From: David Zarembka
Dear All,
The Friends Church Peace Team (FCPT) has decided to do an assessment of the situation of the internally displaced people on their return to their home communities and how the communities have received them.
Chair of the FCPT Counseling Committee, I led a meeting last Tuesday to discuss this. We decided to visit as many of the "satellite" camps (as they are called since the big camps in Turbo and Eldoret were broken up and the people moved to small camps in their home communities) as possible in the ten communities where we have been working. We have developed a set of questions as guidelines, one for the returning community members and a parallel one for the receiving community members. In each location teams of two people will go to the two communities and interview both returnees and receivers to learn their views of the current situation and what their major needs are. The Friends Church Peace Teams expects to use this information to write a report for the government. FCPT will then decide what their next steps will be. We hope to finish the interviews and report by the end of the month.
Unfortunately I will not be present for the process. I will be on a speaking tour in England and the United States. Below is my schedule in case you can come to hear me speak. In England I will be touring with my daughter, Joy Zarembka, who will be discussing her book, "The Pigment of Your Imagination".
England/Scotland Schedule --
October 5--Bristol Meeting, 1:30 PM
October 7--Westminster Meeting, 1:00 PM
October 9--Goodenough College, London, 7:00 PM
October 12--Sheffield Area Meeting, 2:15 PM
October 14--Craig Institute, Glasgow, 3:00 PM
--Glasgow Meeting, 7:00 PM
October 16--Dundee and St Andrews meetings, Scotland
October 19--Westminster Area Meeting, 2:00 PM
United States Schedule --
October 22--Wilmington College, Wilmington, OH
October 30--George Fox University,
November 1--Bainwaithe Island
November 2--Reedwood Friends Church, Portland, OR
November 4--Baltimore, MD
We have successfully finished the first seven practice HROC workshops in Kenya. Following is a brief from Florence Ntakarutimana of Burundi who was one of the lead facilitators training the new Kenyan facilitators.
-- -- -- --
"Dear David,
"The workshop I did after the AVP International Gathering was in Kisii. We were staying in the house of the chief, Francis (HROC facilitator). The workshop brought together three tribes; Kisii, Kipsigis and Masai. When we started the workshop, you could read hatred in their eyes. They were throwing bad words to each other at the beginning. Actually, they were affected by the crisis between them as in Burundi or Rwanda. But as we continued with the workshop, they started to reconcile themselves. During the time of sharing about the experiences, people had a lot of tears.
"I remember a man from Kisii tribe who stood up and shook the hands of a Kipsigis and said: 'You were my enemy, I have planned to kill you with a spear. Now you become my friend.' Everybody was glad of that. During the workshop, people continued to give testimonies of reconciliation and forgiveness. They that they are going to organize themselves, with the help of Francis the chief, to spread the word of Peace and to help others to do something on their trauma.
"At the end of the workshop a Masai called Michael, a chief of the Massai community who attended the workshop, called me and told me that he is going to talk to the chief of Masaba District about how they can stop killings between them.
"Participants requested more HROC workshops. And I saw that the need is great.
"The new facilitators were doing great as it was the first workshop they facilitated. I was with Zipora and Francis. I hope after the second phase of the ToT [training of trainers], they will be able to lead a workshop by themselves. Teresa Tyson from Brasil/USA participated in the workshop. She enjoyed it so much and said that she wants to attend the next HROC Training of Trainers in Burundi or Rwanda.
"The participants were all men, except one lady. Next time we would wish to have a mixed group. I enjoyed to stay with those people and witness their stories of committing to change.
"I reached home on Saturday 27th, tired but very glad of that work.
"Blessings
Florence"
-- -- -- --
Peace,
Dave
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
***************************************************
Monday, October 6, 2008
Sept 27 '08 - Peacemaking in the midst of conflict
From: David Zarembka
Sent: Saturday, September 27, 2008 7:15 AM
Subject: AGLI--Report from Kenya--"Peacemaking in the Midst of Conflict"--Sept 27, 2008
Dear All,
A Brazilian English-language magazine/website, Comunidad Segura English, asked me to write a summary of our peacemaking in Kenya in 500 words!!! So it's short, but I hope it makes a point or two.
Peace,
Dave
Peacemaking in the Midst of Conflict
When violence broke out in Kenya following the disputed Dec 27, 2007 election, Quaker peacemakers moved into action while the violence continued around us. Within the first week we visited Kikuyus in displaced camps and learned that they needed more than the maize and beans the Red Cross was providing. Our local school sheltered 2,400 Kikuyu: resources were extremely limited. One hundred blankets could not cover 2,400 people; they were given to the children and elderly. A Burundian proverb says, "A real friend comes in a time of need," and, truly, our presence was met with gratitude from the beginning.
By February the internally displaced people were moved to a police station ten kilometers away; school was being re-opened. It was more difficult for us to visit, but we continued to go weekly. In time we brought forty counselors whom we had trained for the purpose of holding a listening session with the internally displaced people. We were the first (and I think only) people to listen non-judgmentally to their stories, difficulties, and concerns.
Next we turned to communities where people had been forced out. Again, we conducted listening sessions which was much more difficult since the villagers who had promoted violence were often very hostile. We listened with patience, not reacting to even absurd or prejudiced statements. Sometimes we were accused of being government spies. In the end the people were most thankful: no one else had ever come to hear their side of the story.
By June the Kenyan Government was requiring that internally displaced people return to their home communities, even if no peace or reconciliation had been attempted. In some cases we accompanied the internally displaced as they returned. Once, when we were not present, the returnees were met with violence and had to return to the camp. The local government official called us in to help and the second attempt was much more positive; the community decided they should welcome their neighbors back.
In order to involve the youth who had done much of the violence and damage we organized a bicycle race for young men who hire out their bicycles as taxis. We brought the two communities back together by organizing three-day Alternatives to Violence workshops which taught affirmation of self and others, communication skills, cooperation, and non-violent conflict resolution methods to members from the various ethnic groups. We continue these workshops in various villages hoping that when the next election or another crisis occurs, local people can respond without violence.
Have we been successful? We will not know until the next crisis erupts. We have learned that we need to interject ourselves into violent communities as soon as possible and work with all sides as neutrally as possible to bring about peace, reconciliation, and healing.
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
***************************************************
Sent: Saturday, September 27, 2008 7:15 AM
Subject: AGLI--Report from Kenya--"Peacemaking in the Midst of Conflict"--Sept 27, 2008
Dear All,
A Brazilian English-language magazine/website, Comunidad Segura English, asked me to write a summary of our peacemaking in Kenya in 500 words!!! So it's short, but I hope it makes a point or two.
Peace,
Dave
Peacemaking in the Midst of Conflict
When violence broke out in Kenya following the disputed Dec 27, 2007 election, Quaker peacemakers moved into action while the violence continued around us. Within the first week we visited Kikuyus in displaced camps and learned that they needed more than the maize and beans the Red Cross was providing. Our local school sheltered 2,400 Kikuyu: resources were extremely limited. One hundred blankets could not cover 2,400 people; they were given to the children and elderly. A Burundian proverb says, "A real friend comes in a time of need," and, truly, our presence was met with gratitude from the beginning.
By February the internally displaced people were moved to a police station ten kilometers away; school was being re-opened. It was more difficult for us to visit, but we continued to go weekly. In time we brought forty counselors whom we had trained for the purpose of holding a listening session with the internally displaced people. We were the first (and I think only) people to listen non-judgmentally to their stories, difficulties, and concerns.
Next we turned to communities where people had been forced out. Again, we conducted listening sessions which was much more difficult since the villagers who had promoted violence were often very hostile. We listened with patience, not reacting to even absurd or prejudiced statements. Sometimes we were accused of being government spies. In the end the people were most thankful: no one else had ever come to hear their side of the story.
By June the Kenyan Government was requiring that internally displaced people return to their home communities, even if no peace or reconciliation had been attempted. In some cases we accompanied the internally displaced as they returned. Once, when we were not present, the returnees were met with violence and had to return to the camp. The local government official called us in to help and the second attempt was much more positive; the community decided they should welcome their neighbors back.
In order to involve the youth who had done much of the violence and damage we organized a bicycle race for young men who hire out their bicycles as taxis. We brought the two communities back together by organizing three-day Alternatives to Violence workshops which taught affirmation of self and others, communication skills, cooperation, and non-violent conflict resolution methods to members from the various ethnic groups. We continue these workshops in various villages hoping that when the next election or another crisis occurs, local people can respond without violence.
Have we been successful? We will not know until the next crisis erupts. We have learned that we need to interject ourselves into violent communities as soon as possible and work with all sides as neutrally as possible to bring about peace, reconciliation, and healing.
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
***************************************************
Sept 24 - "Sitting Allowances"
From: David Zarembka
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 9:00 AM
Subject: AGLI -- Report from Kenya -- "Sitting Allowances" -- Sept 24, 2008
Dear All,
I think it will surprise many of you that international NGO's (non-governmental organizations) are not viewed favorably here in East and Central Africa. This includes not only the big aid organizations like World Vision, Catholic Relief Services, Action Aid, the Red Cross and others, but also NGO's that are much smaller in scope. I have been collecting comments on the dissatisfaction with these NGO's. At worst these are considered the newest form of neo-colonialism and exploitation of Africa. Hopefully I'll write an essay on this another day.
Today I am going to cover only one aspect of NGO aid to the region--paying "sitting allowances" for people to attend meetings, seminars, workshops, and other activities promoted by the NGO's. This might surprise you even more than my comment in the first paragraph--people are paid to be involved in learning opportunities for their own benefit. Sometimes this pay is significant. I have heard of $35 per day payments for attendance to participants when the daily wage is $1 per day!!! No wonder people want to attend and give glowing reports of how good the workshops were.
This payment is called by many names; "transport or travel" (even though people are only walking from nearby), per diem, stipend, "chai" (which means "tea" in Swahili and is a euphemism for "a bribe"), and sitting allowance.
It is AGLI's policy not to pay any "sitting allowances." In this we are at total odds with the prevailing custom of the other NGO's and the expectations of the people here. People come to the workshops expecting to be paid. I remember when we first implemented this "no sitting allowance" policy in Burundi in 2001. The trauma healing workshop was for teachers from Kibimba Primary School and Kibimba Secondary School. The teachers from the secondary school refused to come since they weren't being given a sitting allowance so the workshop was only half full. My own feeling at that time (and ever since) is that the teachers were coming for the pay and not for the learning. AVP and HROC workshops are voluntary and that is critical to their success. If people were paid it would be an inducement that renders them no longer "voluntary." Do those other NGO's who pay sitting allowances think that their activities are so meager that no one will come unless they are paid?
We have learned to tell people beforehand that they will not be paid. Sometimes people show up and expect to be paid and then leave when they realize that they will receive nothing but a good meal. Note that in IDP camps in North Kivu for example, the fact that a good meal will be served is an inducement in itself. But eating together is part of the reconciliation process because in the cultures here only friends eat together.
We have had many testimonies from people who came expecting to be paid yet decided to stay (at least for the first day) and by the end realized that what they got was more valuable than being paid. Here is one such testimony from Jérome Birorewuname: "One time when I was coming from the workshop, going home, they said, 'Where are you coming from?' I said, 'I'm coming from the workshop.' They said, 'Oh yeah, you must have received a big stipend for three days?' I said, 'Big stipend?' One said, 'Yes, of course if you are there for three days.' I told him, 'Yes, I got a lot out of the workshop.' I gave him this example, 'You know ugali [maize meal, mush]?' 'Yes, of course, I am Burundian, I know ugali.' 'Imagine that you have a lot of ugali in front of you, but your heart is bleeding, will the ugali take away the hurt and bitterness from the wound in your heart?' He said, 'No.' 'That's why I say it's a lot of money, because I come home with peace. Even if they had given us those big, big stipends, there would be no meaning to it for me because my heart was still bleeding, but now I have my heart. So peace is more meaningful than money."
Here are my reasons for not paying sitting allowances:
1. The workshop would no longer be voluntary, but would have an inducement. In a poor country this inducement can be more important than the content of the workshop.
2. If funds were given, could we trust the positive evaluations we receive and the motivations for requests for more workshops? Is it for the workshops or the funds that they offer?
3. When compensation is given people compete to get in. The recruiters (and these can be pastors or government officials, or other HROC participants) try to fill in the workshop with their relatives and friends.
4. In some cases, when participants are selected and a sitting allowance is given, the recruiter demands some or all of the allowance for themself.
5. Giving out small amounts of money is a real hassle and destroys the end of the workshop as people jostle to be paid quickly so they can leave.
6. Who really pays? It is not the organization (at least in AGLI's case) since we have a set amount of funds we can spend and when they are finished, there is no more. I calculate that if we gave the usual sitting allowance we would only be able to offer five workshops while we are able to do six workshops without the allowance. So 100 participants would be paid using funds that could instead have provided the workshop for another 20 participants. Those 20 would-be participants are the ones who would be paying.
7. When participants are paid it implies that they are in a victim role and AGLI/HROC or AVP facilitators are the rescuers. We want people's attitudes to change and not being paid to attend is the first attitude that needs to be changed. This becomes the first step out of the victim role. In Rwanda, which after the genocide was flooded with NGO's (and still is compared to say, Burundi) this habit has been the hardest to break. We have the least problem with this in up-country Kenya where NGO's are very thin on the ground (even during the recent crisis).
I have to admit that our refusal to pay sitting allowances (and we are even judged by how good the food is that we serve at the lunch) gives us a lot of problems. NGO's have spoiled the environment and we are trying to change the environment.
I hope that this report is not too esoteric or philosophical for you!
Peace,
Dave
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
****************************************************
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 9:00 AM
Subject: AGLI -- Report from Kenya -- "Sitting Allowances" -- Sept 24, 2008
Dear All,
I think it will surprise many of you that international NGO's (non-governmental organizations) are not viewed favorably here in East and Central Africa. This includes not only the big aid organizations like World Vision, Catholic Relief Services, Action Aid, the Red Cross and others, but also NGO's that are much smaller in scope. I have been collecting comments on the dissatisfaction with these NGO's. At worst these are considered the newest form of neo-colonialism and exploitation of Africa. Hopefully I'll write an essay on this another day.
Today I am going to cover only one aspect of NGO aid to the region--paying "sitting allowances" for people to attend meetings, seminars, workshops, and other activities promoted by the NGO's. This might surprise you even more than my comment in the first paragraph--people are paid to be involved in learning opportunities for their own benefit. Sometimes this pay is significant. I have heard of $35 per day payments for attendance to participants when the daily wage is $1 per day!!! No wonder people want to attend and give glowing reports of how good the workshops were.
This payment is called by many names; "transport or travel" (even though people are only walking from nearby), per diem, stipend, "chai" (which means "tea" in Swahili and is a euphemism for "a bribe"), and sitting allowance.
It is AGLI's policy not to pay any "sitting allowances." In this we are at total odds with the prevailing custom of the other NGO's and the expectations of the people here. People come to the workshops expecting to be paid. I remember when we first implemented this "no sitting allowance" policy in Burundi in 2001. The trauma healing workshop was for teachers from Kibimba Primary School and Kibimba Secondary School. The teachers from the secondary school refused to come since they weren't being given a sitting allowance so the workshop was only half full. My own feeling at that time (and ever since) is that the teachers were coming for the pay and not for the learning. AVP and HROC workshops are voluntary and that is critical to their success. If people were paid it would be an inducement that renders them no longer "voluntary." Do those other NGO's who pay sitting allowances think that their activities are so meager that no one will come unless they are paid?
We have learned to tell people beforehand that they will not be paid. Sometimes people show up and expect to be paid and then leave when they realize that they will receive nothing but a good meal. Note that in IDP camps in North Kivu for example, the fact that a good meal will be served is an inducement in itself. But eating together is part of the reconciliation process because in the cultures here only friends eat together.
We have had many testimonies from people who came expecting to be paid yet decided to stay (at least for the first day) and by the end realized that what they got was more valuable than being paid. Here is one such testimony from Jérome Birorewuname: "One time when I was coming from the workshop, going home, they said, 'Where are you coming from?' I said, 'I'm coming from the workshop.' They said, 'Oh yeah, you must have received a big stipend for three days?' I said, 'Big stipend?' One said, 'Yes, of course if you are there for three days.' I told him, 'Yes, I got a lot out of the workshop.' I gave him this example, 'You know ugali [maize meal, mush]?' 'Yes, of course, I am Burundian, I know ugali.' 'Imagine that you have a lot of ugali in front of you, but your heart is bleeding, will the ugali take away the hurt and bitterness from the wound in your heart?' He said, 'No.' 'That's why I say it's a lot of money, because I come home with peace. Even if they had given us those big, big stipends, there would be no meaning to it for me because my heart was still bleeding, but now I have my heart. So peace is more meaningful than money."
Here are my reasons for not paying sitting allowances:
1. The workshop would no longer be voluntary, but would have an inducement. In a poor country this inducement can be more important than the content of the workshop.
2. If funds were given, could we trust the positive evaluations we receive and the motivations for requests for more workshops? Is it for the workshops or the funds that they offer?
3. When compensation is given people compete to get in. The recruiters (and these can be pastors or government officials, or other HROC participants) try to fill in the workshop with their relatives and friends.
4. In some cases, when participants are selected and a sitting allowance is given, the recruiter demands some or all of the allowance for themself.
5. Giving out small amounts of money is a real hassle and destroys the end of the workshop as people jostle to be paid quickly so they can leave.
6. Who really pays? It is not the organization (at least in AGLI's case) since we have a set amount of funds we can spend and when they are finished, there is no more. I calculate that if we gave the usual sitting allowance we would only be able to offer five workshops while we are able to do six workshops without the allowance. So 100 participants would be paid using funds that could instead have provided the workshop for another 20 participants. Those 20 would-be participants are the ones who would be paying.
7. When participants are paid it implies that they are in a victim role and AGLI/HROC or AVP facilitators are the rescuers. We want people's attitudes to change and not being paid to attend is the first attitude that needs to be changed. This becomes the first step out of the victim role. In Rwanda, which after the genocide was flooded with NGO's (and still is compared to say, Burundi) this habit has been the hardest to break. We have the least problem with this in up-country Kenya where NGO's are very thin on the ground (even during the recent crisis).
I have to admit that our refusal to pay sitting allowances (and we are even judged by how good the food is that we serve at the lunch) gives us a lot of problems. NGO's have spoiled the environment and we are trying to change the environment.
I hope that this report is not too esoteric or philosophical for you!
