Addressing Armed Violence in East Africa.pdf - Project Ploughshares

Addressing Armed Violence in East Africa3. KenyaDuring the time of frequent raids, Pokot and Marakwetwere not even coming together. WVK were going to thepeople, without fear, bringing people together to talk.It was specifically noted that WVK was “going out” to peopleand bringing them together. The idea of “going out to people” isimportant because many of the youth and men responsible foroverseeing grazing animals spend much of their time in remoteareas and are difficult to draw into the peacebuilding process. Agroup of women told us that they regard as a key peacebuildingstrategy the need to travel to these far-flung areas and persuademen involved in raiding to stop the practice. This idea wasechoed by a government official who underscored the valueof travelling to problematic areas to bring together opposingparties. Along the same lines, another respondent commented:[there is a] need to go out to meet with the common man,the people affected, give priority to the common pastoralist– seminars held in town aren’t getting at the real problem.[There is] need to reach the common man with necessities,with all types of help to meet his basic needs, to identify hisproblems and find out what he wants – we need to go wherethey are and experience their hardship.This respondent also commented that people from NGOs,churches and government often do not go out to thesepeople because they are afraid, yet “the factors for success [inpeacebuilding] are to go and stay with Kraal elders, warriors,seers…and hear from them what they need”. The efforts of WVto reach people in remote areas was well-regarded by theserespondents.Some WVK peacebuilding activities were undertaken incollaboration with other NGOs or with CBOs. The NationalCouncil of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) partnered with theMapotu project. This openness and cooperation contributedto mutual success. An NGO staff person indicated that at onetime his NGO was the only one doing peace work in the region.When the Mapotu project came, his NGO helped WVK meetlaibons, warriors and people from rural villages.As a result of WVK assistance to communities in advocatingfor increased and better trained police services in the Turkanaarea, police posts were upgraded and better communicationsbetween the police and communities were reported.Government officials were described as “now speakingpeace” as a result of WVK training and workshops. (It mustbe stressed that other organisations have been involved,particularly the Arid Lands Management Programme and theNational Steering Committee on Peacebuilding and ConflictManagement.) On a practical level, it was reported that WVKwould fill a government vehicle with fuel to assist officials ingetting to a site of potential conflict or to investigate a raid.Respondents saw the direct provision of services by WVKto violence-affected communities and individuals as a factorcontributing to peace. Relief supplies were given to victims ofraids. WVK assisted with children’s school fees, medicationand hospital bills. Parents were assisted financially and homeswere built after attacks. WVK also helped people from bothsides get to the hospital.In remote areas with poor roads and few vehicles, WVKaddressed chronic transportation needs and bridgedcommunications gaps. WVK supplied vehicles to take peopleto peace-related meetings: “WVK provided us [women] withfood and fuel to do awareness-raising with raiders, to get themto surrender their guns.” “WVK offered a vehicle and collectedpeople from the far end. The WVK vehicle was respected by thePokot. They wouldn’t attack it since WVK didn’t discriminateagainst the Pokot.”One government official in the Turkana area indicated thatimproving security requires partnership and collaboration.His office liaises with the WV ADP. Together with WVK theygo around and speak about security and cattle raids. WVKprovides a vehicle; he provides personnel and brings localchiefs to the meetings. They go to hot spots to talk to people.“Mobilisation is difficult because it is a sparsely populatedarea. They [WVK] buy bulls for a feast. This helps increaseattendance.”These remote North Rift Valley communities are poorlyserved by local newspapers and other media sources. NationalKenyan newspapers are sporadically available. To help fillthis communications gap, WVK produced publications aboutNorth Rift communities and conflict resolution, causes andinterventions.The idea of “going out to people”is important.28