One of the most important and fundamental rights of human beings is their right to live in a democracy, to receive adequate care and representation from those who claim to be their leaders and to live in peace and security. For the people of South Sudan such responsibilities will belong to the Government of South Sudan. Democracy is at best a subjective word. There are few regimes who would describe themselves as undemocratic. In most countries elections of one sort or another are held but how transparent or representative these are varies to a wide degree. However after decades of being denied the right to vote the citizens of South Sudan will finally be given a chance to make their voice heard in the forthcoming midterm elections and again in the referendum on secession. Also people are entitled to a nationality as is outlined in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, but again what this is may not always be the most straightforward thing to describe. For the purpose of this article when I use the word State I am not referring to one component in a Federal System but rather to the federal system as a whole. By saying State I am referring to those elements which govern a Nation.
But to properly gauge this process we must first look back into history. One could argue that at the root of all of Sudan's problems is the fact that the State that came to be known as Sudan was not a Sudanese invention. Instead it was the result of European leaders drawing lines on a map of a place they had never been while sitting in a conference room in Berlin in the late nineteenth century. In Europe at this time two things were already well established. The notion of a nation-state and that of Imperialism. Perhaps it should be said that a state is much easier to define than a nation. A state has borders, institutions, legislative bodies and security organizations. A nation is a much hazier idea that many have tried to define. One could for example define a nation as a group of people living in the same place at the same time, but to paraphrase the writer James Joyce; if a family lives in the same house for twenty years does that make them a nation? And if we restrict the idea of nationality to location what then of the Diaspora? There are many millions of displaced people all over the world; this would then leave them without a nationality. But often it is those who are furthest from their homeland who value their nationality most dearly as it gives them a sense of identity in a world where much else may seem alien or unfamiliar. Also if we attempt to define a nation along cultural or ethnic lines we will alienate those who live among us as friends and neighbours who may not share all of our history or culture but do occupy the same place as us at the same time and participate in the same society.
If we are to look for example at the question of Israel and Palestine we can see the problems that such blurred definitions create. For thousands of years the Jewish people were people without a state. However more than Judaism simply being a religion it embodied a culture and a sense of identity that may well have been reinforced by the collective persecution of the Jewish people at various points in history. However some felt that at the heart of the suffering of the Jewish people was their lack of a homeland. Hence following World War II and all the suffering inflicted on the Jewish people at the hands of the Nazis many settlers began to arrive in what was then known as the British mandate of Palestine. Territory that had been liberated from one empire; only to be subjected to the control of the British Empire who performed the role of 'caretakers'. The problem however was that this was not virgin territory. It was a land that was already inhabited by the Palestinian people; it had of course been some two thousand years since the Jews had been forced to leave. The Jewish settlers initiated a terrorist campaign against the British administration and Palestinian natives. This eventually led to the recognition of the State of Israel by the United Nations in 1948.
This has led to further problems. Firstly the Palestinian people who had been living in what they considered their home for thousands of years found themselves suddenly resident in a State which did not recognize them as citizens. They had their homes and lands seized, were pushed into refugee camps or controlled areas and many were exiled. So now the Nation without a State had one but at he expense of making another Nation Stateless. For the Israelis Israel had to be Jewish state, otherwise there was no point to it but many Jews around the world refused to support the Israeli state or to participate in it as they felt it had been created on and operated along an unjust basis. So these Jews then continued to be Stateless.
From a European perspective there was a huge level of cultural arrogance that went into defining what it was that made a Nation-state and for most Europeans they do not see the distinction between one and the other. They view the Nation-state as people of a common culture and language living inside the same set of borders and controlled by the same legislature. However rather than being innate in Europeans this sense of nationalism had to be created. This was usually done through primarily enforcing a common language on the people, such as in France or finding all people with a common language and declaring them to be a nation, as in Germany. The Nation-states of Germany and Italy as we know them now did not come into existence until the nineteenth century. Prior to that the areas that comprise these Nation-states had consisted of a number of kingdoms who were often in conflict (or alliance) with one and other. However treaties and wars served to create a common sense of identity and purpose and unity was born.
Such tactics however did not always work. English monarchs saw little sense in being surround by Celtic people (Irish, Scottish and Welsh) and so decided to assimilate these people and territories into their own 'United Kingdom'. However after prolonged attempts at colonization of their closest neighbours they were never able to completely eradicate their sense of identity. If we look at a map we can see that part of this could be explained by the geographical layout of the Islands. Ireland is an Island on its own and as such the continued occupation of the Northeast corner of the island by Britain continues to a sore point for many who feel that not only does Ireland have a separate culture and identity but is easily identifiable as a separate geographic entity. Wales and Scotland continue to be part of Britain but have their own parliaments and limited autonomy as well as their own languages and cultures.
So when Europeans began to colonise the rest of the world they began with the conceit that nation and state should be one and the same thing. They approached North and South America with much the same approach as they did Africa. As there were no clearly demarcated borders or flags. And no strong central authority they regarded this land as virgin territory. In order to avoid inter(European) state conflict Otto Von Bismarck, the first Chancellor of the newly united Germany, called the Berlin conference which ran from late 1884 to early 1885. The aim of this conference was to regulate the 'Scramble for Africa' and to divide the spoils of Africa between the European colonizers as if Africans had no right to them.