Peace,
Dave
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
****************************************************
Sept 23 '08 - AVP International Gathering
From: David Zarembka
Sent: Monday, September 22, 2008 11:55 PM
Subject: AGLI--Report from Kenya--"AVP-International Gathering."--Sept 23, 2008
Dear All,
Last week was the AVP International Gathering here in western Kenya and the AVP group from the Friends Peace Centre Lubao--Malesi Kinaro, Janet Ifedha, Joseph Shamala, Getry Agizah, Peter Serete, Dorcas Nyambura, Eunice Okwemba, and Bernard Onjala, and myself--worked very hard to make it successful. Nancy Shippen (who previously did an AVP tour in western Kenya with AGLI) did a tremendous job on the agenda and flow of the contents of the Gathering. 115 people from 23 nations attended. Bob Barns who introduced AVP in western Kenya and Nairobi and Teresa Tyson who was also on an AGLI AVP tour both attended. AVP-Western Kenya also has done/will do about 15 AVP and HROC workshops with those attending the Gathering and AVP-Nairobi will do about another 8.
Florence Ntakarutimana and Theoneste Bizimana came from Burundi and Rwanda to lead the first four HROC workshops with the Kenyan apprentice facilitators. These four workshops were on the top of Mt Elgon (in two locations) right in the heart of the conflict on that mountain. On the whole the apprentices did well. After the Gathering Florence stayed on for one more apprentice workshop at a place called Rongai in the Rift Valley Province where there was much fighting. Zawadi Nikuze from North Kivu, Congo, is also staying on to do two apprentice HROC workshops. We expect that the eight apprentices will then be able to lead workshops on their own.
Update: I just received this text message from Malesi about the first HROC workshop in Rongai: "Peace. Florence has a good kind of trouble. They expected 20 to 25 people. They have 38. She said the Masai walked one to two hours so she could not send them away and that they have great healing moments."
Nancy Shippen wanted to make sure that HROC was properly introduced at the AVP Gathering. Adrien was unable to come (he was in Indonesia for a conference supported by the Mennonite Central Committee) and Theoneste had to return to Rwanda, so only Florence and Zawadi remained to promote HROC. They had a one and a half hour plenary where they introduced the program followed by two 5 hour mini-workshops on Tuesday and Thursday. Perhaps 60 to 70 of the participants attended one or the other of these workshops. They commented that this is a really powerful Workshop.
I spent most of my time in the office answering 2,441 questions so I was not too involved with the Gathering itself. Miriam Were, Malesi's sister, and the head of the AIDS council here in Kenya, gave an inspirational presentation. Joseph Mamai, the Clerk of the Friends Church Peace Teams in Kenya, gave an overview of their work after the violence in January and February.
Joseph also showed a graphic film on the violence in Kenya. This was the kind of thing that is never shown in America because it showed burnt bodies and dead people in their gruesome detail. I have wondered if the custom not to show the gruesome details of the violence that the US promotes around the world is one of the reasons there is not more opposition to US policies. People believe what they see on TV but if they aren't shown the most gruesome reality are they not being cheated of the truth?
Everyone I spoke with appreciated the Gathering since they were able to share their experiences while also hearing the reports from others which gave them new ideas and, more importantly, inspiration to forge ahead with their AVP programs. Some participants, like the US, had very established programs, while Nepal had just conducted their first workshops. The next AVP International Gathering will be held in Nepal in 2010.
At the opening of the Gathering here in Kakamega, Kenya, a time of remembrance was held for Linda Heacock. Linda had come to Kenya three times, in 2005, 2006, and 2007, to facilitate AVP workshops when the program was just getting off the ground. In 2006 she attended the previous AVP International Gathering in South Africa. Linda died from lymphoma the Friday before the Gathering began. Nancy Shippen found a picture of Linda from the last International Gathering and projected it on the wall. Malesi Kinaro gave a eulogy and there was a time of silence.
Later, after the Gathering was finished, a memorial service was held, organized mostly by folks from AVP in Western Kenya. It was conducted much in the manner of unprogrammed Friends in the United States. Malesi introduced Linda's passing. There was then silent worship with people giving testimonies. Malesi, Janet Ifedha, Gladys Kamonya (my wife), Caleb Amunya, Margaret Wanyoni, Eunice Okwemba (my sister-in-law), and I all spoke. We are now the people who are currently the most involved with AVP in western Kenya. Two spoke of having their first basic workshop with Linda; one spoke of doing her first apprentice workshop under her. There were reports of various adventures with Linda--such as the time when late in the afternoon they were offered a ride in the back of a truck full of goats and sheep (which was declined), being stuffed into mini-buses, etc. Earlier in the year, when Linda had been feeling better, she had written that she hoped to return to Kenya again in 2009. Eunice talked of spending the last night in western Kenya with Linda in the bedroom where she vomited numerous times and they decided to send her by airplane to Nairobi. Several people spoke of how easily she had fit into Kenyan culture so that people considered her one of the family, a sister or auntie. The worship concluded with Malesi reading the 46th Psalm after which we sang a song that Linda would have liked and held hands with a closing prayer for her soul. It was a very moving memorial service.
May Linda rest in peace as the fruits of her labors ripen here in western Kenya.
Peace,
Dave
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
***************************************************
Sent: Monday, September 22, 2008 11:55 PM
Subject: AGLI--Report from Kenya--"AVP-International Gathering."--Sept 23, 2008
Dear All,
Last week was the AVP International Gathering here in western Kenya and the AVP group from the Friends Peace Centre Lubao--Malesi Kinaro, Janet Ifedha, Joseph Shamala, Getry Agizah, Peter Serete, Dorcas Nyambura, Eunice Okwemba, and Bernard Onjala, and myself--worked very hard to make it successful. Nancy Shippen (who previously did an AVP tour in western Kenya with AGLI) did a tremendous job on the agenda and flow of the contents of the Gathering. 115 people from 23 nations attended. Bob Barns who introduced AVP in western Kenya and Nairobi and Teresa Tyson who was also on an AGLI AVP tour both attended. AVP-Western Kenya also has done/will do about 15 AVP and HROC workshops with those attending the Gathering and AVP-Nairobi will do about another 8.
Florence Ntakarutimana and Theoneste Bizimana came from Burundi and Rwanda to lead the first four HROC workshops with the Kenyan apprentice facilitators. These four workshops were on the top of Mt Elgon (in two locations) right in the heart of the conflict on that mountain. On the whole the apprentices did well. After the Gathering Florence stayed on for one more apprentice workshop at a place called Rongai in the Rift Valley Province where there was much fighting. Zawadi Nikuze from North Kivu, Congo, is also staying on to do two apprentice HROC workshops. We expect that the eight apprentices will then be able to lead workshops on their own.
Update: I just received this text message from Malesi about the first HROC workshop in Rongai: "Peace. Florence has a good kind of trouble. They expected 20 to 25 people. They have 38. She said the Masai walked one to two hours so she could not send them away and that they have great healing moments."
Nancy Shippen wanted to make sure that HROC was properly introduced at the AVP Gathering. Adrien was unable to come (he was in Indonesia for a conference supported by the Mennonite Central Committee) and Theoneste had to return to Rwanda, so only Florence and Zawadi remained to promote HROC. They had a one and a half hour plenary where they introduced the program followed by two 5 hour mini-workshops on Tuesday and Thursday. Perhaps 60 to 70 of the participants attended one or the other of these workshops. They commented that this is a really powerful Workshop.
I spent most of my time in the office answering 2,441 questions so I was not too involved with the Gathering itself. Miriam Were, Malesi's sister, and the head of the AIDS council here in Kenya, gave an inspirational presentation. Joseph Mamai, the Clerk of the Friends Church Peace Teams in Kenya, gave an overview of their work after the violence in January and February.
Joseph also showed a graphic film on the violence in Kenya. This was the kind of thing that is never shown in America because it showed burnt bodies and dead people in their gruesome detail. I have wondered if the custom not to show the gruesome details of the violence that the US promotes around the world is one of the reasons there is not more opposition to US policies. People believe what they see on TV but if they aren't shown the most gruesome reality are they not being cheated of the truth?
Everyone I spoke with appreciated the Gathering since they were able to share their experiences while also hearing the reports from others which gave them new ideas and, more importantly, inspiration to forge ahead with their AVP programs. Some participants, like the US, had very established programs, while Nepal had just conducted their first workshops. The next AVP International Gathering will be held in Nepal in 2010.
At the opening of the Gathering here in Kakamega, Kenya, a time of remembrance was held for Linda Heacock. Linda had come to Kenya three times, in 2005, 2006, and 2007, to facilitate AVP workshops when the program was just getting off the ground. In 2006 she attended the previous AVP International Gathering in South Africa. Linda died from lymphoma the Friday before the Gathering began. Nancy Shippen found a picture of Linda from the last International Gathering and projected it on the wall. Malesi Kinaro gave a eulogy and there was a time of silence.
Later, after the Gathering was finished, a memorial service was held, organized mostly by folks from AVP in Western Kenya. It was conducted much in the manner of unprogrammed Friends in the United States. Malesi introduced Linda's passing. There was then silent worship with people giving testimonies. Malesi, Janet Ifedha, Gladys Kamonya (my wife), Caleb Amunya, Margaret Wanyoni, Eunice Okwemba (my sister-in-law), and I all spoke. We are now the people who are currently the most involved with AVP in western Kenya. Two spoke of having their first basic workshop with Linda; one spoke of doing her first apprentice workshop under her. There were reports of various adventures with Linda--such as the time when late in the afternoon they were offered a ride in the back of a truck full of goats and sheep (which was declined), being stuffed into mini-buses, etc. Earlier in the year, when Linda had been feeling better, she had written that she hoped to return to Kenya again in 2009. Eunice talked of spending the last night in western Kenya with Linda in the bedroom where she vomited numerous times and they decided to send her by airplane to Nairobi. Several people spoke of how easily she had fit into Kenyan culture so that people considered her one of the family, a sister or auntie. The worship concluded with Malesi reading the 46th Psalm after which we sang a song that Linda would have liked and held hands with a closing prayer for her soul. It was a very moving memorial service.
May Linda rest in peace as the fruits of her labors ripen here in western Kenya.
Peace,
Dave
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
***************************************************
From: David Zarembka
Saturday, September 13, 2008
AGLI - Report from Kenya - HROC on Mt. Elgon
Dear All,
A Sad Note: Linda Heacock, who came to Kenya as an AVP facilitator with AGLI in 2005, 2006, and again in 2007, died peacefully last night at her home in Ashland, VA. Her cancer was discovered when Linda became ill while here in Kenya last September. She had been battling with lymphoma since that time. Gladys, Florence Ntakarutimana, and I visited Linda in July on our way to the Friends United Meeting Triennial and at that time the chemotherapy was not working as well as it should have. Her passing will be a great loss to AVP here in Kenya and all for those she helped train and to the Friends Peace Teams for whom she was a representative. As they say in Swahili, "Pole sana", a word that has no equivalent in English, but means "I sympathize very much with your sorrow." -- Dave Z
Theoneste Bizimana from Rwanda and Florence Ntakarutimana from Burundi came to Kenya last week to lead apprentice workshops with the HROC (Healing and Rebuilding Our Community) participants who finished a two week training in June. Getry Agizah arranged for the workshops to be held high up on Mt. Elgon where for the last two years there has been armed conflict in which about 600 people have been killed. In May or June of this year the Kenyan army moved into the area and killed the leaders of the rebel group--the Sabaot Land Defense Force. The army is also accused of torturing and killing many other men from the area. The conflict began between two clans of the Sabaot ethnic group--the Soy and Ndorobo -- over land allocation on the mountain which was done by the Government in the 1970's. Soon all other ethnic groups in the region became targets; including a Luhya sub-tribe called the Bugusu who live on Mt. Elgon right below the Sabaots (who are part of the Kalenjin ethnic group).
We learned that one of the participants from the initial HROC workshop in June 2007 has been killed. Theoneste reported that people are still being killed although this information is not reported in the newspapers. In the community where Theoneste was facilitating the workshop one person had been killed the previous week. Theoneste also noted that land distribution was so unequal--in some cases one person owned an entire hillside while others had only small plots--that it would lead to continued violence on the mountain. This is an important observation for all of Kenya.
Florence took three apprentices with her and held two workshops in Chwele Yearly Meeting. These were arranged by Joseph Mumai, the Chairman of Kenya Friends Church Peace Teams. Participants in the first workshop were mostly leaders of Chwele Yearly Meeting. We prefer to have participants in HROC groups as diverse as possible but in this case it was probably fine since this was the first workshop the new apprentices had ever led. Moreover, the apprentices were young and the participants were older. The apprentices worried whether the elders would follow their instructions. In fact, the result was positive and the workshop went well. In the second workshop there was a much greater mix of ethnic groups--Sabaot, Luhya, Teso, Kikuyu, and others. The group was also mixed in age since on Mt. Elgon we are not targeting only youth, but also leaders in the community. This workshop also went well. Florence commented that it had the same effect as in Burundi where hostile people, who would not sit next to each or talk together at the beginning, were making friendships by the end.
Theoneste and five other apprentices went to another part of the mountain for their workshops. The first was held at a place called Kalaha and the second at Kitwamba. Since both are high up on the mountain, it was cold. The team slept in tents at the IDP camps at both places. (I doubt that the media even knows that there are still lots of IDP's in places like this.) Since the conflict is really not over, the participants were at first reluctant--some not arriving until late. All the various sides were represented and the results were the same as those described by Florence of her workshops. People were quite appreciative because this was the first time anyone came to visit this conflict area high up the mountain, and actually stayed there overnight. At the end of the workshops people were so enthusiastic that they said when the community celebration of the workshops is held they will bring a cow to be slaughtered and eaten at the celebration!
Florence's two workshops were conducted mostly in English--Nancy Shippen from New England Yearly Meeting attended the first one. She commented that while the participants came to learn how to help others, they discovered how relevant the workshop was or their own personal lives. Theoneste's workshops were mostly in Swahili. However, in the second workshop three of the Kikuyu women did not know Swahili. Teso people speak a Nilotic language, while the Luhya and Kikuyu speak a Bantu language (Swahili is also a Bantu language), and the Sabaot speak a Kalenjin language. These three languages are completely different: more different than English is from Hindi (which are both Indo-European languages). So this is going to make reconciliation rather different than in Rwanda and Burundi where everyone speaks the same language.
Naturally the people all want more workshops for more people. Theoneste and Florence indicated that the apprentices were progressing well. Florence is staying in Kenya to lead one more HROC workshop for the apprentices following the weeklong AVP International Gathering which starts tomorrow. Zawadi Nikuze from North Kivu, Congo, will stay to conduct two more workshops. Florence and Theoneste think that the apprentice HROC facilitators will then be able to lead workshops on their own. In January, after they have facilitated a number of workshops on their own, we hope to have the second one-week training for the new facilitators.
I am hoping that we will continue to focus the HROC work on Mt Elgon.
Peace,
Dave
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
****************************************************
Saturday, September 13, 2008
AGLI - Report from Kenya - HROC on Mt. Elgon
Dear All,
A Sad Note: Linda Heacock, who came to Kenya as an AVP facilitator with AGLI in 2005, 2006, and again in 2007, died peacefully last night at her home in Ashland, VA. Her cancer was discovered when Linda became ill while here in Kenya last September. She had been battling with lymphoma since that time. Gladys, Florence Ntakarutimana, and I visited Linda in July on our way to the Friends United Meeting Triennial and at that time the chemotherapy was not working as well as it should have. Her passing will be a great loss to AVP here in Kenya and all for those she helped train and to the Friends Peace Teams for whom she was a representative. As they say in Swahili, "Pole sana", a word that has no equivalent in English, but means "I sympathize very much with your sorrow." -- Dave Z
Theoneste Bizimana from Rwanda and Florence Ntakarutimana from Burundi came to Kenya last week to lead apprentice workshops with the HROC (Healing and Rebuilding Our Community) participants who finished a two week training in June. Getry Agizah arranged for the workshops to be held high up on Mt. Elgon where for the last two years there has been armed conflict in which about 600 people have been killed. In May or June of this year the Kenyan army moved into the area and killed the leaders of the rebel group--the Sabaot Land Defense Force. The army is also accused of torturing and killing many other men from the area. The conflict began between two clans of the Sabaot ethnic group--the Soy and Ndorobo -- over land allocation on the mountain which was done by the Government in the 1970's. Soon all other ethnic groups in the region became targets; including a Luhya sub-tribe called the Bugusu who live on Mt. Elgon right below the Sabaots (who are part of the Kalenjin ethnic group).
We learned that one of the participants from the initial HROC workshop in June 2007 has been killed. Theoneste reported that people are still being killed although this information is not reported in the newspapers. In the community where Theoneste was facilitating the workshop one person had been killed the previous week. Theoneste also noted that land distribution was so unequal--in some cases one person owned an entire hillside while others had only small plots--that it would lead to continued violence on the mountain. This is an important observation for all of Kenya.
Florence took three apprentices with her and held two workshops in Chwele Yearly Meeting. These were arranged by Joseph Mumai, the Chairman of Kenya Friends Church Peace Teams. Participants in the first workshop were mostly leaders of Chwele Yearly Meeting. We prefer to have participants in HROC groups as diverse as possible but in this case it was probably fine since this was the first workshop the new apprentices had ever led. Moreover, the apprentices were young and the participants were older. The apprentices worried whether the elders would follow their instructions. In fact, the result was positive and the workshop went well. In the second workshop there was a much greater mix of ethnic groups--Sabaot, Luhya, Teso, Kikuyu, and others. The group was also mixed in age since on Mt. Elgon we are not targeting only youth, but also leaders in the community. This workshop also went well. Florence commented that it had the same effect as in Burundi where hostile people, who would not sit next to each or talk together at the beginning, were making friendships by the end.
Theoneste and five other apprentices went to another part of the mountain for their workshops. The first was held at a place called Kalaha and the second at Kitwamba. Since both are high up on the mountain, it was cold. The team slept in tents at the IDP camps at both places. (I doubt that the media even knows that there are still lots of IDP's in places like this.) Since the conflict is really not over, the participants were at first reluctant--some not arriving until late. All the various sides were represented and the results were the same as those described by Florence of her workshops. People were quite appreciative because this was the first time anyone came to visit this conflict area high up the mountain, and actually stayed there overnight. At the end of the workshops people were so enthusiastic that they said when the community celebration of the workshops is held they will bring a cow to be slaughtered and eaten at the celebration!
