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NEWS 2008 |
03.01.2008 Two
Ogiek shot by Kenya Police
08.01.2008 Ogiek Women Raped by GSU
19.01.2008
Paramilitary units hunt Ogiek, while Kikuyu arsonists burn houses of fleeing
Ogiek to the ground
22.01.2008 Ogiek defend forests against
corporate thief
30.01.2008 Ogiek
People Under Attack In Kenya's Rift Valley
02.02.2008 Paper mill runs short of materials
04.02.2008 Ogiek killed like rabbits by rampant militia in Kenya
05.02.2008 Kenya Honey-Gathering Forest Tribe Caught in Violence
13.02.2008 OGIEK LEADER RECEIVES DEATH THREAT
03.06.2008 The Ogiek: forgotten victims of Kenya's election violence
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Two Ogiek shot by Kenya Police
03. Jan. 2008
Correspondent
Two Ogiek are the latest victims of Police brutality in Kenya's post-election
turmoil. Nicolas Borwa, aged 29, were yesterday shot in the leg and Elijah
Lesingo, aged 32, was shot in the neck. Both survived but are in bad condition.
Freshly deployed Administration Police from Beaston Trading Centre, located 30
km from Nakuru Town, who claimed that they had been instructed to protect houses
of Kikuyu owners, are aparently harassing all civilians, except the people
belonging to President Kibaki's tribe. The aboriginal Ogiek are thereby the
least protected, though the Mau forest is their homeland.
The victims had to flee towards Nessuit and deeper into the forest area, where
they only could find medical assistance from a traditional healer. Neither the
health facilities nor the shops, who usually are providing some supplies at the
trading centres, can be reached by the people from Nessuit, Mariashoni and other
locations in the Mau forest. No means of public transport are operational any
longer in this part of Kenya.
Only by means of a privately hired car at least some bags of maize and other
emergency rations could be channeled through and did reach the Ogiek in Nassuit
today. How many Ogiek families have lost their homes and belongings could not
yet be established, but the situation is very severe, stated a spokesman from
the Ogiek Peoples Development Programme.
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08.01.2008
Ogiek Women Raped by GSU
Tinet / Kenya - WTN - 8th Jan. 2008 - Members of the General Service Unit (GSU),
the paramilitary force known for its brutality since 20 years, have allegedly
raped two Ogiek women and two girls of minor age during the days of turmoil
after the fraudulent presidential election in Kenya.
Reports indicate that Paulina Segem and Josphine Soi (the names of the minors
are still withheld), who all hail from Tinet village, were raped by GSU
personnel, which had been dispatched to guard the tea-factory and plantation at
Kiptagich, belonging to former president Daniel arap Moi.
The four victims have not yet officially reported to the Police, because they
fear reprisals at the hands of the police and the given intimidation is forcing
them to not file a report. The ladies demand
that they get immediate protection from Human Rights Organizations and
thereafter will report and press charges.
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Paramilitary units hunt Ogiek, while Kikuyu
arsonists burn houses of fleeing Ogiek to the ground
19. Jan 2008 - Elburgon / Kenya - WTN
Horrible reports from Elburgon speak of police and para-military units hunting
members of the Ogiek community, whom they allegedly blame for the death of one
police officer. Security personnel, however, could not provide any evidence that
the Ogiek are involved in this case at all. The officer was shot in the head
with an arrow.
Though Ogiek, one of the hunter-gatherer tribes of Kenya, regularly carry bows
and arrows to maintain their marginalized life while collecting mainly honey and
wild fruits from the forest, many other peoples living in the area, like Kikuyu,
Maasai and Kalenjin have armed themselves with such traditional weapons since
the post-election skirmishes broke out in Kenya three weeks ago. After that
police officer died in hospital a manhunt has been launched now to find the
culprit, but during the mayhem of the search in the vast forests around
Mariashoni mainly the indigenous Ogiek are suffering from police brutality.
Last night more than 20 houses belonging to resident Ogiek in Mariashoni / Mau
Forest were torched and burned to the ground by groups of Kikuyu youth, who
apparently did this after the Ogiek had fled from the houses in order not to be
entangeled in the police operation. The Kikuyu youth allegedly receive
protection from the security personnel and could launch the arsonist attack
against the Ogiek while security personnel was watching.