So it was from this situation that modern African borders arose and when the period of decolonization came in the mid-twentieth century they were adhered to as if they had existed since time immemorial. Tribes were divided by borders and geographical boundaries served to bunch together groups who had little interaction and may even have been hostile prior to this. This situation can especially be seen in Sudan where the British and Egyptians conspired to create a large Arab dominated state that would protect their mutual interests. When the people of South Sudan began their struggle for survival it was not because they longed for an abstract notion of a nation or for the organizational structure of a State to call their own but rather because they were defending themselves from an attempt to eliminate them. There were of course the same differences between the people of South Sudan as there were between the peoples of all the other artificially created states but through their collective struggle a sense of identity was born.
The ultimate outcome of the civil war was the comprehensive peace agreement which guaranteed a certain level of autonomy to the people of South Sudan. The people of South Sudan now have an opportunity which they never had before, the right to representative democracy. For the first time they will be able to participate in elections and cast a vote for the representative of their choice. They will even have the right to run in elections themselves if they so wish. As I stated above, democracy is a subjective word and it would be hard to find any system in place in the world which could be described as perfectly democratic but the key to democracy is responsibility. It is the responsibility of the politicians to represent the people in the best way they can and to serve their interests. It is the responsibility of the state to serve its people and to ensure their welfare in the best way they can. But it is also the responsibility of the people to ensure that their politicians represent them properly and do not mismanage what they are given to protect.
For the people of South Sudan what they have gained now is more than just peace, for even peace can be fragile. In the past representation came from the north, from a system that had no aims or ambitions to represent the people of the south and cared little more about representing even their own people. When the war began and the people of the South asserted themselves leadership came through a military command structure and from those who campaigned for independence. In such a situation the lines between military and civilian life can become very blurred as it becomes impossible for anybody to remain uninvolved in the conflict. Many of the tasks that should in peacetime have been the responsibility of the government were carried out by NGOs who provided emergency food and healthcare. In the past nobody stopped to ask the people of South Sudan what it was they wanted but soon they will have this opportunity.
As part of this process the census is being carried out in order to (a) count the population and decide on how to divide the country into constituencies and (b) access the future needs of the new Sudan. While to many the census may seem intrusive and ironically an infringement on their right to privacy it is also an important part of guaranteeing their democratic rights. However it is also important to be aware of the fact that many may seek to fabricate the information in the census reports to serve their own ends. In order for the new Sudan to be as democratic as possible it is important that the census should be as accurate as possible. The figures that the census reports will decide on constituencies for the election to determine in what way the people should be represented. It will also calculate such things as how many schools or hospitals are needed in a certain area and allow lawmakers to plan for the future development of the new Sudan.
It is important that people realize that for such things to succeed participation is absolutely necessary. Representative democracy can be quite democratic, but in order to be truly so it must be participative democracy. Now is the time for Sudanese people to assert their rights in dealing with their leaders and the institutions that will be created. It is probably innate in all of us not to trust politicians but this is unlikely to bother them unless we are willing to question them and their actions. While the war may be over there is a struggle to build a new society. In the new Sudan responsibility will extend both ways. It is the responsibility of the State to guarantee the welfare of its citizens and to protect their interests and their rights but it will be the responsibility of the citizens to participate and to ensure that their rights are protected.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Oil and Human Rights (article for Sudan Mirror Human Rights supplement)
Oil is perhaps the resource which has caused the most conflict and suffering in the modern world. It is a resource which has enormously transformed the world in which we live for better and for worse. Many people in Sudan have suffered hardship and displacement as a result of oil companies and government actions. Sadly such occurrences are not isolated. Oil has led to conflict in many parts of the world including in Iraq and Nigeria. It is in the interests of oil companies to extract oil in order to make profits for their shareholders. It is however not one of their main priorities to safeguard the environment or the welfare of those who live in and around the oil producing area.
The oil which they are extracting however is the property of these same people who they inflict suffering upon. The resources of a land belong to its people. Normally the conduit through which companies gain access to the oil however is the government of the country in which the oil is. They will act as the representatives of the people in dealings with the oil companies who want to extract the oil. Unfortunately when a government is corrupt they will more be likely act in their own interest rather than that of the people and those people living closest to the oil, rather than benefiting from it, will suffer terribly. So rather than investing revenues back into the country the government will take it for themselves. This however will produce huge levels of discontentment in the oil producing areas and will jeopradise oil production. As a result massive amounts of money will be spent on security. That is, ensuring the security of the oil companies from the people to whom the oil rightfully belongs.