Florence's two workshops were conducted mostly in English--Nancy Shippen from New England Yearly Meeting attended the first one. She commented that while the participants came to learn how to help others, they discovered how relevant the workshop was or their own personal lives. Theoneste's workshops were mostly in Swahili. However, in the second workshop three of the Kikuyu women did not know Swahili. Teso people speak a Nilotic language, while the Luhya and Kikuyu speak a Bantu language (Swahili is also a Bantu language), and the Sabaot speak a Kalenjin language. These three languages are completely different: more different than English is from Hindi (which are both Indo-European languages). So this is going to make reconciliation rather different than in Rwanda and Burundi where everyone speaks the same language.
Naturally the people all want more workshops for more people. Theoneste and Florence indicated that the apprentices were progressing well. Florence is staying in Kenya to lead one more HROC workshop for the apprentices following the weeklong AVP International Gathering which starts tomorrow. Zawadi Nikuze from North Kivu, Congo, will stay to conduct two more workshops. Florence and Theoneste think that the apprentice HROC facilitators will then be able to lead workshops on their own. In January, after they have facilitated a number of workshops on their own, we hope to have the second one-week training for the new facilitators.
I am hoping that we will continue to focus the HROC work on Mt Elgon.
Peace,
Dave
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
****************************************************
Aug 26 '08 - Growing Up
From: David Zarembka
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 6:47 AM
Subject: AGLI--Report from Kenya--"Growing Up"--August 25, 2008
Dear All,
Growing Up:
When Gladys and I returned from our latest trip, one of our nephews, Duncan, came to see us. He came to thank us for having sent him through college. He attended Maseno University to become a secondary school Math/Physics teacher. He had finished a year ago and got a local hire position which paid him 6,000/- ($92) per month for salary! He came because he has just received an appointment as a regular government secondary school teacher and his salary will now be 25,000/- ($385) per month. He was so excited that he hadn't slept the night before coming to visit us.
The point of this bit of family information is that it illustrates how difficult it is even for a youth who does well in school and "follows all the rules" to get ahead in Kenyan society. In Duncan's case he was lucky to have relatives who were willing to support him through college. We appreciated his thanks.
But what happens here in Kenya when you don't have family to support you in your young life's journey?
As part of our contract with the United States Institute of Peace, in conjunction with the Laikipia Nature Conservancy, we just finished three Basic AVP workshops in Kitale (a town north of Eldoret at the eastern base of Mt Elgon). The participants were youth living on the streets, sex workers, drug addicts, etc. In other words, those who have no family to support and guide them. Eunice Okwemba, who was the lead AVP facilitator in these workshops, told me that one young woman (16 or 17 years old) was an orphan and already had a baby. A Pentecostal Fellowship with support from Norway was working with these youth and arranged the workshops for us.
On day one of the first workshop 57 youth showed up! They had to turn away half of them. Normally we have 20 to 24 participants in a workshop, so 30 was already over the limit. In the end we conducted three workshops with a total of 85 youth. Eunice said that the workshops were remarkable. As I listened to her stories, two aspects came to the fore. First the "respect for self and others", which they had not experienced much in their lives, gave them positive hope. Then the "transforming power" led them to realize that they had within themselves the resources to change.
After the last day of the third workshop the youth, on their own initiative, decided to have a closing ceremony. They invited the government officials and media to attend. Getry rushed over from Lubao to participate and the youth presented a petition to the government to give more peacemaking activities to the youth. Two TV stations filmed the event, although I haven't heard of anything being broadcast.
In the United States young people have so many possibilities that it is difficult to decide what choice they want to make. Here there are so few possibilities in life that the transition from youth to responsible adult is fraught with discouragement.
Peace,
Dave
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
***************************************************
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 6:47 AM
Subject: AGLI--Report from Kenya--"Growing Up"--August 25, 2008
Dear All,
Growing Up:
When Gladys and I returned from our latest trip, one of our nephews, Duncan, came to see us. He came to thank us for having sent him through college. He attended Maseno University to become a secondary school Math/Physics teacher. He had finished a year ago and got a local hire position which paid him 6,000/- ($92) per month for salary! He came because he has just received an appointment as a regular government secondary school teacher and his salary will now be 25,000/- ($385) per month. He was so excited that he hadn't slept the night before coming to visit us.
The point of this bit of family information is that it illustrates how difficult it is even for a youth who does well in school and "follows all the rules" to get ahead in Kenyan society. In Duncan's case he was lucky to have relatives who were willing to support him through college. We appreciated his thanks.
But what happens here in Kenya when you don't have family to support you in your young life's journey?
As part of our contract with the United States Institute of Peace, in conjunction with the Laikipia Nature Conservancy, we just finished three Basic AVP workshops in Kitale (a town north of Eldoret at the eastern base of Mt Elgon). The participants were youth living on the streets, sex workers, drug addicts, etc. In other words, those who have no family to support and guide them. Eunice Okwemba, who was the lead AVP facilitator in these workshops, told me that one young woman (16 or 17 years old) was an orphan and already had a baby. A Pentecostal Fellowship with support from Norway was working with these youth and arranged the workshops for us.
On day one of the first workshop 57 youth showed up! They had to turn away half of them. Normally we have 20 to 24 participants in a workshop, so 30 was already over the limit. In the end we conducted three workshops with a total of 85 youth. Eunice said that the workshops were remarkable. As I listened to her stories, two aspects came to the fore. First the "respect for self and others", which they had not experienced much in their lives, gave them positive hope. Then the "transforming power" led them to realize that they had within themselves the resources to change.
After the last day of the third workshop the youth, on their own initiative, decided to have a closing ceremony. They invited the government officials and media to attend. Getry rushed over from Lubao to participate and the youth presented a petition to the government to give more peacemaking activities to the youth. Two TV stations filmed the event, although I haven't heard of anything being broadcast.
In the United States young people have so many possibilities that it is difficult to decide what choice they want to make. Here there are so few possibilities in life that the transition from youth to responsible adult is fraught with discouragement.
Peace,
Dave
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
***************************************************
Aug 12 '08 - Return of the IDPs
From: David Zarembka
Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 4:17 AM
Subject: AGLI--Report from Kenya--"Return of the IDP's"--August 12, 2008
Dear All,
Return of the IDP's.
When Gladys and I were still in Rwanda, George Njoroge, the leader of the IDP camp (internally displaced persons) at Turbo, called me to say that he had returned to his home at Mbagara and that all the IDP's from Turbo had returned to their home communities.
As we rode home from Uganda and crossed the border into Kenya, we passed Musimbi, a small roadside village on top of a hill overlooking the Kipkarren River valley. Here we saw about 25 small houses built with plastic sheeting and salvaged mabati (corrugated iron sheets) just like the ones in the IDP camps. Clearly the people had just taken down their houses in the IDP camps and re-erected them on a plot in town. Further down the road we saw another plastic house on a plot and three men were building a mud and wattle house nearby. Mud and wattle means posts in the ground about every two feet, with straight branches tied to them horizontally, and then filled with mud. This is the simplest type of house in the region, but even here, for a small house one would need about $500 for doors, windows, and the mabati for the roof.
In Kipkarren River itself I saw that a major commercial block of buildings that had been destroyed was being rebuilt.
On Thursday last week when I was taking my walk around town, I ran into one of the returnees (as we have been calling those who are returning from an IDP camp). He told me that he had returned about July 15 and was now living on the plot of Njau, one of the more prosperous Kikuyu near Lumakanda. The Red Cross (or the Government) had provided transportation and a ration of maize (corn) and a little cooking oil, only. The papers say that the Government is going to compensate those who were displaced with 10,000/- ($150) which is not even enough for the roof of a small house. None of these displaced people had seen even this 10,000/-.
So on Friday Gladys and I decided to visit Njau's home to see how things were going. He has a large plot and some of the returnees were living on various parts of it. His own home had been completely destroyed, but he seemed to lament the destruction of his maize storage bin which was full to the top from the recent harvest. I t had burned for three days, the corn sometimes popping with a bang. He had a matatu (mini-bus) which was sitting in his yard, burned. He did say that he drove away his "tinga-tinga" (a great Swahili word meaning "tractor"). He had returned to plant his maize, but he was late (I remember when I saw him plowing his field at the end of April) so that it did not do as well as the maize of those who planted earlier, but it will be enough for him and his family to eat. He had repaired one of his smaller two room houses, which had not been so badly damaged, and was living in that.
There were two other interesting things about this visit. He told us that now the local people were suffering because they burned down his storage bin. He said that each year he would save 8 to 10 bags of maize and when the time of food shortage came--May, June, and July before the new harvests came in-- old women (these would include those from other tribes) from the neighborhood would come and ask him for some maize. He would give each about 5 pounds plus a few shillings to grind the maize. This year, of course, he had no maize so he was unable to help those in need.
The second surprising point for us was that we found that "Professor" was living in his compound. Professor is one of the crazy people of Lumakanda--someday when I have time, I'll write you a little essay about the crazy people in Lumakanda. Professor always carries around some notebooks and that is why he is called "Professor." Njau told us that Professor had once been his tractor driver before he went crazy. Njau had taken him back to his home in Maragoli (that is to say, he is a Luhya), but he had then walked for two days back to Lumakanda. So he is a fixture in our town.
Both these stories illustrate how much a part of the Lumakanda community Njau is --he was born here-- without much regard to ethnicity as he, although a Kikuyu, is helping out Luhya.
Then, of course, this is Africa. Because we had visited him, he had to give us a present. He gave us about 20 avocados and then, cut down a banana tree, and added a small stalk of eating bananas. So who is the victim and who is the rescuer? Does this not destroy these roles? Is this not important?
On Sunday Gladys was in Maragoli, her original home in Luhya area, attending the memorial service (the women of the family get together and stay up all night, talking, singing, and dancing) for her aunt who had died just before we left for the United States. I went to visit the twenty-five returnee homes I had seen at Musimbi. As I walked into the mini-camp, two little boys came up to shake my hand. When we had started visiting people in Lumakanda in January, in order to seem friendly, I had started the custom of shaking hands with all the little kids. So these kids, although only about 3 years old, still remembered me. Naturally I was warmly greeted by all the people in the camp. I found out that this mini-camp had 400 people! There were more houses farther inside which could not be seen from the road. They had returned on July 7. They also were given transport and about a two weeks supply of maize and a little cooking oil. One of the younger men, who had been born right there, showed me the destroyed houses. Most had been build with either mud and wattle or adobe bricks. So the houses, which had been stripped of their doors, windows, and mabati roofs, crumbled in the rain and were already back to the earth from whence they had come.
They had already started planting some greens and vegetables on the rubble. My host took me back into the interior a little and I saw a field that they had just plowed with oxen (so different from the men in Rwanda and Burundi!) and were planting beans. If they are lucky and the rains hold up into October and early November, they will get a decent harvest. If the rains do not hold up, then this will be a wasted effort.
I asked them how they were received by the local community. The response was essentially "cordial, but distant." I am not certain that this does not describe their interactions with the rest of the community even before the violence. The children had no problems when they returned to the local school.
Plastic houses have no insulation. It is raining a lot right now, sometimes at night. According the thermometer in my house, which is insulated, the temperature gets down to 55 degrees Fahrenheit during the night. I asked them if it was cold at night in their plastic sheeting houses and they responded in the affirmative. They also commented that this meant that their children got colds--without knowing what we were talking about, two small children then coughed in the background.
They are wary of rebuilding. First, I am not certain how they will get the funds to rebuild even the simple houses. Moreover they are worried that this will all happen again during the next election in 2012 or the next crisis.
On Monday, Gladys and I went to Eldoret. On the way we saw the same plastic sheeting housing and people rebuilding in some places, but not in others. On the way home, when we got to Turbo, we stopped at the Blue Line Inn. This is a Kikuyu establishment that had been sacked during the violence, but the hotel (which is what a small restaurant is called in Kenya) was open and we ordered some snacks. The walls had been repainted and all seemed to be going well. On the other hand, the two stores next to them, had been completely destroyed and gutted by fire. The owner was not there but at home so we did not see her. Why did we stop at the Blue Line Inn? Because when we spoke in Palo Alto, California, on our recent tour of the US, Margaret Muchemu, the daughter of the owner, had come to hear us speak!
Peace,
Dave
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
***************************************************
Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 4:17 AM
Subject: AGLI--Report from Kenya--"Return of the IDP's"--August 12, 2008
Dear All,
Return of the IDP's.
When Gladys and I were still in Rwanda, George Njoroge, the leader of the IDP camp (internally displaced persons) at Turbo, called me to say that he had returned to his home at Mbagara and that all the IDP's from Turbo had returned to their home communities.
As we rode home from Uganda and crossed the border into Kenya, we passed Musimbi, a small roadside village on top of a hill overlooking the Kipkarren River valley. Here we saw about 25 small houses built with plastic sheeting and salvaged mabati (corrugated iron sheets) just like the ones in the IDP camps. Clearly the people had just taken down their houses in the IDP camps and re-erected them on a plot in town. Further down the road we saw another plastic house on a plot and three men were building a mud and wattle house nearby. Mud and wattle means posts in the ground about every two feet, with straight branches tied to them horizontally, and then filled with mud. This is the simplest type of house in the region, but even here, for a small house one would need about $500 for doors, windows, and the mabati for the roof.
In Kipkarren River itself I saw that a major commercial block of buildings that had been destroyed was being rebuilt.
On Thursday last week when I was taking my walk around town, I ran into one of the returnees (as we have been calling those who are returning from an IDP camp). He told me that he had returned about July 15 and was now living on the plot of Njau, one of the more prosperous Kikuyu near Lumakanda. The Red Cross (or the Government) had provided transportation and a ration of maize (corn) and a little cooking oil, only. The papers say that the Government is going to compensate those who were displaced with 10,000/- ($150) which is not even enough for the roof of a small house. None of these displaced people had seen even this 10,000/-.
So on Friday Gladys and I decided to visit Njau's home to see how things were going. He has a large plot and some of the returnees were living on various parts of it. His own home had been completely destroyed, but he seemed to lament the destruction of his maize storage bin which was full to the top from the recent harvest. I t had burned for three days, the corn sometimes popping with a bang. He had a matatu (mini-bus) which was sitting in his yard, burned. He did say that he drove away his "tinga-tinga" (a great Swahili word meaning "tractor"). He had returned to plant his maize, but he was late (I remember when I saw him plowing his field at the end of April) so that it did not do as well as the maize of those who planted earlier, but it will be enough for him and his family to eat. He had repaired one of his smaller two room houses, which had not been so badly damaged, and was living in that.
There were two other interesting things about this visit. He told us that now the local people were suffering because they burned down his storage bin. He said that each year he would save 8 to 10 bags of maize and when the time of food shortage came--May, June, and July before the new harvests came in-- old women (these would include those from other tribes) from the neighborhood would come and ask him for some maize. He would give each about 5 pounds plus a few shillings to grind the maize. This year, of course, he had no maize so he was unable to help those in need.
The second surprising point for us was that we found that "Professor" was living in his compound. Professor is one of the crazy people of Lumakanda--someday when I have time, I'll write you a little essay about the crazy people in Lumakanda. Professor always carries around some notebooks and that is why he is called "Professor." Njau told us that Professor had once been his tractor driver before he went crazy. Njau had taken him back to his home in Maragoli (that is to say, he is a Luhya), but he had then walked for two days back to Lumakanda. So he is a fixture in our town.
Both these stories illustrate how much a part of the Lumakanda community Njau is --he was born here-- without much regard to ethnicity as he, although a Kikuyu, is helping out Luhya.
Then, of course, this is Africa. Because we had visited him, he had to give us a present. He gave us about 20 avocados and then, cut down a banana tree, and added a small stalk of eating bananas. So who is the victim and who is the rescuer? Does this not destroy these roles? Is this not important?
On Sunday Gladys was in Maragoli, her original home in Luhya area, attending the memorial service (the women of the family get together and stay up all night, talking, singing, and dancing) for her aunt who had died just before we left for the United States. I went to visit the twenty-five returnee homes I had seen at Musimbi. As I walked into the mini-camp, two little boys came up to shake my hand. When we had started visiting people in Lumakanda in January, in order to seem friendly, I had started the custom of shaking hands with all the little kids. So these kids, although only about 3 years old, still remembered me. Naturally I was warmly greeted by all the people in the camp. I found out that this mini-camp had 400 people! There were more houses farther inside which could not be seen from the road. They had returned on July 7. They also were given transport and about a two weeks supply of maize and a little cooking oil. One of the younger men, who had been born right there, showed me the destroyed houses. Most had been build with either mud and wattle or adobe bricks. So the houses, which had been stripped of their doors, windows, and mabati roofs, crumbled in the rain and were already back to the earth from whence they had come.
They had already started planting some greens and vegetables on the rubble. My host took me back into the interior a little and I saw a field that they had just plowed with oxen (so different from the men in Rwanda and Burundi!) and were planting beans. If they are lucky and the rains hold up into October and early November, they will get a decent harvest. If the rains do not hold up, then this will be a wasted effort.
I asked them how they were received by the local community. The response was essentially "cordial, but distant." I am not certain that this does not describe their interactions with the rest of the community even before the violence. The children had no problems when they returned to the local school.
Plastic houses have no insulation. It is raining a lot right now, sometimes at night. According the thermometer in my house, which is insulated, the temperature gets down to 55 degrees Fahrenheit during the night. I asked them if it was cold at night in their plastic sheeting houses and they responded in the affirmative. They also commented that this meant that their children got colds--without knowing what we were talking about, two small children then coughed in the background.
They are wary of rebuilding. First, I am not certain how they will get the funds to rebuild even the simple houses. Moreover they are worried that this will all happen again during the next election in 2012 or the next crisis.
On Monday, Gladys and I went to Eldoret. On the way we saw the same plastic sheeting housing and people rebuilding in some places, but not in others. On the way home, when we got to Turbo, we stopped at the Blue Line Inn. This is a Kikuyu establishment that had been sacked during the violence, but the hotel (which is what a small restaurant is called in Kenya) was open and we ordered some snacks. The walls had been repainted and all seemed to be going well. On the other hand, the two stores next to them, had been completely destroyed and gutted by fire. The owner was not there but at home so we did not see her. Why did we stop at the Blue Line Inn? Because when we spoke in Palo Alto, California, on our recent tour of the US, Margaret Muchemu, the daughter of the owner, had come to hear us speak!
Peace,
Dave
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
***************************************************
Aug 8, '08 - Quaker numbers increase in Africa
From: David Zarembka
Sent: Friday, August 08, 2008 4:16 AM
Subject: AGLI--Report from Kenya--"Why East and Central African Quakers are increasing while American and English Quakers are declining"
Dear All,
While I was in Rwanda I visited Gisenyi Friends Church on the shores of Lake Kivu. I went there to see how the AGLI workcampers had done at the workcamp which had just ended. They have finished the flooring, plastering, windows, and doors of a four room building. So I think, with the addition of furniture and using the church for a meeting space, the Gisenyi Peace Center can start holding residential workshops there.