Roadblocks errected by Kikuyu youth along the road to Elburgon have to far made
it impossible for Human Rights lawyers to reach the zone.
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22.01.2008
Ogiek defend forests against corporate
thief
22. Jan. 2008 - WTN - Nakuru/Kenya
Ogiek forest defenders successfully defended today the trees of the famous Mau
Forest in Kenya. Timsales Ltd., East Africa's largest timber dealer with
companies in Kenya and Uganda, was stopped today by Ogiek homeland guards to cut
trees in Mariashoni location.
The two lorries with timber-trailers, which rumbled through the area, carried
not only the chainsaw wielding lumber-crew, but also 20 policemen with automatic
weapons, who were hired to protect the alleged timber thieves.
Though Timsales, in which the Kenyatta Family and their most famous heir Uhuru
Kenyatta have substantial stakes, had earlier - together with two other
companies - been exempted by the former government from the general ban on
hardwood felling, the Kenya Forest Service, a newly established parastatal
entity, which has succeeded the corrupt governmental Forest Department, stated
today, that since its takeover no licenses for hardwood harvesting had been
issued. A representative of
Timsales Ltd. could not be reached for comment.
Timsales, it is believed by the local people, just tried to utilize the present
political turmoil and the general confusion to illegally cut hardwood trees from
the forest.
But the swift response of the Ogiek guards stopped the operation and together
with local elders and leaders the lorries and their team as well as the
police-escort could be peacefully convinced to leave the area, whose people also
are grievance-stricken due to most recent killings and atrocities committed by
security personnel and invaders from neighboring communities.
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Ogiek People Under Attack In Kenya's Rift
Valley
By Joe De Capua
Washington
30 January 2008
De Capua interview with
Ogiek leader - (MP3) 968 kb
De Capua interview with
Ogiek leader - (MP3) 241 kb
The violence in Kenya’s Rift Valley is now targeting the Ogiek people, who are
indigenous hunter-gatherers in the Mau Forest. Reports say homes are being
burned and many people have been wounded.
Survival International says the Ogiek have been fighting for many years against
eviction and for protection from loggers, settlers and tea plantations.
Kiplangat Cheruyot is a leader of the Ogiek. From the Mau Forest, he spoke to
VOA English to Africa Service reporter Joe De Capua about the situation there.
“I’m in the Mau Forest and the situation currently is that there is tension. The
police are everywhere and there are some houses, which are burning of the Ogiek
people,” he says. He says that 15 people have been injured so far.
Asked who is burning Ogiek homes, Cheruyot says, “Kikuyu are burning our houses…and…the
police are just watching and are not taking any action. Most of his people have
fled deeper in the Mau Forrest.
“Close to 600 people for the last…week…have fled inside part of the forest. And
now they are seeking refuge in the caves…and are still hiding there and they
could not come out of there. They have left their houses and their things. (The)
majority of their houses are being burned and those who were injured were
transferred to…district hospital, where they’re getting some treatment,” he says.
Cheruyot says he knows why the houses are being burned. “They say the Ogiek
voted for the ODM (opposition party) and Raila Odinga.” He says the Ogiek
pledged their support to Odinga because he promised them he would fight for the
rights of indigenous people.
“We the Ogiek as a minority community, we don’t believe in war at all. We
haven’t engaged anybody in war.” He says up until the political violence broke
out last December, the Ogiek and Kikuyu got along very well and some even
married.
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02.02.2008
Paper mill runs short of materials
NATION
Story by LUKE KAPCHANGA
2/2/2008
A Webuye-based paper mill is facing an acute shortage of raw materials.
Impassable roads due to illegal road blocks on highways since the post-election
violence broke out has denied the Pan African Paper mills logs, which are its
main raw material.
Executive director N.K. Saha on Wednesday went to see the Western provincial
commissioner, Mr Abdul Mwasera, to ask for police escort for lorries ferrying
logs to the company.
Mr Saha told the Nation that the company resorted to police protection to get
logs from the forests to the factory.
The paper miller gets its raw material supply from Kaptagat and Timboroa in Rift
Valley Province, areas worst hit by the violence that was triggered by last
year’s disputed presidential elections results.
