OGIEK APPEAL

ENGLISH: (French version see below)

OGIEK APPEAL

200 OGIEK RENDERED HOMELESS, HUNDREDS OF PROPERTIES DESTROYED IN AN EVICTION EXERCISE.

Nakuru, Monday 7 March 2005, Report by Sang J.K

200 hundred members of Ogiek Community in Enoosupukia region of Narok District have been rendered homeless following a Government eviction plan causing loss of hundreds of properties, we can now establish. In a fact finding mission conducted by OWC to establish the extent of losses, it is now revealed that the affected families are presently camping at a local church without food and shelter.

" Tensions are high with the Ogiek situation worsening day after day given that the affected families are not even allowed access to water outside the church as torching and demolition of houses goes on" said Kimaiyo Towett, Ogiek Welfare Council National Coordinator moments after he toured the area which also has been recently rocked by tribal animosities between 2 dominant communities in the area. He further criticised the police for brutality especially to one of OWC staff Mr. Simon Ngaiyami, who had his home pulled down by a bulldozer with tight security by combined forces of administration Police and General service Unit despite the fact that the area he resides in was not part of the areas targeted for evictions.

Local sources further indicate that the affected families who have nowhere to go are facing starvation since all their crops and personal belongings were destroyed.Towett further called for well-wishers to assist in provision of food, medicines, water, shelter and clothing's. The evictions in Enoosupukia is widely seen as a scheme by politicians (who sanctioned the encroachment some years back) to frustrate the Ogiek community who have been living there for centuries. In a 1 page 7 day notice, the area residents were asked to move from the area with immediate effect. "The county Council security personnel shall carry out the surveillance and any person found to be inside the trust land area shall be evicted/arrested " says the letter in part.

3 weeks ago, Minister for Lands, cancelled all Title deeds issued in the expansive Mau forest complex with government determined to evict more than 100,000 people living in the forest. The original government report indicates that members of the Ogiek community would not be affected. Meanwhile a group of non-Ogiek beneficiaries of such title deeds moved to court to challenge the impending evictions with the court temporarily restraining the government from implementing the plan till the suit is heard and determined. Despite this, the government is yet to obey the court order.

In a related development, the court case against the same settlement in the forest will be heard on May 16 and 17 after an adjournment. The judgement of the case shall be used to justify the evictions which has been okayed by a Presidential Commission that was set up to investigate Illegal and Irregular allocations of public land which includes forest. However the commission further recommended that special attention should be accorded to members of the Ogiek community."Subject to court ruling, revoke the excisions and titles already issued and maintain the area as forests/catchments areas but put into account the position of the Ogiek as a recognised forests inhabitants" says the commission report in part.

With regard to this appalling situation, OWC is therefore appealing to well-wishers who are willing to assist the victims of the evictions and should get in touch with the Ogiek Welfare Council for details using below contacts

Sang J.K
Coordinator
Ogiek Welfare Council
National Secretariat, Kwanza Hse, 3rd Floor
P.O. Box 12069, 20100
Nakuru, Kenya
Tel. +254 51 2212736, Telefax +254 51 2211257, Mobitel +254 722 236324
www.ogiek.org

OGIEK SUPPORT PROGRAMME
ECOTERRA Intl. - Nairobi Node
P.O.Box 177, EAK 00502 KAREN
Nairobi / Kenya
24h call: +254-733-633-000
e-mail: ogiek@ecoterra.net
www.ogiek.org

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FRENCH:

APPEL OGIEK

200 Ogiek sans-abris, des centaines de propriétés détruites dans une opération d'expulsion.

Nakuru, lundi 7 mars 2005, rapport par Sang J. K.

Deux cents membres de la communauté Ogiek dans la région d'Enoosupukia du District de Narok se sont retrouvés sans-abris suite à un plan gouvernemental d'expulsion qui a causé la perte de centaines de propriétés, comme nous pouvons aujourd'hui constater. Lors d'une mission d'enquête menée par l'OWC pour établir l'étendue des pertes, il a été révélé que les familles victimes campent pour le moment dans une église locale sans nourriture et sans abris.