To be polite, I asked Pastor Augustin Hahimana, the leader of the workcamp and the church, how things were going at Gisenyi Church. He replied that things were going very well. When he came in January of this year there were about 35 adults attending the church and this had grown to 75 in the last 7 months. There were always lots of children and teenagers. He replied that some of the increase was due to the HROC (Healing and Rebuilding Our Community) program that AGLI supports. HROC-Rwanda has done a number of workshop in Gisenyi. Augustin said that some of the participants from the workshops starting coming to the church and others who just heard about the program also starting coming. People were impressed by a church which was doing something active, concrete, and beneficial about the ills of the community. Putting in practice what it was teaching.
I had heard this often before. About five years ago in Byumba, in Northern Rwanda, AVP-Rwanda had done many workshops which led to the founding of a church there. It is now a very active church. I have seen its choir come to Kigali to sing at the large Kagarama Church in Kucikiro. I was told that in Kibungo, in southeast Rwanda, where they had also started doing AVP workshops, another church is forming. One of the results of the peacemaking work done in Kenya by the Friends Church Peace Teams after the violence at the beginning of the year is interest in the Friends Church by people who had not previously been involved with the church. For example, three Kikuyu applied to Friends Theological College this coming year and have been admitted. People are also interesting in learning about peacemaking which they closely associate with the Friends Church.
So the AGLI programs, HROC and AVP, are methods of increasing the number of Quakers--this is called evangelism. Wow, this is a negative result according to many unprogrammed Friends! Rather, I think, it is an unintended consequence of doing the workshops. To put this in another way, the numbers are increasing in the region because Friends are very active in addressing the problems in the community, particularly those of war and peace and its consequences. This makes the Friends Church attractive.
Awhile back, I was discussing this with the Legal Representative (General Secretary) of Rwanda Yearly Meeting. He was emphasizing the evangelical nature of the AVP and HROC workshops. But then he said that the purpose of doing them was to make "better people" and it didn't make any difference if they came to the Friends Church, to other churches, or even no church. This, I think, unprogrammed Friends can agree with wholeheartedly.
In this last tour to the US, Gladys and I spoke at Santa Rosa Retirement Center in California. The following morning an elderly Quaker gentleman made breakfast for us. He mentioned how in 1947 he was in Poland with the AFSC feeding starving children. (Some could have been my second cousins.) He said that he was feeling somewhat down over the difficulties of the work and became elated when he heard that the Quakers had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize!
On my long trips on airplanes from the United States to Kenya, I get big, long books to read. On this trip I read "Human Smoke: The Beginnings of World War II, the End of Civilization," by Nicholson Baker. Unlike most reporting on this period Baker (OK, he is a graduate of Haverford College) included the statements of those who opposed the war including Gandhi and the Quakers. The work of the Quakers in trying to stop the buildup to war, to help the Jews to escape, to become conscientious objectors, etc. is detailed in the book. In essence the Quakers received the Nobel Peace Prize because they were doing something of significance, were leaders contrary to the conventional wisdom and their political leaders.
I was concerned during the Vietnam War by the tepid response of Friends to that war. Friends Meetings were hardly the core, the vanguard of opposition to that war. Although many individual Quakers played an active part it was usually with other anti-war organizations. Yet I remember that the Pittsburgh Meeting, where I attended during that time, was overflowing with people opposed to the Vietnam War.
On this last US speaking tour I heard a Quaker comment that the United States is "peaceful." Really!!! Isn't the United States engaged in two major wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, let alone many minor military adventures such as the bombing of suspected Al-Qaida dens in Somalia (which you probably didn't even hear about in the US media)? Quakers opposition to these current wars is fainthearted. Quakers as a group, in England and the United States, are hardly doing anything!
That is why the numbers decline year after year. We spend our time, energy, and money arguing about tangential issues such as whether to withdraw from Friends United Meeting or if we should have a "guard" at the front door to keep out undesirable people. When a religion (or an organization) spends its resources looking inward to the exclusion of looking outward, when it examines its navel rather than looking to rectify the ills of the world, it is going to be in decline. If Friends as a body in the United Kingdom and the United States were as involved in peacemaking activities as Friends in Rwanda, Burundi, and Kenya are, then perhaps new people (many who may not be "traditional" Friends as we now see in our Meetings and Churches) would become interested in a vibrant religious body.
Peace,
Dave
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
*******************************************************
Sent: Friday, August 08, 2008 4:16 AM
Subject: AGLI--Report from Kenya--"Why East and Central African Quakers are increasing while American and English Quakers are declining"
Dear All,
While I was in Rwanda I visited Gisenyi Friends Church on the shores of Lake Kivu. I went there to see how the AGLI workcampers had done at the workcamp which had just ended. They have finished the flooring, plastering, windows, and doors of a four room building. So I think, with the addition of furniture and using the church for a meeting space, the Gisenyi Peace Center can start holding residential workshops there.
To be polite, I asked Pastor Augustin Hahimana, the leader of the workcamp and the church, how things were going at Gisenyi Church. He replied that things were going very well. When he came in January of this year there were about 35 adults attending the church and this had grown to 75 in the last 7 months. There were always lots of children and teenagers. He replied that some of the increase was due to the HROC (Healing and Rebuilding Our Community) program that AGLI supports. HROC-Rwanda has done a number of workshop in Gisenyi. Augustin said that some of the participants from the workshops starting coming to the church and others who just heard about the program also starting coming. People were impressed by a church which was doing something active, concrete, and beneficial about the ills of the community. Putting in practice what it was teaching.
I had heard this often before. About five years ago in Byumba, in Northern Rwanda, AVP-Rwanda had done many workshops which led to the founding of a church there. It is now a very active church. I have seen its choir come to Kigali to sing at the large Kagarama Church in Kucikiro. I was told that in Kibungo, in southeast Rwanda, where they had also started doing AVP workshops, another church is forming. One of the results of the peacemaking work done in Kenya by the Friends Church Peace Teams after the violence at the beginning of the year is interest in the Friends Church by people who had not previously been involved with the church. For example, three Kikuyu applied to Friends Theological College this coming year and have been admitted. People are also interesting in learning about peacemaking which they closely associate with the Friends Church.
So the AGLI programs, HROC and AVP, are methods of increasing the number of Quakers--this is called evangelism. Wow, this is a negative result according to many unprogrammed Friends! Rather, I think, it is an unintended consequence of doing the workshops. To put this in another way, the numbers are increasing in the region because Friends are very active in addressing the problems in the community, particularly those of war and peace and its consequences. This makes the Friends Church attractive.
Awhile back, I was discussing this with the Legal Representative (General Secretary) of Rwanda Yearly Meeting. He was emphasizing the evangelical nature of the AVP and HROC workshops. But then he said that the purpose of doing them was to make "better people" and it didn't make any difference if they came to the Friends Church, to other churches, or even no church. This, I think, unprogrammed Friends can agree with wholeheartedly.
In this last tour to the US, Gladys and I spoke at Santa Rosa Retirement Center in California. The following morning an elderly Quaker gentleman made breakfast for us. He mentioned how in 1947 he was in Poland with the AFSC feeding starving children. (Some could have been my second cousins.) He said that he was feeling somewhat down over the difficulties of the work and became elated when he heard that the Quakers had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize!
On my long trips on airplanes from the United States to Kenya, I get big, long books to read. On this trip I read "Human Smoke: The Beginnings of World War II, the End of Civilization," by Nicholson Baker. Unlike most reporting on this period Baker (OK, he is a graduate of Haverford College) included the statements of those who opposed the war including Gandhi and the Quakers. The work of the Quakers in trying to stop the buildup to war, to help the Jews to escape, to become conscientious objectors, etc. is detailed in the book. In essence the Quakers received the Nobel Peace Prize because they were doing something of significance, were leaders contrary to the conventional wisdom and their political leaders.
I was concerned during the Vietnam War by the tepid response of Friends to that war. Friends Meetings were hardly the core, the vanguard of opposition to that war. Although many individual Quakers played an active part it was usually with other anti-war organizations. Yet I remember that the Pittsburgh Meeting, where I attended during that time, was overflowing with people opposed to the Vietnam War.
On this last US speaking tour I heard a Quaker comment that the United States is "peaceful." Really!!! Isn't the United States engaged in two major wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, let alone many minor military adventures such as the bombing of suspected Al-Qaida dens in Somalia (which you probably didn't even hear about in the US media)? Quakers opposition to these current wars is fainthearted. Quakers as a group, in England and the United States, are hardly doing anything!
That is why the numbers decline year after year. We spend our time, energy, and money arguing about tangential issues such as whether to withdraw from Friends United Meeting or if we should have a "guard" at the front door to keep out undesirable people. When a religion (or an organization) spends its resources looking inward to the exclusion of looking outward, when it examines its navel rather than looking to rectify the ills of the world, it is going to be in decline. If Friends as a body in the United Kingdom and the United States were as involved in peacemaking activities as Friends in Rwanda, Burundi, and Kenya are, then perhaps new people (many who may not be "traditional" Friends as we now see in our Meetings and Churches) would become interested in a vibrant religious body.
Peace,
Dave
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
*******************************************************
Aug 5 '08 - from Rwanda - The Twa (Pygmies)
From: David Zarembka
Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2008 4:10 AM
Subject: AGLI--Report from Rwanda--The Twa--August 5, 2008
Dear All,
Identical twins can look the same on the outside, but be very different on the inside. This is the case of Rwanda and Burundi. In this report I am going to focus on one aspect of this sameness / difference -- the Twa. The Twa are short in stature, despised, severely discriminated against people that make up less than one percentage of the population in Rwanda and Burundi. While they speak the same local language as everyone else (although sometimes with an accent), they live separately in their own villages. The discrimination is based on their occupations:
1. Hunting: Twa traditionally hunted wild animals and ate them. But "real men," according to local tradition, herd cows and eat beef. I doubt that there are many wild animals left to hunt in Rwanda and Burundi.
2. Burying the dead: While this is a very necessary occupation and society ought to be grateful for those who perform it, instead it is despised work not only in Rwanda and Burundi, but in many (most?) places in the world.
3. Entertainment: The Twa are the jesters, fools (as in Shakespeare), buffoons, and dancers that make people laugh. Any decent wedding will have some Twa to entertain the guests, frequently with off-color jokes and other comments that some may think but are too polite to say.
4. Pot making: For some reason that I don't understand, in this region getting your hands dirty making clay pots is a despised occupation. In the advance HROC workshops in Burundi where they use clay, people will comment that they are now "Twa." I particularly like this in Rwanda and Burundi because it attacks this stereotype. With the rise of metal and now plastic pots, this occupation probably is also declining.
The conventional interpretation, thought up by the racist Nineteenth Century European "explorers" of Africa and taught until recently in schools in Rwanda and Burundi, is that the Twa, as hunters, were the original inhabitants of the region. They later were overwhelmed by the agricultural Bantu-speaking Hutu farmers. Later again the Tutsi arrived, from Ethiopia, as the superior herders (the ruling class in Europe are the descendants of those who rode horses). Since the Ethiopians were the southern most branch of the white race, and if the Tutsi came from Ethiopia, then clearly they were the ruling class. This became the rationale for the Tutsi domination of Rwanda and Burundi introduced by the German and then Belgian colonial rulers. During the genocide the hate radio stations told people to toss the Tutsi into the rivers so that they could return to Ethiopia--that is, float down the rivers to Lake Victoria, down the White Nile to Khartoum and then float back up the Blue Nile to Ethiopia. While this is not physically possible, it resulted in the Tanzanians pulling 20,000 dead bodies out of the mouth of the Kagera River where it flows into Lake Victoria--they were afraid the dead bodies would pollute the whole lake!
This interpretation is totally psuedo-scientific, racist nonsense which, unfortunately, has led to violence, death, and destructions in these two countries. Race theories have profound implications! Recent DNA testing has shown that the Twa, Hutu, and Tutsi are genetically closely related and therefore could not have had separate origins. The Twa are short because of a genetic difference in one of the genes that produces growth hormones. Perhaps a long time ago in the past, they were segregated because of this and in order to survive adopted occupations others did not want to do.
The HROC program in Rwanda has begun doing specific workshops for the Twa. They have found that when a Twa is in a workshop with Hutu and Tutsi, they don't participate much and are sometimes laughed at. While they have endured the trauma that everyone else has gone through in the society, they also have the trauma of being isolated and despised for
generations. In former days no Hutu or Tutsi would eat with the Twa and I am told there are still some people who will not eat with the Twa (one of the reconciliation activities of the HROC workshops). The HROC staff in Rwanda has found that they need to do separate workshops for the Twa. In these workshops the Twa are very lively and active. But there are so many layers of trauma that more than one workshop will be needed just to cover the basics.
Solange Maniraguha, one of the HROC staff in Rwanda, had just come back from a workshop with the Twa the previous week. She has hopes that the program can develop Twa Healing Companions to work with the Twa in their villages. One comment she made to me is that only three or four of the HROC facilitators can facilitate with the Twa because the others look down on them in the typical stereotyped fashion--it is always difficult to overcome the stereotypes that one has grown up with. This program is in Ruhengeri, in the northwest, where the Friends Church has two churches for the Twa.
When I had suggested to Adrien that they might also have a special HROC program for the Twa, I got a very negative reaction. Adrien thinks that the Twa should be incorporated into the normal HROC workshops. This is what they are doing in the Burundi program. He has not seen any overt discrimination against them as the other participants are polite and interact normally with them. The goal is to integrate the Twa into Burundian society like everyone else. The Mennonite Central Committee is supporting a primary school which is half Twa and half Hutu. (But I was told that someone in their infinite wisdom decided to give free uniforms to the Twa, but not the Hutu so some of the Hutu are transferring their children to other schools). Adrien related to me that in the last few months three Twa had married Hutu wives. So integration of the Twa seems to be well established in Burundi and Adrien felt that this was working well.
So should Twa be integrated into the usual HROC workshops as is done in Burundi or should they have workshops of their own as is done in Rwanda? If one is into a foolish need for consistency, then one would need to decide between these two options. But, as I began, these twins are the same on the outside, but inside there may be profound differences. What works in Burundi may not be the answer in Rwanda. The world is never a simple place.
Peace,
Dave
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2008 4:10 AM
Subject: AGLI--Report from Rwanda--The Twa--August 5, 2008
Dear All,
Identical twins can look the same on the outside, but be very different on the inside. This is the case of Rwanda and Burundi. In this report I am going to focus on one aspect of this sameness / difference -- the Twa. The Twa are short in stature, despised, severely discriminated against people that make up less than one percentage of the population in Rwanda and Burundi. While they speak the same local language as everyone else (although sometimes with an accent), they live separately in their own villages. The discrimination is based on their occupations:
1. Hunting: Twa traditionally hunted wild animals and ate them. But "real men," according to local tradition, herd cows and eat beef. I doubt that there are many wild animals left to hunt in Rwanda and Burundi.
2. Burying the dead: While this is a very necessary occupation and society ought to be grateful for those who perform it, instead it is despised work not only in Rwanda and Burundi, but in many (most?) places in the world.
3. Entertainment: The Twa are the jesters, fools (as in Shakespeare), buffoons, and dancers that make people laugh. Any decent wedding will have some Twa to entertain the guests, frequently with off-color jokes and other comments that some may think but are too polite to say.
4. Pot making: For some reason that I don't understand, in this region getting your hands dirty making clay pots is a despised occupation. In the advance HROC workshops in Burundi where they use clay, people will comment that they are now "Twa." I particularly like this in Rwanda and Burundi because it attacks this stereotype. With the rise of metal and now plastic pots, this occupation probably is also declining.
The conventional interpretation, thought up by the racist Nineteenth Century European "explorers" of Africa and taught until recently in schools in Rwanda and Burundi, is that the Twa, as hunters, were the original inhabitants of the region. They later were overwhelmed by the agricultural Bantu-speaking Hutu farmers. Later again the Tutsi arrived, from Ethiopia, as the superior herders (the ruling class in Europe are the descendants of those who rode horses). Since the Ethiopians were the southern most branch of the white race, and if the Tutsi came from Ethiopia, then clearly they were the ruling class. This became the rationale for the Tutsi domination of Rwanda and Burundi introduced by the German and then Belgian colonial rulers. During the genocide the hate radio stations told people to toss the Tutsi into the rivers so that they could return to Ethiopia--that is, float down the rivers to Lake Victoria, down the White Nile to Khartoum and then float back up the Blue Nile to Ethiopia. While this is not physically possible, it resulted in the Tanzanians pulling 20,000 dead bodies out of the mouth of the Kagera River where it flows into Lake Victoria--they were afraid the dead bodies would pollute the whole lake!
This interpretation is totally psuedo-scientific, racist nonsense which, unfortunately, has led to violence, death, and destructions in these two countries. Race theories have profound implications! Recent DNA testing has shown that the Twa, Hutu, and Tutsi are genetically closely related and therefore could not have had separate origins. The Twa are short because of a genetic difference in one of the genes that produces growth hormones. Perhaps a long time ago in the past, they were segregated because of this and in order to survive adopted occupations others did not want to do.
The HROC program in Rwanda has begun doing specific workshops for the Twa. They have found that when a Twa is in a workshop with Hutu and Tutsi, they don't participate much and are sometimes laughed at. While they have endured the trauma that everyone else has gone through in the society, they also have the trauma of being isolated and despised for
generations. In former days no Hutu or Tutsi would eat with the Twa and I am told there are still some people who will not eat with the Twa (one of the reconciliation activities of the HROC workshops). The HROC staff in Rwanda has found that they need to do separate workshops for the Twa. In these workshops the Twa are very lively and active. But there are so many layers of trauma that more than one workshop will be needed just to cover the basics.
Solange Maniraguha, one of the HROC staff in Rwanda, had just come back from a workshop with the Twa the previous week. She has hopes that the program can develop Twa Healing Companions to work with the Twa in their villages. One comment she made to me is that only three or four of the HROC facilitators can facilitate with the Twa because the others look down on them in the typical stereotyped fashion--it is always difficult to overcome the stereotypes that one has grown up with. This program is in Ruhengeri, in the northwest, where the Friends Church has two churches for the Twa.
