Tensions between refugees and the host communities over natural resources, livelihoods and land have sparked a few violent incidents and if not properly addressed could escalate into a broader conflict. The Peace Centre held 2 peace mediation sessions on 28th February and 5th March in Agojo refugee settlement over resource conflicts between the refugee and host community and a land conflict between the community of Ciforo and the Local Government over compensation of landowners whose land has been encroached by the opening of roads in Ciforo Central.
Concerns like land sharing were addressed by encouraging members to involve leaders in the settlement when acquiring land so as to have supportive documents for back up in cases of breach of agreement by the other party.
Community members who own animals were advised to take care of their animals to improve on their livelihoods. They were also informed about the district ordinance of production and marketing that holds anyone whose animals are found straying susceptible to fines.
From the open discussion of the second mediation meeting, community members raised concerns of little compesation fee given to them by the local government ,misunderstandings in the mechanism of handling dead bodies buried on the land to be used for road construction and poor service delivery of the Sub county in terms of accessing tap water in homes.
By conclusion of the meeting, The subcounty agreed to;
- Display the rates of compensations on the notice board
- Re-bury the buried bodies to the land that each clan member allocates
- Continue registering those whose property were affected by the road who might have missed the first meeting and were not registered
