Jan 23, from Malesi Kinaro

From: Malesi Kinaro <malesiekk@yahoo.com>
Subject: Upadate
Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:24:33 +0000
Dear Sandy

Peace. I have really been busy. I heard about a member of
the Uzima board who works for AMREF who had ignored
herself as she worked so hard to organize the IDP camp in
Nairobi till she collapsed and had to be hospitalized. I got real
worried because I was having a terrible headache last night.
This morning I drank anti malaria drugs and I feel very well.

David, Gladys, Getry, Shamala and I went to Eldoret prison
in our Friends for Peace t shirts last week. We met the
wardens we had trained in AVP and a few interested others.
The desire for peace is overwhelming. For them things are
still hot and if you are seen to be advocating for peace things
can get tough for you. We held very useful discussions on
how they might start. For the Kalenjin elders still have a very
important role to play as nobody can go to war unless they
have the blessings of the elders. They said they would try this
channel as well as talk to groups of youths informally.

On Friday Janet, Shamala, Getry and I met the Boda boda
young adults. They were less militant than they had been the
previous Friday. Demonstrations had been called for 3 days
and they had not taken part. Kakamega town had not
participated. They told us that the talks they has shared at the
Uzima office had made them decide that trying to fight a
government bent on killing them was useless and they would
join the demonstrations only when the government lifts
the ban. We discussed the training program at length for
active non-violent direct action. We should be able to start
these trainings in February. We also discussed how they can
get involved in the Uzima revolving Loan Fund. They were
very keen to be given skills in business and loans. Janet is
working with them on the logistics.

On Sunday I traveled to Nyamira and on Monday we had a
long meeting with the Uzima youth leaders, the touts and
small business people. The challenges here are different.
Kisiis are seen as having betrayed the course of western
Kenya by many voting for Kibaki. As a result they too are
being burnt out of their homes in Rift valley. They come to
IDP camps and are soon taken by their relatives. Uzima
youths have worked hand in hand with the Red Cross and
World Vision to distribute food etc as well as carry out
counselling.

From the discussion we formed a committee to receive
those arriving so that they can record where these go and
listen to them as they share their stories. One story was
so scary I can't even repeat it here yet. Relatives are
welcoming them out of love but Kisii land is so populated
that these families will simply starve. We want to track
those arriving and alert the Red Cross so that they too
get support since they are equally displaced.

The staff are beginning serious inter-tribal peace talks.
We met the Nyamira DC that morning and he was very,
very appreciate. My field officer has since met 2 DCs from
the neighboring tribes. These talks will begin for each tribe
including both young and old people. We hope that there
will follow inter-tribal talks. The DCs agree with us that we
should carry out the talks with the DCs as observers.

We also want to start intergenerational reconciliation
meetings. There is a VERY serious conflict which was
expressed by 2 older people at the meeting. Many of
the older generation voted for PNU while the younger
voted for ODM. The young see the problems facing the
tribe as a result of the older people's decision. The tension
is pretty high and the older people are worried.

To day I am in Kisumu Sunset hotel. David Zarembka
talked with the CDC so that FPCD/AGLI can carry out
about 22 one day workshops for their staff who are
deeply affected by these events. We have 2 facilitators
who have joined us from Rwanda. This is a BIG challenge.
We are marrying AVP, HROC and Conflict Resolution
ideas together. Last night team building was really
challenging. To day actually worked out and tomorrow
we meet to debrief and modify the program. We were
supposed to do a workshop tomorrow and Friday but
there is demonstration called for tomorrow so we have
postponed workshops till Monday. So now I have my
time to relax in a 3 star hotel and get back my energy.
I just realized that i was myself getting traumatized!!!
Then I will join the others at the Quaker Peace Conference
over the weekend.

God bless you

Malesi