Dear
Sir/madam.
RE: Kenya
government human rights abuses against the
Luo tribe in Kenya.
On behalf of
my tribe, the Luo, I wish to file a
lawsuit against the government of the Republic of Kenya for persistent
human
rights abuses against the people of my tribe over the last 42 years,
from
when Kenya gained its independence in
1963, till today. These abuses have consisted of but
are not limited to:
· Political abuses. Our leaders, like Argwings Kodhek, Tom Mboya, Robert Ouko were assassinated by the government. Many of our leaders have been held in detention for simply expressing themselves. Peaceful demonstrations by our people are often met by military force, resulting in deaths of innocent people.
· Economic discrimination. No major government development is initiated. In many instances, the government has gone out of its way to kill the few industries in Luo land such as the cotton industry, Kenya Breweries, Kisumu Molasses factory. The fishing industry in lake Victoria which we consider belongs to us, is controlled by the politically connected outsiders, not our people.
· Lack of infrastructure. Roads are pathetic or non existent in most parts of Luo land. Electricity and telecommunications infrastructure does not exist in most areas of Luo land.
· Job discrimination. When our people have been more qualified for available jobs in the government and in private sector, they have been bossed by far less qualified people from other tribes running the government. It has been stated loudly by those in power that the Luo are denied opportunities because they are “uncircumcised”.
· Lack of health facilities. Our people have to walk many miles to get medical help. The few health facilities available are in pathetic physical state, overly congested and lack equipment and supplies. Deaths from preventable diseases like malaria, typhoid, tuberculosis are most prevalent in Luo land and child deaths in the Luo tribe is the highest in the country.
· HIV/AIDS discrimination. Whereas the government was slow in general in its response to the disease, when it eventually responded, it was intentionally slow in allocating any resources to create awareness about this scourge in Luo land. For a long time, people in government orchestrated the notion that HIV/AIDS was affecting only the Luo, because they are uncircumcised. This resulted in the Luo people dying disproportionately to the rest of the other tribes of Kenya. Estimates put the figure of 40% to 60% of the Luo people have so far lost their lives to AIDS, well over a million people.
· Land. Up until Kenya gained independence, every Luo had a piece of land to his name. As a result of government orchestrated poverty on our tribe, many of my tribesmen have had to sell their land to feed their families. Most of such sales have gone to people from the moneyed tribes controlling the government.
· Corruption. The Kenya government has consistently remained among the most corrupt in the world. Unfortunately for my tribe, the little they have, they have had to part with wherever they need any services. For instance, getting medical treatment at a government hospital, getting a drivers license, a business license, etc…etc. automatically involves bribing someone to get the service.
· Education. When Kenya was gaining independence in 1963, my tribe people were the most highly educated in the country. We had the only African professors in the country. We were sending our children to school long before other tribes grasped the benefits of education. After independence, most of our teachers were forcefully transferred away from our schools. Our educated were demoted and bossed by semi-educated people from the ruling tribe. Our schools have since remained under-funded, under-staffed, not maintained , and intake to institutions of higher education almost frozen to students from my tribe. Today, our tribe is amongst the least educated in Kenya. From first in 1963 to almost least educated in 2005!
The Luo are a law abiding, peace loving people. We believe that democracy of Kenya should benefit all its people, and not just some of its people. I urge you to demonstrate that justice can be accomplished peacefully through your court system by charging this corrupt government of Kenya in your esteem court with these abuses.
I pray that the Luo tribe will be compensated to the tune of at least $43 billion ($1 billion for each year of oppression) for the past ills suffered under this government and also that enough punitive damage of at least $100 billion be netted to deter any future abuses by the Kenya government against the Luo tribe or any other tribe.
Sincerely yours,
Odundo jaKarateng',
for and on behalf of the Luo tribe of Kenya.
December 19, 2005