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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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