By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development has organized a one day training workshop on Transitional Justice for 25 selected Members of Community Peace Forum Maiduguri on Monday.
The Executive Director, Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development, Hajiya Hamsatu Allamin while declaring the training opened, urged the community stakeholders to feel free and independent to voice out their minds on their burning issues by making their complaints known, offer suggestions and proffer valuable recommendations for an effective implementation of transitional justice and reconciliation for sustainable peace and development in Borno state.
She added that the aim of the workshop was to identify possible ways and means of ensuring justice prevail among the victims and residents of communities in every nook and cranny of the state affected by the insurgency in the past 14 years.
One of the facilitators, Dr. Lawan Balami of the Political Science Department, University of Maiduguri, expunged on the basic pillars of transitional justice which include truth, justice and reparation or compensation which are essential requirements for transitional justice.
He emphasised also that in traditional justice implementation, there are important issues that must be considered and put in place which also include forgiveness, apologies, reconciliation among the parties, the establishment or constitution of a Special Court or Panel of Enquiry by the government.
“The issue of reparation comes in when government will compensate or rebuild, refund or apologize or forgive repentant terrorists. While the issue of guarantee of non reoccurance comes in where everybody will take an undertaking that such an act or offence will not be repeated or committed or recorded again in future.
“Therefore, the views and opinions of the community stakeholders will be an added advantage in the collation process, analysis and compilation of data for onward presentation to the government for implementation which is one of the mandate of the foundation to promote, ensure and consolidate peaceful coexistence, unity, love and affection, understanding and progress among people and communities.
One his part, the Legal Head of Allamin Foundation, Barrister Mohammed Unar, highlighted the significance of transitional justice in conflict environment and the need for reconciliation and reintegration as well as sustainable peace, unity and development in the society.
He added that the individual experiences of every resident in host communities can never be over emphasized based on individual and community exposure, hardships and sufferings as well as levels of attacks killings and restrictions
The stakeholders were also not left out as they contributed by making suggestions and recommendations, calling for interventions by both the government and non governmental organisations through regular trainings, consultations , discussions, town hall meetings, fora, workshops, seminars, lectures, empowerment, poverty alleviation, education, skills acquisitions or entrepreneurship among others.
