows, orphans and wives of martyrs to live dignified.
9. Respective bodies, government, women and others should assist in supporting street children to become home children again.
10. Improving maternal health with reproductive health.
11. Combating the scourge of HIV/AIDS with focus and stigmatization.
12. Enhancing capacity-building of women through specialized training in health, education, agriculture and others.
13. Combating all negative cultural biases, all forms of violence, gender-based violence and discrimination against women which retard her contribution to development.
14. Establishing rehabilitation centers for people with disabilities.
15. Full participation of women in decision-making positions on all levels, especially political leadership.
16. 16. Encouraging women to join the media as journalist, reporters, managers, technicians, engineers (IT) for them to partake in dissemination of information and changing the stereotyped image of women.
17. Ensuring that the 25% affirmative action for women is a right enshrined in the GOSS constitutions.
18. Women?s involvement in environment protection, conversation and general cleanliness and hygiene.
19. Allocating a special percentage from the 2% share from the oil revenue for women?s development.
20. Encouraging girls? education, especially primary education, vocational training and other forms of learning.
21. Ensuring incorporation of gender balance and gender mainstreaming in all programs and policies in the government, public and private sectors.
22. Encouraging civil society organizations to provide a space for woman activities.
23. Empowering rural women for modern changes.
24. Creating awareness and peace-building programs within women?s activities and others to ensure the implementation of the CPA so that there is an environment of security, peace and harmony.

D. DELIVERY OF SERVICES:

1. Education Services: -

a) Rehabilitating the current Schools.

b) Opening new Schools in areas where there are no Schools.

c) Taking back Secondary Schools (Atar, Kodok etc.) to their previous areas.

d) Opening secondary boarding schools for distanced pupils.

e) Building technical schools which are specialized in agriculture, commerce etc.

f) Securing funds for teachers support in each county.

g) Encouraging adult Education.

h) School feeding programmes (breakfast) for rural primary schools and teachers mess for teachers? food security should be re-activated.

i) Training of primary teachers in Collo language.

j) Teaching of Collo language in primary schools.

k) Developing curriculum for teaching Dho Collo in primary schools.

2. Health Services: -

a. Urgent health plans:

i. Establishment of health centres for each county depending on population density.

ii. Building community centres for each county of Panyikango, Makal, Fashoda and Manyo.

iii. Establishing health committees in each county and assisting them with mobile clinics from time to time.

iv. Create health awareness among the Collo community especially about HIV/AIDS and STI.

b. Long-term Health Plan.

i. Rehabilitating and upgrading Kodok and Wadakona Hospitals.

ii. Establishing a hospital in Tonga County.
iii. Re-establishment of Dolieb Hill Community Health Workers'
Training Centres.
c. Preventive Health.
i. Encouraging the community especially women and children for
vaccination.
ii. Encouraging building of pit latrines in all the Collo counties.
iii. Building filtered water stations in all counties when possible.

3. Water Services: -
a. Rehabilitating old Hafirs with help of GOSS and NGOs.
b. Digging new Hafirs and new bore wells in areas that are far from rivers.
c. Building water dams to preserve rain water.

d. Treatment of drinking Water in the villages with chlorine and Iodine Salt.

