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Wagalla Massacre to Be Probed

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Gabbal   

Maore Ithula

Nairobi

 

Survivors and children of victims of the Wagalla massacre have accused the Government of reneging on its promise to compensate them.

 

But in a swift rejoinder, Justice minister Kiraitu Murungi said the Government would form a truth and reconciliation commission to look into the circumstances that led to the infamous killings.

 

Earlier in the day, more than 300 protesters took to the streets in a peaceful demonstration to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the massacre that left thousands of people dead.

 

The group marched from the Freedom Corner at Uhuru Park to Sheria House, where they sought audience with Murungi.

 

Without giving a time frame, the minister said the commission would investigate what led to the massacre with a view of seeking justice and compensation for the victims.

 

He assured that the Government was committed to ensuring the residents of North Eastern Province were no longer sidelined "in the distribution of the national cake".

 

Thousands of people were killed and maimed during the February 10, 1984, botched operation to smoke out alleged bandits in Wajir.

 

The operation was conducted by regular police, General Service Unit and Army personnel stationed in Wajir.

 

Male victims were paraded at the Wagalla airstrip where they were forced to lie prostrate on the tarmac for two days in the scorching sun. On the other hand, women were raped and bundled together with children in their manyattas (huts) before being burnt alive. Those who tried to flee were either shot or clobbered to death by the security personnel.

 

The demonstrators yesterday claimed that they had been victimised by the former regime, and appealed to the Government to come to their assistance.

 

Addressing them, Murungi observed that the province was prone to insecurity because it had been neglected by successive governments.

 

The marchers had to wait for several hours at the Sheria House before they were allowed to meet the minister.

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AYOUB   

13 Febraayo, 2011, 12:51 GMT 15:51 SGA

 

Waxaa berrito ku aaddan xus loo samaynayo xasuuqii lagu magacaabay xasuuqa wagaala ee waqooyi bari kenya, kaasi oo ururrrada u dooda xuquuqda bani'aadamku ay ku qiyaasaan in dad ilaa 5 kun oo qof ah o ka tirsan soomaalida kenya lagu laayey halkaasi sanaddii 1984-kii.

 

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/somali/war/2011/02/110213_wagala_masaccre.shtml

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AYOUB   

Written By Diana Okemwa, Posted: Thu, Feb 10, 2011

 

bethwel%20.jpg

Bethwel Kiplagat

 

Investigations into the conduct of former Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission chairman Ambassador Bethwel Kiplagat will begin in two weeks time.

 

The tribunal investigating Kiplagat is now calling on anyone or groups with complaints against the former TJRC chairman to submit them within fourteen days.

 

Speaking iThursday in his office at the Anniversary towers in Nairobi, the chairman retired High Court judge Onesmus Mutungi said complaints can be forwarded to the tribunal as affidavits, written memoranda and oral statements.

 

Kiplagat is accused of involvement in the 1984 Wagalla massacre and the murder of former Foreign Affairs minister Robert Ouko in 1990 among other things. Kiplagat has since stepped aside to pave way for investigations.

 

The tribunal, has until April 29 to give recommendations on its findings.

 

The Chief Justice formed the tribunal a day after a 72-hour ultimatum was given by the Parliamentary Justice and Legal Affairs Committee to the TJRC officers, asking them to resolve their problems or risk disbandment.

 

http://www.kbc.co.ke/news.asp?nid=68857

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Somalina   

Kenya: The 28th anniversary of the Wajir Massacre

 

Kenya Somali Community of North America

Press Release

Monday, February 14, 2011

 

 

 

Today, February 14, 2011, is exactly 28 years since the horrific massacre that took place when the Kenyan security killed over 400 Somali men. Today, we are submitting a memo to the Kenya High Commission in Ottawa at 415 Laurier Avenue East Street from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm. This is to mark the 28th anniversary of the Wajir Massacre.

