SAAXMAYGAAG – SANGEJABIYE Reconciliation Efforts

n the mid of last year, clan conflict broke out at the border between Nugaal and Sool regions, the conflict had its root causes in land claims and subsequent urbanization attempts from Hassan Ugaas on one side and Mohamed Ugar & Bahdubays on the other. The conflict turned to violence in July and September where several people were killed. Within few days, PDRC started a reconciliation between the clans to end the conflict. While using the experience gained from earlier peace processes, PDRC invited the Cagaaran peace committee that succeeded the cessation of hostilities between Omar Mohamud and Bahrarsame to mediate the two clans.

This has got the attention of many Somalis within and beyond Puntland regions who shared their messages of condolence and cessation of violence on the media and dispatched peace delegations to the conflict areas. On the following day, a peace delegation mission of Nugaal and Sool communities led by Islan Isse Islan Mohamed and Garad Jama Garad Ismail, peace missions have embarked on a parallel peace mission from Garowe and La’anod and accessed to fighting communities via Birta- dheer and Bocame corridors. On that someday, the October/November peace talks did not produce results as the mediation committee had members from both sides, this limited their ability to detach themselves from the conflict.

After weeks of mediation however, the committee reached the conclusion that the conflict area falls under Sool region, and since both parties have a long history of residing in the area, using Sharia law they judged that neither sides can deny urbanization to the other. Hassan Ugaas delegation rejected the proposed peace deal and claimed territorial ownership, denying the other party a possibility to settle in the area. another delegation of government officials and army commanders led by the vice-president arrived at the frontline and created a buffer- zone between the warrying clan militiamen to prevent an immediate flareup of the violence. After nearly a weeklong field visit of working parallelly and collaboratively, the three peace- delegation missions succeeded to ease the tension with feuded parts and convinced them to exercise maximum restraint and resort in a peaceful means of resolving conflict.

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