NEWS 2007
07.03.2007 OGIEK ARE BEING KILLED IN MT. ELGON AS PRESIDENT EMILIO KIBAKI OF KENYA REMAINS IN STATEHOUSE, NAIROBI
16.04.2007 APPEAL by the OGIEK
27.07.2007 OGIEK DECLARATION
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OGIEK ARE BEING KILLED IN MT. ELGON AS PRESIDENT EMILIO KIBAKI OF KENYA REMAINS IN STATEHOUSE, NAIROBI
It's believed that the more than 100 people have died in the last eight months (from July last 2006), 50% are from the minority and hunter gatherer Ogiek community. The recent dead of six people last week, five were from the Ndorobo clan (Ogiek) as reported from the local media quoting the area Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD of Mt. Elgon), Mr. David Makokha.
As the massacre escalates and reducing the number of this minority tribe, our president is busy in statehouse and have been exempting the tour to the area. Various politicians from the ruling party and the opposition have condemned the ongoing killings that has rendered many people from warring communities (Ogiek vs Sabaot ) homeless. According to the locals the guns and bullets are bought from the neighboring Uganda. It is believed to be financed by political wings that remain the untouched (sacred cows) in President Kibaki administration
Many learning institutions in Chebyuk, Kabukwa, Teldet and Gitwamba have been closed down. More than 500 houses burnt, looting of properties witnessed, several herds of cattle stolen, and thousands of resident displaced. Though more than 600 security personnel's have been deployed to curb the insecurity, nothing has been achieved as the killing continues every evening and night hours.
The displaced families are now camping in Chepkitale forest waiting for Jesus/ Alah and God mercy after the fail of intervention by Kibaki administration.
Neither the president, Minister in charge of security (Hon. John Michuki), Minister of Lands (Prof. Kivutha Kibwana) and or the parliamentary select committee on security (chaired by Hon. Ramadan Kajembe) has toured the areas for public meetings. They are all in Nairobi busy with politics and concerns to Darfur or Somalia issues. It's sad to note that a president of the people can think of intervention in areas outside his country while his own home is burning. People are dying and others living in fear in Mt. Elgon more than in IRAQ!
The main cause of the clashes and violence has been land issue and politics. Period! The provincial administration has been accused for frequent subdivisions of land and corruption. The religious Organisations have also been condemned for being biased by the locals. They have played no serious role for conflict prevention and peace building mechanisms. The various commissions formed by Kibaki administrations have been doing nothing if not baseless. No policies implementations, No implementations for their reports, No prosecution for key suspects of billions of tax payers money, and if then justice is delayed hence justice denial. These commissions include National Anti -Corruption Steering Committee, Kenya Law Reform, and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. Their reports are not understood by Kenyans due to lack of consultations, participations and disseminations of information. Kenyans leaders are seriously engaged on minimum reforms as innocents' people are slaughtering one another over land. Where are they? A twelve- year old pupil asked to a journalist during the recent visit to the area.
Ogiek People Development Program is sad to note that the clashes in Mt. Elgon has been overlooked and assumed by both government and opposition. There is the fear of outbreak of hunger and disease due to the conditions subjected to once peaceful families. The both parties should be reconciled and issues of land be solved legally and politically. Key suspects of corruption through the ministry of land should be investigated, arrested, and prosecuted if found guilty.
Unless the government takes action and intervention within two weeks (deadline march 21,
2007), OPDP as a humanitarian organization will call upon the UN Secretary General, Director General of UNHCR, Amnesty International, Office Of High Commission for Human Rights, Director of Survival International, Pope Benedict and Director General of UNESCO to intervene, failure the clashes will wipe the minority.
Despite Kenya government being party to various international convections and covenants, its lacks the capacity to domesticate, promote, and protects this vitals ratifications. However, its reports to the treaty bodies have been manipulated to strengthen and promote the image of the government of the day.
Yours truly,
Kiplangat Cheruyot
Tel: +254 20 2045 167
For: OPDP
CC:
Ban-Ki Moon
UN secretary General
UN Plaza
New York
L. Arbour
High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNOHCHR)
Geneva, Switzerland
Pope Benedict (Rome Italy)
Amnesty International
Survival International
All Foreign Embassies in Kenya
All Media Houses (Kenya, Africa and Foreign)
Office of Official opposition Leader
All the Indigenous Organisation globally
His Excellency President Kibaki (Republic of Kenya)
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16.04.2007
APPEAL by the OGIEK
The Mt. Elgon Ogiek hiding as refugees in Chepkitale forest are calling upon
their well-wishers to assist with food donations, medical supplies and
clothing.
