Friday, October 17, 2008

Kurram tribes sign peace accord

Kurram tribes sign peace accord

Toori, Mengal tribes to return to their areas | Violator to be fined with sixty million rupees

Agencies

MURREE/PARACHINAR: The elders and tribal chiefs of the two rival Turi and Mengal tribes have signed a written agreement to execute permanent peace in Kurram Agency, according to top government officials on Thursday.

After the agreement, the warring tribes would return to their respective areas and leave their bunkers. In case of a violation of the declaration, the tribe responsible would be charged sixty million rupees.

A 100-member peace jirga comprised 50 members each from both the tribes and 20 members from other tribal agencies, including MNA Munir Orakzai and MNA Sajid Turi and Senator Rasheed Khan, former senator Sajjad Syed and Kurram Agency Political Agent Azam Khan and Lower Kurram Assistant Political Agent Ayyaz Khan Mandokhel.

They met at Murree and agreed to hold ceasefire between the warring Turi and Mengal tribes. They signed an agreement to restore peace in the area and end clashes continuing for more than a year. A 15-member committee and peace jirga comprising 23 members inked the peace treaty.

An official said that both sides agreed that all roads including main Thall-Parachinar road closed for about one and a half years now, would be opened to traffic by Friday (today). He said that elders of both sects agreed that they would leave the occupied areas and return to original positions.

"All bases occupied by the two sides would be given under the control of Frontier Corps and local political administration," he said, and added that it was also decided that a tribal jirga representing all tribal areas would be held in Kurram Agency on November 2 in which one more agreement would be signed to evacuate the occupied areas.

The ongoing clashes have claimed more than 1000 lives and left more than 4000 injured. The clashes have taken their toll on residents of Kurram Agency who are also facing severe food and drug shortages and the area has been without electricity for the last several months.

Malik Amanullah, Kamal Hussain, Maisam Ali Turi, Gulzar Hussan Turi, Salim Khan, Subhanullah expressed satisfaction over the jirga's decision and termed it an important development towards restoration of peace. They hoped that now peace would be returned to the agency.

The tribal elders demanded the government take swift measures to restore the electricity supply to the agency. Amanullah said that the tribesmen were facing extreme hardship due to lack of electricity. "The area has been without electricity for the last several months, causing water shortages," he added.

Kamal said that the local people wanted peace in the area and were fed up with ongoing militancy in the agency.



Friday, 

October 17, 2008

Kurram rival tribes agree on peace accord

Kurram rival tribes agree on peace accord


ISLAMABAD (Agencies) - A peace pact has been brokered between two rival factions of a tribe - Toori and Mengal - in Kurram Agency here Thursday.
Addressing a news conference here Thursday following several days of deliberations by the jirga, tribal elders, elected representatives from the area and the Political Agent expressed confidence that the accord would herald peace and tranquillity in the Agency.
Under the agreement, there will be exchange of dead bodies and kidnapped people in the presence of the administration, roads including main Thall-Parachinar road closed for about one and a half years, would be reopened for all kind of traffic by Friday (today), seven hundred displaced persons will be allowed to return to their homes. Supply of food and medicines would be ensured. Bunkers would be vacated and handed over to FC personnel and political administration.
The accord envisages fine worth 60 million rupees on violation of the understanding and transgression would be treated as anti-peace move and violators dealt with accordingly.
The jirga would go to Kurram on 25th of this month to ensure implementation of the agreement by both sides and jirga members have already started contacts with the rival groups for the purpose.
It was also decided that a tribal jirga representing all tribal areas would be held in Kurram on November 2 in which one more agreement would be made to evacuate the occupied areas.
The tribal elders assured cooperation of all the parties of Agency to the Government for maintaining peace in the area. They also demanded of the government to step up the number of FC troops in the Agency.
The Political Agent proposed that the Government should provide massive development funds to Kurram to fight its backwardness and serve as an incentive for other agencies to go for peace.
The jirga members thanked the elected representatives of the area for their contribution towards restoration of peace
The jirga members Malik Aman Ullah, Haji Kamal Hussain, Maisam Ali Toori, Gulzar Hussan Toori, Haji Salim Khan, Subhan Ullah called upon the government to take practical steps for the restoration of power supply to the Agency.



 Friday, 

October 17, 2008 

Agreement kindles hope of peace in Kurram

ISLAMABAD, Oct 16: A grand jirga of Kurram Agency has brokered a peace deal between warring sectarian groups in the region.

Under the agreement, the two sides agreed to exchange kidnapped people and reopen all roads in the area.