When I had suggested to Adrien that they might also have a special HROC program for the Twa, I got a very negative reaction. Adrien thinks that the Twa should be incorporated into the normal HROC workshops. This is what they are doing in the Burundi program. He has not seen any overt discrimination against them as the other participants are polite and interact normally with them. The goal is to integrate the Twa into Burundian society like everyone else. The Mennonite Central Committee is supporting a primary school which is half Twa and half Hutu. (But I was told that someone in their infinite wisdom decided to give free uniforms to the Twa, but not the Hutu so some of the Hutu are transferring their children to other schools). Adrien related to me that in the last few months three Twa had married Hutu wives. So integration of the Twa seems to be well established in Burundi and Adrien felt that this was working well.
So should Twa be integrated into the usual HROC workshops as is done in Burundi or should they have workshops of their own as is done in Rwanda? If one is into a foolish need for consistency, then one would need to decide between these two options. But, as I began, these twins are the same on the outside, but inside there may be profound differences. What works in Burundi may not be the answer in Rwanda. The world is never a simple place.
Peace,
Dave
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
July 29 '08 - from Burundi - "Symbolism"
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 6:44 AM
Subject: AGLI--Report from Burundi--"Symbolism"--July 29, 2008
Dear All,
Symbolism
Gladys and I spent July 21 to 27 in Burundi visiting the AGLI and other programs, HROC, the Friends Women's Association's Kamenge Clinic, the Mutaho Widows Group, the HIV+ Gitega Women's group, Kibimba Hospital, school, and church, and Mi-PAREC (Peace and Reconciliation under the Cross in Gitega.
Symbolism: In upcountry Mutaho, I heard this testimony from a HROC workshop that had just been completed. A Tutsi man and a neighboring Hutu man were invited to the workshop. It is clear that the facilitators purposely chose these two because they knew there was an issue between them. During the workshop the Tutsi man pointed to the Hutu man and said that he was the person who tracked him during the violence in 1993. With that man's help, a Hutu gang attacked him with machetes but luckily he survived. When he healed and went home, the Hutu man continued to track him and he was attacked a second time, only again to survive. Now whenever he was walking down the road or path and saw the Hutu man behind him, he would become afraid and stop or detour until the Hutu man was no longer behind him. This was discussed in the workshop. On the third day the Tutsi man gave the Hutu man a ride home on the seat behind him on his bicycle.
John McKendy from New Brunswick, Canada, has been a workcamper at the Kamenge Clinic for the last two years. John has a sabbatical next year and is planning to return, probably in January, to begin a workshop on "Non-violent Direct Action," which is what he teaches. I have suggested that he start in Kenya where there has been a great demand for teaching non-violent direct action to the youth who seem to resort to violence whenever they protest -- over three hundred secondary schools have had riots in the last few weeks, frequently destroying school property. Once he has developed the workshop he will then take it to Burundi, Rwanda, and eastern Congo. This will be a great addition to AGLI's work.
In Mutaho we visited the dynamic Mutaho Widow's Coop, led by Pastor Sarah Golobwa, the only woman pastor in Burundi Yearly Meeting. When Adrien Niyongabo was on his recent speaking tour in the US, the meetings and churches in Oregon and Washington contributed $3500 for the Widow's group to build a center. The building includes a large meeting room, a place for an income-generating shop, and three rooms for overnight guests (so in the future we may not have to sleep at the nearby Catholic seminary/retreat house). The main building was almost complete to the top of the windows and they were working on the foundations of the other two parts. Mutaho Church had given them a nice plot for this center. While men had been hired to do the construction work, the women (and other church members) did not just stand and watch. This is the dry season and as usual in this part of Africa the houses are on the top of the hills and the water source is near the bottom of the hill. So the women carried water up-hill to the site every work day. This saved a considerable amount of money as they would have had to pay people to bring water. About two years ago a goat project was started where one person in the 56 member group who was given a goat gave the first female kid to another woman--frequently one was Hutu and the other Tutsi. Now the second group who received the kids, which are now grown up, are giving their first-born female kid to other women. The big advantage of the goats to the women is that the manure is put on their gardens (rather than very expensive fertilizer). I have seen that this doubles or triples the yield. Note that except for Pastor Sarah and the secretary (who is not a widow) most of the women are literate or semi-literate; the group members include Hutu, Tutsi, and one Twa (pygmy).
Clearly Burundi is more prosperous than it was a few years ago, but the people are still much poorer than those in Kenya. I am always amazed by the small number of domestic animals -- cows, goats, sheep, pigs, and even chickens -- when compared to Kenya where there are probably too many animals. I have never even seen a donkey in Burundi, yet they are quite common in Kenya. Burundians also do not plow with oxen as is common in Kenya. I think that this is very important since men take care of the cows and oxen first, then they do the plowing and become involved in agricultural work. Gladys kept commenting on how very few men she saw cultivating. The Burundians who were with us kept trying to give excuses for the lack of men in the field ("this was building season and the men were building", "the women were carrying the hoes home for the men"), but I think she (and certainly I) were reluctant to accept these excuses. If farm work is only done by women and children, I doubt that there will be much agricultural progress.
Politically the peace deal between the various Hutu factions seems to be holding up.
Now we are in Rwanda and I'll give send a report on Rwanda when we return to Kenya.
Peace,
Dave
Subject: AGLI--Report from Burundi--"Symbolism"--July 29, 2008
Dear All,
Symbolism
Gladys and I spent July 21 to 27 in Burundi visiting the AGLI and other programs, HROC, the Friends Women's Association's Kamenge Clinic, the Mutaho Widows Group, the HIV+ Gitega Women's group, Kibimba Hospital, school, and church, and Mi-PAREC (Peace and Reconciliation under the Cross in Gitega.
Symbolism: In upcountry Mutaho, I heard this testimony from a HROC workshop that had just been completed. A Tutsi man and a neighboring Hutu man were invited to the workshop. It is clear that the facilitators purposely chose these two because they knew there was an issue between them. During the workshop the Tutsi man pointed to the Hutu man and said that he was the person who tracked him during the violence in 1993. With that man's help, a Hutu gang attacked him with machetes but luckily he survived. When he healed and went home, the Hutu man continued to track him and he was attacked a second time, only again to survive. Now whenever he was walking down the road or path and saw the Hutu man behind him, he would become afraid and stop or detour until the Hutu man was no longer behind him. This was discussed in the workshop. On the third day the Tutsi man gave the Hutu man a ride home on the seat behind him on his bicycle.
John McKendy from New Brunswick, Canada, has been a workcamper at the Kamenge Clinic for the last two years. John has a sabbatical next year and is planning to return, probably in January, to begin a workshop on "Non-violent Direct Action," which is what he teaches. I have suggested that he start in Kenya where there has been a great demand for teaching non-violent direct action to the youth who seem to resort to violence whenever they protest -- over three hundred secondary schools have had riots in the last few weeks, frequently destroying school property. Once he has developed the workshop he will then take it to Burundi, Rwanda, and eastern Congo. This will be a great addition to AGLI's work.
In Mutaho we visited the dynamic Mutaho Widow's Coop, led by Pastor Sarah Golobwa, the only woman pastor in Burundi Yearly Meeting. When Adrien Niyongabo was on his recent speaking tour in the US, the meetings and churches in Oregon and Washington contributed $3500 for the Widow's group to build a center. The building includes a large meeting room, a place for an income-generating shop, and three rooms for overnight guests (so in the future we may not have to sleep at the nearby Catholic seminary/retreat house). The main building was almost complete to the top of the windows and they were working on the foundations of the other two parts. Mutaho Church had given them a nice plot for this center. While men had been hired to do the construction work, the women (and other church members) did not just stand and watch. This is the dry season and as usual in this part of Africa the houses are on the top of the hills and the water source is near the bottom of the hill. So the women carried water up-hill to the site every work day. This saved a considerable amount of money as they would have had to pay people to bring water. About two years ago a goat project was started where one person in the 56 member group who was given a goat gave the first female kid to another woman--frequently one was Hutu and the other Tutsi. Now the second group who received the kids, which are now grown up, are giving their first-born female kid to other women. The big advantage of the goats to the women is that the manure is put on their gardens (rather than very expensive fertilizer). I have seen that this doubles or triples the yield. Note that except for Pastor Sarah and the secretary (who is not a widow) most of the women are literate or semi-literate; the group members include Hutu, Tutsi, and one Twa (pygmy).
Clearly Burundi is more prosperous than it was a few years ago, but the people are still much poorer than those in Kenya. I am always amazed by the small number of domestic animals -- cows, goats, sheep, pigs, and even chickens -- when compared to Kenya where there are probably too many animals. I have never even seen a donkey in Burundi, yet they are quite common in Kenya. Burundians also do not plow with oxen as is common in Kenya. I think that this is very important since men take care of the cows and oxen first, then they do the plowing and become involved in agricultural work. Gladys kept commenting on how very few men she saw cultivating. The Burundians who were with us kept trying to give excuses for the lack of men in the field ("this was building season and the men were building", "the women were carrying the hoes home for the men"), but I think she (and certainly I) were reluctant to accept these excuses. If farm work is only done by women and children, I doubt that there will be much agricultural progress.
Politically the peace deal between the various Hutu factions seems to be holding up.
Now we are in Rwanda and I'll give send a report on Rwanda when we return to Kenya.
Peace,
Dave
Thursday, July 10, 2008
June 26,- Rpt 57, - "I thought it was a dream."
Dear All,
Here is the latest report from John Muhanji, Director of African Ministries of Friends United Meeting, on the return of the internally displaced people to Sugoi. Here is what John said about the first attempt on June 19-- "But hell broke loose when they took the other IDPs to Sugoi from Eldoret show ground. The D.O. [District Officer] called me today and wished that I was with him. They were almost being killed by the community people who never wanted to see them back."
Peace,
Dave
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Dear Friends,
God is and has always been faithful to us in our ministry. We have continued to experience his miracles all the time since we started the peace mission in Kenya. In our smallness and humbleness we have seen mountain moving and deep valleys being leveled.
I traveled to Nairobi on Saturday 21st so that I could attend a visa interview at the USA Embassy on Monday 23rd. Before I traveled in the evening, I attended a very successful prayer meeting for all the USFW Kenya [United Society of Friends Women--Kenya] women held at Mbale Friends High School. This was a meeting that gave me hope and strength after weeks of exhaustion. I felt filled with fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit. We had a prayer meeting for peace where I gave them the problem that we had in Sugoi in Eldoret. We had women drawn from all the 15 yearly meetings in Kenya in attendance just for a one day prayers for peace in Kenya and Africa. Dorothy Selebwa the Clerk of USFW Kenya presided over the prayer meeting and led all women in praying for the Friends Church Peace Team of which she is a member. After a very successful prayer meeting at Mbale School, which was attended by over 1,300 women, I traveled to Kisumu to connect to Nairobi.
I went to the American embassy on Monday 23rd morning for the visa interview and was given the visa. I am now sure I will travel to the FUM Triennial this year [in July in North Carolina]. While in Nairobi on Tuesday 24th, I was called on the phone by the District Officer, Turbo Division, that they would like to resettle back the IDPs from Sugoi on Wednesday 25th and senior government officials would be in attendance. I informed Joseph Mamai [Chairman of Friends Church Peace Teams] to contact other members of FCPT to be present in Sugoi. I traveled from Nairobi on Wednesday morning 25th to Kisumu, then Eldoret/Sugoi.
Friends, I would like to report that the prayers that were offered on Saturday were truly answered and I thought it was a dream I was imagining. The elders of Sugoi had met after the ugly incident that happened on Thursday 19th where the IDPs were chased away. These elders rebuked themselves and vowed never to repeat such an action in their lives with their neighbors. The Kalenjin community elders went to the camp [at Eldoret showgrounds] and asked their neighbors to join them at home. They went to bring them to their land. The elders agreed to host them in their homes rather than building another camp with tents. Families divided among themselves the IDPs who had come. It was a time of joy and many shed tears of joy. It was a great reunion among the themselves.
There was a man who owned a school and an orphanage which were both destroyed badly by the villagers out of anger from the post-election violence. It is sad when you look at what used to be a home now looking like a ruin or which has been hit by a tornado. The old man, called Muchemi, talked with tears in his eyes, that he does not count what he lost in the violence, but he is happy that his old friends have welcomed them back.
When the high powered government officials arrived, it was around 5.00 pm and the people had been waiting for them patiently since 8.00 am in the morning. They came, talked briefly and left in a hurry, but we continued with our program of the receiving community taking them to their good neighbors. It was joy as they embraced each other. I felt tears in my eyes after seeing the old man Muchemi who lost 600 bags of maize [corn], 500 bags of dried coffee ready for export, a school and an orphanage for the destitute children from the area. He was very brave when he extended an olive branch to those who did the demonic act. He asked to be forgiven if ever he annoyed anybody, and many others followed.
The work of the FCPT is very much evident on the ground and both the IDPs and the elders talked as if nothing had ever happened. The community of the Kalejin and the Kikuyus have appreciated the work FCPT has done and is still committed to work with them in resettlement and organizing more peace activities for the youth. Please continue to pray that the peace we have witnessed today 25th July may remain forever.
God's blessing to all of you.
--
John Muhanji
Director, Africa Ministries Office
P. O. Box 478, Kisumu. Kenya
Here is the latest report from John Muhanji, Director of African Ministries of Friends United Meeting, on the return of the internally displaced people to Sugoi. Here is what John said about the first attempt on June 19-- "But hell broke loose when they took the other IDPs to Sugoi from Eldoret show ground. The D.O. [District Officer] called me today and wished that I was with him. They were almost being killed by the community people who never wanted to see them back."
Peace,
Dave
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Dear Friends,
God is and has always been faithful to us in our ministry. We have continued to experience his miracles all the time since we started the peace mission in Kenya. In our smallness and humbleness we have seen mountain moving and deep valleys being leveled.
I traveled to Nairobi on Saturday 21st so that I could attend a visa interview at the USA Embassy on Monday 23rd. Before I traveled in the evening, I attended a very successful prayer meeting for all the USFW Kenya [United Society of Friends Women--Kenya] women held at Mbale Friends High School. This was a meeting that gave me hope and strength after weeks of exhaustion. I felt filled with fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit. We had a prayer meeting for peace where I gave them the problem that we had in Sugoi in Eldoret. We had women drawn from all the 15 yearly meetings in Kenya in attendance just for a one day prayers for peace in Kenya and Africa. Dorothy Selebwa the Clerk of USFW Kenya presided over the prayer meeting and led all women in praying for the Friends Church Peace Team of which she is a member. After a very successful prayer meeting at Mbale School, which was attended by over 1,300 women, I traveled to Kisumu to connect to Nairobi.
I went to the American embassy on Monday 23rd morning for the visa interview and was given the visa. I am now sure I will travel to the FUM Triennial this year [in July in North Carolina]. While in Nairobi on Tuesday 24th, I was called on the phone by the District Officer, Turbo Division, that they would like to resettle back the IDPs from Sugoi on Wednesday 25th and senior government officials would be in attendance. I informed Joseph Mamai [Chairman of Friends Church Peace Teams] to contact other members of FCPT to be present in Sugoi. I traveled from Nairobi on Wednesday morning 25th to Kisumu, then Eldoret/Sugoi.
Friends, I would like to report that the prayers that were offered on Saturday were truly answered and I thought it was a dream I was imagining. The elders of Sugoi had met after the ugly incident that happened on Thursday 19th where the IDPs were chased away. These elders rebuked themselves and vowed never to repeat such an action in their lives with their neighbors. The Kalenjin community elders went to the camp [at Eldoret showgrounds] and asked their neighbors to join them at home. They went to bring them to their land. The elders agreed to host them in their homes rather than building another camp with tents. Families divided among themselves the IDPs who had come. It was a time of joy and many shed tears of joy. It was a great reunion among the themselves.
There was a man who owned a school and an orphanage which were both destroyed badly by the villagers out of anger from the post-election violence. It is sad when you look at what used to be a home now looking like a ruin or which has been hit by a tornado. The old man, called Muchemi, talked with tears in his eyes, that he does not count what he lost in the violence, but he is happy that his old friends have welcomed them back.
When the high powered government officials arrived, it was around 5.00 pm and the people had been waiting for them patiently since 8.00 am in the morning. They came, talked briefly and left in a hurry, but we continued with our program of the receiving community taking them to their good neighbors. It was joy as they embraced each other. I felt tears in my eyes after seeing the old man Muchemi who lost 600 bags of maize [corn], 500 bags of dried coffee ready for export, a school and an orphanage for the destitute children from the area. He was very brave when he extended an olive branch to those who did the demonic act. He asked to be forgiven if ever he annoyed anybody, and many others followed.
The work of the FCPT is very much evident on the ground and both the IDPs and the elders talked as if nothing had ever happened. The community of the Kalejin and the Kikuyus have appreciated the work FCPT has done and is still committed to work with them in resettlement and organizing more peace activities for the youth. Please continue to pray that the peace we have witnessed today 25th July may remain forever.
God's blessing to all of you.
--
John Muhanji
Director, Africa Ministries Office
P. O. Box 478, Kisumu. Kenya
Monday, June 23, 2008
June 21, Rpt.#55, John Muhanji
Dear All,
Here is the next report from John Muhanji, the Director of Friends United Meetings' African Ministries. A few days ago I sent you a report of the successful return at Mili Nne. Here is a report of another successful return at Jua Kali and then a significant failure at Sugoi. I'll keep you posted on developments as they occur. Again I have edited this slightly so that you can understand the story better.
Peace,
Dave
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Dear Friends,
After a very successful resettlement of IDPs on Monday and Tuesday of 16th and 17th, there was a more than successful resettlement of IDPs at Jua Kali in an area which was very bad when we visited them.
The District Commission (DC) and Joshua Lilande called me and told me how the plan they had put in place was unnecessary when the receiving community took them to their houses rather than camping in their neighborhood waiting to rebuild their burnt houses. There was reconciliation sprit in the air as their neighbors received them with joy.
When the Friends Church Peace Team (FCPT) visited the Jua Kali receiving community to listen to them, they were very hostile to them and never wanted to see the Kikuyus back in the area at all. But as they continued to listen to the team they soften although they remain adamant about not receiving them, but when we visited the area with the District Office (DO) they were willing to accept them back. Therefore, on Thursday when Lilande and the DO took the internally displaced people (IDPs) to their place, the community accepted them with jubilation. This was the opposite of what we experienced earlier when we were listening to them. The good news is that the gospel of peace and reconciliation is in the air propagated by the Friends Church.
