Anambra peace commission solicits traditional rulers cooperation on conflict resolution

The Anambra Truth Justice and Peace Commission (ATJPC) has appealed to traditional rulers in the state to cooperate with it to enable the state government to achieve its objective of setting it up.

Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, the Chairman of the Commission made a call on Thursday in Awka in furtherance to witness summons sent to all traditional rulers in the state.

The ATJPC was set up by Gov. Chukwuma Soludo to identify the remote and immediate causes of agitations, restiveness, violence, and armed struggle in the Southeast since 1999.

The committee also has the mandate to document victims and circumstances of their deaths, brutality, and incarceration as well as identify stakeholders and groups who played critical roles in the crisis, their roles, capabilities and demands.

They are also to make recommendations for sustainable peace and security in Anambra State/Southeast.

Odinkalu said the traditional rulers were required to submit a detailed memorandum on violence within their communities including names and other details of the victims of killings, disappearance or rape either by state or non state actors if any, from 1999 till date.

“Also, they are requested to submit the names and other details of internal displacements if any and any other information relevant to the above terms of reference.

“They are required to submit this memorandum to the Secretariat of the Commission in the Secretary to the State Government, Government House, Awka before the end of August,” he said.

Odinkalu thanked some traditional rulers who had already responded to the call but expressed worry that they were silent on violence related deaths in their domains.

He urged them to be truthful and factually accurate as that was the only way real wounds could be healed and sustainable peace restored.

The ATJPC which has Amb. Bianca Ojukwu as Secretary is expected to round up its activities in December.