
Hundreds of Ogiek of Enoosupukia (near Narok / Kenya), who had been camping at the catholic mission Enoosupukia following the 28th February 2005 evictions have been left completely stranded after the camp was reduced to ashes. More than 200 Armed Police officers have been deployed in the area. Children and women are left homeless after the camp they sought refuge was demolished by the police. The exercise has been dubbed as "saving the forests and the environment". The people affected are mainly the Ogiek who have resided and lived there since time immemorial.
The government of Kenya in collaboration with huge companies and natural conservation organisations like the WWF violates against international law:
Articles 1, 5 and 7 of the International Declaration about the Rights of Persons belonging to National or Ethnical, Religious or Linguistic Minorities and Article 1 of the International Agreement on economic, social and cultural rights.
We, Friends of Peoples close to Nature, an international network, call to stop this development on the Ogiek communities and give them the full rights on their ancestral homeland. Those kind of argumentaion, the Ogiek are responsible for the destruction of the forest, is contradictory to many new studies about indegenous and invironmetal impacts. Who conserves the world`s forest´s
>www.conservationfinance.org/WPC/WPC_documents/Apps_05_Molnar_v2.pdf<
Backround:
The Ogiek - one of the few true aboriginal people of Kenya face not only constant persecution from the majority tribes, but are now targeted by international corporations and their proxies in government as well as in NGO cover-ups. The Ogiek are the original inhabitants of the Mau forest complex, which is the largest remaining forest in Kenya and thereby not only very important for the water supply to needy citizens elsewhere, but a key asset for the billion dollar water, tea farming, coke and beer breweries' industries. The displaced Ogiek includes former Nkaroni Group ranch 118 former Enekishoni Group Ranch No. 115 and Nkareta.
WWF involved:
The new WWF Eastern Africa Corporate Club >http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/where_we_work/africa/where/eastern_africa/kenya/projects/project_details.cfm?sPrjId=9F0755< focuses on working with the corporate sector to increase public awareness of environmental matters and engage communities in conservation and sustainable livelihoods. 13 companies became founding members of the Club at the time of its official launch in January 2004, at a ceremony presided over by the vice-president of Kenya and Dr Claude Martin, director general, WWF International: Bamburi/Lafarge Cement; Brooke Bond, Basecamp Explorer; Club Sun n’ Sand; Coca-Cola; Express Travel Group; Hotel Intercontinental; Nestlé Foods; Ogilvy Public Relations; Olerai Farm; Safaricom/Vodafone; Sher Agencies; Unilever.
WWF will contribute to the project goals by drawing on experience, skills and expertise from various sources, including WWF’s own experience and lessons learned. WWF envisages an increase in its conservation impact by working closely with the private sector. At least 10 conservation projects are being initiated with member companies, and local nature conservation programmes involving the private sector will be started by 2005. One of this project is in the Mau forest.
The WWF see themself as:Compared with protected area managers, who control about 6% of the world's land mass, indigenous peoples are the earth's most important stewards.
>http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/policy/indigenous_people/statement_principles.cfm<
How meaningless that it shows the history of displaced tribal people from there ancestral homeland within an directly involvment of the WWF:
Zaire/Kahuzi-Biega NP (Barhwa Pygmees)
Zaire/Maiko NP (Bamputi Pymees)
Zentr. Afrik. RP/Dzangha Sangha NP (Baka Pygmees)
Botswana/New game reserve (Bushman)
Indien/Rajaji NP (Gujjar Nomades)
Indien/Nilgeri NP (Yarava, Todas)
Kamerun/Lobeke NP (Baka Pygmees)
Philippinen/St. Pauls NP (Batak)
Ruanda/Nyungwe NP (Batwa Pygmees)
Kenya/Tsavo NP (Sanye Nomades)
Namibia/Etosha Pan NP (Bushman)
Südafrika/Kalahari NP (Bushman)
Sri Lanka/CNPPA NP (Veddhas)
Ogiek Statement:
The Ogiek community clearly pointed out that they reject their eviction of the Mau Complex >www.ogiek.org< and demand from the government and the WWF to respect their rights. This decission is taken without the free prior and informed consent of the Ogiek people!
Summary
Referring to this, the world community committed itself in Article 1 of the 'International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights' of 19.12.1966:
Abs. 1: All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.
Abs. 3. The States Parties to the present Covenant, including those having responsibility for the administration of Non-Self-Governing and Trust Territories, shall promote the realization of the right of self-determination, and shall respect that right, in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
The displacment of the Ogiek violates the International Declaration about the Rights of Persons belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious or Linguistic Minorities. (Resolution 47/137 of the UN General Assembly)
“States shall protect the existence and the national or ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic identity of minorities within their respective territories and shall encourage conditions for the promotion of that identity” (Art. 1, §1).
“National policies and programs shall be planned and implemented with due regard for the legitimate interests of persons belonging to minorities.” (Art. 5, §1)
“States should cooperate in order to promote respect for the rights set
forth in the present Declaration.” (Art. 7).
With its intentions, the government of Kenya and the WWF violates this internationally anchored right.