But hell broke loose when they took the other IDPs to Sugoi from Eldoret Show Ground. Sugoi had been one of the most hostile communities when the FCPT held a listening session with them. The DO called me today and wished that I had been with him. They were almost killed by the community people who never wanted to see the returning community coming back. They asked me if I was available to accompany him but I was not available. He told me the community need the Friends Church Peace Team to be back in the area. The DO had to re-route the returnees to Turbo camp where other IDPs are. But on reaching there, the IDPs at Turbo did not want to accommodate their friends at all. The DO had to return them back to the Eldoret Show Ground for safety. The DO was very frustrated to the point that the DC ran away and never came closer to help the DO. He has organized a meeting with elders and opinion leaders in the area to talk with the them and hear what they need before the IDPs can return to their farms.
The community is asking the government to release the youth who were arrested during the violence and especially those who were demonstrating against the rigged election. He is asking me and the Peace Team to be available with him to listen and encourage them to accept their brothers who are innocent return back. Please I am appealing for prayers, because the DO sounded scared because he said they petrol bombed them but nobody was hurt. The community is very hostile to the Kikuyus coming back. As we celebrate the successes, there are also challenges in the whole process.
I am encouraged by the following. So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time. There are many things that work to keep us from completing our life-missions. Over the years, I've debated whether the worst enemy is procrastination or discouragement. If Satan can't get us to put off our life missions, then he'll try to get us to quit altogether. The apostle Paul teaches that we need to resist discouragement: "So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up ." (Galatians 6:9). I believe God has a purpose for our ministry here in Kenya. I am still thinking whether to join the DO tomorrow Saturday with the elders or to send others.
Please pray with me.
John
Here is the next report from John Muhanji, the Director of Friends United Meetings' African Ministries. A few days ago I sent you a report of the successful return at Mili Nne. Here is a report of another successful return at Jua Kali and then a significant failure at Sugoi. I'll keep you posted on developments as they occur. Again I have edited this slightly so that you can understand the story better.
Peace,
Dave
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Dear Friends,
After a very successful resettlement of IDPs on Monday and Tuesday of 16th and 17th, there was a more than successful resettlement of IDPs at Jua Kali in an area which was very bad when we visited them.
The District Commission (DC) and Joshua Lilande called me and told me how the plan they had put in place was unnecessary when the receiving community took them to their houses rather than camping in their neighborhood waiting to rebuild their burnt houses. There was reconciliation sprit in the air as their neighbors received them with joy.
When the Friends Church Peace Team (FCPT) visited the Jua Kali receiving community to listen to them, they were very hostile to them and never wanted to see the Kikuyus back in the area at all. But as they continued to listen to the team they soften although they remain adamant about not receiving them, but when we visited the area with the District Office (DO) they were willing to accept them back. Therefore, on Thursday when Lilande and the DO took the internally displaced people (IDPs) to their place, the community accepted them with jubilation. This was the opposite of what we experienced earlier when we were listening to them. The good news is that the gospel of peace and reconciliation is in the air propagated by the Friends Church.
But hell broke loose when they took the other IDPs to Sugoi from Eldoret Show Ground. Sugoi had been one of the most hostile communities when the FCPT held a listening session with them. The DO called me today and wished that I had been with him. They were almost killed by the community people who never wanted to see the returning community coming back. They asked me if I was available to accompany him but I was not available. He told me the community need the Friends Church Peace Team to be back in the area. The DO had to re-route the returnees to Turbo camp where other IDPs are. But on reaching there, the IDPs at Turbo did not want to accommodate their friends at all. The DO had to return them back to the Eldoret Show Ground for safety. The DO was very frustrated to the point that the DC ran away and never came closer to help the DO. He has organized a meeting with elders and opinion leaders in the area to talk with the them and hear what they need before the IDPs can return to their farms.
The community is asking the government to release the youth who were arrested during the violence and especially those who were demonstrating against the rigged election. He is asking me and the Peace Team to be available with him to listen and encourage them to accept their brothers who are innocent return back. Please I am appealing for prayers, because the DO sounded scared because he said they petrol bombed them but nobody was hurt. The community is very hostile to the Kikuyus coming back. As we celebrate the successes, there are also challenges in the whole process.
I am encouraged by the following. So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time. There are many things that work to keep us from completing our life-missions. Over the years, I've debated whether the worst enemy is procrastination or discouragement. If Satan can't get us to put off our life missions, then he'll try to get us to quit altogether. The apostle Paul teaches that we need to resist discouragement: "So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up ." (Galatians 6:9). I believe God has a purpose for our ministry here in Kenya. I am still thinking whether to join the DO tomorrow Saturday with the elders or to send others.
Please pray with me.
John
June 18, Rpt. #54, John Muhanji
Dear All,
I am in the United States, but I received this update from John Muhanji, Director of African Ministries for Friends United Meeting (FUM). He is based in Kisumu, in western Kenya. I have edited and shortened his report a little, but as usual without changing the content and message.
Peace,
Dave
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Dear Friends,
After have a very successful mission to Uganda [for Friends United Meeting--FUM], I received a telephone call from the [Turbo] District Commissioner (DC) at mid-night on Sunday asking me to join them get the IDPs from the Eldoret show ground to their homes. The DC told me that he had been to the camp and the IDPs were hostile to him because he has not been with them at all. The IDPs told the DC the only people they know who have been very helpful in ensuring that they resettle to their homes are the District Officer (DO) and the Friends Church. He was given my number by the DO and the IDPs would like to meet me from the Friends church and the DO on Monday morning. I was very tired and I needed a rest after a long week full of activities. I tried to give excuses not to go or sent someone else, but the DC said, "You have done a lot for these people and I believe you are the only person who could make this day a success. I accepted reluctantly but at the same time I asked God to give me energy and wisdom on how to deal with the situation.
I left very early in the morning on Monday 16th for Eldoret show grounds. I met the DO and DC waiting for me. We went to the camp and met with the people and when I talked and prayed for them, they willingly went and started pulling down their tents ready to leave to their new station closer to their houses which had been destroyed. Lorries (trucks) were provided which carried them to the place. As they were pulling down their tents, we went to see the place where they were relocating. We found that there were no rest rooms and water nearby for the people as they move there. At this time the DC had left us with the DO. We called the DC and asked him to provide funds for the toilets and water, but he never came to us again.
Time was moving and nothing was taking place, I felt frustrated and I called Eden [Eden Grace from FUM's Kisumu office] and asked her to send me Kshs.40,000 [$667] to use for the process. Eden responded very fast, and I started rolling things in action. The toilets were put in place, water was also connected after buying pipes that pulled water which was 200 meters from the location. I also provided food to those people who worked on it. I also enable the connection of electricity from a nearby hospital which provided light for security. got a wire that was also 200 metres and its accessories. I t was as if I had calculated the exact amount that was required for the work available. I left the camp at 8.45 PM when the camp was having water, rest rooms and lights in a very short time. The IDPs and the DO felt encouraged and supported and the people felt that indeed the Friends Church is a true peace church that cares for the people. They commented that we have been very helpful in the process and they have seen that we are the only church that has not taken the process for granted but as a duty. They saw integrity in us and wished this church could stay with them all the time. I also used the same money to buy fuel for a government vehicle the DO was using when it ran out of fuel and were using it to carry logs and other things. They could not get the money from the DC to do anything. I felt encouraged and energised to see that we could offer a new life of hope to people who have been feeling hopeless.
I slept in Eldoret unexpected because I came knowing that I will be going back to Kisumu. The following day we went to the show ground to see those IDPs from the same place who had remained. As I arrived in the camp and went round the makeshift tents, all those who had remained came out and started pulling down their tents in readiness to join their counterparts who had left the previous day. Since everything was already in place I blessed them and asked them to move in peace to the new place. At this time I was needed for another meeting in Kisumu at 2.00pm. I left Eldoret at 11.45am and I was in Kisumu for the other meeting.
The program which the Friends Church Peace team has been doing has caused a big impact to both the communities of the Kalenjin and Kikuyus. These communities had no clue before that the Friends Church had such values in peace and reconciliation. The DO continued to say, "If it was not the Friends Church which I have hidden in their wings, I would not have penetrated or made any progress in resettlement of the IDPs."
Friends, your prayers and support has been seen and heard and we encourage that we continue with the same spirit of support. There is a lot of responsibilities remaining to ensure that we continue with bonding relationship activities between the communities. The resettlement continues this week and next week.
God bless you friends.
John Muhanji
Director, Africa Ministries Office
I am in the United States, but I received this update from John Muhanji, Director of African Ministries for Friends United Meeting (FUM). He is based in Kisumu, in western Kenya. I have edited and shortened his report a little, but as usual without changing the content and message.
Peace,
Dave
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Dear Friends,
After have a very successful mission to Uganda [for Friends United Meeting--FUM], I received a telephone call from the [Turbo] District Commissioner (DC) at mid-night on Sunday asking me to join them get the IDPs from the Eldoret show ground to their homes. The DC told me that he had been to the camp and the IDPs were hostile to him because he has not been with them at all. The IDPs told the DC the only people they know who have been very helpful in ensuring that they resettle to their homes are the District Officer (DO) and the Friends Church. He was given my number by the DO and the IDPs would like to meet me from the Friends church and the DO on Monday morning. I was very tired and I needed a rest after a long week full of activities. I tried to give excuses not to go or sent someone else, but the DC said, "You have done a lot for these people and I believe you are the only person who could make this day a success. I accepted reluctantly but at the same time I asked God to give me energy and wisdom on how to deal with the situation.
I left very early in the morning on Monday 16th for Eldoret show grounds. I met the DO and DC waiting for me. We went to the camp and met with the people and when I talked and prayed for them, they willingly went and started pulling down their tents ready to leave to their new station closer to their houses which had been destroyed. Lorries (trucks) were provided which carried them to the place. As they were pulling down their tents, we went to see the place where they were relocating. We found that there were no rest rooms and water nearby for the people as they move there. At this time the DC had left us with the DO. We called the DC and asked him to provide funds for the toilets and water, but he never came to us again.
Time was moving and nothing was taking place, I felt frustrated and I called Eden [Eden Grace from FUM's Kisumu office] and asked her to send me Kshs.40,000 [$667] to use for the process. Eden responded very fast, and I started rolling things in action. The toilets were put in place, water was also connected after buying pipes that pulled water which was 200 meters from the location. I also provided food to those people who worked on it. I also enable the connection of electricity from a nearby hospital which provided light for security. got a wire that was also 200 metres and its accessories. I t was as if I had calculated the exact amount that was required for the work available. I left the camp at 8.45 PM when the camp was having water, rest rooms and lights in a very short time. The IDPs and the DO felt encouraged and supported and the people felt that indeed the Friends Church is a true peace church that cares for the people. They commented that we have been very helpful in the process and they have seen that we are the only church that has not taken the process for granted but as a duty. They saw integrity in us and wished this church could stay with them all the time. I also used the same money to buy fuel for a government vehicle the DO was using when it ran out of fuel and were using it to carry logs and other things. They could not get the money from the DC to do anything. I felt encouraged and energised to see that we could offer a new life of hope to people who have been feeling hopeless.
I slept in Eldoret unexpected because I came knowing that I will be going back to Kisumu. The following day we went to the show ground to see those IDPs from the same place who had remained. As I arrived in the camp and went round the makeshift tents, all those who had remained came out and started pulling down their tents in readiness to join their counterparts who had left the previous day. Since everything was already in place I blessed them and asked them to move in peace to the new place. At this time I was needed for another meeting in Kisumu at 2.00pm. I left Eldoret at 11.45am and I was in Kisumu for the other meeting.
The program which the Friends Church Peace team has been doing has caused a big impact to both the communities of the Kalenjin and Kikuyus. These communities had no clue before that the Friends Church had such values in peace and reconciliation. The DO continued to say, "If it was not the Friends Church which I have hidden in their wings, I would not have penetrated or made any progress in resettlement of the IDPs."
Friends, your prayers and support has been seen and heard and we encourage that we continue with the same spirit of support. There is a lot of responsibilities remaining to ensure that we continue with bonding relationship activities between the communities. The resettlement continues this week and next week.
God bless you friends.
John Muhanji
Director, Africa Ministries Office
June 13, Rpt #53, David Zarembka
Dear All,
Last Sunday was the day for the Kikuyu from the Turbo IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camp to come to Lumakanda Friends Church. About 60 people came from the camp including 13 pastors of various denominations. With about the equivalent number of local people the church was quite full and the energy level was much higher than usual.
After the service some of the pastors wanted to meet with the people from the church. After the usual "thank-yous," they indicated that they wanted Friends' help in returning to their communities. The Government is planning on disbanding the Turbo camp and returning people to their homes. This may be done by setting up mini-camps in the various communities as the people rebuild their houses. The pastors stated that they didn't want to return with the guns of the police and army, but would prefer that the Friends escort them back without weapons and uniforms. As a pacifist I was very encouraged by this realization and request. Since the Friends Church Peace Team was already planning on doing this, I told them that I would bring it forward in the next meeting (which was scheduled for the next day).
On Monday five members of the Friends Church Peace Team (FCPT), who had been asked by the local District Officer in Mili Nne (near Eldoret) to accompany the returnees back to their homes, went to Eldoret for that purpose. Alas, this did not take place because the Red Cross said that a month's supply of food would be distributed to the IDP's on Wednesday and that they should wait to receive the distribution first and then return to Eldoret on Thursday. We appointed a team to return on Thursday, but I have not heard any report of what happened.
Success leads to new issues. At the church service in Lumakanda Church, one of the IDP pastors announced that five people from the IDP camp had applied to Friends Theological College as students for the next school year and that they would be interviewed in the coming week. Friends Theological College now has course work on Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution. We also just did an AVP Training for Facilitators workshop for fifteen students from the College and hope that they will soon be conducting AVP workshops in Friends Churches. But the more difficult issue was the offer of two acres in Sugoi to build a Friends Church. We discussed this at length at the FCPT's counselors training at Lubao on Monday and Tuesday. The Peace Team is supposed to be neutral and if we planted the church in Sugoi, it would look like we were evangelizing instead of doing reconciliation. Note that at Takatifu Gardens, where we have been doing a lot of AVP workshops, the local Catholic priest was bringing 20 people for an AVP workshop but cancelled it instead because he thought that we were trying to convert their people to Quakerism. If people feel this way then the Peace Team would lose its credibility. After much discussion it was determined that Lugari Yearly Meeting (which included the area of Sugoi) would work on the development of this church, while the FCPT would continue with its reconciliation work.
Alas tomorrow Gladys and I will be leaving Lumakanda on our way to the United States. Our first speaking engagement will be in Nairobi where we will speak at Friends International Centre, Ngong Road, about the reconciliation work here in western Kenya. Here is our speaking schedule while in the US:
June 17-Blueberry Hill, Northern Virginia
June 19-Loyola University, Chicago
June 25-Sacramento Friends Meeting/Friends Church joint presentation in the evening
June 26-Santa Rosa Friends House
June 27-Berkeley Friends Church or International House
June 28-Palo Alto Friends Meeting
June 29-San Francisco Temple United Methodist Church, session with AVP trainers
June 30-Grass Valley Friends Meeting
July 1-Davis Friends Meeting
July 2-San Francisco Friends Meeting
July 8-Richmond (VA) Friends Meeting
July 9 to 13-Friends United Meeting
If you would like details of any event, please email me.
We will return via Burundi, Rwanda, and North Kivu (Congo) where we will see the AGLI programs and the results of this summer's AGLI workcamps. I'll send you reports from these countries when I get a chance, but I can only send you reports about Kenya if I receive information from Kenya while I am away. In one sense I am sorry that I am leaving since there are likely to be many developments in reconciliation while we are away. We will also continue holding many AVP workshops with youth, including a number in the Lugari area connected with the people returning from the IDP camp, and we will start the first practice Healing and Rebuilding Our Community (HROC) workshops with two lead facilitators from Rwanda.
Peace,
Dave
Last Sunday was the day for the Kikuyu from the Turbo IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camp to come to Lumakanda Friends Church. About 60 people came from the camp including 13 pastors of various denominations. With about the equivalent number of local people the church was quite full and the energy level was much higher than usual.
After the service some of the pastors wanted to meet with the people from the church. After the usual "thank-yous," they indicated that they wanted Friends' help in returning to their communities. The Government is planning on disbanding the Turbo camp and returning people to their homes. This may be done by setting up mini-camps in the various communities as the people rebuild their houses. The pastors stated that they didn't want to return with the guns of the police and army, but would prefer that the Friends escort them back without weapons and uniforms. As a pacifist I was very encouraged by this realization and request. Since the Friends Church Peace Team was already planning on doing this, I told them that I would bring it forward in the next meeting (which was scheduled for the next day).
On Monday five members of the Friends Church Peace Team (FCPT), who had been asked by the local District Officer in Mili Nne (near Eldoret) to accompany the returnees back to their homes, went to Eldoret for that purpose. Alas, this did not take place because the Red Cross said that a month's supply of food would be distributed to the IDP's on Wednesday and that they should wait to receive the distribution first and then return to Eldoret on Thursday. We appointed a team to return on Thursday, but I have not heard any report of what happened.
Success leads to new issues. At the church service in Lumakanda Church, one of the IDP pastors announced that five people from the IDP camp had applied to Friends Theological College as students for the next school year and that they would be interviewed in the coming week. Friends Theological College now has course work on Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution. We also just did an AVP Training for Facilitators workshop for fifteen students from the College and hope that they will soon be conducting AVP workshops in Friends Churches. But the more difficult issue was the offer of two acres in Sugoi to build a Friends Church. We discussed this at length at the FCPT's counselors training at Lubao on Monday and Tuesday. The Peace Team is supposed to be neutral and if we planted the church in Sugoi, it would look like we were evangelizing instead of doing reconciliation. Note that at Takatifu Gardens, where we have been doing a lot of AVP workshops, the local Catholic priest was bringing 20 people for an AVP workshop but cancelled it instead because he thought that we were trying to convert their people to Quakerism. If people feel this way then the Peace Team would lose its credibility. After much discussion it was determined that Lugari Yearly Meeting (which included the area of Sugoi) would work on the development of this church, while the FCPT would continue with its reconciliation work.
Alas tomorrow Gladys and I will be leaving Lumakanda on our way to the United States. Our first speaking engagement will be in Nairobi where we will speak at Friends International Centre, Ngong Road, about the reconciliation work here in western Kenya. Here is our speaking schedule while in the US:
June 17-Blueberry Hill, Northern Virginia
June 19-Loyola University, Chicago
June 25-Sacramento Friends Meeting/Friends Church joint presentation in the evening
June 26-Santa Rosa Friends House
June 27-Berkeley Friends Church or International House
June 28-Palo Alto Friends Meeting
June 29-San Francisco Temple United Methodist Church, session with AVP trainers
June 30-Grass Valley Friends Meeting
July 1-Davis Friends Meeting
July 2-San Francisco Friends Meeting
July 8-Richmond (VA) Friends Meeting
July 9 to 13-Friends United Meeting
If you would like details of any event, please email me.
