Plateau may issue certificates to indigenes
From Isa Abdulsalami, Bose Ojo, Florence Oretade (Jos) and Clifford Ndujihe (Lagos)
A FRESH path to peace which is being charted in Plateau State, may require the issuance of certificates to the indigenes.
This was part of the 23 resolutions reached by ethnic nationalities and other stakeholders at the just-concluded peace conference in the state.
The resolutions were disclosed yesterday, 22 days to the end of the emergency rule in the state.
In a statement read by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. John Gobak to journalists in Jos, the Sole Administrator, Maj.-Gen. Chris Alli (rtd), said the state government had accepted 23 of the peace conference's recommendations.
He also raised a panel headed by Gobak to immediately implement the recommendations.
Similarly, all derogatory and discriminatory terms like "settlers" will no longer be used for the purpose of identifying any residents of the state.
The conference proposed that certificates should be issued to indigenes on the basis of its definition of indigeneship.
It defined the indigenes of a place as "people who are the first to have settled permanently in a particular area and who are considered as traditional natives.
"Indigenes are people who have exclusive claims to a place through historical and homogenous culture without an alternative place to practise that culture.
"Such designation being inherited from one's ancestors as opposed to their having bought the place of residence, or being given such places free by earlier settlers. Such persons have rights to their lands, their traditions and culture."
The peace forum also proposed that the rights of the original owners of a community before they were conquered must be recognised. The state government also accepted the recommendation.
According to the conference, whether outsiders first inhabited the place does not cede it to them because "you cannot conquer a place that was not lived or owned by anybody."
Consequently, the Tarok and Jukun have been recognised as indigenes and owners of Wase Local Council. Wase town is under a Fulani dynasty established through conquest.
Also, the Berom, Anaguta and Afizere ethnic nationalities have been identified as the owners of Jos, the state capital, while Yelwa and Yamini towns in Shendam Local Council belong to the Goemani.
These two towns are largely populated by the Hausa/Fulani Moslems who were sacked in reprisal attacks during the crisis.
The state government will also look into the lopsided appointments in the public service where the northern and southern senatorial zones are allegedly marginalised. It will review the appointments made by the previous governments to ensure geo-political spread.
The people were also directed to avoid the use of derogatory terms, which were identified as a major source of friction among them.
Such terms are those that have religious connotations.
On the upgrade and creation of chiefdoms, districts and village areas, the government agreed to set a machinery in motion for the immediate creation of chiefdoms for the Jukuns and Taroks in Wase as well as initiate steps to review a gazette that had caused animosity among the ruling houses.
According to the resolutions, Wase town is under a Fulani dynasty established by conquest but "it is noted from records that there is no denying the fact that the Tarok and Jukun are indigenes of Wase Local Council".
As contained in the resolutions, the government is also expected to implement the law on blockage of public roads during worship. While the use of mobile preaching vans will be checked.
To ensure accountability and transparency in government, all revenues accruing to the state and its expenditure are to be published every month.
At a dinner on Monday at the Government House, Alli urged the people to sustain the peace in the state.
"What is critical is for the people concerned to realise that the best way for dealing with their problems is through dialogue.
"What we have tried to do in the process is to create a climate for the people to discuss among themselves and resolve their differences", he said.
Alli said the state government had sensitised people at the grassroots on the need to co-habit peacefully.
Meanwhile, the founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Dr Frederick Faseun, has joined those pleading with the Federal Government not to extend the emergency rule in Plateau.
He told The Guardian yesterday in Lagos that there were better ways of addressing problems in a democratic setting, stressing that the declaration of a state of emergency amounted to "watering down democracy."
Said Faseun: "There should be no room for a state of emergency under a democratic system. I did not support it right from the beginning. Democracy is democracy. Those who are watering down democracy in any form should watch it.
"There are platforms to correct some of these anomalies and such platforms must be resorted to, not dictatorial tendencies," he said.
Obasanjo declared emergency rule in the state on May 18 and suspended Governor Joshua Chibi Dariye and the lawmakers.`****okay
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