HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERY ONE.

Just a throw back from some of our activities late last year. On 21 December 2020 we recorded a major milestone in our efforts to reconcile fighting communities through systematic dialogue and exchange between three distinct ethnic groups -the Aten in Ganawuri of Riyom local government area of Plateau state; the Attakar and Fulani who are also resident in both Riyom and Kaura local government areas of Plateau and Kaduna states respectively. There has been a long standing conflict issue between these three ethnic groups often leading to attacks and counter attacks in those borderline communities in the last 15 years or so. With support from the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), PPBA and the kaduna State Peace Commission (KAPECOM) brought these three communities together for the very first time with a view to foster mutual understanding and cooperation leading to the transformation of the conflict. An expression of Commitment to Peace through non- violent means was signed in the presence of the Chairmen of Riyom LGA of Plateau state and Kaura LGA of Kaduna by representatives of the conflict parties including the paramount ruler of the Aten people, the Agwom Attakad who is the paramount ruler of the Attakar people in kaduna state as well as Ardos from both Kaura and Riyom LGA areas of Plateau and Kaduna state respectively. The conflict parties have committed to working closely together in order to resolve all underlying issues of conflict through dialogue and have pledged to refrain henceforth from any act of violence no matter the provocation. Through series of intra and inter-group dialogue involving women, youth, elders and the two traditional councils in Riyom and Kaura LGA's of Plateau and Kaduna state, the PPBA and KADSPCOM collaborated in the facilitation of this important process that began in 2019. We owe a great deal of gratitude to the governors of Plateau and Kaduna states for their support and commitment to the pursuit of Peace; the Chairmen of Riyom and Kaura LGA's of Plateau and Kaduna state, the Atar Aten of Ganawuri, HRH. Yakubu Chaimang; the Agwom Attakad of the Attakar people in Kaura LGA, HRH. Tobias Nkom Wada and also representatives of the Ardo led by Imam Haruna Mohammed as well as youth and women groups who participated in the long but carefully crafted dialogue process. We are very grateful to USIP for providing the logistics that supported the intra and inter dialogue processes leading to the signing of the Expression of Commitment to the pursuit of Peace document. Beyond the signing of this document, the PPBA and KADSPCOM will continue to provide technical and moral support to those communities until the promise of sustainable peace is attained. There is absolutely no alternative to Peace.