May 1, Rpt. 44, Update, + "releasing" a Friend

Date: Thu, 1 May 2008 09:26:00 -0400
Subject: Kenya Peace and Reconciliation work update - Malesi Kinaro


Dear all of you,

It's long since I wrote. I love writing and reading from people so the fact that I have not written means I have really been kind of overwhelmed. As our leaders, Kibaki and Raila, and their teams engaged Koffi Annan we in the peace world were busy in the communities because we know that peace agreed up there does not always bring changes down in the grassroots.

The demand for reconciliation work is immense. Because I am in three places at the same time, yaani no fixed abode, I have an overview of what peace work is being done in my cycles and sometimes I just smile because the demand on everybody is immense. I have been mainly concentrating on Uzima work. We have carried out several one-day workshops in Kibera for Uzima youth. This is a curriculum we developed that combines trauma healing; a look at violence; then a way forward for healing by the participants. It is based on the AVP model and uses a number of exercises from AVP. We find this useful because the demand on us is high and this particular workshop really challenges the participants.

In Kibera we have come face to face with the youth who battled police; whose friends were gunned down as they ran or while uprooting the railway line, or when they had gone "shopping without money", as they call looting there. We have come face to face with intense mistrust and hatred as we have put Kikuyu and other tribes together. In Western Kenya we began with two 2-day mediation workshops for chiefs, divisional officers, youth leaders and a few pastors. Participants from the Kipsigis tribe had to share experiences with those from the Kisii tribe. This was intense. These are people right on the front line of great hostilities that have not yet erupted. Chiefs shared how they felt so pressured. The government was pressuring them to ensure that violence did not happen in their areas. Their people were running to them for shelter or for advice on what to do. Their own lives were in danger with 9 of them losing all they had when their homes were burned by angry youth who perceived them to be government supporters. They were surprised to realize that they faced similar challenges. One chief shared how he had cried when he saw 8 year old kids going to battle with arrows .

We then started a series of one-day workshops for the 120 youth leaders that form the border committees. Here we heard about participants having seen people dying with arrows lodged in their bodies, those who burned tires to block roads, those who made arrows, those who purchased, those who threw arrows at others, those who stoned, those who killed, just name it. Picture a situation where people are screaming and running, others are throwing stones and arrows, whistles and trumpets are blowing, gun shots and tear gas everywhere, dead bodies lying about with heads cut off, cows running all over, people singing war songs; etc.

Our aim is to let these young adults talk with no fear of victimization. Then we look at trauma, its causes, effects and consequences. We look at violence and how we can react nonviolently to violence situations. We look at cycles of violence and how the graph moves up every time root issues are not addressed. We look at the AVP themes of Affirmation, Communication, Cooperation, and Community based on trust and Creative Conflict resolution. We challenge ourselves: can we build a different society where we affirm each other, rather than think of Kikuyus as thieves, Luos as arrogant and violent, Luhya as cooks and watchmen, Kalenjin
as cattle rustlers and Kisii as violent? This is normally a very interesting time because it is towards the end. People get to hear what others say about them (their group) and the whole issue of stereotypes.

In all these workshops the difference at the end of the day has been tremendous. In Kibera, which began with Kikuyu youth walking alone and Luos and Luhyas alone, they were going for lunch together. In one workshop with Kisii/Kipsigis, the Kipsigis youth had to be escorted by the chief, 2 assistant chiefs and one armed policeman. This was a tough one and it really made us very tired. But my joy is that by the end of the day we were being asked to come back, this time to hold the workshop on the Kipsigis side. My fellow facilitators (the youthful Uzima staff - 3 Kisii and one Kipsigis) tell me that during this workshop I was not the person they knew as I threw one challenge after another. I was just so deeply hurt looking at these young people perceiving each other as enemies.

At the end of this particular workshop we heard exchanges like" I am so glad we came. Now we can come to your market to buy maize. We are starving." Or, " Now we can bring our maize and beans over at your market. Our people buy then at such throw-away prices". We are asked over and over to help the youth to form joint groups where they will carry out joint income generating activities, sports, etc.

But I know that one such workshop cannot really heal the deep mistrust and hatred that exists in Kenya. All participants want peace, as shown by their expectations at the start of the workshop. Most do not know how to do this. The need for sustained interaction is so very very crucial. So if you have anybody who can give us funds please don't hesitate. The need for income generating activities is SO HIGH. In Kibera our youth lost their businesses and need to reactivate them. Indeed the harvest is great but the harvesters are few.

I sometimes join the Nairobi AVP for their workshops here. The demand here is also overwhelming. Next week I will be in Western Province. I will join the team there for one-day workshops with the vulnerable youth, then attend a gathering that brings Quaker peacemakers from East Africa together. After this I go to a very exciting and very different program. My sister, Professor Miriam Were, who is also the co-founder of Uzima Foundation, was given an award by the Japanese government for her involvement in Public health programs in Africa. This is a very prestigious award and it includes cash to the tune of 1 million US dollars. She has received many prestigious awards but none with cash. The Japanese cited her work with Uzima Foundation as part of the award so Uzima is sending me to accompany her. I think AMREF
[African Medical & Research Foundation] is picking up the bill since they too will be going. So we leave Kenya on the 25th of May (my birthday) and come back on 2nd June. The Ministries of Health and Foreign Affairs will put up a big celebration when she comes back so I will be carried on the wave and I look forward to dancing my legs off that day.

For me this is a wonderful way to end my journey with Uzima as it Executive Director. I will continue to work with Uzima but in a different capacity.

What a long letter! Did I tell you that I will travel business class to Tokyo? Just imagine; and in our journeys among the Kisii/Kipsigis we have been climbing on top of a FULL matatu where sometimes it drizzles and drenches us!! God is good and His mercies endure forever. Does anybody have an old car they can ship to us? Or sell it and bring the cash? Climbing on top of a built-up pickup that is fully packed and twisting round those many Kisii bends is like playing with your life in the driver's hands!!

Malesi


>From Dave Z:
Upon consideration of Malesi's leadership and creativity in this time of crisis in Kenya, the Working Group of the African Great Lakes Initiative decided it was appropriate for her to become a released Friend. This concept had not been introduced among Quakers in Kenya previously but it clearly seemed to fit the situation. Malesi feels called to pursue peacemaking activities during 2008 and has been released to do so. A Support Committee has been appointed in Kakamega to help her with her activities.

Part of the support given to a "Released Friend" is the provision of financial resources to enable them to undertake the ministry to which they have been called. AGLI is committed to raising $5,000 for this calendar year to support Malesi. I hope that you will become part of this effort by sending a check made out to "Friends Peace Teams/AGLI" with a memo line of "Malesi Kinaro's Release."