Letter to Kur Wel Kur
By Mamer D. Jur
23rd September 2014,
Subject: On laws and Society, and mistreatment of refugees in the Kakuma Camp.
Dear Kur Wel Kur,
Your analysis on how Kenyans’ media is responding to South Sudan’s sovereignty rights to pass any economic policy, they think was right to benefits the citizens. Was an outstanding piece of insight and too your conclusion was a way ‘forward’ may all of us think big for the brightest South Sudan, for what can be done by South Sudanese; so that they could not be bullied, harassed, and also not to be taken as not able to governed themselves.
I strongly, do agreed with you on the followings points below ‘mainly from your conclusion’ for ways ‘forward’. South Sudanese needs to do the followings:
- Firstly, to stop internal conflicts, which are going at the moment.
- Adopts Agriculture practice in all the sectors of the economic. Which is really very important in both domestic and international levels. As we are a land – lock country, there may be one day that our partners; may punish us not to give us what we may need. But if we do produces our own foods and other important things, which are essential to our country’s economic growths. Then we may not be worried, if any country wants to sanction us in anything. But the question is how do we do it?
- ‘We must settle our internal conflicts and militarised. This point is very good, because at moment we have got unfinished business with the Kenyans government. On the issue of ‘Ilemi triangle’! As you have just mention. There is a disputed over this land between three east Africa countries. These are: South Sudan, Kenya, and Ethiopia. But the main parties to this disputed land are; South Sudan and Kenya. Ethiopia has conceded that they do not have the property rights over the land. Arguing that, the land belongs to South Sudan. This disputed land was named after a famous Anuak’s chief called Ilemi Akwon. So I think, some of us may need to read between the lines. To finds out the answers for themselves.
This is my reflection on Kenyans’ Polices attitudes towards Refugees in the Kakuma Camp. Especially towards South Sudanese and others.
The environment in the camp was never enjoyable for some reasons. The camp was a desert and challenging, the environment was never calm; full with a non – stop dust storms, high temperatures, poisonous spiders, deadly snakes, and hungry scorpions. Outbreaks of deadly diseases like malaria, cholera, and other life threatening diseases were imminent to be avoided. Lacks of resources and little education about hygiene were the leading to the high fatality of cholera in the camp.
The average daytime temperature was 40 degrees Celsius, but when the time goes in the camp; many people planted many trees to improve the weather conditions. I planted many trees in 1995 around our compound home, and some within the compound as a shed. Kakuma Camp was a small beautiful city of thatched roof huts, tents, and mud abodes. But living in the camp was like being in prison. Freedom was a dream in the camp, it was very difficult to travel; whether you leaving a camp for big cities like Nairobi or you were going back to South Sudan. I remember very well in the camp, if you wants to travel to Nairobi; you had to apply for UNHCR’s mandate to travel to Nairobi.
And it would usually took about five to ten working days, to get the feedback; whether your application has been approve or not. Once it is approved, then you has a pass to travel to the city. Once you had it, then you starts traveling to Nairobi. But there was a dark side to it, it was a useless document to carry; because at the police post you would be ask to support your document. In the process they were even torturing you; slam you in the head and threatening and intimidate that they can lock you up. In wake of that, many people were very scare to be lock up; because there was no justice at all, and the jail conditions were very severe. Prisoners were treated very badly whether innocent or guilty, the punishment was pretty equal.
So when you have arrived at the road block post, you have to weigh up the conditions you would be in, if you do not give up those little money you may have. There were three posts on the way to Nairobi, so refugees’ travelers would allocate each budget for each post. Otherwise you may end up being beaten and assault for all night and locked up too. And in the morning they will escort you to the court and there you are charged and convicted as a criminal. Where charges are laid without objections from you, to rebuttal those allegations; you are being accused of. Simply, they may argues that you are illegal asylum seeker who has broken the law, for traveling without a valid document.
In the camp people became aware that, you do not need to carry a mandate to travel. Because the police were not interesting in the documents people may carried, all they needs and they care for were monies not documents. It was really a direct discrimination of the high class, they were not treating theirs citizens; in the same way they were treating refugees. When a bus stopped at the road block, they would come and said; all the foreigners come out and all the citizens must remain in their seats.
Then they walk you to their small room, and they would asks those refugees to line – up; and said please! Bring out your documents and also bears in mind that, it is against the laws in Kenya to carry invalid documents. They would look at your document and said oh! GARANG (this name they refer to, was first name of late Dr. John) your document has expired and it is illegal in Kenya! To carry invalid document. But when you heard that second times, you starts shivering and starts apologising; even when you are not ask to. And when you are very slow responding to theirs questions, they would starts slamming you in the head and few kicking. There you became nervous and shivering calling their names police! Police! I am a student; in broken Kiswahili accent and English accent. Many of them knew that, many South Sudanese refugees could not speak Kiswahili very well; but also they knew that some of them do speak English very well. But because of corruption in their vein, they pretended not to know English. They hate it so much when someone replies theirs questions in English. Moreover, they do not really care about your occupation. But all they needs is money to support your document. After you have paid them, they will tell you that; as you have heard in the Bible that ‘God will punish the children of Kush’ but you would not be a fool to really think that, God will come down from the heaven and punish the children of Kush? That would not happen! God will punish the children of Kush through us Kenyans’.
It was appalling to learn that, Kenya laws were not protecting refugees in the camp. Present of the refugees in the camp, became a life changing for many Kenyans who were jobless for many years; before the refugees come. It was a life changing for a business community in Kenya as well. Even it was a life changing for some of their criminals whom were force by the situation of poverty to become thief. Ironically, many Kenyans give up their life of criminality and took up opportunities to become: Teachers, Doctors, Nurses, and the Drivers in the camp. But the police who carry out the laws and to keep peace and order in the community. Took advantages and abuse the power by mistreating refugees badly. Collecting money from the refugees for no good reason, no law has been broken by the refugees, is just a totally anarchy. They were motivate heavily by corruption which is threatening everything in Kenya, since they got their independent in 1963. With this motto: Money talk in Kenya.
Conclusion
What Kenyans needs to understand is that, no society of people could exist without rules to regulate it. People are social animals who require each other to live in an increasingly complex world. What is correct and acceptable in Kenya, may not be correct and acceptable in South Sudan. In any society whether primitive or complex, it will be necessary to have rules which lay down the conditions under which the economic and food – gathering or haunting activities are organised for the better of that society to exist.
So, South Sudan’s economic policy are theirs! For better a country.
Yours Sincerely,
- Jur.
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