Apparently the Red Cross or state and religious organisations haven't been
successful to reach those strata of the populatiion in Mount Elgon, belonging
to the minority Ogiek, who are too afraid to come down the mountain.
Also they fear by going downwards that they would meet the Sabaot militias (their
enemies) and que for food or even meet death.
Many children and elders have died already. It is a serious disaster.
Please contact us for your specific contribution!
Help us Ogiek to help these Ogiek who are suffering most.
We know how to reach them and make your support successful.
Any assistance will be usefull sooner than later.
Regards
Kiplangat
Kiplangat Cheruyot
Program Officer
Cultural and Land Rights Affairs
Ogiek Peoples Development Program
P.O Box 622, Narok
Tel: +254 721602573 / +254 20 2045167
Email: opdp2001@yahoo.com www.forestguardian.net www.ogiek.org
Nakuru Office: Nyamakoroto Hse, Biashara Street, 2nd Flr,Rm 210
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Ogiek declaration - July 27, 2007
OGIEK DECLARATION
We, the undersigned Ogiek community leaders and representatives from Narok,
Nakuru and Mt. Elgon do hereby make a declaration to protect the interests of
Ogiek people.
Affirming that Ogiek people are indigenous people/ minority who are entitled to
enjoy the basic human rights as contain in the constitution of Kenya and
international legal instruments.
Further affirming that the Ogiek people have been marginalized since colonial
times to date and no effort has been made to safeguard their interest.
The leaders do hereby make the following declaration to the government of Kenya,
the media fraternity and other policy planners:
1. That the Ogiek people are distinct people with their unique identity (culture,
language etc) and NOT a SUB TRIBE of ANY tribe hence demands for recognition,
respect and be assigned a national code
2. That they have the right to participate in decision- making in matters which
would affect their rights both in parliament and provincial administration,
through our own chosen representatives in accordance with our own procedures,
and develop our own Ogiek decision- making institutions.
3. That we have the right to our ancestral land, territories and resources which
we have traditionally owned, occupied, used and managed and therefore demands
the return and restoration of our land taken illegally or lost.
4. That we Ogiek people have the right to conserve and protect our environment
and benefit from its products
5. That the Ogiek people have the right to maintain, control, and protect our
cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions
and to hold and celebrate their cultural day/ event yearly.
6. A declaration that all places, areas e.g. forest, centers, schools, rivers
e.t.c that had original Ogiek names which have been replaced with non-Ogiek
names be restored with immediate effect. The state shall take measures in
conjunction with Ogiek to ensure that Ogiek names are restored.
7. That Ogiek people, particularly children have the right to all (quality)
levels and forms of education of the state without any discrimination. This
includes providing in their own language i.e. in a manner appropriate to their
cultural teaching and learning.
8. That the state shall consult and cooperate in good faith with Ogiek people
through their own representative institutions in order to obtain their free and
inform consent prior to the approval of project affecting their lands or
territories and other resources.
9. A declaration that Ogiek people are the first nation of Kenya.
10. A declaration that any body that uses willingly and intentionally the Ogiek
name i.e. masquerading, YET he or she knows is not an Ogiek for self gain e.g.
securing employment or acquiring land or any other thing shall be treated as a
criminal offence.
11. That we demands with immediate effect creation of our own district and
constituency with our own administrators and resources.
1. Saaya Kilaya
2. Joseph Satiety
3. James Rana
4. Mindore Leonard
5. Judy Nangol
6. Rorian Cherono
7. Daniel Kobei
8. Kiplangat Cheruiyot
9. Benjamin Kobei
10. Patrick Kuresoi
11. Joyline Chepokasit
12. Lenox Mailoji
13. Benson Mburuo
14. Joseph Sang
15. David Cheriro
16. Regina Chepkoech
17. Lesing Zacheous
18. Kiuwape Simon
19. Saibala Cosmas
20. Sanguya John
21. Valentine Sang
22. Christopher kipkones
Ogiek rights are human rights