However many governments will claim that it is in the national interest to extract the oil and that those who oppose the extraction are being unrealistic as they do not appreciate the benefits the oil will bring. However if we are to look at the case of Nigeria we can see that for most people living in the oil rich Niger Delta all that almost fifty years of oil production has brought is environmental destruction and suffering. Here fishermen have found that the waters which once teemed with life now carry little more than poisonous oil slicks and this pollution has led to sickness as well as poverty. Farmers found that the oil giants were able to come in and seize their land with impunity and construct pipelines where they pleased. Further to this flaring of gas meant that some children have grown up constantly in the shadow of the smoke from the flarestacks. The main culprit in this exploitation was Royal Dutch/Shell, the same company who own the refinery in Khartoum. Any community who dared to voice any opposition was dealt with harshly and swiftly. Although Shell claimed to have had no involvement in the atrocities carried out on communities local residents reported seeing soldiers carried in on helicopters and boats that were owned or leased by Shell.
The writer and academic Ken Saro-Wiwa was so appalled by the suffering of his people, the Ogoni, that he was moved to set up the Movement Of the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) which practiced non-violent resistance and protest. In the book Where Vultures Feast: Shell Human Rights and Oil, Ike Okonta and Oronto Douglas detail how Saro-Wiwa and eight other leaders of MOSOP were framed for murder and were hanged on the 10th of November 1995. The two main prosecution witnesses later admitted to fabricating their evidence and claimed that they had been paid by Shell.
The constitution of Southern Sudan guarantees certain rights to the people when it comes to oil. Even in the preamble it states itself as being; 'Conscious of the need to sustainably and efficiently manage our natural resources for the benefit of the present and future generations and to eradicate poverty and attain the Millennium Development Goals.' So that oil should be used for the benefit of the people of South Sudan is enshrined in its constitution, not just here but in several places. Article 40.2.(b) states that one of the duties of the government is to 'protect and ensure the sustainable management and utilization of natural resources including land, water, petroleum, minerals, fauna and flora for the benefit of the people of Southern Sudan.'
So not only should the revenue from the oil be used for the benefit of the people but the oil should be extracted in a sustainable manner to ensure its long term benefits and this should be done in an environmentally friendly manner. The oil industry is one of the most notorious polluters on the planet. The Interim constitution however promises people a clean and healthy environment in article 44;
'44. (1) Every person shall have the right to a clean and healthy environment.'
The next section of this article puts responsibility for this on the government;
'(2) Every person shall have the right to have the environment protected for the benefit of present and future generations, through reasonable legislative action and other measures that:
(a) prevent pollution and ecological degradation;
(b) promote conservation; and
(c) secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources while promoting rational economic and social development so as to protect the bio-diversity of Southern Sudan.'
Section (c) above is very important as it states that not only should the development of South Sudan's resources be sustainable but that they should be used for rational economic and social development. Further to this part three of article 44 also states that not only are people entitled to share in the economic benefits that oil production will bring but that their energy needs must be met also;
'(3) All levels of government in Southern Sudan shall promote energy policies that will ensure that the basic needs of the people are met while protecting and preserving the environment.'
Oil is a finite resource and one that is in great demand all over the world. In the past year prices have reached unprecedented levels due to declining availability of easy to access stocks and global economic and political conditions. Those countries with the greatest thirst for oil have long since depleted the stocks available to them on their own soil. For this reason they are anxious to gain access to new reserves. The new but fragile peace in South Sudan means that many companies are willing to exploit the massive reserves which are now accessible. However it will be in the interests of the oil companies to extract the oil at as low a cost as possible in order to maximize their own profits. This may often mean infringing on the rights of the people by not fairly compensating them or doing excessive damage to their environment.
However if a company feels that the only way to guarantee their profits is by acting in an ethical manner it may provide some incentive for better practice. An example of this can be seen with the French company Total. Total suspended their operations in White Nile State due to the outbreak of civil war in 1985. However they paid a retainer fee to the Sudanese government on an ongoing basis to guarantee their access to the oil if the situation ever improved. This however did not stop the GOSS from granting their concession to another company, the aptly named White Nile. Under this deal White Nile will have sixty percent of the concession block and the remaining forty percent will be controlled by Nile Petroleum corp. the state oil company of South Sudan. Total is challenging this in the UK courts but is also considering allowing the South a share in the block in order to make themselves seem a more attractive partner. Indeed Total seems to be very anxious to resume activities in Southern Sudan and sees the disputed block as a very lucrative prospect. Also in order to avoid the pitfalls of operating inside a hostile situation they are attempting to make themselves seem attractive to the local community as well. This is in direct contrast to the Canadian owned company Talisman energy who willing collaborated with the Khartoum government in displacing people and destroying homes in order to gain access to oil in the south. However such was the outcry that Talisman were forced to examine if it was still profitable to operate in a situation where their reputation was being damaged around the world and so they eventually sold their stake in 2003.