The agreement was signed after weeks of efforts made by the peace jirga comprising 50 representatives of each side.

Elders and Maliks of the two sects took part in the dialogue. Kurram Agency’s Political Agent Azam Khan represented the government and played the key role of mediator.

The talks were held in Islamabad and Murree and details of the agreement were announced at a press conference on Thursday.

The accord is expected to end the violence between Sunni Bangash and Shia Turi tribesmen that has plagued the agency bordering Afghanistan for one and a half years.

Hundreds of people have been killed in the clashes and the road to Parachinar has remained closed for several months, cutting off supplies to the agency’s main town.

People coming to Peshawar have been forced to travel via the Paktia province of Afghanistan.

The political agent said he was confident the accord would herald an era of peace in the agency because both the groups had agreed to cooperate with the administration for the purpose.

The agreement says that roads would be reopened to ensure supply of foodstuff, medicines and other essential items.

They also agreed to exchange bodies of people killed and tribesmen of the two sides kidnapped and captured and to allow the displaced people to return to their villages.

Both the groups have promised to provide protection to travellers. Bunkers would be vacated and handed over to the Frontier Corps.

A fine of Rs60 million will be imposed for any violation of the agreement. Any violation will be treated as a move against peace and violators will be dealt with accordingly.

The grand jirga will go to Kurram Agency on November 2 to ensure implementation of the agreement by both sides.

Another jirga will be held next month to resolve other contentious issues.

The tribal elders promised to cooperate with the government in maintaining peace.

They said the agency did not have the required strength of FC and the government would be asked to deploy more law-enforcement personnel.

The political agent proposed that the government should allocated funds as a peace dividend for development of the agency and to serve as an incentive for other agencies to strive for peace.


DAWN - the Internet Edition
October 17, 2008
Friday
Shawwal 17, 1429



Opponent sectarian groups in Kurram Agency sign Peace Accord

Opponent sectarian groups in Kurram Agency sign Peace Accord

ISLAMABAD: The two opponent sectarian groups of Shiite and Sunnis of Kurram Agency have signed a ‘Peace Accord’ to quell a one and half year long tribal warfare which has claimed more than 300 lives and devastated 31 villages.

The signing ceremony of “Islamabad Peace Accord” was held here in Murree on Thursday in which 50 members from both sides of rival tribes participated.

Political Agent Kurram Agency, Malik Azam Khan, Waris Khan Afridi, Senator Abdul ur Rehman Fakir (Member National Assembly (Mehmand Agency) Bismillah Khan (Bajaur Agency), Farzand Ali Bangash (Peshawar), Nijat Ali Khan Orakzai (Hangu), Malik Abdullah Khan Asterzai, Hajji Jamal Hassan Orakzai Agency, Syed Badshah Hussain Orakzai Agency, Hajji Izatt Gul Orakzai Agency and Faiz ullah Orakzai signed the “Islamabad Peace Accord”.

During the meeting the participants reviewed all aspects to stop sectarian tension in the area. They finally concluded that violator of the agreement would be a traitor to the Nation against whom government must take action besides a fine of Rs. 20 million.

Both sides also agreed to restore the communication network of Kurram Agency with rest of the parts of Pakistan while Peshawar and Parachinar Roads will be opened in accordance with the 25th October Accord.

They also agreed that both sectarian groups would go back to their original positions after vacating the present areas and land abandoned by affectees would be return to them as soon as possible, all the hostages and arrested people would be released, and respectable burial ritual will be performed of expired persons, while all bases occupied by the two sides will be handed over to the control of Frontier Corps.

They also appreciated the role of government by bringing both the opponent tribes at table for dialogue as well as noble efforts of Jirga members and people of Kurram Agency.

They further said that they have reached on agreement with mutual understanding and good intentions, agreeing that no sect can impose their decisions forcefully on any one; adding that they would remain successful due to their customs and habits.

They also thanked the MNAs, MPAs especially those of shite sect and Ahle-Sunnah Wal Jamaat for their cooperation and said that Peace Jirga will visit Kurram Agency on 25 October to review the situation.

They also expressed their complete satisfaction on hundreds percent implantation on Peace Accord and hoped that administration and government would also make its utmost for implementation the Pact.

On the occasion, Political Agency said that if Peace Jirga achieved success in implementation of Peace Accord then government must come forward to announce funds for the progress and development of Kurram Agency.

Online - International News Network - 

the Internet Edition

17/10/2008

http://www.onlinenews.com.pk