« Les tensions sont fortes, la situation Ogiek s'empirant de jour en jour, étant donné que les familles victimes n'ont même pas le droit à l'accès à l'eau en dehors de l'église pendant que la mise à feu et la démolition des maisons continuent », explique Kimaiyo Towett, Coordinateur national de l'Ogiek Welfare Council, quelques temps après qu'il ait visité la région qui a été aussi récemment secoué par des animosités entre deux communautés dominantes de la région. Il a de plus critiqué la police pour la brutalité, spécialement envers un responsable de l'OWC, M. Simon Ngaiyami, qui a eu sa maison démolie par un bulldozer sous forte sécurité par les forces combinées de la Police de l'administration et de l'Unité de service Générale, malgré le fait que la zone dans laquelle il habitait ne faisait pas partie de la région visée par les expulsions.

Des sources locales ont de plus indiqué que les familles touchées qui n'ont nulle part où aller font face à la famine depuis que tous leurs champs et propriétés personnels ont été détruits. Towett a également appelé les sympathisants à les soutenir dans l'approvisionnement en nourriture, médicaments, eau, abris et vêtements. L'expulsion à Enoosupukia est largement vue comme un plan par des politiciens (qui ont sanctionné l'intrusion il y a quelques années) pour frustrer la communauté Ogiek qui a vécu là depuis des siècles. Dans une page d'une annonce de mise en demeure de sept jours, les habitants de la zone ont été priés de bouger de la zone avec effet immédiat. « Le personnel de sécurité du Conseil du comté effectuera la surveillance et toute personne trouvée dans le territoire concerné sera expulsé/arrêté » dit en partie la lettre.

Il y a trois semaines, le Ministre des Territoires a annulé tous les actes de propriété émis dans le complexe en extension de la forêt de Mau, le gouvernement étant déterminé à expulser plus de 100.000 personnes vivant dans la forêt. Le rapport original du gouvernement stipulait que les membres de la communauté Ogiek ne seraient pas affectés. Pendant ce temps, un groupe de bénéficiaires non-Ogiek de ces actes de propriétés sont allés en justice pour contester l'expulsion imminente. La Court a temporairement interdit au gouvernement d'exécuter le plan jusqu'à ce que le procès soit entendu et résolu. Malgré cela, le gouvernement n'a pas encore obéi à l'injonction judiciaire.

Dans des développements connexes, le procès contre cette même implantation dans la forêt sera entendu les 16 et 17 mai, après un ajournement. Le jugement de l'affaire sera utilisé pour justifier l'expulsion qui a été approuvée par une Commission présidentielle qui a été mise sur place pour enquêter sur les allocations illégales et irrégulières de territoire public qui incluent des forêts. Cependant la commission a aussi recommandé d'accorder une attention spéciale aux membres de la communauté Ogiek. « Sujets à une action en justice, renoncer à la suppression et aux titres déjà émis et maintenir la région comme zones de forêt et de captage mais prendre en compte la position des Ogiek comme habitants reconnus des forêts », peut-on lire dans une partie du rapport de la commission.

Par égard pour cette situation épouvantable, OWC appelle par conséquent les sympathisants qui désirent aider les victimes des expulsions à se mettre en contact avec l'Ogiek Welfare Council pour plus de détails en utilisant les coordonnées ci-dessous.

Sang J.K.
Coordinateur
Ogiek Welfare Council
Secrétariat National, Kwanza Hse, 3^rd Floor
P.O. Box 12069, 20100
Nakuru, Kenya
Tél. +254 51 2212736, Telefax +254 51 2211257, Mobitel +254 722 236324
www.ogiek.org

Ogiek Support Programme
ECOTERRA Intl.
P. O. Box 177
EAK 00502 KAREN
Nairobi / Kenya
e-mail: ogiek@ecoterra.net

ICRA: 200 Ogiek expulsés Campagnes - Pétition Ogiek

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ECOTERRA Intl.

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