In September of 2005 Total undertook a research trip with the Corporate Engagement Project in order to access how they could operate in South Sudan with the minimum of conflict with local people. They met with local as well as government representatives and decided that such things as employing as many local people as possible and educating outsiders on Dinka customs and culture would create less conflict. They also decided that opening more offices in the South would help them to liaise better with authorities there. Such measures however are still only recommendations and there can be no guarantee that they will actually be put into practice. However it shows how anxious Total are to recommence operations in South Sudan and how lucrative of a prospect it must be. Their approach is however a marked contrast to the actions of the Chinese National Petroleum Corporation who willingly collaborated with the Khartoum government. When International pressure was being brought to bear on the Government of Sudan not only were the Chinese happy to exploit the nation's resources they were also willing to sell arms and equipment to the Sudanese army. This cooperation had notable benefits for them with some seventy percent of Sudan's oil exports going to China, fulfilling six per cent of its rapidly increasing energy demands. There are also reports that Chinese workers were armed and opened fire on civilians as they were fleeing.
So as we can see oil can produce great incentives for governments and corporations to infringe on human rights. Not just on peoples rights to have control of their resources but also on their most basic right s and freedoms by unleashing campaigns of violence and intimidation. Further to this they may cause untold environmental damage and further take away this most basic right from people. It will be the duty of the Government of South Sudan to negotiate the best deal possible for its people and guarantee the rights of its people when negotiating with those who want to exploit the abundance of natural resources that exist inside its territory. However it will be the people who will suffer most if this does not transpire and so they will have to remain ever vigilant throughout the time of rapid change that oil drilling will bring.
The oil which they are extracting however is the property of these same people who they inflict suffering upon. The resources of a land belong to its people. Normally the conduit through which companies gain access to the oil however is the government of the country in which the oil is. They will act as the representatives of the people in dealings with the oil companies who want to extract the oil. Unfortunately when a government is corrupt they will more be likely act in their own interest rather than that of the people and those people living closest to the oil, rather than benefiting from it, will suffer terribly. So rather than investing revenues back into the country the government will take it for themselves. This however will produce huge levels of discontentment in the oil producing areas and will jeopradise oil production. As a result massive amounts of money will be spent on security. That is, ensuring the security of the oil companies from the people to whom the oil rightfully belongs.
However many governments will claim that it is in the national interest to extract the oil and that those who oppose the extraction are being unrealistic as they do not appreciate the benefits the oil will bring. However if we are to look at the case of Nigeria we can see that for most people living in the oil rich Niger Delta all that almost fifty years of oil production has brought is environmental destruction and suffering. Here fishermen have found that the waters which once teemed with life now carry little more than poisonous oil slicks and this pollution has led to sickness as well as poverty. Farmers found that the oil giants were able to come in and seize their land with impunity and construct pipelines where they pleased. Further to this flaring of gas meant that some children have grown up constantly in the shadow of the smoke from the flarestacks. The main culprit in this exploitation was Royal Dutch/Shell, the same company who own the refinery in Khartoum. Any community who dared to voice any opposition was dealt with harshly and swiftly. Although Shell claimed to have had no involvement in the atrocities carried out on communities local residents reported seeing soldiers carried in on helicopters and boats that were owned or leased by Shell.
The writer and academic Ken Saro-Wiwa was so appalled by the suffering of his people, the Ogoni, that he was moved to set up the Movement Of the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) which practiced non-violent resistance and protest. In the book Where Vultures Feast: Shell Human Rights and Oil, Ike Okonta and Oronto Douglas detail how Saro-Wiwa and eight other leaders of MOSOP were framed for murder and were hanged on the 10th of November 1995. The two main prosecution witnesses later admitted to fabricating their evidence and claimed that they had been paid by Shell.
The constitution of Southern Sudan guarantees certain rights to the people when it comes to oil. Even in the preamble it states itself as being; 'Conscious of the need to sustainably and efficiently manage our natural resources for the benefit of the present and future generations and to eradicate poverty and attain the Millennium Development Goals.' So that oil should be used for the benefit of the people of South Sudan is enshrined in its constitution, not just here but in several places. Article 40.2.(b) states that one of the duties of the government is to 'protect and ensure the sustainable management and utilization of natural resources including land, water, petroleum, minerals, fauna and flora for the benefit of the people of Southern Sudan.'
So not only should the revenue from the oil be used for the benefit of the people but the oil should be extracted in a sustainable manner to ensure its long term benefits and this should be done in an environmentally friendly manner. The oil industry is one of the most notorious polluters on the planet. The Interim constitution however promises people a clean and healthy environment in article 44;
'44. (1) Every person shall have the right to a clean and healthy environment.'
The next section of this article puts responsibility for this on the government;
'(2) Every person shall have the right to have the environment protected for the benefit of present and future generations, through reasonable legislative action and other measures that:
(a) prevent pollution and ecological degradation;
(b) promote conservation; and
(c) secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources while promoting rational economic and social development so as to protect the bio-diversity of Southern Sudan.'
Section (c) above is very important as it states that not only should the development of South Sudan's resources be sustainable but that they should be used for rational economic and social development. Further to this part three of article 44 also states that not only are people entitled to share in the economic benefits that oil production will bring but that their energy needs must be met also;
'(3) All levels of government in Southern Sudan shall promote energy policies that will ensure that the basic needs of the people are met while protecting and preserving the environment.'
