Northern Kenya villagers flee in fear of Ethiopian militia attacks

Sept 1, 2006 (NAIROBI) — Hundreds of families from three villages in Dukana Division in Marsabit District in north of Eastern Province, are camping at the Dukana administration centre following a raid on Monday 28 August when residents said the Oromo militia attacked their manyattas (homes) before making away with animals.

And following the raid, the only two schools in Dukana may not reopen next week due to insecurity.

According to the Kenyan KTN TV, Rashid Galgalo and his young family have been trekking for a while now under the scorching hot Marsabit sun and through the difficult terrain. They are lucky their beasts of burden were spared from the violent robbery of animals in Paresala, Ideret and Korr when raiders believed to be Oromo militia struck on Monday.

It has become a weekly ritual – the attacks, he tells us. We don’t know what to do. We live in constant fear. Rashid’s family is not the only one fleeing the manyattas. We were told over 200 families from the three divisions are heading here, Dukana centre, where they believe that at least security is much better than back home.

They say that government has many times done too little too late in such times.

“We have pleaded with our government. This year alone we have been attacked seven times and our government has not taken any steps” a resident told the KTN.

“The southern Ethiopian region seems not to have any government in control at all.”

A hundred and seventy-five police reservists have been deployed Dukana but even, residents say, they need more bullets, more personnel if they are to defeat an enemy they insist has gone way overboard, particularly in the last four months.

(ST)