From Munatare Munashak, Dares Mandar
A temporal relief has come to the indigene of Bokkos affected by the yuletide massacre as the IG of Police, Kayode Egbetokun has kept to his word and has deployed a squad of 21 mobile Police each to the villages attacked to secure the areas for the people to return to their ancestral homes with immediate effect.
While the locals applaud the swift response of the IG, a group, Concerned Bokkos Citizens have come up with a different approach from the usual IDP camps approach.
The text reads:
CONCERNS REGARDING BOKKOS COMMUNITY INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS ( IDPs) – A NEW APPROACH DIFFERENT FROM THE USUAL IDPs CAMPs APPROACH
Introduction:
This proposal outlines the urgent concerns of the Bokkos community regarding recent attacks and seeks solutions to ensure the quick return of its people back to their villages, rebuilding the same, and guaranteeing their safety and well-being
Key Issues:
Displacement and Security:
The recent attacks have displaced villagers (our people) from their ancestral homes and farmlands, jeopardizing their livelihoods, especially as it relates to the forthcoming farming season and resumption of primary schools as from 8th January, 2024
The community is calling for the immediate deployment of security agencies to all the affected areas to address the immediate threats and create a safe environment for all the displaced villagers to return home and also for their children to resume schools (let our people return to their villages such that all government assistance/support will be delivered to them there)
Illegal Activities: The proposition highlights concerns about illegal mining activities (Kuza/Guza) contributing to the violence. The communities are calling for the immediate reclamation of all illegal mining sites (Loto) and the implementation of measures to prevent future illegal exploitation of mineral resources that is currently being carried out by the bandits who killed and displaced our people
In its place, we want the government to support the communities to quickly organise the villagers into small-scale mining cooperatives for formal mining activities under a more organised and secured environment.
Motives of Attacks: The proposal identifies some primary motives for the attacks:
Killing, displacing, and grabbing the lands for grazing and illegal mining( currently, the dry season Farms have been abandoned, and are being grazed upon or outrightly distryed by the terrorists, which will lead to huge economic losses and food scarcity)
Addressing these underlying issues is crucial to prevent future conflicts.
Actionable recommendations:
The community recognizes the importance of open communication and collaboration to address these challenges. There is a wise saying emphasizing the importance of acknowledging and sharing problems to find effective solutions.
Conclusion:
The Bokkos community seeks a peaceful and secure future for its residents. This proposition outlines the key concerns of our people and urges relevant authorities to take swift and decisive action ( doing it differently this time around), to address the displacement, illegal farming, grazing, and mining activities, which obviously are the underlying motives behind the attacks!
Safety and Sensitivity:
This proposal aims to be informative, realistic, actionable, and forward-looking. Thus, it focuses on the communities’ concerns and seeks solutions without resorting to harmful stereotypes or resorting to blame games while our people go through both untold hardships and psychological trauma.