Oil is a finite resource and one that is in great demand all over the world. In the past year prices have reached unprecedented levels due to declining availability of easy to access stocks and global economic and political conditions. Those countries with the greatest thirst for oil have long since depleted the stocks available to them on their own soil. For this reason they are anxious to gain access to new reserves. The new but fragile peace in South Sudan means that many companies are willing to exploit the massive reserves which are now accessible. However it will be in the interests of the oil companies to extract the oil at as low a cost as possible in order to maximize their own profits. This may often mean infringing on the rights of the people by not fairly compensating them or doing excessive damage to their environment.
However if a company feels that the only way to guarantee their profits is by acting in an ethical manner it may provide some incentive for better practice. An example of this can be seen with the French company Total. Total suspended their operations in White Nile State due to the outbreak of civil war in 1985. However they paid a retainer fee to the Sudanese government on an ongoing basis to guarantee their access to the oil if the situation ever improved. This however did not stop the GOSS from granting their concession to another company, the aptly named White Nile. Under this deal White Nile will have sixty percent of the concession block and the remaining forty percent will be controlled by Nile Petroleum corp. the state oil company of South Sudan. Total is challenging this in the UK courts but is also considering allowing the South a share in the block in order to make themselves seem a more attractive partner. Indeed Total seems to be very anxious to resume activities in Southern Sudan and sees the disputed block as a very lucrative prospect. Also in order to avoid the pitfalls of operating inside a hostile situation they are attempting to make themselves seem attractive to the local community as well. This is in direct contrast to the Canadian owned company Talisman energy who willing collaborated with the Khartoum government in displacing people and destroying homes in order to gain access to oil in the south. However such was the outcry that Talisman were forced to examine if it was still profitable to operate in a situation where their reputation was being damaged around the world and so they eventually sold their stake in 2003.
In September of 2005 Total undertook a research trip with the Corporate Engagement Project in order to access how they could operate in South Sudan with the minimum of conflict with local people. They met with local as well as government representatives and decided that such things as employing as many local people as possible and educating outsiders on Dinka customs and culture would create less conflict. They also decided that opening more offices in the South would help them to liaise better with authorities there. Such measures however are still only recommendations and there can be no guarantee that they will actually be put into practice. However it shows how anxious Total are to recommence operations in South Sudan and how lucrative of a prospect it must be. Their approach is however a marked contrast to the actions of the Chinese National Petroleum Corporation who willingly collaborated with the Khartoum government. When International pressure was being brought to bear on the Government of Sudan not only were the Chinese happy to exploit the nation's resources they were also willing to sell arms and equipment to the Sudanese army. This cooperation had notable benefits for them with some seventy percent of Sudan's oil exports going to China, fulfilling six per cent of its rapidly increasing energy demands. There are also reports that Chinese workers were armed and opened fire on civilians as they were fleeing.
So as we can see oil can produce great incentives for governments and corporations to infringe on human rights. Not just on peoples rights to have control of their resources but also on their most basic right s and freedoms by unleashing campaigns of violence and intimidation. Further to this they may cause untold environmental damage and further take away this most basic right from people. It will be the duty of the Government of South Sudan to negotiate the best deal possible for its people and guarantee the rights of its people when negotiating with those who want to exploit the abundance of natural resources that exist inside its territory. However it will be the people who will suffer most if this does not transpire and so they will have to remain ever vigilant throughout the time of rapid change that oil drilling will bring.
Powercuts
So while I sit here we're in the middle of another power cut. Thank goodness for the little bit of battery life my laptop manages to have. It's just another one of those little things you get used to in Nairobi. Like no road markings, very few footpaths and generally poor infrastructure. What it results in now is that there are a bunch of people sitting around the office up to nothing in particular because not only can they not work in a power cut they can't even go on the internet and waste time that way. The back up generator is proving to be sadly disappointing as it doesn't provide enough power to run anything properly. The internet just keeps coming on and off as occasionally the server is fed enough power to function for thirty seconds or a minute. The internet connection, and we have a relatively decent one here isn't up to much at the best of times. Even things like emailing a photo that hasn't been shrunk down to a postage stamp size prove to be a bit of a task sometimes.
Of course in terms of deficiency of services this is hardly the worst thing happening in Nairobi. The conditions that some people are subjected too bring out a mixture of feelings in me. Notably anger, sadness and frustration. To see good people deprived of such things as a paved road outside of their house or running water inside is not something I find easy to rationalize. There are no shortage of intelligent, talented and decent people in Nairobi who have been left without decent opportunities. When I remarked to one Kenyan recently that people here were hard working he asked how I could say that when there was no work for most of them to do. Later that evening when leaving a friends house I fell into a hole due to a lack of street-lighting and my right foot went down into an open drain and got soaked. The lads were very apologetic and seemed to feel bad that this had happened to me while I was in their neighbourhood and with them but all that had happened was that I had been given a little glimpse of the (literal) obstacles most Kenyans face every day. I wasn't injured and thankfully the collection of cds they had just burnt me were unharmed. I now have some excellent conscious reggae and hip hop added to my collection.