We will return via Burundi, Rwanda, and North Kivu (Congo) where we will see the AGLI programs and the results of this summer's AGLI workcamps. I'll send you reports from these countries when I get a chance, but I can only send you reports about Kenya if I receive information from Kenya while I am away. In one sense I am sorry that I am leaving since there are likely to be many developments in reconciliation while we are away. We will also continue holding many AVP workshops with youth, including a number in the Lugari area connected with the people returning from the IDP camp, and we will start the first practice Healing and Rebuilding Our Community (HROC) workshops with two lead facilitators from Rwanda.
Peace,
Dave
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
June 5, Rept. 52, David Zarembka, Obama's candidacy
Dear All,
The newspaper gets to Lumakanda town about 9:00 AM, so at 10:00 AM I went to get my daily paper. It was sold out! Why? OBAMA. Everyone wanted to read about his success as the Democratic candidate for US president. In Kenya, as far as I know in all the cultures, descent is through the father. Therefore Kenyans consider Obama a Kenyan regardless of the fact that he has visited Kenya only a few times and hardly knew his father. I heard that in Siaya, where his father came from, there was a big celebration on his victory yesterday.
I was impressed by Obama's last visit to Kenya in 2006. When he was in Kisumu, in front of everyone, he had himself and Michelle tested for HIV/AIDS. When I asked why Kenyan politicians didn't join him, I was told, "They are afraid that they are HIV positive." People in Kenya don't want to be tested because they don't want to know their status--an interesting stance psychologically. So I was impressed.
In the paper today (I had to read it on-line) one columnist noted that the elation over Obama's victory is so great that you would think he was running for president of Kenya or even all of Africa.
Peace,
Dave
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
The newspaper gets to Lumakanda town about 9:00 AM, so at 10:00 AM I went to get my daily paper. It was sold out! Why? OBAMA. Everyone wanted to read about his success as the Democratic candidate for US president. In Kenya, as far as I know in all the cultures, descent is through the father. Therefore Kenyans consider Obama a Kenyan regardless of the fact that he has visited Kenya only a few times and hardly knew his father. I heard that in Siaya, where his father came from, there was a big celebration on his victory yesterday.
I was impressed by Obama's last visit to Kenya in 2006. When he was in Kisumu, in front of everyone, he had himself and Michelle tested for HIV/AIDS. When I asked why Kenyan politicians didn't join him, I was told, "They are afraid that they are HIV positive." People in Kenya don't want to be tested because they don't want to know their status--an interesting stance psychologically. So I was impressed.
In the paper today (I had to read it on-line) one columnist noted that the elation over Obama's victory is so great that you would think he was running for president of Kenya or even all of Africa.
Peace,
Dave
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
June 1, Rept 51, David Zarembka, Hard job!
----- Original Message -----
From: David Zarembka
Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2008 4:09 AM
Subject: AGLI--Report from Kenya--June 1, 2008
Dear All,
I hope you are interested in finding out what happened to the listening sessions that the Friends Church Peace Team (FCPT) counselors have been doing for the last two weeks in the local receiving communities.
To remind you, for seven week days the FCPT counselors went to seven different locations (local communities) with the Nandi (a Kalinjin group) on the Uasin Gishu (Rift Valley province) side of the main road. Then we were going to do one listening session and an ecumenical service the next day on the Lugari side of the main road.
How did these go? The visits varied. One was cancelled because the President was visiting Eldoret and it was inappropriate to have a meeting with him so close by. Another one succeeded past our expectations. Mili Nne (Four Miles--meaning it is four miles from Eldoret) was extremely successful. The people were willing to receive the internally displaced people (IDP) who were at the Eldoret showground. The team there escorted the local District Officer and Chief to the IDP camp to talk to the people there about returning -- this is the first time since January that these officials had gone to the IDP camp in Eldoret to visit the IDP's who came from their community.
At the two worst -- Kipkarren River and Sugoi -- the people said that if the Kikuyu returned they would kill them.
The Sugoi people had an interesting story. Sugoi is the home town of William Ruto, the leader of the Kalinjins in Parliament, and one of the main members of the ODM opposition. His house was about half a mile from where the meeting was held. One older woman got up and said that on December 30 when the violence escalated, two of her sons armed themselves to go out and hunt the local Kikuyu (kill them?). She barred the door and, crying, told them not to do this. She called some elders and together they decided to rescue and hide the 15 Kikuyu in their community. This they did for three nights moving them from place to place. Then they became afraid that they would be discovered and so they escorted the Kikuyu to the IDP camp at the Turbo police station. They said that they had helped out the Kikuyu, but if they returned, this time they would kill them! My thought: everything is a shade of grey.
Yet in Sugoi, and also at another place called Kapsabey, the people asked FCPT to come and hold peace seminars! At Kapsabey the people said that no other church had done anything like what the Friends were doing, asked them to build a church in the community, and offered two acres of land for the church! The team members said that they would tell the church leaders (Lugari Yearly Meeting) and they would have to come another time to discuss the idea of building a church there.
Even at Kipkarren River, in the end the people decided to form a committee of ten elders (men), ten women, and ten youth to discuss on these matters. They met without FCPT for the first time last Thursday, but at present no one has a report of what happened.
At a place called Jua Kali ("Hot Sun" for a place were workers manufacture things in small scale enterprises) the people asked for a joint meeting with the IDP's. This was arranged for the following Thursday. Unfortunately this did not go very well. The local people gave all their complaints to the Kikuyu, but when the Kikuyu spokesman began to respond, the crowd began to leave, interrupted him, and shouted him down. The next day I talked to George Njoroge, the Turbo IDP camp leader who had been the speaker, and he was very upset, indicating that reconciliation and return was a long way off.
The other three listening sessions were in-between. In each of them there was a lot of hostile talk. Yet on the other hand, in every case even the most bitter were pleased that someone (Friends Church Peace Teams) had come to listen to them. There were a few negative comments--at one meeting someone (the son of a Quaker) said that the FCPT was bad because we were being sent by the Government to trick the people into receiving the Kikuyus back. At Kipkarren River I understand there was a sign which said, "Peace Team don't come back." In another case we were challenged why we didn't bring any Kikuyu with us.
On the Lugari side of the border (where most people, like the Friends, are Luhya), the meeting was also quite hostile. The listening session was at a place called Mbagara, the most hard-hit interior part of Lugari District. In this case I understand 5 Kikuyu were killed by the community and at least 9 youth from the community were killed by the police. The people attacked the Kikuyu and carried off their maize (corn). A few days later some of the Kikuyu returned with the police, pointed out where they suspected their stolen maize to be hidden, and the police then confiscated all the maize--stolen or otherwise--so that now the people in the area are short of food.
The hostility from all of this was clearly expressed in the listening session and most people did not want to welcome the return of the IDP's. This was attended by 13 members of FCPT including Gladys and myself and perhaps 40 leaders of the community including many pastors. Most of the speakers were not the pastors. The most sensible representation was from the youth leader of an organization (I think promoted by Florence Machayo, a leading Quaker politician in Lugari District) called "Youth Forum for Peace and Justice." Among other things, he said, it was the older men unable to carry the bags of maize that gave money and alcohol to the youth to steal the maize for them and carry it to their storerooms. Therefore the youth should not be blamed. The ecumenical service the next day was attended by many more people. It really didn't end up being much of a "service," but rather another listening session.
Here are some of the kinds of comments heard at various of the listening sessions. Remember you are "listening" and not judging.
1. "Good" Kikuyu will be allowed to return, but the bad ones can't. "We will tell the District Office which are the bad ones who can't return."
2. The Kikuyu can't return because we have their cooking pot and if they return they will ask for it back. Another said that he had taken the door, windows, and iron sheets (roofing) from a Kikuyu house and if they returned, "They will point at my door and want it back."
3. Kikuyu have long tongues and they should cut their tongues to be short. ("Long tongue" means that they talk rudely to others).
4. One quoted a passage from Acts (sorry, but I can't remember the chapter and verse) which indicates that this land is ours and others should not come into our land. There were other examples where participants quoted passages in the Bible to justify their expulsion of the Kikuyu. For example, the Jews were 400 years in Egypt before they left so the Kikuyu have only been around for 40 years before they left.
5. Kikuyu who had title deeds to land would be allowed to return but the "squatters" (those who have no land and therefore have to do petty trading or work as day labors for others to earn income) would not be allowed back. Note that this contradicts the concept that the Kikuyu are all rich from being good businessmen.
6. I heard one man describe how three of his nephews had been beaten or killed by the Kikuyu in Naivasha and Nakuru. When families are as big as they are in Kenya--particularly in the days before 1980 when Kenya had one of the highest birth rates in the world--everyone has hundreds of close relatives (siblings, parents, cousins, etc) and thousands of distant relatives (2nd, 3rd, and 4th cousins which in Africa are still all considered "cousins"). Therefore when one person is displaced, beaten, or killed, thousands of relatives know this story and take it personally.
7. Many complained that the Government gave aid to the displaced people but not to the local people who were also affected by the violence.
Yesterday we had a debriefing session at Friends Peace Centre-Lubao. After we covered the material above (and much more), we assessed how we did. Here is what we said:
1. We succeeded because in every case people were willing to talk to us even if they were somewhat cautious at the beginning. We went out to listen and that is what we did.
2. While we had hoped that this would lead to acceptance of the returning community, this was not the goal of the listening session. The fact that in one case the receiving community was willing to bring back the returnees was an extra success.
3. Even though those who were most bitter and said that they would not accept (or would even kill) the Kikuyu if they returned, our listening was not in vain since they were expressing their feelings and this in itself is a step towards healing and reconciliation.
4. As I noted above, the Friends Church and its FCPT was received with gratitude even in the cases that we felt were most negative.
5. The requests for a meeting with the IDP's at Jua Kali, the two communities who requested peace seminars, the committee formed in Kipkarren River, and the escorting of the local government officials in Mili Nne to the IDP's in Eldoret were all resounding successes.
Is the task finished? Obviously not, as it really is only beginning.
In the way forward, the Friends Church Peace Teams counseling committee has decided on the following activities: We will
(1) write a report (as requested at many of the sites where we listened) of what we learned, for the Government, NGO's and others,
(2) develop the peace seminars for the two communities that asked for them,
(3) be ready to accompany the returnees if and when they have to return to their communities--whether this return is voluntary or forced by the government,
(4) prepare the Kikuyu for dialogue with the receiving communities,
(5) conduct another Bible session in the Turbo IDP camp for children, youth, and adults,
(6) do AVP with the youth at Mbagara,
(7) develop sport activities for the youth in the various communities,
(8) with the help of the local government officials, promote dialogue between the two communities, and
(9) easiest of all, buy a portable bullhorn!
On June 9 and 10 we will have another training session at Lubao focusing on how we can skillfully implement these activities.
Please keep the Friends Church Peace Team, the returning communities, and the receiving communities in your thoughts and prayers.
Peace,
Dave
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
From: David Zarembka
Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2008 4:09 AM
Subject: AGLI--Report from Kenya--June 1, 2008
Dear All,
I hope you are interested in finding out what happened to the listening sessions that the Friends Church Peace Team (FCPT) counselors have been doing for the last two weeks in the local receiving communities.
To remind you, for seven week days the FCPT counselors went to seven different locations (local communities) with the Nandi (a Kalinjin group) on the Uasin Gishu (Rift Valley province) side of the main road. Then we were going to do one listening session and an ecumenical service the next day on the Lugari side of the main road.
How did these go? The visits varied. One was cancelled because the President was visiting Eldoret and it was inappropriate to have a meeting with him so close by. Another one succeeded past our expectations. Mili Nne (Four Miles--meaning it is four miles from Eldoret) was extremely successful. The people were willing to receive the internally displaced people (IDP) who were at the Eldoret showground. The team there escorted the local District Officer and Chief to the IDP camp to talk to the people there about returning -- this is the first time since January that these officials had gone to the IDP camp in Eldoret to visit the IDP's who came from their community.
At the two worst -- Kipkarren River and Sugoi -- the people said that if the Kikuyu returned they would kill them.
The Sugoi people had an interesting story. Sugoi is the home town of William Ruto, the leader of the Kalinjins in Parliament, and one of the main members of the ODM opposition. His house was about half a mile from where the meeting was held. One older woman got up and said that on December 30 when the violence escalated, two of her sons armed themselves to go out and hunt the local Kikuyu (kill them?). She barred the door and, crying, told them not to do this. She called some elders and together they decided to rescue and hide the 15 Kikuyu in their community. This they did for three nights moving them from place to place. Then they became afraid that they would be discovered and so they escorted the Kikuyu to the IDP camp at the Turbo police station. They said that they had helped out the Kikuyu, but if they returned, this time they would kill them! My thought: everything is a shade of grey.
Yet in Sugoi, and also at another place called Kapsabey, the people asked FCPT to come and hold peace seminars! At Kapsabey the people said that no other church had done anything like what the Friends were doing, asked them to build a church in the community, and offered two acres of land for the church! The team members said that they would tell the church leaders (Lugari Yearly Meeting) and they would have to come another time to discuss the idea of building a church there.
Even at Kipkarren River, in the end the people decided to form a committee of ten elders (men), ten women, and ten youth to discuss on these matters. They met without FCPT for the first time last Thursday, but at present no one has a report of what happened.
At a place called Jua Kali ("Hot Sun" for a place were workers manufacture things in small scale enterprises) the people asked for a joint meeting with the IDP's. This was arranged for the following Thursday. Unfortunately this did not go very well. The local people gave all their complaints to the Kikuyu, but when the Kikuyu spokesman began to respond, the crowd began to leave, interrupted him, and shouted him down. The next day I talked to George Njoroge, the Turbo IDP camp leader who had been the speaker, and he was very upset, indicating that reconciliation and return was a long way off.
The other three listening sessions were in-between. In each of them there was a lot of hostile talk. Yet on the other hand, in every case even the most bitter were pleased that someone (Friends Church Peace Teams) had come to listen to them. There were a few negative comments--at one meeting someone (the son of a Quaker) said that the FCPT was bad because we were being sent by the Government to trick the people into receiving the Kikuyus back. At Kipkarren River I understand there was a sign which said, "Peace Team don't come back." In another case we were challenged why we didn't bring any Kikuyu with us.
On the Lugari side of the border (where most people, like the Friends, are Luhya), the meeting was also quite hostile. The listening session was at a place called Mbagara, the most hard-hit interior part of Lugari District. In this case I understand 5 Kikuyu were killed by the community and at least 9 youth from the community were killed by the police. The people attacked the Kikuyu and carried off their maize (corn). A few days later some of the Kikuyu returned with the police, pointed out where they suspected their stolen maize to be hidden, and the police then confiscated all the maize--stolen or otherwise--so that now the people in the area are short of food.
The hostility from all of this was clearly expressed in the listening session and most people did not want to welcome the return of the IDP's. This was attended by 13 members of FCPT including Gladys and myself and perhaps 40 leaders of the community including many pastors. Most of the speakers were not the pastors. The most sensible representation was from the youth leader of an organization (I think promoted by Florence Machayo, a leading Quaker politician in Lugari District) called "Youth Forum for Peace and Justice." Among other things, he said, it was the older men unable to carry the bags of maize that gave money and alcohol to the youth to steal the maize for them and carry it to their storerooms. Therefore the youth should not be blamed. The ecumenical service the next day was attended by many more people. It really didn't end up being much of a "service," but rather another listening session.
Here are some of the kinds of comments heard at various of the listening sessions. Remember you are "listening" and not judging.
1. "Good" Kikuyu will be allowed to return, but the bad ones can't. "We will tell the District Office which are the bad ones who can't return."
2. The Kikuyu can't return because we have their cooking pot and if they return they will ask for it back. Another said that he had taken the door, windows, and iron sheets (roofing) from a Kikuyu house and if they returned, "They will point at my door and want it back."
3. Kikuyu have long tongues and they should cut their tongues to be short. ("Long tongue" means that they talk rudely to others).
4. One quoted a passage from Acts (sorry, but I can't remember the chapter and verse) which indicates that this land is ours and others should not come into our land. There were other examples where participants quoted passages in the Bible to justify their expulsion of the Kikuyu. For example, the Jews were 400 years in Egypt before they left so the Kikuyu have only been around for 40 years before they left.
5. Kikuyu who had title deeds to land would be allowed to return but the "squatters" (those who have no land and therefore have to do petty trading or work as day labors for others to earn income) would not be allowed back. Note that this contradicts the concept that the Kikuyu are all rich from being good businessmen.
6. I heard one man describe how three of his nephews had been beaten or killed by the Kikuyu in Naivasha and Nakuru. When families are as big as they are in Kenya--particularly in the days before 1980 when Kenya had one of the highest birth rates in the world--everyone has hundreds of close relatives (siblings, parents, cousins, etc) and thousands of distant relatives (2nd, 3rd, and 4th cousins which in Africa are still all considered "cousins"). Therefore when one person is displaced, beaten, or killed, thousands of relatives know this story and take it personally.
7. Many complained that the Government gave aid to the displaced people but not to the local people who were also affected by the violence.
Yesterday we had a debriefing session at Friends Peace Centre-Lubao. After we covered the material above (and much more), we assessed how we did. Here is what we said:
1. We succeeded because in every case people were willing to talk to us even if they were somewhat cautious at the beginning. We went out to listen and that is what we did.
2. While we had hoped that this would lead to acceptance of the returning community, this was not the goal of the listening session. The fact that in one case the receiving community was willing to bring back the returnees was an extra success.
3. Even though those who were most bitter and said that they would not accept (or would even kill) the Kikuyu if they returned, our listening was not in vain since they were expressing their feelings and this in itself is a step towards healing and reconciliation.
4. As I noted above, the Friends Church and its FCPT was received with gratitude even in the cases that we felt were most negative.
5. The requests for a meeting with the IDP's at Jua Kali, the two communities who requested peace seminars, the committee formed in Kipkarren River, and the escorting of the local government officials in Mili Nne to the IDP's in Eldoret were all resounding successes.
Is the task finished? Obviously not, as it really is only beginning.
