MT. ELGON: MILITANT LEADERS ARRESTED

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 NAIROBI 000906

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/07/2018
TAGS: MOPS PHUM ASEC KE
SUBJECT: MT. ELGON: MILITANT LEADERS ARRESTED

REF: A. NAIROBI 804

B. NAIROBI 706

Classified By: Ambassador Michael E. Ranneberger, reasons 1.4 (b,d).


1. (C) Summary: In the early morning hours of March 30,
police arrested the 80-year-old traditional spiritual leader
for the Soy subclan, Jason Psongoywo, in Eldoret. Psongoywo
is reportedly one of the top leaders of the Sabaot Land
Defense Force (SLDF),the Mt. Elgon-based militant group
against whom Kenyan security forces launched an operation in
early March. Psongoywo's arrest was a key achievement for
the government. His arrest together with a number of others
made in the past week could signal the beginning of the end
for the SLDF, even though other leaders remain at large.
Human rights observers report that dozens of people have been
killed, hundreds have been tortured, and thousands have been
detained. There are also reports of the diversion of food
assistance by humanitarian volunteers. End Summary.

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SLDF Spiritual Leader, Arms Supplier
Arrested; Ex-Army Trainer Killed
--------------


2. (C) Acting on a tip from the local community, police
arrested Jason Manyiror Psongoywo in the early morning hours
of March 30 in Eldoret. Psongoywo, who is 80 years old, is
the traditional spiritual leader (or "laibon") of the
Kalenjin tribe's Soy subclan. (Note: Laibons are very
influential in the Kalenjin communities -- moreso even than
tribal elders. End Note.) Psongoywo was reportedly
responsible for "oathing" new recruits into the SLDF, a
militia formed in 2006 to fight for what the Soy believe are
their rightful lands around the Mt. Elgon region. Oathing
ceremonies are serious and secretive. The oathing ceremony
not only binds new warriors to the group, it also renders
SLDF warriors impervious to police bullets, some say. A
local religious leader told PolOff that the house where
Psongoywo was arrested was being rented out by Mt. Elgon MP
(Orange Democratic Movement) Fred Kapondi who, in spite of
his public protests to the contrary, is one of the SLDF's top
leaders. (Note: Kapondi was arrested in April 2007 on
suspicion of fomenting the conflict, but he was later
released. End Note.)


3. (S) Later in the day, police arrested a number of local
councilors believed to have SLDF ties. The next evening,
police netted two more big fish: Wycliffe Kimtai, who
reportedly supplies arms to the SLDF, and Frederick Chesori,
who was reportedly the sector leader of a local SLDF cell.
Reports continued to come in as the week progressed about the
death of more SLDF commanders: Raphael Bera and (FNU)
Cherendio (who was, according to one source, the SLDF's third
in command).


4. (C) Ex-Army officer Chemaymak Sichei -- who was reportedly
providing training to SLDF fighters -- was also reportedly
killed sometime in the past two weeks. (Comment: We have
been told that former members of Kenya's security forces
played a significant role in the post-election violence as
well, particularly in the Rift Valley. End Comment.)


5. (SBU) However, two of the SLDF's top commanders,
24-year-old, Wycliffe Matakwei and local councillor Nathan
Wasama, remain at large. (Note: Matakwei's father and
Psongoywo each reportedly occupied 200 acres of land from
which they were evicted when the government attempted to
implement the third phase of the Chebyuk land settlement
scheme (ref A). The government's policy and flawed,
corruption-ridden implementation sparked violent opposition
in 2006, but the conflict that began as a protest over a
badly-handled land allocation scheme has turned into a terror
spree under the SLDF. The clashes between the Soy and
Ndorobo sub-clans has displaced between 45,000 and 70,000
people and killed over 500. The SLDF has by many accounts
turned into a violent criminal gang, torturing and killing
those who do not support them and imposing parallel (and
arbitrary) laws and taxes. End Note.)
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Human Rights Observers Cry Foul
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NAIROBI 00000906 002 OF 003



