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By Gabriel Naspaan –TUDOF 27 th -28 th August 2012 Sasame Guest House. Lodwar, Turkana county. Historical background. Geographical Position- Cross-border Conflict in North-West Kenya.
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By Gabriel Naspaan –TUDOF 27th-28th August 2012 Sasame Guest House. Lodwar, Turkana county.
Historical background • Geographical Position- Cross-border Conflict in North-West Kenya. • Turkana county is in Arid and Semi Arid lands (ASAL) is a rich store of natural wealth and biodiversity. Livestock, wildlife,forest,pasture,minerals and medicinal plants are all critical resources upon which the people of the region depend. • The natural resources related conflicts in ASAL is often viewed from scarcity perspective. However, a closer examination of the conflicts, for instance the cattle raids, shows that the issues is not about scarcity but has a lot to do with better management of existing resources in terms of access, distribution and benefit sharing and participation in shared decision making processes. • ASALs are rich in natural pasture and this has given it relative advantage in livestock and game production. The seasonality of pastures and water makes access to natural resources, a potential sources of conflicts
Cooperation & Conflicts over Access and Use of Natural resources • Frequent droughts that occasion migrations- • Historical rivalries between the ethnic communities • Disputes over territorial boundary claims • Traditional / customary practices • Proliferation of small arms and light weapons (show of power of the gun) • Weak state security and governance structures (especially the neighbouring countries) • State politics • Lack of clear land ownership policies
Current situation • Situation has not yet improved in terms of livestock rustling • Creating a conducive environment to a achieve sustainable pastoral livelihoods for Turkana, High levels of poverty, unexploited economic resources (Aloe-vera) • Those exploited don't benefit Turkana people (Oil,gold,gymisum,limestone) • The absence of comprehensive interventions targeting all aspect of Turkana marginalization and development-esp. Failure to stimulate viable economic projects. • Still proliferation of small arms along the Kenya-South Sudan & Ethiopia border on high rise • High Tension between Turkana, Toposa and Pokot • Still disarmament has not reached all parts and illegal arms are in plenty • High tension a long Kenya-Ethiopia border Dasanach killed 50 Turkana
Vulnerabilities and coping mechanisms • Affected groups • Livestock keepers, Youth herders, Kenya police reservist, Women and children, Traders, Businessmen, School - going children How are they coping • Fast communication due to technological improvement • Establishment of peace committees • Establishment of Early warning indicators/ Re-grouping warriors ready to go and revenge • Traditional peace keeping meetings and forums • Engagements of reformed warriors in livelihoods programs • Three declarations to guide against wrongs (Lokiriama peace accord, Nadapal peace accord where the warring communities bury the hatchet) • Cross Boarder peace meetings • Establishments of vigilant groups
Interventions • Actors/Stakeholders involved in • interventions • Provision administration • Adakar pace committees • Women peace crusade • Civil society organizations • International NGO’s • Specific Intervention strategies Employed and their outcomes • Formation of District peace committees • Enhance capacity building through trainings and exchange visits • Organize forums and meetings • Peaceful and harmonious disarmaments • Sharing available scarce resources and free movements without restrictions
Lessons learnt • Free information sharing among the target in absence of threats • Adherences to sanctions of fines as stipulated in the declarations • Others falling victims of circumstance after disarmament to their rivalry communities • Increase in banditry due to proliferations of small arms across the porous Borders • Displacements and high rise in IDPs • High poverty index among the pastoralist communities • Hatred and retaliation on high rate
Way-forward • Addressing the livelihoods issues and long-term development in Turkana and neighbouring areas in a sustainable manner • Infrastructure-roads ,water for production (livestock and agriculture) • Social services- health, education, safe drinking water • Common border development projects e.g. Market • Increasing the presence of the state by restoring law and order, and ability to protect people, their lives and property. • Greater harmonisation of governmental effort s to end cattle rustling with , within Kenya and neighbouring countries Uganda ,South Sudan and Ethiopia.
Why we have to ensure an end to cattle rustling. • The high human development cost of associated with the continuation of cattle rustling in Turkana. • Human cost-loss of life, maiming ,loss of property • Opportunities lost due to insecurity associated with armed rustling • Money would have used for development of projects instead is being spent on operations for ending rustling. • International level • Control stockpile • Monitoring and evaluation of productions • Adherence to the international policy standards • Member state to work toward effective new arm trade-Advocacy project AV & D • Work towards a new international instruments for control over brokers • EU to implement extra territorial legislation that enable them to control European brokers • Strengthen code of conducts to control all transit • Ensure criteria for licensed production and demand end user certificate and control over transfer • EU to work towards more coherent policies