TERROR, BLOOD, HATRED: PARALLELISM OF KENYA'S 'TRIBAL' WARS

In March this year I was requested to write an opinion piece on the importance of remembering and learning from past conflicts, mass killing, and genocides (read:  http://lemukolwords.blogspot.com/2014/03/why-is-it-important-to-remember-1994.html ) - in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda.

Today I am confronted with this same question with respect to the cries and lamentations of Kenyans arising from tribal feuds and fights. I tend to believe that there exist parallels between the Rwandan genocide and the treacherous path Kenyans are taking.

It is crystal clear from the Rwandan experience that genocide of any magnitude can be prevented. Of great concern too is the fact that genocide, if not checked in the minds of a people, can blow up to unimaginable proportions.

Now, what is the link between the genocide against the Tutsis and Kenya's 'tribal' wars? To equate the Rwandan experience to Kenya's 'normalised' tribal/ethnic flare-ups may sound frightening but the growing negativity among Kenyans and hyperbolic levels of hatred between communities must – and should - force any right-thinking and patriotic Kenyan to think of ways to mitigate the situation before it gets out of hand. 

The 'tribal curse' has once again reared its ugly head. This time round it is stronger, focused and energised. It is aiming at its targets with the precision of a marksman. It is killing and leaving a trail of destruction of unimaginable proportions. 

For the past six months, Kenyans have been treated to an endless orgy of criminal activities ranging from bombings to village raids, from street robberies to church shootings, from 'tribal' massacres to terror threats.

All along the government has been singing and assuring Kenyans the all-is-well and we-are-on-top-of-things hymns. Promises of action against alleged perpetrators of these criminal activities have not materialised. Burning questions about the motive of these acts, the brains behind them and their ultimate goal still remain unanswered.

Instead, Kenyans - and the world - are treated to a painful and juvenile drama of accusations and counter-accusations. 

That notwithstanding, I think there is more to this bloodbath than just tribal fights. A nation claiming to be fifty years old cannot just erupt and burn without reasons. I believe there could be two possible links to this orgy. One being the government's inaction and/or silence. The second being the non-state actors including but not limited to the overstretched and insecure citizens.

In "Becoming Evil; How Ordinary People Commit Genocide and Mass Killing" , James Waller underlines that: The greatest catastrophes occur when the distinctions between war and crime fade; when there is dissolution of the boundaries between military and criminal conduct, between civility and barbarity; when political, social, or religious groups embrace collective violence against a defenseless victim group as warfare or, perhaps worse yet, as “progress.”

He further outlines two categories of violence. Violence "from below", that is, violence motivated by grievances against, or ideologies opposed to an existing state. In this case, populations resort to violence against alleged "supporters or sympathizers" of the opposing side to vent their anger and "send a clear signal".

This may be due to a breakdown of communication avenues through which aggrieved groups, tribes, gender or community can channel their grievances. This may also be as a result of lack of trust in the existing channels of public dialogue.

The second category is violence "from above". This is generally state-directed violence against its citizens as a means of checking dissent or simply as a tool to maintain status-quo and state monopoly. No doubt, this is the largest contributor to human suffering and the reason why citizens may resort - albeit all connected consequences - to using unlawful means to speak. 

For the Kenyan case, this can be narrowed down to the curse of knowledge and total disconnect between the ruling elite and the masses. Those better placed to steer the nation in the right direction have failed to grasp the demands of the common man. It is this continued sense of neglect that is to blame for tribal eruptions that characterize our ways of interacting with others.

The total neglect of police welfare should push every Kenyan to point fingers at the government. We have failed to understand that law enforcement is not all about vehicles and guns. You cannot expect an officer living under a licking roof to be as effective as a well-oiled criminal or tribal warlord.

Policing is first about the body, soul and spirit of officers before we think of blaming them of inaction. A bellyful and stress-free cop is an asset to the nation and is better placed to thwart criminal acts.

Kenya's tribal wars, therefore, ought to be understood not as a finality of all challenges befalling Kenyans but as a sign of an existence of a greater challenge that calls for an urgent top-down intervention.

When we understand the extraordinary tribal evil stalking Kenya, we will be less likely to be surprised by evil, less likely to be the unwitting contributors to hatred and ethnic-directed murders, and perhaps better placed to forestall its (tribal) manifestations.

Perhaps, it is time we should think of revisiting and implementing past reports, especially the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Report. We cannot bury our heads in the sand and expect land feuds and historical injustices to die a natural death.

These past events need a comprehensive and committed closure for all to enjoy a peaceful and cohesive Kenya.

Twiiter: @mlemukol. Email: lemoseh89@gmail.com