The last couple of days has been heartbreaking, disheartening and disturbing seeing and hearing what has been happening in my beloved city of birth Jos, the Plateau State capital.
Over the years, several measures have been deployed to resolve the conflicts including repressive force by security agencies, use of emergency rule over the state, and various probe panels to seek an understanding of the root causes and proffer potential solutions.
Pragmatic solutions are required to resolve this issue. I join others to suggest these six such measures:
1. The government must demonstrate commitment to resolve the issues. The various probe panels have reviewed the issues in the conflict. What is required is the political will to harmonise and implement the recommendations.
2. The government must deescalate the subtle enablers of the conflict. We must make citizens understand the need for our collective coexistence. The government must create a society where everyone feels a fair and equal stake in the community where they have chosen to live.
3. The government should be dynamic in creating integration programmes that encourage cohesion. For instance, there could be regular inter-religious and inter-ethnic meetings on peaceful co-existence among people of different faiths and/or ethnicity. The government should look for visible and symbolic projects that will entrench the values of peaceful co-existence.
4.The security agencies need to improve their intelligence gathering capabilities by working closely with the communities. This will enable more proactive, rather than reactive, responses. There is also need for better coverage (Police
Posts) within the high conflict zones.
5.The different communities should be involved in the joint community security briefing, patrols, and police relations. This mechanism will help in building trust and confidence among the groups. It will aid in setting up an early warning system.
6. The criminal justice system in the state should be strengthened to ensure that those who perpetrate violence are brought to book. No one, matter how well-placed or powerful, should be outside the reach of the law. I hope the new laws recently signed into law by the Governor be useful towards making our State safe and secured.
God grant peace to our hearts and land.
I care..
Muntasir's blog 