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Kenya: Refugees Demand to Be Heard
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The Nation (Nairobi)
9 May 2008
Posted to the web 9 May 2008
Kipchumba Some And George Omonso
Nairobi
Displaced families have accused the Government of keeping them in the dark over their resettlement.
The families camping at the Eldoret Show ground on Thursday questioned the manner in which the Government was handling the process of returning them to their homes.
According to them, the Government was acting unilaterally and in total disregard of their opinions.
"We are willing to return to our homes, but the Government should initiate dialogue with us first. We are victims of violence and we have every right to be heard. The Government cannot take unilateral decisions on matters that affect our security," said Mr James Muchina, the chairman of the displaced people at the Eldoret camp.
Make up minds
On Tuesday, the Rift Valley Provincial Commissioner, Mr Noor Hassan Noor, gave the internal refugees three days to make up their minds on whether to return to their farms or remain in camps. The deadline expires on Friday.
"It was insensitive for the PC to issue the ultimatum without addressing our concerns first," said Mr Muchina.
The more than 16,000 IDPs at the Eldoret camp have refused to return to their homes, fearing that they will be attacked by hostile neighbours.
However, the Government has said that security had been restored in areas affected by post-election violence in which over 1,200 people were killed and more than 350,000 displaced countrywide.
But on Thursday, Mr Michael Kiromo said: "Genuine security will only come when neighbours have agreed to live together in harmony. No effort has been made to ensure that this happens."
He and other displaced people said the Government should have first initiated dialogue between them and their former neighbours as the first step toward finding lasting peace.
The process of resettling the displaced started on Monday. The government has cited the return of the IDPs in Kitale as proof of the success of the process dubbed "Operation Rudi Nyumbani."
Uasin Gishu District, which has the highest number of refugees, was hardest hit by the violence, with some politicians blaming land disputes for the fighting.
"The Government should first solve this issue before taking us back. Without it, peace will be elusive," said Mr Muchina.
Other families fear they might lose out on compensation if they return home.
"The Government promised to compensate us for our losses during the 1992 clashes once we were back in our homes. But none of us have seen a cent to this day," said Mr Fredrick Kinuthia. "We cannot fall for the same gimmick again."
And in Trans Nzoia, more than 1,500 refugees declined to return to their homes saying the security was not adequate.
They said only seven police officers had been deployed to provide security in the 2,500 acre Kalaha farm. According to them, a police post that was to be built in the area had not been built.
"I am not assured of quick response since my farm is located about seven kilometers from where the patrol base is," Mr Humphrey Barasa said.
Others said the people who had evicted them from their farms had already ploughed the abandoned farms and had warned the displaced against returning.
Board vehicles
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The families from Kalaha declined to board their vehicles when the Special Programmes minister, Dr Naomi Shaban, went to flag off the group that was to return to their farms. Kalaha farm is in Saboti constituency.
Other reports say that the security team in the larger Trans-Nzoia was working on plans to increase the number of police officers to boost security in the area.
Trans-Nzoia East district commissioner Seif Matata and his counterpart from Trans-Nzoia West, Mr Francis Mutie, said police reservists would be hired to assist the officers in maintaining security.
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