When the lads were walking me home we were stopped by the police who pretty much asked them in Swahili 'What are you doing with this white man?' Even without understanding the language I could figure out what was going on. The cops never once spoke to or addressed me; it's unusual for me to be the one they are looking out for. It reminded me once again of the very different situation that white people live in here (as if I needed to be reminded!). They replied 'We are walking our brother home.' To which the cops said 'He cannot be your brother he is white.' The lads set him straight though by saying 'We are not racists!'
One European aid worker I know however spent a couple of days in a cell the other week for what was pretty much a drunk and disorderly offence. He was held with fourteen other people included 'suspected Islamic militants'. These guys had fled over the border when the Americans bombed Somalia and been picked up by the Kenyan authorities. Included in the bunch were one Briton and one American who were receiving regular visits from the security services of their respective countries. Apparently they claimed they were innocent but there case may not be helped by the fact they were carrying AK47s when they were picked up! They said they had been given them for self defence and were then pointed in the direction of the Kenyan border.
A lot of people here are blaming the recent upsurge in violent crime here on the number of militants and weapons driven over the border by the American bombing in Somalia (Thanks again Team America!). Another story I have heard however is that in 1999 all the street kids were gathered up by the police and were shipped off to the Congo to join with the rebels. When the media started asking questions they were quickly told to shut up so it never really became common knowledge. Now the situation there has stabilized and these 'kids' are returning with weapons and military training and raising hell. However whatever the cause of the large number of shootings recently one can also never be completely sure that it is as dangerous as the media make out. Still there is no point in taking unnecessary risks but if we allow fear to become our most powerful emotion we are in danger of becoming blinkered
Of course in terms of deficiency of services this is hardly the worst thing happening in Nairobi. The conditions that some people are subjected too bring out a mixture of feelings in me. Notably anger, sadness and frustration. To see good people deprived of such things as a paved road outside of their house or running water inside is not something I find easy to rationalize. There are no shortage of intelligent, talented and decent people in Nairobi who have been left without decent opportunities. When I remarked to one Kenyan recently that people here were hard working he asked how I could say that when there was no work for most of them to do. Later that evening when leaving a friends house I fell into a hole due to a lack of street-lighting and my right foot went down into an open drain and got soaked. The lads were very apologetic and seemed to feel bad that this had happened to me while I was in their neighbourhood and with them but all that had happened was that I had been given a little glimpse of the (literal) obstacles most Kenyans face every day. I wasn't injured and thankfully the collection of cds they had just burnt me were unharmed. I now have some excellent conscious reggae and hip hop added to my collection.
When the lads were walking me home we were stopped by the police who pretty much asked them in Swahili 'What are you doing with this white man?' Even without understanding the language I could figure out what was going on. The cops never once spoke to or addressed me; it's unusual for me to be the one they are looking out for. It reminded me once again of the very different situation that white people live in here (as if I needed to be reminded!). They replied 'We are walking our brother home.' To which the cops said 'He cannot be your brother he is white.' The lads set him straight though by saying 'We are not racists!'
One European aid worker I know however spent a couple of days in a cell the other week for what was pretty much a drunk and disorderly offence. He was held with fourteen other people included 'suspected Islamic militants'. These guys had fled over the border when the Americans bombed Somalia and been picked up by the Kenyan authorities. Included in the bunch were one Briton and one American who were receiving regular visits from the security services of their respective countries. Apparently they claimed they were innocent but there case may not be helped by the fact they were carrying AK47s when they were picked up! They said they had been given them for self defence and were then pointed in the direction of the Kenyan border.
A lot of people here are blaming the recent upsurge in violent crime here on the number of militants and weapons driven over the border by the American bombing in Somalia (Thanks again Team America!). Another story I have heard however is that in 1999 all the street kids were gathered up by the police and were shipped off to the Congo to join with the rebels. When the media started asking questions they were quickly told to shut up so it never really became common knowledge. Now the situation there has stabilized and these 'kids' are returning with weapons and military training and raising hell. However whatever the cause of the large number of shootings recently one can also never be completely sure that it is as dangerous as the media make out. Still there is no point in taking unnecessary risks but if we allow fear to become our most powerful emotion we are in danger of becoming blinkered
Rich, Rich Mama Africa
At the weekend I took a drive out to Nivasha, which is a lake about an hours drive from Nairobi. Well I didn't drive but that's neither here nor there. On the drive out of Nairobi we passed through sprawling suburbs that consisted mostly of shanty towns and markets. They gradually became less and less dense and Donkeys, goats and cattle became more frequent. It is hard to tell where the city starts and ends as there is not really anything you could describe as planning involved in the construction of a slum. Once we moved into the countryside I was amazed by how lush and green it is. Another myth busted.