Mr Saha said that four lorries loaded with logs had been hijacked in the forest,
thus scaring drivers. The drivers, he added, were worried of their safety making
them reluctant to risk venturing into the forests without protection.
The company lost two of its lorries after they were set on fire while carrying
finished products on the Webuye–Eldoret highway early in the week.
“We are finding it extremely difficult to continue operating under this
disturbing circumstances but if we get security assurance, then we shall
continue operations,” he said.
Has to consult
He, however, said the audience with Mr Mwasera did not result into automatic
assurance as he has to consult his Rift Valley counterpart before addressing the
issue.
Mr Saha appealed to the government to consider their request to protect the
livelihoods of workers and their dependants.
The factory employs about 1,600 workers directly while thousands depend on its
operations indirectly.
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Ogiek killed like rabbits by rampant militia
in Kenya
Mount Elgon - 04. Feb. 2008 - WTN
Realizing that the Ogiek had fled the area around Chepyuk and took refuge at
Teldet and Chepkitale, the Sabaot Land Defense Force (SLDF), Kenya's most
dangerous and notorious, at least 1000 men strong armed militia, has now taken
advantage of the lawlessness and the commitments of the police elsewhere to hunt
and kill the Ogiek like rabbits.
It is reported now that the Mount Elgon Ogiek have been evicted from Teldet and
Kiboroa areas by the SLDF.One Ogiek Pastor by name Mati was killed by SLDF on
2nd February 2008 at Teldet area. The Ogiek call upon all Human Rights agencies
and organizations to visit these areas, to witness and assess.
It must be noted that the Ogiek have known no peace since September 2006 until
to date. Now that there is a national crisis, it is feared that the Ogiek of
Mount Elgon will be exterminated by the SLDF, if no rapid rescue is mounted to
free the area from the SLDF and their atrocities and to guarantee the safety and
security of the Ogiek.
Local NGO staff reports: "THE SLDF MILITIA HAS ACTUALLY TAKEN OVER THE WHOLE OF
MT. ELGON AND TRANS-NZOIA REGION. The police is closing their eyes or are even
actively involved in creating death and misery. All are requested to help where
they can as the Ogiek cannot access the towns but are currently holed up in the
forests of Chepkitale covering such areas as Kapchepkelda, Labot, Toboo,
Chepoongweny and Tommoi without any security or humanitarian assistance."
Today, 4th February 2008, the fighting between the hounting militia and fleeing
Ogiek is still on at Teldet, 35 km from Kitale, where the Ogiek had gone with
some cattle to exchange for money and cereals. About 70 of their cattle were
yesterday "confiscated" by the police and 50 are held at the Do's office at
Saboti, apparently upon the instructions by the District Officer. The other
stolen cows are unaccounted for.
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Kenya Honey-Gathering Forest Tribe Caught in
Violence
Nicholas Wadhams in Nairobi, Kenya
National Geographic News
February 5, 2008
The violence that has swept across Kenya since December's presidential election
has hit the tiny forest-dwelling Ogiek tribe, bringing to the fore grievances
that have been simmering for years.
The Ogiek, best known for their traditional methods of beekeeping, have become
caught up in ethnic clashes following the vote, resulting in the deaths of nine
tribal members at the hands of police, according to leaders.
The killings may have been retribution for the tribe's support for opposition
candidate Raila Odinga, leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), in the
recent election, tribal officials say.
"I am not allowed to enter town because people say they are hunting for my
life," said Daniel Kobei, chairman of the Ogiek People's Development Program.
"Being a strong supporter of ODM, I am one of the people who has been affected.
Right now I can't go to work because they say they are looking for me, so I am
waiting for the situation to calm down."
All across the country, regional ethnic majorities have driven out minorities in
recent weeks, and there is perhaps no minority more vulnerable than the Ogiek,
who have no militia, no government representative, and only bows and arrows to
defend themselves.
On February 4, the Ogiek issued a statement saying they were being hunted "like
rabbits" by a militia group dominated by the larger Kalenjin tribe.
"The situation for the Ogiek is very, very bad. They don't have any security at
the moment," said Kanyinke Sena, of the Indigenous Peoples of Africa
Coordinating Committee, a network of indigenous groups across the continent.
