Fr Nicholas Motherway reports on a reconciliation workshop held in an area of Kenya where the peace has been shattered by tribal clashes and the displacement of local inhabitants in an effort to initiate a dialogue
Before it is too late
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St Patrick’s Missionary Society sponsored a two-day workshop on Reconciliation in Kenya in November 2008. Many Society members work in areas which were directly affected by the tribal clashes and widespread displacement which followed the 2007 presidential elections and so the workshop was of particular and immediate relevance to them and to those to whom they minister. It was also in keeping with the Society’s policy which sees action on behalf of justice and action to restore and preserve the integrity of creation as an essential part of the preaching of Christ’s gospel and of the mission of the Church.
The workshop was attended by priests, religious and laity of the dioceses of Kericho and Nakuru. There were about fifty participants, two-thirds being laity of different tribal and ethnic origin.
Both dioceses have seen recurring violent ethnic clashes, resulting in death, destruction and internal displacement of people over the last twenty years, but particularly, in the wake of the election of December 2007, which left over 1,000 dead and 250,000 persons displaced, along with enormous damage to homes, institutions and infrastructure.
There was a special timeliness about the workshop, as the week before, a new “Harmonized Draft Constitution for Kenya” was launched and a thirty day public analysis was set in motion. Around the same time there was the much-publicised visit of Luis Moreno Ocampo, Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC), putting Kenya on notice that formal proceedings would begin soon against some of the main perpetrators of the violence.
Documentation that Mr Moreno Ocampo received from Kofi Anan in July 2009 concerning those suspected of being responsible for the post-election violence is widely believed to contain the names of prominent politicians including cabinet ministers. The government has so far failed to address issues of impunity, and has not succeeded in setting up its own tribunals to try suspects. The ICC has now stepped in.
Another very contemporary issue is the destruction of the Mau Forest located in the same area. One of Kenya’s main water providers, it is of the greatest ecological importance. Over the last fifteen years, it has been illegally allocated to people, through political patronage, resulting in the destruction of 60,000 hectares of forest that has been turned into farmland. Beneficiaries include thirty-eight top officials of a former regime. Under international pressure to do something about it, the government is currently engaging in an eviction process which is raising quite a political storm and further deepening polarization between the two main tribes. It is against this background that our workshop took place.
Our Christian leaders and people of both dioceses are caught up in this in varying degrees, so it was very important that an effort be made by us to look at the issues.
A team of facilitators led by Fr Gabriel Dolan conducted a very powerful workshop which helped enormously in affirming our faith and commitment in working for peace and justice. Gabriel shared his very considerable experience and understanding of the Kenyan scene. It helped clarify much of our thinking about underlying causes and we came away with greater hope that we could now be more a part of the solution to some of the many problems which affect the lives of those we minister to.
A particularly significant contribution was the presence and very expert input of Mrs Dekha Ibrahim, a Muslim woman, from the Somali community, with very personal experience of injustice and political troubles in her native Wajir (Northern Kenya). She shared with us part of her own painful family experience, along with the religious convictions which motivate her work for peace and justice. These were very touching and inspiring. She shared her expert knowledge of the mechanisms and systems which need to be put right in order to achieve an understanding of justice and peace.
One seriously wondered if those like her, gifted with clear vision about solutions to the problems besetting the country, could help convert those with the wealth, power and political clout, to join together in time to save Kenya from its present destructive path.
Fr Nicky Hennity’s sharing of his personal Rwandan experience of the 1994 genocide was deeply moving and we couldn’t but admire his courage in going there to help and staying for twelve years. His analysis of factors leading to the genocide was very thorough and at the same time spine-chilling. He gave all of us much food for thought as we recognized some of the same dangerous elements which are now ominously reflected in our own situation in Kenya.
The workshop, though very intensive, was well planned and was balanced, in terms of time given to presentations, group discussion and prayer.
Possibly its greatest value was the presence of Kenyans spanning the political and tribal divide, very actively participating in everything, and using the opportunity to address pertinent issues which are problematic for their communities. All this was done in a spirit of prayer, of faith, liturgical celebration and an apparent openness to further engagement in constructive dialogue. One was surely impressed by the number of very articulate and well-trained lay participants with skills and abilities to analyse the complexities of the situation.
All of us came away heartened, with the feeling that each of us was affirmed in his or her commitment to peace and justice and of being somewhat clearer in our minds about the issues which need to be addressed. There were positive indications that the fruit of the workshop would be carried forward into action within the communities which were represented.
No one could have imagined that Fr Gerry Roche, who attended the workshop would soon fall victim to the mindless violence which resulted in his death. Fr Gerry’s whole life was a passionate witness to justice and peace. He was never afraid to speak out against corruption in all its forms and he always championed the rights of the poor. It is ironic that Gerry was enthusiastic about the workshop and felt that what had been achieved was a significant beginning and an important example to others of the power of face-to-face meeting and guided discussion and debate. It is hoped that his death will be a wake-up call to those in positions of authority and influence to take decisive steps to end the violence and the corruption underlying it before it is too late for Kenya. |
