[allAfrica.com] [celtel.com] Address Root Cause of Violence The Nation (Nairobi) OPINION July 16, 2005 Posted to the web July 18, 2005 By Ambrose Murunga Nairobi A couple of hard points here on this week's massacre in Marsabit: first, the killing was not entirely unexpected. The conflict between these communities has been going on for generations. Secondly, there is little the Government could have done to prevent its occurrence, short of incarcerating the two communities in concentration camps. And the fact that no serious effort has been made to bring the quarrel to an end in the 40 years of independence is an indictment of poor leadership, right from the political leaders in these areas to Harambee House. The origins of this homicidal loathing between these communities may have become blurred with time, but it would not remiss to suggest scarcity of shared resources. The vicious circle of violence is fed by incidents like this week's. At the individual and communal level, the desire for revenge usually is of such intensity that it becomes a quest separate from the traditional cause. Further, this conflict fits in neatly with the pattern that has made most of the northern half of Kenya almost impossible to police. The districts that make up the badlands of Kenya include West Pokot, Samburu, Turkana, Moyale, Marsabit, Wajir, Mandera, Garissa, Tana River and parts of Baringo and Laikipia. The bulk of the expanse is semi-desert and is not good for any profitable, sustainable economic activity. So young guys here go nomadic out of necessity, and when they have time to spare, they rustle livestock. Since the traditional spears, bows and arrows have been replaced with the more lethal AK 47s, the raids have become bloodier and more devastating. That most of these districts have a common border with four different countries that have been at war in the recent past makes the acquisition of the weapons even easier. A fact that the Government is unlikely to admit is that we cannot effectively keep watch over our borders. We do not have the manpower or resources to do so. So the borders will remain porous into the foreseeable future. Each time an incident flares up in these areas, Vigilance House groans in exasperation. Raiders, movers of contraband and nearly anyone with the intention to transact illicit business in Kenya can pick his spot and walk across the border without hindrance. For the Ethiopians who stage regular forays here, believed to be members of Oromo Liberation Front, Kenya is like an open door. The Government, read police and military, can only respond after an attack like Tuesday's. And quite often, the raiders outwit them. More accurately, the security forces allow themselves to be outwitted by the raiders. Here is how it works: The raiders pick their spot and map out their escape routes in advance. Once they strike, they know they have between eight to 24 hours before any serious pursuit can be organised. The terrain of escape is chosen for its hostility to any posse of security officers. The bad guys ensure that any pursuit must necessarily be on foot, and slow. They count on the officers not being familiar with the layout of the land ahead, and laden with more than 25kgs of weaponry and accessories. From the psychological, it goes tactical. The raiders split into different groups, forcing the officers to either separate, or go after one band only. The final persuasive argument against pursuit is offered by the fleeing attackers in the form of 'recovered livestock'. If the rustlers took off with 2000 animals, they may decide to give back 200 in, say, four batches of 50 to discourage pursuit. Whenever officers come across 50 abandoned animals, they are forced to secure them by assigning some officers to guard or drive them back to base. With four such recoveries, the numbers of the posse would be so depleted that further chase would be deemed unwise. And with something to show for their work, the officers may opt to return 'victorious' than risk injury or death in a gunfight with rustlers; and for what? A bunch of cattle? That is why I view the on-going security operation that kicked off in earnest four days after the raid as no more than a PR exercise. The raiders are long gone and dispersed; their mission complete. What we are witnessing now is more a measure to prevent further eruptions of violence and revenge attacks than any meaningful attempt to apprehend the original murderers. And once the heat dies off, leaders and Government officials will go back to their usual routine, until the next incident occurs. And that is where they are failing us. A reader pointed out, in an email, the apathy generally shown by the President and his senior officials to the unfolding tragedy. And I concur. Ninety two citizens killed in a cross border attack is big stuff anywhere in the world. The least a Head of State can do is to show up on site, even as publicity stunt, to condole with the bereaved and console the injured. While we may not to draw any parallels here, this is an issue that any leader would want to be seen to be actively involved, and not by despatching an assistant minister in his stead. The Government also appears content to send in the boys with guns as the solution, while the main focus should be on addressing the deep-seated loathing that gives vent to such massacres. Increased security can only work if the Government intends to permanently post officers to guard each household in the region. The police and military should only be operating in the background to bring the offenders to book. This is a situation that calls for robust political leadership. That is what we are not seeing, and that is why such incidents will keep recurring. What one hears from them is how 'my people are being massacred' without a single one coming out to address the key issues: socio-economic empowerment to avoid over-reliance on nomadic lifestyle that leads to carnage over limited resources.   =============================================================================   Copyright © 2005 The Nation. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). =============================================================================