In the way forward, the Friends Church Peace Teams counseling committee has decided on the following activities: We will
(1) write a report (as requested at many of the sites where we listened) of what we learned, for the Government, NGO's and others,
(2) develop the peace seminars for the two communities that asked for them,
(3) be ready to accompany the returnees if and when they have to return to their communities--whether this return is voluntary or forced by the government,
(4) prepare the Kikuyu for dialogue with the receiving communities,
(5) conduct another Bible session in the Turbo IDP camp for children, youth, and adults,
(6) do AVP with the youth at Mbagara,
(7) develop sport activities for the youth in the various communities,
(8) with the help of the local government officials, promote dialogue between the two communities, and
(9) easiest of all, buy a portable bullhorn!
On June 9 and 10 we will have another training session at Lubao focusing on how we can skillfully implement these activities.
Please keep the Friends Church Peace Team, the returning communities, and the receiving communities in your thoughts and prayers.
Peace,
Dave
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
May 22, Rept 50, "Juicy material", David Zarembka
Dear All,
I wasn't expecting to make another report so soon, but events have given me some "juicy" material.
Robin and Christine Dunn are from Australia and with two other Australians they have built a nice retreat center called Takatifu (Spiritual) Gardens in Shinyalu about 8 miles from Kakamega. They are working with Central Yearly Meeting of Friends, and have held 15 AVP workshops in their center during the last two months. Christine sent me this in an email today:
Yesterday Robin went into town by himself to do a little shopping when something happened. He was out the front of Midland's hardware store (which is owned by some Indians) when a badly injured man ran right past him down into a side street, with a large crowd of people chasing him. The man attempted to get into Midlands and they rushed to close their shutters so the guy (and the crowd following him) couldn't get in.
Robin felt he should try to find out what was happening. So he went around the corner and saw that the man was now on the ground and was being flogged with something like a fan belt. People were also kicking him and Robin had the impression it was only a matter of time till they killed him. He was suspected of stealing, but I imagine very few people in the crowd knew the actual story. The son of Midland's hardware store came out the back of the shop too and commented to Robin on how terrible it was. Robin told him that they should do something about it.
Then, to the Indian guy's surprise, Robin walked toward the crowd. As Robin approached people kind of backed off from the "thief" and some comments were made which made it clear that people were a bit embarrassed about what was happening. Rob went straight to the guy and picked him up off the ground. He put his arm under the guy's shoulder and supported him to walk back towards the main road. The crowd didn't quite know what to do. Once Robin was on the main road he felt he was safe from being beaten himself, as the general public became very aware of what was going on and the mood was a lot more positive. The large crowd followed him, with most making positive comments about Robin saving the guy, but some also mocking him, calling him "Kofi Annan," etc. Robin decided to take the guy to the police station, but felt it would be a bit dangerous to put him in the car. So he walked the guy to the police station about half a mile away.
It seemed to him that all of Kakamega stopped to watch him walk with this man bleeding profusely and a large noisy crowd following behind him. By the end, the guy was not able to hold his own weight, so it was quite a task. Once at the police station, there was a bit of bureacracy. The police arranged to get the guy to hospital, and didn't seem interested at all in arresting him for stealing. I guess they figured he'd been punished enough already. Later in the day, Robin visited the guy in hospital and was able to confirm that he was getting some care. Rob thinks he'll survive, although he's in a bit of a bad way.
Then I got another email from Patrick Mureithi who is producing the documentary film, "Icyizere: Hope," on the Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities (HROC) program in Rwanda. (If you go to the AGLI website at www.aglionline.org you can see a five minute segment of the film.)
"This is Patrick Mureithi. I am now back in the US after an AMAZING experience in Rwanda and Kenya. I managed to show "ICYIZERE: Hope" to thousands of people at the Rwanda Film festival, on Rwanda Television during the official week of mourning, at the Gisenyi Central Prison, and at the National University in Butare.
"In Kenya, I got the chance to share the documentary with students and faculty of the Aga Khan Medical University and Hospital, staff and guests of the Kenya Film Commission, the Kenyan National Association of Nurses, the Great Lakes Parliamentary Forum on Peace, the Nairobi Peace Initiative and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. I was also interviewed by The Sunday Nation newspaper and by Citizen Television during their popular Power Breakfast Show.
"All this to say that I am very very grateful for all of the people that contributed to make the film possible, and for all of the emotional support I received from family and friends alike. I will soon be editing the final version of the film which, funding permitting, should be done in 5 months. I will keep you posted on developments as they come."
Then the last item is from the Sunday Nation. The front page headline reads "Raila factor in Obama contest." In other words Kenya is being used to influence the presidential election in the United States. Raila Odinga and Barack Obama are both Luo. Here are some lines from the story:
"Right-wing activists in the United States are attempting to use Senator Barack Obama's Kenyan links to discredit him. The activists, most of them Christians, claim that Mr Obama is a relative of Prime Minister Raila Odinga, whom they describe as a "socialist who plans to introduce Sharia Law in Kenya.
"Right-wing activists desparate to derail his White House bid peddle falsehoods about him and Raila.
"Mr Davis and his wife [missionaries who are promoting these claims], noting Mr Odinga's contention that the December 27 presidential voting was rigged, said in their message, "As we watch Obama rise in the US we are sure that whatever happens, he will use the same tactic, crying rigged election if he doesn't win and possibly cause a race war in America."
I guess this is enough "juice" to swallow in one day.
Peace,
Dave
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
I wasn't expecting to make another report so soon, but events have given me some "juicy" material.
Robin and Christine Dunn are from Australia and with two other Australians they have built a nice retreat center called Takatifu (Spiritual) Gardens in Shinyalu about 8 miles from Kakamega. They are working with Central Yearly Meeting of Friends, and have held 15 AVP workshops in their center during the last two months. Christine sent me this in an email today:
Yesterday Robin went into town by himself to do a little shopping when something happened. He was out the front of Midland's hardware store (which is owned by some Indians) when a badly injured man ran right past him down into a side street, with a large crowd of people chasing him. The man attempted to get into Midlands and they rushed to close their shutters so the guy (and the crowd following him) couldn't get in.
Robin felt he should try to find out what was happening. So he went around the corner and saw that the man was now on the ground and was being flogged with something like a fan belt. People were also kicking him and Robin had the impression it was only a matter of time till they killed him. He was suspected of stealing, but I imagine very few people in the crowd knew the actual story. The son of Midland's hardware store came out the back of the shop too and commented to Robin on how terrible it was. Robin told him that they should do something about it.
Then, to the Indian guy's surprise, Robin walked toward the crowd. As Robin approached people kind of backed off from the "thief" and some comments were made which made it clear that people were a bit embarrassed about what was happening. Rob went straight to the guy and picked him up off the ground. He put his arm under the guy's shoulder and supported him to walk back towards the main road. The crowd didn't quite know what to do. Once Robin was on the main road he felt he was safe from being beaten himself, as the general public became very aware of what was going on and the mood was a lot more positive. The large crowd followed him, with most making positive comments about Robin saving the guy, but some also mocking him, calling him "Kofi Annan," etc. Robin decided to take the guy to the police station, but felt it would be a bit dangerous to put him in the car. So he walked the guy to the police station about half a mile away.
It seemed to him that all of Kakamega stopped to watch him walk with this man bleeding profusely and a large noisy crowd following behind him. By the end, the guy was not able to hold his own weight, so it was quite a task. Once at the police station, there was a bit of bureacracy. The police arranged to get the guy to hospital, and didn't seem interested at all in arresting him for stealing. I guess they figured he'd been punished enough already. Later in the day, Robin visited the guy in hospital and was able to confirm that he was getting some care. Rob thinks he'll survive, although he's in a bit of a bad way.
Then I got another email from Patrick Mureithi who is producing the documentary film, "Icyizere: Hope," on the Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities (HROC) program in Rwanda. (If you go to the AGLI website at www.aglionline.org you can see a five minute segment of the film.)
"This is Patrick Mureithi. I am now back in the US after an AMAZING experience in Rwanda and Kenya. I managed to show "ICYIZERE: Hope" to thousands of people at the Rwanda Film festival, on Rwanda Television during the official week of mourning, at the Gisenyi Central Prison, and at the National University in Butare.
"In Kenya, I got the chance to share the documentary with students and faculty of the Aga Khan Medical University and Hospital, staff and guests of the Kenya Film Commission, the Kenyan National Association of Nurses, the Great Lakes Parliamentary Forum on Peace, the Nairobi Peace Initiative and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. I was also interviewed by The Sunday Nation newspaper and by Citizen Television during their popular Power Breakfast Show.
"All this to say that I am very very grateful for all of the people that contributed to make the film possible, and for all of the emotional support I received from family and friends alike. I will soon be editing the final version of the film which, funding permitting, should be done in 5 months. I will keep you posted on developments as they come."
Then the last item is from the Sunday Nation. The front page headline reads "Raila factor in Obama contest." In other words Kenya is being used to influence the presidential election in the United States. Raila Odinga and Barack Obama are both Luo. Here are some lines from the story:
"Right-wing activists in the United States are attempting to use Senator Barack Obama's Kenyan links to discredit him. The activists, most of them Christians, claim that Mr Obama is a relative of Prime Minister Raila Odinga, whom they describe as a "socialist who plans to introduce Sharia Law in Kenya.
"Right-wing activists desparate to derail his White House bid peddle falsehoods about him and Raila.
"Mr Davis and his wife [missionaries who are promoting these claims], noting Mr Odinga's contention that the December 27 presidential voting was rigged, said in their message, "As we watch Obama rise in the US we are sure that whatever happens, he will use the same tactic, crying rigged election if he doesn't win and possibly cause a race war in America."
I guess this is enough "juice" to swallow in one day.
Peace,
Dave
David Zarembka, Coordinator
African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
Sunday, June 1, 2008
May 30, Report from Adrien Niyongabo in Burundi
From: David Zarembka
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008 3:27 AM
Subject: AGLI--Report from Burundi--May 29
Dear All,
Below is a report I just received from Adrien Niyongabo, the coordinator of HROC (Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities) in Burundi, about a recent HROC workshop.
Dave Zarembka
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
HROC WORKSHOP IN RURENGERA
A HROC workshop took place on May 13-15, 2008 in Rurengera. Rurengera is in Mutaho commune, located in central Burundi.
The particularity of this workshop was that participants were next door neighbors from one community mixed with IDP [internally displaced people] camp residents who normally come from that same community but are now staying in Mutaho IDP camp. 21 participants attended though only 20 were invited. They were 10 men and 11 women. Fivefacilitators (Joseph, Sebastien, Dorcas, Pascasie, and Eraste) conducted this workshop.
On day one, it was so obvious that participants did not want to express themselves too much and some could not even smile or laugh. As the workshop went on, they started not to fear each other any more and their faces were brighter.
When we entered in the "Loss, Grief and Mourning" session, tough matters came to the surface. We need to remember that all these participants know each other because they belong to the same community even though some are now staying in the IDP camp. In fact, whatever was done or happened to one of them was known by almost everybody. That is why the sharing became so fluid and deep. They mentioned their relatives who got killed, their belongings which got stolen or destroyed in 1993. It was expected that a workshop of this kind would be this emotional as folks are gathered close to where the horrible events took place. Consequently, the facilitators provided needed services for those who struggled with their emotions.
There were two participants (one from the IDP - a Tutsi and another from the village - a Hutu) who conjointly asked for more time to work on the issue that was between them since the 1993 war. Here is what happened. When the war started, the Hutu man came to the Tutsi family. He had been sent by a group of other Hutu who were hunting Tutsi to check if there would be still Tutsi males hiding in the house, especially the brother-in-law of the Tutsi woman. In case there would be any male found, he had to catch him and take him to the group. Only the woman and her kids were there. So, when he arrived in front of the house, he pushed roughly on the door, his eyes open like a monster. The woman and kids got terribly frightened. Shocked by the act and trying to protect the kids, the woman took her hoe as a weapon and went to fight against the man. As he was too strong, he took away the hoe and started beating her. Leaving her rolling on the ground, he checked in the rooms and nobody was found. He went back furious!
Well, the two folks asked for a special time (they were taken to another location for more privacy) and one of the facilitators led the dialogue. They finally succeeded to reach a common agreement. It was with big smile that they came back to join the group, sharing that they are healed from carrying such a big burden for years.
Anyway, there was another shivering that occurred in the room when it was revealed that it was Pastor Sebastien (a Tutsi and HROC facilitator) who was wanted that time and he was among the facilitators of that workshop!!
On the last day of the workshop, participants were more open, joyful, and interactive. They even expressed that they would feel happy to stay for one more day. Below are some of the many quotes from participants.
- "These teachings have helped me so much for I had become that careless because of what I lost. I could not undertake any activity that would inquire effort from me for I was saying that there was no need. Since the war took away my dear loved ones, I decided to get drunk every single day. It is painful, I tell you! It is now that I have been in this workshop that I stopped this bad behavior because I understood what was wrong with me. I promise you that I am going back to work instead."
- "Alcohol had become my refuge. Every single night I came home, my wife and kids had to hide themselves. Breaking the pot on fire (before the food would be ready) had become my easy thing to do. You know, I deprived several meals to my family. I am ashamed! It is time for me to change and I am going to do it. I want to be a tree of trust for my family. More, I will tell those with whom I shared beer to stop and plant the tree of trust".
- "I enjoyed the games. I am not shy any more!"
- "The time I spent in this workshop will remain unforgettable for me. Those I used to fear and get afraid from have been the ones I talked to, shared food with and at the end we were good friends. It is possible to rebuild again our neighborhood as people who remained in the village and those who are in the IDP camp".
- "I gained very consistent skills to help myself and especially my children".
- (The woman talking is a Hutu woman married to a Tutsi) "The example from our two friends touched so deep my soul that I feel I want to pull out my own stuff too. When the war was hot and we were fleeing in the bushes, a Hutu woman told me: 'Why are you still tying that evil child on your back (meaning that the child whose father is a Tutsi is an evil). Take him down and throw him away!' Did she forget that he was my child? Did she mean that my loving husband was an evil? Since that time, I decided not to be with that woman and had been holding such hate, anger against her. But, this workshop taught me how to let it go. I want to meet with the woman and tell her how what she said wounded me and that I have been able to forgive".
We closed the workshop with a demand from participants to be invited again. It was also asked that many workshops would be conducted for more folks in Rurengera.
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008 3:27 AM
Subject: AGLI--Report from Burundi--May 29
Dear All,
Below is a report I just received from Adrien Niyongabo, the coordinator of HROC (Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities) in Burundi, about a recent HROC workshop.
Dave Zarembka
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
HROC WORKSHOP IN RURENGERA
A HROC workshop took place on May 13-15, 2008 in Rurengera. Rurengera is in Mutaho commune, located in central Burundi.
The particularity of this workshop was that participants were next door neighbors from one community mixed with IDP [internally displaced people] camp residents who normally come from that same community but are now staying in Mutaho IDP camp. 21 participants attended though only 20 were invited. They were 10 men and 11 women. Fivefacilitators (Joseph, Sebastien, Dorcas, Pascasie, and Eraste) conducted this workshop.
On day one, it was so obvious that participants did not want to express themselves too much and some could not even smile or laugh. As the workshop went on, they started not to fear each other any more and their faces were brighter.
When we entered in the "Loss, Grief and Mourning" session, tough matters came to the surface. We need to remember that all these participants know each other because they belong to the same community even though some are now staying in the IDP camp. In fact, whatever was done or happened to one of them was known by almost everybody. That is why the sharing became so fluid and deep. They mentioned their relatives who got killed, their belongings which got stolen or destroyed in 1993. It was expected that a workshop of this kind would be this emotional as folks are gathered close to where the horrible events took place. Consequently, the facilitators provided needed services for those who struggled with their emotions.
There were two participants (one from the IDP - a Tutsi and another from the village - a Hutu) who conjointly asked for more time to work on the issue that was between them since the 1993 war. Here is what happened. When the war started, the Hutu man came to the Tutsi family. He had been sent by a group of other Hutu who were hunting Tutsi to check if there would be still Tutsi males hiding in the house, especially the brother-in-law of the Tutsi woman. In case there would be any male found, he had to catch him and take him to the group. Only the woman and her kids were there. So, when he arrived in front of the house, he pushed roughly on the door, his eyes open like a monster. The woman and kids got terribly frightened. Shocked by the act and trying to protect the kids, the woman took her hoe as a weapon and went to fight against the man. As he was too strong, he took away the hoe and started beating her. Leaving her rolling on the ground, he checked in the rooms and nobody was found. He went back furious!
Well, the two folks asked for a special time (they were taken to another location for more privacy) and one of the facilitators led the dialogue. They finally succeeded to reach a common agreement. It was with big smile that they came back to join the group, sharing that they are healed from carrying such a big burden for years.
Anyway, there was another shivering that occurred in the room when it was revealed that it was Pastor Sebastien (a Tutsi and HROC facilitator) who was wanted that time and he was among the facilitators of that workshop!!
On the last day of the workshop, participants were more open, joyful, and interactive. They even expressed that they would feel happy to stay for one more day. Below are some of the many quotes from participants.
- "These teachings have helped me so much for I had become that careless because of what I lost. I could not undertake any activity that would inquire effort from me for I was saying that there was no need. Since the war took away my dear loved ones, I decided to get drunk every single day. It is painful, I tell you! It is now that I have been in this workshop that I stopped this bad behavior because I understood what was wrong with me. I promise you that I am going back to work instead."
- "Alcohol had become my refuge. Every single night I came home, my wife and kids had to hide themselves. Breaking the pot on fire (before the food would be ready) had become my easy thing to do. You know, I deprived several meals to my family. I am ashamed! It is time for me to change and I am going to do it. I want to be a tree of trust for my family. More, I will tell those with whom I shared beer to stop and plant the tree of trust".
- "I enjoyed the games. I am not shy any more!"
- "The time I spent in this workshop will remain unforgettable for me. Those I used to fear and get afraid from have been the ones I talked to, shared food with and at the end we were good friends. It is possible to rebuild again our neighborhood as people who remained in the village and those who are in the IDP camp".
- "I gained very consistent skills to help myself and especially my children".
- (The woman talking is a Hutu woman married to a Tutsi) "The example from our two friends touched so deep my soul that I feel I want to pull out my own stuff too. When the war was hot and we were fleeing in the bushes, a Hutu woman told me: 'Why are you still tying that evil child on your back (meaning that the child whose father is a Tutsi is an evil). Take him down and throw him away!' Did she forget that he was my child? Did she mean that my loving husband was an evil? Since that time, I decided not to be with that woman and had been holding such hate, anger against her. But, this workshop taught me how to let it go. I want to meet with the woman and tell her how what she said wounded me and that I have been able to forgive".
We closed the workshop with a demand from participants to be invited again. It was also asked that many workshops would be conducted for more folks in Rurengera.
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