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Letter by Survival International
to the Kenya Government
H. E, The Hon. Emilio Mwai Kibaki,
C.G.H., M.P.
State House
P.O. Box 40530
Nairobi
Kenya
Fax: +(254-20) 210150,
March 10, 2004
Your Excellency
Re: Attack at Mt Elgon
Survival is extremely disturbed by
the recent events at Chepyuk forest, on the slopes of
Mt Elgon. The local community of the Ogiek people was attacked,
two people have
been killed, others severely wounded, and two hundred houses burnt
down. The
aggressors are reported to be from the Pok (Sabaot) a local
dominant group,
This forest area was originally
inhabited by the Chepkitale Ogiek hunter-gatherer
people. In the 1970s 24,000 acres of the land was legally assigned
to the Ogiek as a
settlement scheme, but since then it has been infiltrated by the
Sabaot. The attack was
apparently intended to drive out the remaining Ogiek settlers. As
the original inhabitants
of the Mount Elgon forest, the Ogiek ought to have the right to
inhabit a much larger
area, but now they are being deprived of even the portion that was
assigned to them.
30 Ogiek were arrested and
reportedly severely beaten, in spite of the fact that they
were only defending themselves, and of these nine are still in
jail and seventeen on bail.
None of the aggressors have been arrested.
We urge that the legal right of the
Ogiek to the settlement be upheld, that those
reponsible for the attack be brought to justice, and that the
Ogiek who are in prison or
on bail be either speedily brought to trial or released outright.
Yours sincerely,
Stephen Corry
Director
cc: The Hon. Kiraitu Murungi,
Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs
The Hon. Newton Kulundu, M.P., Minister for Environment
Survival International
6 Charterhouse Buildings
Goswell Road
London EC1M 7ET
UK
Tel (switchboard) : (+44) (0)20
7687 8700
Fax: (+44) (0)20 7687 8701
General enquiries: info@survival-international.org
http://www.survival-international.org
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