| The
Warri Forum: A Shared Peace
By Dimieri Von Kemedi
One day analysis meeting in Abuja, which planned the Warri Forum
on Peace Security and
Human Rights. From left; Dep Aigbe, representative of the Inspector
General of Police;
Commodore Timson, Nigerian Navy; General Azazi, DMI; Senator Patrick
Osakwe;
Hon Minister R. OritseJafor; Dr. Judith Burdin Asuni; Prof. Thomas
Imobighe;
Mr. Joshua Otoko, Delta State SSS.
Today
Warri has become synonymous with War; people often playing on the
words- Warri, War, War, Warri. Since early last year when a fresh
round of violence began in the Warri area, the war weary people
of Warri have vacillated from hope to hopelessness on the question
of peace in Warri.
Even
as factional fighters unleash violence on mainly innocent people
for simply being Itsekiri or Ijaw, many Ijaws and Itsekiris continue
to dance in the same churches to the melody of Itsekiri, Urhobo
or Ijaw songs.
Another
place where Ijaws, Urhobos and Itsekiris are doing things together
is at the Warri Forum on Peace, Security and Human Rights. The Warri
Forum is composed of men and women, chosen from among the Itsekiri,
Ijaw and Urhobo communities, on the basis of wide consultations.
In the choice of members for the Warri Forum, great consideration
was given to leadership credentials and commitment to peace.
The
Warri Forum is a product of several months of consultations amongst
the three ethnic groups and other stakeholders, including the Federal
Government, the State Government, the oil industry and the security
agencies. The forum, which, is facilitated by Academic Associates
PeaceWorks, was formally launched in November 2003 at Asaba.
Since
then three follow-up sessions have been held in Warri. The Forum
has combined skills building and problem solving in an attempt to
find a common ground. Gradually the Forum members understand each
other better (despite occasional flares of temper) and are beginning
to work as a team.
Apart
from the community members of the Forum, who are from the three
Warri ethnic groups, representatives of the police, the State Security
Service, and the military have shown a level of commitment that
belies the negative image they sometimes have. The oil industry
on the other hand has been less active since the production of oil
began in some areas. Participation by representatives of the Delta
State Government has also been sporadic, although the Forum has
been funded by the state government, ChevronTexaco, and USAID.
This
year the Forum plans to consolidate the gains of last year (which
have been mainly in the area of confidence building) to build and
implement a strategy that will help the government of Delta state
and the people of Warri in the search for peace.
In
2004 the Forum will continue to hold its regular meetings at least
once in a month. The forum will work with committees that it had
established to work on important aspects of peacebuilding: Security
and Confidence Building, Enlightenment, Advocacy, Joint Projects,
and Resettlement.
The
Warri Forum on Peace, Security and Human Rights will continue to
work to gain the confidence of the Itsekiri, Ijaw, and Urhobo leaders
and people in order to achieve its objectives.
Expectations
are high amongst members of the Forum, and more so among the people
of Warri, who are looking at all directions for the peace they so
desperately need. But many understand that the Forum cannot take
the place of the government or even that of the people themselves.
What the Forum could do, and precisely what it is doing, is to provide
a common space for all to share in the search for peace.
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