II. RESOLUTIONS

1. The participants have called the Upper Nile State Government to immediately facilitate the all ready established basic and secondary schools destroyed by the war so that the constitutional rights of free primary education is given.
2. The participants have called upon the Collo Community at large to develop principles of ethics and strengthen Unity among themselves to ensure transparency and love of each other.
3. The participants have called upon Collo Community wherever they exist to adopt attitude of further awareness and capacity building by conducting workshops and seminars that address specific issues throughout the Collo land in a focused manner.
4. The participants have called upon Collo community and the state government to positively persuade the return of Collo to their land from the displacement areas in Northern Sudan.
5. The participants have called upon the state government to provide constant power and up to date scientific drinking water to people of Malakal in the first place and Collo villages in the other and particularly the allocated areas aimed to settle the displaced and returnees persons from Northern neighbouring and foreign countries.
6. The participants of this conference have called upon the state government to encourage and promote Collo artisans and handicrafts in the state for quick and even development.
7. Based on poverty reduction, the participants have called upon the European Commission 'EC', both regional and International financial Institutions to help in assisting Collo community on how to effectively carry out their development plan through their own CBOs and organized bodies.
8. Encouraging the building of pit latrines in Collo villages by supplying the necessary materials.
9. To train and highlight Collo in methods of purifying drinking water using the viable materials. This is in addition to digging wells (hafirs) for safe drinking water.
10. For Collo community to consider immediate eradication of bad traditional practices which influences and affect participation of youth in the society.
11. To have effective development, there should be connection of Collo villages by means of helpful infrastructure, communication network and roads.
12. Because meaningful peace starts from oneself and extends to others, the participants hereby advise Collo community to revive Collo togetherness and good understanding with neighbours because without good relations, development would prove difficult to implement.
13. To effect positive development, we need unity, self-confidence and reconciliation between states' tribes. We have to encourage opening new pages so that the considered bye gone is left bye gone.
14. Start the work of post-war Peace-building and development activities immediately by moving the office of Fashoda Social and Benevolent Organization to Malakal.
15. Collo community to set up agricultural co-operative societies in four counties of the Collo land.
16. GOSS to provide agricultural credit facilities to Collo and find markets for Collo Gum. That there is great need to train Collo farmers with modern agriculture techniques to cope up with modern technology like water pumps, tractors and their annexes.
17. GOSS to mark the bordering lines between Collo and its neighbours known as Dinka, Nuer, Arabs and Nuba and to establish co-operatives banks in Collo land to facilitate investment through loans.
18. Every county authority should see that each Payam has a number of basic schools and adult learning according to the population density.
19. Every basic school in Payam should adopt an appropriate medium of instruction from local languages for the first two years.
20. The number of basic schools in each payam will need an academic secondary school with boarding facilities.
21. Every county should include in its budget proposal a special allowance payable to those teachers as additional incentives.
22. Government should encourage local traders to establish small shops and bakeries wherever there is a school in the County or Payam.
23. Collo to encourage fruits gardening and vegetables production in each county and Payam. They should also be encouraged to plant trees in their villages.
24. The participants call upon GOSS through Upper Nile State government to provide adequate police security in the Four Counties of the Collo land so that they can prevent and/or manage possible crimes and conflicts in the area.

Conclusion

The 2^nd All Collo Peace and Development Conference participants, inspired by the great Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and the 1^st All Collo Peace, Reconciliation and Development Conference in Malakal in June, 2005 are hereby expressing their gratitude to His Majesty, R?th Kwong Dak Padiet, the patron of the conference, and to the First Vice President of the Republic of the Sudan and President of the Government of Southern Sudan, SPLA C-in-C, H.E. 1^st Lt. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, the guest of honour. Prompted by the desire to build and strengthen the working capacity of the Collo Community Based Organizations (CBOs) with spirit of building a free and just society, the conference organizers are very thankful for all the people who have funded this conference to its success and also all those who have given their time to participate in the papers presentations on the basis of which discussions, recommendations and resolutions were made. We thank all the participants, particularly the Collo musicians and singers who have entertained us lively in the conference. We thank the government of Upper Nile State and all the Commissioners who stood with us to make this conference a success. Now after this conference it is time to put the recommended ideas into practice and tangible examples though this will be a demanding phase for those who mean to do something good for Collo land. Therefore, we urge our Collo people, the government of the Sudan with all its levels, and the interested NGOs to help us implement the deliberated thoughts that resulted from the conference when they have been turned into projects. With sincerity, hard work and commitment we shall do great things to our people in our rural areas so that they get their share of development together with our people in urban areas. We have to do this step by step with clear targets and focuses for the sake of sustainability and progress with the people.

