Lucas Barasa
29 April 2011
Nairobi — A human rights watchdog wants action taken on two Kenya politicians for opposing resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons in Trans Nzoia.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, the Attorney General’s office and police should act on Forestry minister Noah Wekesa and Sirisia MP Moses Wetangula.
“What started as isolated protests by residents in Taita Taveta and Mau Narok has now spread to Trans Nzoia. This not only frustrates the resettlement process but is also a threat to efforts towards building a just, cohesive, peaceful and stable nation,” KNCHR commissioner Fatuma Ibrahim said.
Ms Ibrahim and colleagues Fatuma Dullo and Wambui Kimathi said every Kenyan has a right to settle anywhere in the country.
Addressing journalists at the KNCHR office in Nairobi Friday, the commissioners said statements depicting IDPs as “outsiders” in certain places “feed the same statement of hate and intolerance that brought about their displacement in the first place”.
“We urge the police and the AG to take stern action on anyone found culpable,” Ms Ibrahim said.
The commissioners further called on ministries of Land, Finance and Special Programmes to come up with a united voice and action plan on resettlement of IDPs.
They said the government should further take into account and support the role of communities ‘hosting’ and receiving IDPs “so as not to worsen the social tension that we are currently witnessing”.
“We propose that where appropriate the government should consider allocating 60 percent of land to the local landless population and 40 percent to the IDPs on public land earmarked for resettlement. This will avert the spectre of strong opposition to the resettlement of IDPs,” Ms Ibrahim said.
On April 19, 255 families of IDPs were transported from Rongai in Nakuru to be resettled in Trans Nzoia but were rejected by locals.
The families are currently camping at Soil Conservation school.
AllAfrica – All the Time
Excerpt from:
Rights Watchdog Urges Action Over IDPs