PROMOTING PEACE IN KENYA'S UPPER EASTERN PROVINCE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NAIROBI 002721 SIPDIS E.O.12958: N /A TAGS: PGOV KCRM ASEC PHUM SENV KE ET SUBJECT: PROMOTING PEACE IN KENYA'S UPPER EASTERN PROVINCE -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. Kenya's remote upper Eastern Province is caught in a cycle of violence driven by competition over scarce resources and characterized by inter-tribal revenge killings and livestock raiding. Local politicians have a history of quietly supporting these activities, which has made grassroots efforts to halt the cycle of violence extremely difficult. During a recent trip to the region, the Ambassador attempted to enlist the support of a cabinet minister and three local members of parliament to speak out in support of peace. While only two of the four politicians were ready to denounce violence publicly, the rumors and media attention surrounding the Ambassador's trip may have disrupted a planned revenge attack against the Rendille community. We will continue our efforts to bring attention to the problems facing this often-forgotten region and encourage local leaders to promote peace. End Summary. -------------- Politics Drive Clashes -------------- ¶2. Marsabit District, which lies between Lake Turkana and Moyale District along the Ethiopian border in Kenya's arid and remote upper Eastern Province, has always been a difficult place to live; however, the area is now experiencing a time of particular hardship: increased human and livestock populations are placing intense pressure on the area's arid landscape, while droughts are becoming longer and more frequent. More immediately, cycles of livestock raiding and corresponding revenge attacks among the different clans are, by some accounts, becoming worse and increasingly politicized. ¶3. The Government's failure to provide a robust security presence to deter attacks and punish those responsible compounds the problem. Because the media are also a scarce resource in the remote region, few in Nairobi are aware of just how serious the situation has become. PolOff and PolFSN recently traveled to Marsabit to gain a greater understanding of the environment and lay the groundwork for a visit by the Ambassador. ¶4. The greater Marsabit region is large and sparsely populated: approximately 143,000 people live in a 41,000 square mile area. (Note: The district is bigger than Kentucky and slightly smaller than Tennessee. End Note.) Like many other regions in Kenya, Marsabit residents divide themselves along clear tribal lines and view one another through the lens of tribal alliances or enmities. Major tribes involved in the cycle of livestock raiding and violence include the Borana, Rendille, and Gabbra (all Cushitic tribes). The Samburu and Turkana, both Nilotic tribes, live primarily in neighboring districts of Samburu, Turkana and Isiolo, but are also involved in the cycle of violence. The Borana maintain close political and cultural ties with their kin in southern Ethiopia, dominate the town of Marsabit, the district's administrative headquarters, and far outnumber the neighboring Gabbra and Rendille tribes. The Borana tribe's current enemy number one are the Rendille (who are allied with the Samburu),although there is still Borana/Gabbra tension years after the 2005 Turbi massacre. (Note: In July 2005, a Borana revenge attack in Turbi left approximately 60 Gabbra dead, 22 of them children. End Note.) The Gabbra, who inhabit the Chalbi Desert, are sandwiched between three hostile tribes: Borana to the east, Rendille to the south, and Turkana to the west. The Marsabit District Commissioner has estimated that, in addition to massive livestock losses, approximately 60 people have been killed in 2008, and 11 reportedly have been killed since August alone. ¶5. Livestock raids by young warriors from the various tribes form the basis of the conflict. Revenge attacks are the norm after livestock raids and are a matter of pride among the tribes. Women sing victory songs for young warriors returning from a raid or revenge attack. However, the communal nature of the conflict means that non-warriors often bear the brunt of revenge attacks. Women gathering firewood and children herding livestock have been killed to avenge raids committed by fellow clan members. Elders who NAIROBI 00002721 002 OF 003 have attempted to halt the cycle and hold individuals of their own clan accountable for raids or revenge attacks have themselves been attacked by their own clan members. Nevertheless, interlocutors from all sides expressed to PolOff that the cycle of violence is getting out of control. ¶6. Kenyan politics have always been tribal, and local members of parliament (MPs) are expected to represent their own tribe's interests. In this sense, many view their area MPs as both the problem and the solution. During the trip, PolOff was told time and again that politicians were responsible for continuing the cycle of violence by providing financial and logistical support to livestock raiders. While the truth of this statement may vary according to the politician, it is certainly true that the MPs of Marsabit District have failed to provide strong leadership to stop the cycle of violence. ¶7. The last real attempt on the part of MPs to support peace ended in tragedy. In April 2006, the plane carrying two assistant ministers, four MPs, and 11 others crashed on a hill in Marsabit town, killing all but three of the passengers. The politicians had been on their way to Marsabit to participate in a peace conference aimed at quelling inter-tribal violence. ¶8. The MPs who replaced those killed in the crash failed to re-ignite any initiatives toward peace, and the