Kenya

Kenya’s police service is currently going through a reform based on recommendations made by the National Task Force on Police Reforms.

For decades, Kibbutz Beit Alfa has sold riot control vehicles to despotic regimes such as Pinochet’s Chile and Nkunrunziza’s Burundi.

Laura Shipler Chico

When violence erupted after Kenya’s last elections in 2007, Kenyan Quakers were quick to respond – first with humanitarian aid, then moving house-to-house listening to people’s experiences and worries. Eventually they began to help people process their trauma and knit their communities back together. But as they did this, people told them, “You are here telling us not to be violent. But if we hadn’t been violent you wouldn’t be here to begin with.” Some who heard that message promised to come back with a strategy to speak out strongly and loudly against social injustice but without resorting to violent methods.

Gathering Hosted by War Resisters' International and Ceasefire Campaign

Between the 26 – 30 July in Johannesburg, peacemakers from 12 countries in Africa met to share experiences, and birthed a new, continent-wide African Nonviolence and Peace-building Network. The delegates from over a dozen organizations pledged to intensify coordinated nonviolent resistance from the South to the North of Africa.

"People's Struggles - people's alternatives" was the theme of ther 7th World Social Forum which took place in Nairobi from 20-25 January 2007. War Resisters' International took part in this World Social Forum with a 10-persons strong delegation.

A report on War Resisters' International's activities at the World Social Forum in Kenya

War Resisters' International took part in the Nairobi World Social Forum with an international delegation, consisting of participants from 4 continents: Ela Gandhi (South Africa) and Theodros Azbaha (Eritrea), Rafael Uzcategui (Venezuela), Michal Stoler (Israel), Clare Bayard (USA), Subhadip Mukherjee (India), Tobias Pflüger (Germany), Stellan Vinthagen (Sweden), and Andreas Speck, Javier Garate and Yvonne Kassim from the WRI office in London.

Introduction

"People's Struggles - people's alternatives" was the theme of ther 7th World Social Forum which took place in Nairobi from 20-25 January 2007. War Resisters' International took part in this World Social Forum with a 10-persons strong delegation.

No doubt, this World Social Forum was different. Africa - Kenya - made its presence felt. Kenyan and African culture and music were present everywhere at the forum, to the extent that drums and music did not always have a positive impact on discussions.

People's Struggles, People's Alternatives is the theme of the
World Social Forum in Nairobi, a theme, which certainly is of
relevance to antimilitarists and pacifists. And a theme, that is also
very relevant in the African context, where people struggle against
neo-colonial exploitation, and against war and violence.

Since the beginning of the World Social Forum process in 2001,

Everything is ready for the 2007 World Social Forum in Nairobi that
starts the 20th of January. War Resisters' International  will be
present there  with a delegation and a number of events. With the aim
of promoting and making more visible antimilitarism and nonviolence
at this movement of movements event. And also to strengthen our
connections with groups in Africa.

21 January

African Perspectives on Nonviolence

Seminar, 11.30—14.00, room 9 IN – Upper

Speakers: Dennis Brutus, Ela Gandhi, Netsai Mushonga

The seminar is aimed at raising the profile of nonviolence in Africa, and to connect African and international nonviolent activists.

Networking Against War Profiteers

Workshop, 17.30—20.00, room D1

Facilitator: Javier Garate

A workshop for people who are campaigning (or interested in campaigning) against war profiteers.

The 7th edition of the World Social Forum brings the world to Africa
as activists, social movements, networks, coalitions and other
progressive forces from Asia-Pacific, Latin America, the Caribbean,
North America, Europe and all corners of the African continent converge
in Nairobi, Kenya for five days of cultural resistance and celebration;
panels, workshops, symposia, processions, film nights and much much
more; beginning on the 20th of January and wrapping up on the 25th of
January 2007.

The World Social Forum 2007 will take place from 20-25 January 2007 in Nairobi, Kenya. Following up from WRI's conference 'Globalising Nonviolence' in Germany in July this year, War Resisters' International will be taking part in the World Social Forum with several activities, aimed at highlighting nonviolence and promoting antimilitarism. WRI will use the opportunity especially to strengthen contacts with other groups in Africa, and to build networks in support of Eritrean human rights activists and draft evaders.