"People are taking advantage of the insecurity in the country right now to
commit all sorts of atrocities."
Bee Cultivators
Living in the Mau Forest northwest of Nairobi, the Ogiek are one of the few
remaining forest-dwelling tribes in Kenya (see map).
For centuries they made their living collecting herbs and cultivating bees,
hanging hollowed-out sections of logs from trees where bees could nest and
produce honey.
They also became known for training hunting dogs, which have become so important
to the culture that dogs are sometimes included in bridal dowry prices.
Like many of Kenya's smaller ethnic groups, most of the 20,000 Ogiek backed
Odinga, who had promised to reverse what some see as years of favoritism toward
the dominant Kikuyu tribe.
To the Ogiek, such promises included the assurance that profits from logging on
land traditionally seen as theirs would no longer go to the government in
Nairobi but would instead be given to the tribe.
Odinga also pledged to address the tribe's long-standing grievances over land
and to bar members from being expelled from their territory. Shortly before the
election, Odinga was made an honorary Ogiek elder and was presented with a list
of goals the Ogiek hoped he would achieve.
In December's election, Kenya's incumbent President Mwai Kibaki, a Kikuyu, won a
second five-year term in what international observers said was a highly flawed
vote.
That sparked a burst of violence initially described as a spontaneous surge of
frustration that many say reopened old fault lines between ethnic groups
competing for land.
According to the February 4 statement issued by the Ogiek, militias dominated by
the Kalenjin, rivals of the Kikuyu, killed an Ogiek man in the western region of
the tribe's traditional territory.
"The militias represent themselves as a local group defending its own land
rights, but in practice, what they have done is focus on some of the most
marginalized groups to push them off the land," said Mark Lattimer, director of
the London-based Minority Rights Group International.
Threatened for Decades
The Ogiek's existence has been threatened for decades. Since the early 20th
century they have resisted government efforts to remove them from the Mau
Forest.
The government has also logged parts of Mau, destroying the tribe's traditional
terrain and replanting the land with fast-growing conifers that are useless for
honey production.
Now the Ogiek say they are being targeted by Kenyans who simply want their land.
When many people fled the violence after the election, Kikuyus came and either
burned their homes or seized the land, tribe members say.
"So far, there is an increase [in] hunger because there is no trading,
businesses are still closed, people cannot access the markets, and police are
being perceived as siding with the Kikuyu," said Ogiek leader Kiplangat Cheruyot.
"We are appealing for urgent assistance, medicine, food, clothing, and blankets."
Some food has been delivered to the tribe, but the Kenya Red Cross, whose
resources have been stretched by the crisis, says it has far bigger problems on
its hands. Some 300,000 people are displaced around the country, and at least a
thousand have been killed in the ongoing violence.
"If we're going to assist all the impoverished communities, then we'd have to do
the whole of Turkana, all of Northeastern, and many other places," Kenya Red
Cross chair Abbas Gulet said, referring to two of Kenya's poorest regions.
"Unless they are being displaced by the violence, we can't just give free food
to everyone."
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OGIEK LEADER RECEIVES DEATH THREAT
13 February 2008
A leader of the indigenous Ogiek nation in Kenya has received a death threat by
telephone. An unknown caller told Mr Mpoiok Kobei, 'We need your head before
Tuesday nineteenth, this month.'
Around a thousand people are thought to have died in Kenya in violence that
followed disputed poll results six weeks ago, and more than 600,000 have been
forced to flee their homes.
Hundreds of Ogiek families have been caught up in the violence and are among the
displaced people. Several young Ogiek have been shot, Ogiek homes have been
burned down, and there have been allegations of rape of Ogiek women by police.
The Ogiek are one of the few remaining hunter-gatherer peoples in East Africa.
They live in the Mau mountain forest, overlooking the Rift Valley. They gather
honey from beehives which they make from hollow logs and place in the high
branches of the forest trees.
The Ogiek have been struggling for many years to resist eviction from their
forest, and to protect it from settlers, loggers and tea plantations.
The anonymous phonecall was received at 17h15 has been traced to number
51-61484, which is a public phone booth in Njoro. A police report has been made,
but nobody has been arrested yet.