December 2007 elections put two of the three Marsabit MPs back in office. To cater for different ethnic interests, the larger Marsabit district has been divided into three smaller districts, which each has its own member of parliament, representing the Borana, Rendille, and Gabbra communities. Hussein Sasura, a Borana representing Saku District, was elected to replace his brother who was killed in the plane crash and was re-elected in 2007. Joseph Lekuton, a former teacher in Virginia who received his bachelor's degree from St. Lawrence University and holds a master's degree from Harvard, was elected in 2006 to represent the primarily Rendille Laisamis District, and was re-elected in 2007. Francis Chachu, a Gabbra representing North Horr District, is a first-term parliamentarian. Like Lekuton, Chachu received his undergraduate degree from St. Lawrence. The NGO that Chachu founded and previously ran, the Pastoralist Integrated Support Program (PISP),was a finalist for the United Nations Development Program's Equator Prize in 2004. -------------- Ambassador Enlists Support for Peace -------------- ¶9. In an attempt to re-engage politicians in the peace process, the Ambassador invited the three MPs from Marsabit District and the Minister for Northern Kenya and Other Arid Lands Mohammed Elmi (a former regional program manager for Oxfam and an ethnic Somali) to join him in Marsabit at a graduation ceremony for "Peace Ambassadors" (i.e., youth who play in inter-tribal soccer leagues and received training in conflict resolution). The pitch: joint attendance at a peace event in Marsabit would provide the politicians with a platform to declare publicly their support for dialogue and reconciliation and an end to the cycle of attacks. ¶10. After a flurry of phone calls, mixed messages, and changed plans, we learned that of the four invitees only Chachu and Elmi were ready to take us up on the offer. Sasura, who had initially confirmed and was already in Marsabit, mysteriously left town the day before the event, and was claiming that he was "sick" and unable to return to Marsabit on the day of the Peace Ambassadors' graduation. Lekuton called the Ambassador the morning of the event apologizing for not attending. Sasura had threatened him, he said, and told him not to come. We later learned of the rumor circulating around town that the Borana (represented by Sasura) were preparing a revenge attack against the Rendille (represented by Lekuton) but the Ambassador's trip to Marsabit disrupted it. ¶11. Even though the Kenyan VIP participation was limited to Chachu and Elmi, the Peace Ambassadors' graduation event was a success. The youth received much-deserved recognition in front of their peers and elders for their repudiation of violence. Chachu and Elmi spoke powerfully NAIROBI 00002721 003 OF 003 in support of dialogue, reconciliation, and the importance of working together to achieve the area's development goals. The event was covered on national television, and both men committed themselves publicly to seeking a peaceful solution to the problems in Marsabit District. ¶12. At the event the Ambassador spoke strongly on the need for the local MPs to demonstrate leadership for peace. He assured the assembled local community that the United States will remain engaged in efforts to pursue peace. These remarks were warmly welcomed, with many lamenting that senior Kenyan government officials have not demonstrated the same level of commitment. ¶13. The next day the Ambassador visited North Horr, a remote community six hours drive northwest of Marsabit, which has also been caught up in the cycle of violence. The Ambassador asked the district commissioner to accompany him. The Ambassador held a town hall meeting for the 7,700-resident town, emphasizing similar messages to those stated in Marsabit. At the town hall meeting, residents grilled the district commissioner, confronting him that it was the first time he had visited. The almost two-hour town hall meeting proved to be a very constructive exchange of views and provided insights into the nature of the ethnic conflicts. The district commissioner followed up later the same afternoon by holding a meeting with the community elders focused on how to resolve the ethnic conflicts. ¶14. The District Commissioner of Marsabit has also followed up on the Ambassador's visit by holding meetings with community leaders focused on resolving the ethnic conflicts. It is important to note that, while ethnic conflicts in the area have been taking place for many decades, in recent years these conflicts have turned increasingly violent with the introduction of automatic weapons. Many more people are being killed than in the past and there is substantially greater damage inflicted upon the various communities. As a result, peace-making has taken on a much greater sense of urgency. -------------- Bringing the Others on Board -------------- ¶15. We are following up on the Ambassador's visit to push the MPs and senior Kenyan government officials to intensify efforts to end the violence ethnic clashes. After returning from the visit, the Ambassador met with MP Lekuton, who pledged to work for peace. We are seeking a meeting with MP Sasura. Minister Elmi is also reaching out to the MPs. Our objective is to encourage the three MPs to make a public statement committing themselves to work for peace in coordination with their ethnic communities and the government. We are also looking for ways that we can provide concrete support for peace efforts, including but not limited to possible support for the Peace Ambassadors Program. That said, bringing the politicians together to achieve meaningful results will not be an easy process. RANNEBERGER