It’s been a quiet month in Samburu East…

Did I ever think that I would write that in a title header for this blog? Well, I’ve dreamed yet feared to hope that quietude would settle on Samburu any time soon. But, Cultural Survival and Tina Ramme (KARE’s founder) and various Samburu on Facebook tell me that a relative peace has settled on the district. What does Peace mean? It means that the Kenyan government has backed off from open harassment, plunder, rape and violent assault against the local Samburu community. 

Why now? Well, we think it is because of Cultural Survival’s January visit to the area and documentation of severe human rights violations. We think it is because of their letter to the Government of Kenya, and KARE’s letters and your letters… Our voices can be heard when we all shout loudly and demand that the GoK respect the rights of its citizens.

Is that it, the end of our campaign to restore justice and livelihoods to the Samburu people? No, none of us think that. This  is a lull, a pull-back of the government. Too many people in power there have too many hopes of oil and profit and more power flowing out of Samburu East and into their hands. But perhaps these moments of calm mark the lull before the tide turns and — our voices raised together — we can ensure safety, stability and self-empowerment can flow back to the Samburu people.

For more information on the impact of letters to the Kenyan Government, see Cultural Survival’s recent statement: “Police Attacks on Samburu Cease After Cultural Survival Visit”

http://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/kenya/police-attacks-samburu-cease-after-cultural-survival-visit

3/28/10: An update after checking on the news in Samburu East this weekend: The Kenyan police are threatening to move in and “disarm” the area of Baragoi. Facebook is being used to spread the word so people can try to protect themselves. The few Samburu that do have guns, which are the ostensible reason for the police search, have been turning them in voluntarily but that hasn’t seemed to stop the police in the past from severe harassment. I’ll let you know what happens as I find out. Keep your fingers crossed… and letters coming to the GoK.