PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE CONFERENCE FOR THE PEOPLE OF
BLUE NILE STATE
Venue: Kurmuk, from 27th – 30th, June, 2005

KURMUK DECLARATION

THEME: Tolerance is the Bases for Unity and Development.

The peaceful co-existence conference for the people of Blue Nile state was held in the historical town of Kurmuk that has been representing the Resistance against oppression of humankind.

The delegates from both sides of the of Sudanese People Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the Government of Sudan (GoS) met for the first time to discuss their problems and lay out policies for future development.
The conference was headed by Cdr. Malik Agar Eyre, the Governor of Blue Nile State. The gust of honor of the conference was Makk Yousif Hassan Adlan, the Soul Leader of all the tribes of Blue Nile State.
The Conference was attended by four hundred and sixty persons (460), representing different sectors of the Blue Nile, including the Legislative Council, Traditional Leaders and Chiefs and the Civil Society Organizations like the Youth, Women, Students, Graduates, Indigenous Farmers and Pastoralists.
The Conference was also attended by Brigder Abdulgadir Mahamad Abdulgadir deputy director of the Police in Damazin and both Col. Husham Abdalla Esmaeil and Lt. Col. Hasanin Ahmad Ali representative of the Central Police Khartoum headquarters.
Over ten papers related to the problems in the area were presented such as: Peace and Development in Blue Nile State, The conflict between the farmers and the Pastoralists, The land issue in Kurmuk, Introduction to Customary Land Security Program in Blue Nile State, Agricultural Development in Funj region, The pros and cons of unemployment in Blue Nile State, Religion and Development, The role of culture and Information in the New Sudan.

The Conference discussed different issues listed in the agenda with great freedom and understanding, which led to solutions of problems of all sectors present in the conference.

These historic discussions were followed with important resolutions and recommendations.
The main ones are as follows:
- Recognition of cultural, ethnic and religious diversities.
- Dissemination of the culture of peace, tolerance and peaceful coexistence in the Blue Nile State.
- Strengthening social structures among the tribes of the State.
- Re-shaping and re-writing the history of Sudan.
- Encouraging national unity among the people of the State and to re-store their self-confidence.
- Cancellation of previous laws related to lands.
- The restoration of the old corridors for Pastoralists and abolish the present corridors referred to as Kilos.
A mechanism was formed to follow the implementation of the resolutions and recommendations of the Conference which will form the bases for the formation of human society based on the values of Justice, Freedom and Equality.