6. (U) Security forces have endeavored to keep outsiders away
from the area of operation, including human rights observers.
A Human Rights Watch researcher and local human rights
activists were detained near Mt. Elgon by the military on
March 28 while attempting to investigate events in the area.
According to the HRW researcher, foot soldiers stopped them
and searched them, finding lists of alleged victims of the
military operation. The two were detained and transported to
a military base. When they reached the base the HRW
researcher was immediately released, while the local activist
was held for approximately one hour. During this time, the
local garrison commander received phone calls from
journalists at the Nation and Standard newspapers asking for
further information on the arrest. The activist was then
released and all his belongings returned to him.


7. (C) A Human Rights Watch (HRW) researcher, who has been in
the Mt. Elgon region for the past week, termed the operation
a "full-blown military conflict." According to him, the
military's strategy is to round up every male in every
village, beat them, and then transport them to a military
camp. While at the camp, the men are beaten some more and
then identified as either being members of SLDF and jailed,
or cleared and freed. (Note: Ref A discusses how the
International Committee of the Red Cross has opened
discussions with the government in response to such reports
of abuse. End Note.) The District Commissioner has stated
that 750 suspects have been arrested, while HRW estimates the
number at over 1,000. The majority of those arrested are
transferred to either Bungoma or Kakamega Prison, where they
are detained in overcrowded conditions common to Kenyan
jails. HRW has not yet been granted access to the prison,
but it has information that some of the detainees are in
critical condition from the beatings they received.


8. (C) In an April 3 press release, HRW accused both the SLDF
and the Kenyan military in killings, torture, and rape of
civilians. HRW estimated that the SLDF has killed over 600
people since the conflict began in 2006 and stated that the
SLDF often beat, maimed, and abducted people in the Mt. Elgon
area, and also routinely destroyed property and stole land
and livestock. Since the military intervention began in
March, HRW estimated that the Kenyan military has "detained
thousands, tortured hundreds, and unlawfully killed dozens of
people." The alleged abuses include at least one case of
rape by Kenyan soldiers. An HRW researcher also told PolOff
that they have documented at least one instance in which
civilians, who were trying to flee to Uganda, were
indiscriminately attacked by Kenyan border police.


9. (C) The SLDF and Kenyan security forces are not the only
ones who have been accused of mistreating innocent civilians
in Mt. Elgon. There are also reports that the Kenyan Red
Cross (KRCS) volunteers have diverted food assistance from
Mt. Elgon residents living in IDP camps. (Note: These
accusations are coming at a time when human rights observers
-- HRW in particular -- are telling us about KRCS staff who
are reportedly trading food for sex at IDP camps elsewhere in
the country (septel). End Note.)

--------------
The Beginning of The End?
Or the End of The Beginning?
--------------


10. (S) Comment: Kenyan military officials have told us
privately that the military-backed operation (termed
Operation "Okoa Maisha" or "Save Lives") should end on April
5, but at an April 5 press conference a police spokesman said
that their operation would continue. Given the recent
netting of such big fish, it appears that the operation has
been fairly successful in disrupting the activities of the
SLDF. Although some important figures -- such as SLDF
commanders Wycliffe Matakwei and Nathan Wasama -- remain at
large, the SLDF's ability to bring in and properly "oath" new
recruits will be compromised as long as Psongoywo remains in
custody.


11. (C) Comment, cont: While the Mt. Elgon operation may be
near its close, much work remains to be done in rebuilding
the lives of those living around Mt. Elgon. At present, the
Soy community's spiritual leader is behind bars; deep rifts
exist between the Soy and Ndorobo sub-clans; large numbers of

NAIROBI 00000906 003 OF 003


people have suffered; and the underlying land conflict
remains unresolved. Kenyan military forces have already
started to transition between military operations and
humanitarian activities (in the form of infrastructure
rehabilitation). It will be up to civilian leaders to begin
the difficult work of reconciliation. If this does not
happen, conflict could easily re-ignite. We are closely
following allegations of human rights abuses and making our
concerns known.
RANNEBERGER