Recommendations Annex for 2^nd All Collo Peace and Development Conference

THE ECONOMY

A. Finance and Economy: -
1. Establishment of adequate financial and accounting system for management of finance and assets of the organization dedicated to development programmes.

2. Encouraging co-operative societies in farming, fisheries and livestock production.

3. Skill upgrading and training in primary industry like soap, cheese, and handicraft.
4. Appointment of periodical auditors to ensure proper management of funds.

5. Encouraging of all Collo personnel to register at their villages/payams during the day of population census.

6. Establishment of agricultural banks at Collo Counties benefiting from the 2% of the oil revenue allocated to the state to fund the agricultural projects.

7. Improvement of the present nature of free market economy.

8. Conduct awareness campaign on census importance for planning purposes.

9. Encourage the bricks and blocks making in the Collo counties to reduce the cost of building and create jobs for the local people.

10. Giving priority to the local population in terms of employment in oil fields or any project in Collo kingdom.

11. To resume the weekly transportation by steamer between Malakal and Kosti, this will contribute in all weather transport continuity and reduction of the cost.

B. Agriculture, Animal Resources and Forestry

? Agriculture

1. Establishment of rural extension centres in the 4 counties of the Collo kingdom.
2. Conservation and restoration of soil fertility through appropriate crop rotation and land use practice.

3. Provision of improved seeds and seed treatment.

4. Creation of a strong and effective integrated extension service backed by subject matter specialists.
5. Supplementing farm power with greater use of animals for traction, and use of tractors as custom service.

6. Adoption of appropriate measures for water harvesting, spreading and developing underground and surface water resources to meet drinking needs of human and livestock populations.

7. Formation of county committees to supervise the natural resources in the Collo land.
8. Diversification of agricultural production i.e. using different varieties of crops instead of a single crop.
9. Inclusion of livestock in crop rotation.
10. Encouragement of Agricultural processing especially at the household level.
11. Encouragement of NGOs to provide agricultural tools instead of food aid.

12. Encouragement of vegetable farmers in the use of water pumps, shaduf, and the modern method.

13. Encouragement of all families in the Collo Kingdom to adopt vegetable cultivation to supplement their food items.

14. Connection of all Collo Counties with all season roads to support transport and marketing of agriculture products.

15. Encouragement of agriculture Research in the Collo kingdom.

16. Establishment of market days in all the counties.

17. Establishment of oil pressing from oil seeds.

16. Encouragement of water irrigation activities in Collo kingdom.

19. Encouragement of fruit tree production.

20. Create awareness programmes on water purification.

21. To give priority of ownership of the newly allotted agricultural schemes to the local population.

22. To encourage the Community Based Organizations set an example by use of ox-ploughing in their areas.

? Forestry: -

1. Protection of forest at all levels (village, payam and county) by making precautions against fire.

2. Introduction of Agro-forestry.
3. Establishment of Gum tree plantation gardens in the county.
4. Establishment of forest extension service in all the Collo county.

5. Provision of alternative use of fuel wood and charcoal such as butane gas, kerosene and improved cooking stores.

? Animal Resources.

1. Provision of drugs and vaccines in the vicinity of Collo counties.
2. Training of veterinary extension workers to help in creating awareness among livestock keepers.
3. Establishment of community ranching
4. Encouragement of zero grazing through provision of grown pastures, stored and conserved fodder and use of crop residues.
5. Improvement of the local livestock through selection and upgrading with high producing animals.

5. Establishment of Dairy, poultry, and animal breeding farms in the counties to act as livestock extension centres.

7. Establishment of modern markets for livestock and livestock products.

8. Protection of fisheries resources by the use of legal standards and specification of fishing equipment (e.g. nets knitting).

9. Establishment of game reserves in the Collo kingdom.

10. Establishment of boat-building centres in Collo kingdom.

11. Encouragement of honey production.
12. Encouragement of leather work and shoe making.