The Gharri, Gabra and the Borana Community peace conference started on Saturday August, 08, 2009 and is ongoing. The peace conference is co chaired by the Gharri Sultan Haji Mohamed Haji Hassan Gababa, the Borana Abba Gadda Mr. Guyo Goba, and the Gabra Ugass Mr. Hassan Qalla. There are 40 Gharri delegates, 40 from the Borana Community and 30 from the Gabra community.

Also, there are observers from the Guji, Marehan, and the Degodia communities present. it was agreed at a previous conference at Sodare that the observers also act as mediators in case the grieving parties fail to agree on particular issues. According to information coming from Moyale, the first two days were filled with grievances and accusations in which 10 members of each community representatives were selected to present their grievances and accusations blaming the others for lack of peace and tranquility in the region.

The Borana were accused of being anti peace elements and whose members are socially thriving by killing innocent people from the Gharri and Gabra communities. At the same times, the Gharri people were accused of being aggressors and land grabbers from the Boranas starting from Dhaadach Warrab or Luq in Somalia thru El Gof, Ethiopia and gave reasons why they are at war with the Gharris.

However, the three chairpersons have agreed to narrow down the number of delegates and issues raised to determine what items they could agree to solve and which items they could throw out and finally which items they could bring  it to the mediators.

Each community chosen representative has began today to respond to the grievances and accusation made by the other communities. So, it is believed that this process will last at least two to three days. So, we will let you know as latest information becomes available.

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