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lawyers' body defends Ogiek
by
John Kamau, Rights Features Service
(December
18, 2001) The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has accused a senior
government official of "waging a smear campaign" against
lawyers who represent the Ogiek community.
In a terse
statement published today, LSK vice chairman Mirugi Kariuki accused
Rift Valley Provincial Commissioner (PC) Peter Raburu of bitterness
after the Ogiek refused to withdraw a court case which restrains
the government from demarcating land in Mau Forest.
In the statement
LSK also demanded that Raburu apologize to all Nakuru district
judges "for insinuating that they issue orders brought by
lawyers without considering facts on the ground."
Kariuki,
who represents the Nakuru Catholic Diocese as an interested party
in the Ogiek cases, expressed fears that senior government officials
might have been allocated huge chunks of land meant for the Ogiek.
While addressing
an Independence Day rally on December 12, the government administrator
in the expansive region accused Ogiek lawyers of frustrating government
efforts.
"These
utterances bordered on contempt of court as various orders relating
to the matters he raised were issued courts and not advocates,"
said Kariuki.
He asked
the senior government administrator to "seek for a review
of the orders instead of making accusations against lawyers and
courts in public gatherings."
The PC,
the lawyer said, ought to have known the issues he was discussing
in public meetings were pending in the court of appeal.
"Court
decisions must be respected. The PC should know that the judiciary
is independent of the provincial administration," said Kariuki.
Raburu had
previously pledged to liaise with the judges to ensure that all
injunctions given in favor of the Ogiek community were lifted.
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