In Europe we are always told how poor Africa is and true the people are poor but this is the richest continent on earth. When we got to Nivasha I saw Masai tribespeople herding cattle and goats and Zebras were just lounging on the side of the road as if they owned the place. Take a picture of a Zebra in front of an African and they will think it's hilarious! Zebras here are like rabbits in Ireland. I also realised something about wildlife documentaries when we went looking for wildlife and couldn't find much because of the vegetation. They are only filmed when it is very dry because the animals are easier to see and the more difficult conditions make it more dramatic. It's quite similar to the approach of the western media really. They only report of Africa when there is a drought or a civil war, I mean who wants to hear good news about Africa? So we as westerners develop a mindset that Africa is a poor place and that the hardships that occur happen because they have no water and no resources. We develop images of Africans as being helpless people, children who couldn't feed themselves if it wasn't for the benevolence of the west.
Nothing could be further from the truth. If anything most of the suffering in Africa has been caused by wealthy as Imperialists, old and new, sought to dispossess the Africans of what was rightfully theirs be it land or resources. Take Sudan for example. The civil was there was caused by the creation of a State where the Muslin north was in control of the African Christian and Animistic south. The south however had water and oil. Two things any country needs. However the Arabs in the north had a problem. There were black people living on all the water and oil that they felt was rightfully theirs. The solution? Genocide. So the southerners had little choice but to defend themselves. The result was twenty years of civil war and two million dead as well as millions of people displaced. Now however they have a fragile peace. The Chinese are courting both sides in order to get access to the oil. They have always been supportive of the northern government and seventy per cent of all Sudanese oil is exported to China.
The old Imperialists, the British, created a situation where civil war was inevitable. The new Imperialists the Chinese were willing to exploit this situation in order to develop their economy. They were willing to do business with the most one of the most despotic regimes on earth supplying them with weapons and infrastructure in order to keep the oil flowing. Now there is peace they are free to take the oil without anybody having to fire a shot. The southern Sudanese don't face the genocide that their countrymen in Darfur do but it will remain to be seen if they ever benefit from the wealth of their country. Or if to quote the song 'It's the same old song with a different meaning'.
In Europe we are always told how poor Africa is and true the people are poor but this is the richest continent on earth. When we got to Nivasha I saw Masai tribespeople herding cattle and goats and Zebras were just lounging on the side of the road as if they owned the place. Take a picture of a Zebra in front of an African and they will think it's hilarious! Zebras here are like rabbits in Ireland. I also realised something about wildlife documentaries when we went looking for wildlife and couldn't find much because of the vegetation. They are only filmed when it is very dry because the animals are easier to see and the more difficult conditions make it more dramatic. It's quite similar to the approach of the western media really. They only report of Africa when there is a drought or a civil war, I mean who wants to hear good news about Africa? So we as westerners develop a mindset that Africa is a poor place and that the hardships that occur happen because they have no water and no resources. We develop images of Africans as being helpless people, children who couldn't feed themselves if it wasn't for the benevolence of the west.
Nothing could be further from the truth. If anything most of the suffering in Africa has been caused by wealthy as Imperialists, old and new, sought to dispossess the Africans of what was rightfully theirs be it land or resources. Take Sudan for example. The civil was there was caused by the creation of a State where the Muslin north was in control of the African Christian and Animistic south. The south however had water and oil. Two things any country needs. However the Arabs in the north had a problem. There were black people living on all the water and oil that they felt was rightfully theirs. The solution? Genocide. So the southerners had little choice but to defend themselves. The result was twenty years of civil war and two million dead as well as millions of people displaced. Now however they have a fragile peace. The Chinese are courting both sides in order to get access to the oil. They have always been supportive of the northern government and seventy per cent of all Sudanese oil is exported to China.
The old Imperialists, the British, created a situation where civil war was inevitable. The new Imperialists the Chinese were willing to exploit this situation in order to develop their economy. They were willing to do business with the most one of the most despotic regimes on earth supplying them with weapons and infrastructure in order to keep the oil flowing. Now there is peace they are free to take the oil without anybody having to fire a shot. The southern Sudanese don't face the genocide that their countrymen in Darfur do but it will remain to be seen if they ever benefit from the wealth of their country. Or if to quote the song 'It's the same old song with a different meaning'.
First and Second Impressions of Nairobi
I'm having a great time in Nairobi, but it is a little crazy as well. It is always hot here! But it rains a little as well, but that's hot running water! So far I have only seen bits and pieces of the city. Last night Godano, who works for my uncle, took me to a bar in the slum where he lives. It was the best place I've been so far. Everybody was very friendly and the beer was very cheap. But most importantly I was the only Mizuno (white man) there. If you saw how some Europeans live here it would make you sick. A lot of them just seem to be here to enjoy themselves, well at least of the ones I've met so far. I guess everybody wants to enjoy themselves but I suppose what bothers me is that if you are white here you are seen as different. People presume you are rich and for most of the time they are right. But even a poor European like me is rich by African standards. Seeing the slum last night was a little crazy. It is full of life and music and it is peoples home. Most of the buildings are shacks made out of galvanise with little shops and bars dotted about the place but a lot of them don't even have running water. It looks cool but then you remember that you are a voyeur and that this is how people have to live and that they are struggling. But still the ones I met in the bar were genuinely friendly and lovely people. I felt more welcome there than in the bars where the Europeans and rich Africans go. But I still think that I wouldn't dare to go there on my own yet. Poverty leads to crime and like I say when people see a Mizuno they presume he is rich and even if I was on the dole in Ireland it still makes me rich by the standards of most Kenyans. Car jackings are very common here and often people are shot. The most desirable cars for the carjackers are the top of the line landcruisers most aid agencies use that cost e60,000 plus. A couple of friends of my uncle were carjacked and shot dead last week and a couple of hours later the police found the thieves and shot them dead.