This act of genocide occurred in 1984 in Wagala near Wajir. The massacre itself occurred following the rounding up of five thousand Somali men and their removal to the Wagala air strip, while their homes were being burnt to the ground. The men were detained within a barbed wire enclosure over a four day period, forced to strip and denied food and water. The massacre has been devastating to the morale of Somalis, the majority of whom are too intimidated to take any action in case of further reprisals. To the Somalis, the Wajir Massacre is one of the gravest in a sad history of brutal massacres, including Malkameri in 1996, Garissa in 1980, Madogashe in 1982 and Bagala in 1989. Since none of these massacres has ever been investigated, the pattern of repression of the Kenyan Somali people continues.

 

Hundreds of families of victims of the Wajir Massacre are in the Bula Jogoo area of Wajir and are still in a state of destitution depending solely on relief aid. They have never been compensated for the massacre by the Kenyan government. At the time of the Wajir Massacre there was an international outcry and many western countries showed their concern and protested to the Kenyan government. Among them were Canada, Britain, United States of America, Sweden, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Finland, Australia, Austria, Ireland, Switzerland, Netherlands and Belgium. The Kenyan government has, for the first time, admitted that the horrific Wajir Massacre occurred sixteen years ago and that hundreds of ethnic Somalis were killed in the Wajir district in the northeastern province of Kenya during this massacre.

 

Soon after the independence on Dec 12, 1963 the Government of Kenya introduced an Emergency laws in North Eastern Province which unfortunately remain in place even today practically.

The Government of Kenya implemented a policy of economic, social and political repression in the region, thus subjecting the inhabitants to dire poverty and social decadency. As we write many people in North Eastern Province are dying as a result diseases and prolong droughts. The Government of Kenya continually committed and still commits ethnically motivated genocide against the people of North Eastern Province. The Garissa, Madogashe, Malkameri, Wajir and Bagala massacres that claimed thousands of lives are a concrete living testimony. In many ways, these massacre were carried out in a fashion that was in form and substance similar to the Nazis style of perfecting genocide against defenseless civilians. Although number of the victims in North Eastern Province remained a lot smaller than the Nazi victims, they are still lost human lives

 

One of these inhuman rules, which was an integral part of the colonial policy of divide and conquer, was to restrict the movement of different communities in this province. The freedom of movements of these communities was limited within smaller grazing areas. After independence all colonial rules were repealed except Northern and Eastern provinces inhabited by Somalis and Borans, and the right of movement of Kenyans was enshrined the constitution.

 

Today, we commemorate a black spot in the history of independent Kenya, when the government conspired and committed a massacre against its own people at Wagalla in Wajir County. Our country now has a new constitution and we pray that this new constitutional dispensation will guarantee basic freedoms and provide a relief to the victims of past atrocities and injustices. Wagalla massacre without doubt happened at hands of GOK. Some may argue about numbers, but Wagalla massacre is entrenched in the living memory of many a victim , and that the government is still in denial is a fact.

We remember tragic events of the Wagalla Massacre that happened 28 yrs ago to this date and remind the government of its obligations to its citizens, both living and dead.We would like to remind that that time is of the essence. As each year passes, the victims and witnesses are slowly dying without ever getting justice for the atrocity committed against them and their families. Similarly, as each year passes, and perpetrators pass on without retribution for the crimes they've committed against humanity.

 

The government's commissioning of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission has been rejected by the victims and civil society as not credible. We urge the government to use this moment of the 28th anniversary of the commission of this crime and take this matter seriously. We ask the government reconstitute a credible commission to expeditiously bring the perpetrators of Wagalla to justice. We remind them that justice delayed is justice denied.

 

For more information contact:

Abdi Omar Chairman Kenya Somali Community of North America.

abdidadai2000@yahoo.com

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Walahi im in chock, runtii ma ogeynin xasuuqan until today, Ilaahay ha uu naxariisto dhamaan Muwaadiniinta ee halkaas ku dhintay.. i can't understand one thing anagana dhexdeena is dhameyneena aana is arki karin cadowgana wuu na daaya oo wuu faraxsan yahay.. Aduunkana just dont give a damn walahi somaliyey isdabaqabtaa :(:(:(:(:(

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