Report from Friends Church Peace Team Kenya - Tues 5/20/2008

THE WORK OF FRIENDS CHURCH PEACE TEAM (F.C.P.T.)


OVERVIEW AND WAY FORWARD

When violence engulfed most parts of the country, Kenya, as a result of the disputed presidential elections announcement on 30th December 2008, Friends in Kenya, under the stewardship of FUM – Africa ministries, FWCC- Africa section and Friends Church in Kenya (FCK) quickly came together on 24th to 27th January 2008 to map out ways of their involvement in bringing peace in the country. John Muhanji of FUM Africa ministries invited all stakeholders of Friends Church in Kenya for a conference at Sheywe Guest House, Kakamega. The conference, “KENYAN NATIONAL QUAKER PEACE CONFERENCE, after intensive deliberations for four consecutive days, came out with two major achievements:-

A “Plan of Action” containing
a) Immediate crisis–intervention measures and
b) Possible cluster areas for longer–term work and potential activities.

Formation of a coordinating committee named the “FRIENDS CHURCH PEACE TEAM” for implementation of immediate measures and to put steps in place toward the longer – term actions.

It is indeed encouraging that the coordinating committee has endeavored to implement measures suggested in the work plan as much as possible.



IMMEDIATE CRISIS – INTERVENTION MEASURES:

Political Crisis intervention:

A pastoral letter was written to President Mwai Kibaki and Hon. Raila Odinga on 27th January 2008, requesting them to speed up the process of reconciliation and peace building to avoid more blood – shed in the country.
Use of the media to send messages of peace and reconciliation was made, particularly when John Muhanji accepted an interview by media houses when we were at Gianchere Friends Secondary school, Kisii, where he appealed for peace and reconciliation to warring communities.

Humanitarian Crisis Intervention:

The Chart below shows distribution of humanitarian items to various places since the creation of FCPT.

DATE
PLACE VISITED
APPROXIMATE NO.OF IDPS
ITEMS GIVEN OUT

7/2/2008
Machewa chief’s centre, Kiminini Market, Sabata Shopping centre
360
1350
1858
Maize,Beans,Cooking fat,Salt, Sugar, Soap, Blankets, Water filters, Clothes.

15/2/2008
Same as above plus Milembe
3200
Same as above.

26/2/2008
Eldoret,
Cheptulu Chief’s Centre.
Nairobi (Kibera)
50 families
1200
Many
As above
As above
75000sh. Sent to Gen. Supt Nairobi Yearly meeting.

27/2/2008
Gianchere Friends sec. school – Kisii
160 Students
20 bags of maize, 5 bags of beans, 3 bags of sugar, 2 packets salt, 2 cartons soap.
18/3/2008
Chwele Friends Church
Kimilili Friends Church
Naitiri Friends Church
Cherenga’nyi
450
1000
594
800
Maize, beans, sugar, Rice, cooking fat, salt, soap, clothes.

8/4/2008
Kemoron – Tuloi ym
611
As above

21/4/2008
Turbo IDP Camp
3985
Maize, beans, rice, cooking fat, salt, sugar, soap, clothes, sweaters.

Many more places required our visit and assistance, but we had to suspend this exercise temporarily in order for FCPT attend to the resettlement Programme the government had embarked on.

LONGER TERM WORK:

We first thought that for resettlement to be smoothly successful, the IDPs, being the returning community, and aggressors, being the receiving community was to be talked to separately, gauging the willingness of both parties to stay together once more. Because the exercise requires counseling of the aggrieved, both returning and receiving communities, the following seminars had to be conducted to equip possible counselors with relevant skills for counseling and peace building:

DATE
TYPE OF SEMINAR
VENUE
PURPOSE

23/2/08
AVP and CAPP work shop.
Friends Church Amalemba
Fact-finding mission at IDP camps.

31/3/08
AVP and CAPP workshop
Lubao Friends Peace Centre
Reports on the above and plan for listening skills seminar.

14/4/08
AVP and CAPP seminar
Lubao Friends Peace centre
Training on listening skills to visit Turbo IDP camp.

9-10/5/08
Counselor’s Seminar
Mabanga Agricultural training centre- Bungoma
Equiping Counselors with skills for peace, Reconcilliation and resettlement mission.

Jody Richmond of Friends Theological College, Kaimosi trained counselors the relevant skills required, for trauma healing: the skill of “ACTIVE LISTENING”.

These prepared counselors for listening sessions at Turbo D.Os office on Thursday 15 may 2008 and Lugari D.Os office on Friday 16 may 2008. Local leaders expressed their feelings and gave their opinions about resettlement of the IDPs in camps and one message was put crystal clear: Talks between the returning communities and the receiving community should be held to identify and iron out causes of chasing and running away of IDS before resettlement can be entered into.
For that reason, FCPT has decided to hold further listening sessions at locational levels in Turbo division as follows:

DATE
LOCATION
VENUE

19/5/2008
TURBO
KAMBI MIWA

20/5/2008
KAMBI YA MITI
MAILI NNE

21/5/2008
KAMAGUT
JUA KALI

22/5/2008
KAPTABE
TIRET

23/5/2008
SOSIAN
SOSIAN

26/5/2008
NG’ENYILEL
KIPKAREN

27/5/2008
SOGOI
SOGOI


The target group will be the youth who are perceived to be volatile and who carry the anger because of unemployment resulting into idleness. Apart from the above places, we anticipate some desire for requests from the local communities for FCPTs participation and physical involvement in actual resettlement exercise in both divisions of Turbo and Lugari.

At Lugari D.Os office meeting, the local leaders requested for a “LUGARI DIVISION PRAYER DAY” on Friday 30th may 2008 in Mbagara sub – location of Mautuma Location. Venue will be Munge junction near Macho primary school starting from 10.00 am. A possible of another request for meeting at grass root levels cannot be ruled out.

Turbo and Lugari divisions are earmarked as pilot project areas. There is strong urge in FCPT to reach as many affected areas as time and finances may allow. Our major strength is that we have the political will on our side and both receiving and returning communities are willing and have accepted out initiative.

SUPPORT QUAKER PEACEBUILDING EFFORTS IN KENYA

Our biggest challenge is the financial limitation. We are extremely grateful to our overseas friends who have been funding our activities. And because the process we have initiated may take a long time and definitely require more money, we earnestly call upon more friends, financial support.

We wish to assure any of our donors of our commitment to use any funds given to us efficiently and effectively, with transparency and integrity. Our treasurer is ever prepared to avail documents of accounts at any time for inspection and perusal.

Donations can be made online in a secured site at the Friends United Meeting website, or you can send checks payable to: Friends United Meeting, Attn: Global Ministries, 101 Quaker Hill Dr., Richmond, IN 47374-1980. Please note in the web contribution or on your check's memo line that you would like your gift to be designated for "Kenya Relief Fund-FCPT," and the funds will be forwarded to the FUM African Ministries Office in Kisumu.

The Zeal and determination I have seen in all of the FCPT members is a guarantee that resettlement will be peaceful and permanent. More financial support, and on time, will be a great boost to this anticipated success.

God bless FCPT.

Report by Joseph Mamai Makohka, Chairman.

Received by email from Eden Grace, Kisumu, Kenya.