There are huge shopping centres here were the wealthy people go and you can by all the same stuff you would find in Europe at similar prices. They are full of security guards carrying huge nightsticks and in Lavington, the neighbourhood where i am staying, most of the houses have security guards and there are mobile patrols all over the place. It reminds me again and again of all the Marxism that so many people are so quick to dismiss. It was the analysis of Marx and Engels and of Malcolm X and of the Black Panthers and I see it in evidence everywhere here. That the police are only needed when there is a such a gap between the rich and the poor that crime becomes inevitable. Here the gap is massive and the police and security presence and is huge and militaristic. Last night I met a friend of Godano's in the bar who is a policeman. For the boys from the slum it gives them a chance of security and respect. It means they can be the big man in their neighbourhood and inevitably there are huge problems with corruption in the police force here.
For Kenyans education is extremely important. Sean, who works for the paper, has been in Africa for as long as my Uncle and was a priest too, said a few years ago he was involved in a survey in the slums where they asked people what their priorities were. He said that above health, sanitation, roads and everything else. Everybody said that there main priority was free primary education. When the one party system ended about four years ago and the new government came to power their main (and some would say only) achievement was the introduction of free primary education. However it is still of quite a poor standard but at least it gives people a chance of literacy that they never had before.
At the moment there is some sort of a function taking place in the house next door. Apparently it is rented out for weddings and other such events and they are blasting out the music. Africans love music and I have heard some fantastic stuff since I have been here. I have heard some live music (including what is coming from next door now) and really want to get out and here as much as I can. I understand a bit more now what Ken Saro-Wiwa meant when he wrote 'Dance away your anger, dance away your sorrow, dance the guns to silence, Dance, Dance!'
I'm going to throw in one more quote and I can't remember who it is from, maybe one of you can help, 'It is not those who can inflict the most but those who can suffer the most who can triumph.' It is something I thought of again and again during the blockades and pickets in Bellinaboy and it something that I sincerely hope is true.
You see I'm not sure what natural resources Kenya has and most of the economic activity I've seen is on a small scale and I am left to wonder again and again where is the real hope for this country and it seems to be in its people. There something inspiring about their spirit and their attitude. If they can ever shake off their corrupt rulers and their exploiters both native and foreign then they can have a real and viable future, but I guess you could say that it's the same the world over.
There are huge shopping centres here were the wealthy people go and you can by all the same stuff you would find in Europe at similar prices. They are full of security guards carrying huge nightsticks and in Lavington, the neighbourhood where i am staying, most of the houses have security guards and there are mobile patrols all over the place. It reminds me again and again of all the Marxism that so many people are so quick to dismiss. It was the analysis of Marx and Engels and of Malcolm X and of the Black Panthers and I see it in evidence everywhere here. That the police are only needed when there is a such a gap between the rich and the poor that crime becomes inevitable. Here the gap is massive and the police and security presence and is huge and militaristic. Last night I met a friend of Godano's in the bar who is a policeman. For the boys from the slum it gives them a chance of security and respect. It means they can be the big man in their neighbourhood and inevitably there are huge problems with corruption in the police force here.
For Kenyans education is extremely important. Sean, who works for the paper, has been in Africa for as long as my Uncle and was a priest too, said a few years ago he was involved in a survey in the slums where they asked people what their priorities were. He said that above health, sanitation, roads and everything else. Everybody said that there main priority was free primary education. When the one party system ended about four years ago and the new government came to power their main (and some would say only) achievement was the introduction of free primary education. However it is still of quite a poor standard but at least it gives people a chance of literacy that they never had before.
At the moment there is some sort of a function taking place in the house next door. Apparently it is rented out for weddings and other such events and they are blasting out the music. Africans love music and I have heard some fantastic stuff since I have been here. I have heard some live music (including what is coming from next door now) and really want to get out and here as much as I can. I understand a bit more now what Ken Saro-Wiwa meant when he wrote 'Dance away your anger, dance away your sorrow, dance the guns to silence, Dance, Dance!'
I'm going to throw in one more quote and I can't remember who it is from, maybe one of you can help, 'It is not those who can inflict the most but those who can suffer the most who can triumph.' It is something I thought of again and again during the blockades and pickets in Bellinaboy and it something that I sincerely hope is true.
You see I'm not sure what natural resources Kenya has and most of the economic activity I've seen is on a small scale and I am left to wonder again and again where is the real hope for this country and it seems to be in its people. There something inspiring about their spirit and their attitude. If they can ever shake off their corrupt rulers and their exploiters both native and foreign then they can have a real and viable future, but I guess you could say that it's the same the world over.
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