SMALL ARMS TRAFFICKING IN THE BORDER REGIONS OF SUDAN, UGANDA AND KENYA DETERMINING THE ISSUES AND SETTING THE STANDARDS REPORT OF RESEARCH ON PROLIFERATION OF SMALL ARMS IN THE NORTH RIFT REGION OF KENYA A REPORT PAPER PRESENTED IN JINJA (UGANDA) 9th – 13th November 2001 PRESENTED BY: SECURITY RESEARCH AND INFORMATION CENTRE (SRIC) KENYA P. O. BOX 56622, Nairobi, Kenya Tel/Fax 254 2 449503 or 254 2 449503 Email: [email protected] 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................... 3 2. INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................... 7 3. TURKANA DISTRICT ......................................................................................................... 10 3.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF GUN-CULTURE IN TURKANA DISTRICT .............................10 3.2 ROOT CAUSES OF GUN CULTURE IN TURKANA DISTRICT .......................................................10 3.3 MECHANISMS AND CHANNELS OF ARMS TRANSFER IN TURKANA ......................................12 DISTRICT................................................................................................................................................12 3.4 GOVERNMENT CONTROL MECHANISMS: SUCCESSES AND FAILURES .................................13 3.5 IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY .........................................................................................................14 4. MARAKWET DISTRICT......................................................................................................... 16 4.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF GUN CULTURE IN MARAKWET DISTRICT..........................16 4.2 ROOT CAUSES OF GUN CULTURE IN MARAKWET DISTRICT ...................................................17 4.3 MECHANISMS AND CHANNELS OF ARMS TRANSFER IN MARAKWET DISTRICT................17 4.4 GOVERNMENT CONTROL MECHANISMS: SUCCESSES ............................................................... 18 AND FAILURES..................................................................................................................................... 18 4.5 IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY .........................................................................................................19 5. TRANS-NZOIA DISTRICT..................................................................................................... 21 5.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF GUN CULTURE ..........................................................................21 5.2 ROOT CAUSES OF GUN CULTURE....................................................................................................22 5.3 MECHANISMS AND CHANNELS OF ARMS TRANSFER IN THE DISTRICT ...............................22 5.4 GOVERNMENT CONTROL MECHANISMS: SUCCESSES &...........................................................24 FAILURES...............................................................................................................................................24 5.5 IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY .........................................................................................................25 6 . WEST POKOT DISTRICT...................................................................................................... 26 6.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF GUN CULTURE ..........................................................................26 6.2. ROOT CAUSES OF GUN CULTURE....................................................................................................27 6.3. MECHANISMS AND CHANNELS OF ARMS TRANSFER................................................................27 6.4 GOVERNMENT CONTROL MECHANISMS: SUCCESSES & FAILURES.......................................29 6.5 IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY .........................................................................................................30 7. EAST BARINGO ............................................................................................................................. 31 7.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF GUN CULTURE IN EAST BARINGO .......................................31 7.2 MECHANISMS AND CHANNELS OF GUN TRANSFER IN EAST...................................................32 BARINGO ........................................................................................................................................................32 7.3 GOVERNMENT CONTROL MECHANISMS.......................................................................................32 7.4 IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY .........................................................................................................33 8. CONCLUSION AND WAY FORWARD....................................................................... 33 3 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report contains the findings of a field research conducted in August and September 2001. The research focused on five districts of the North Rift region of Rift Valley Province of Kenya. These include; West Pokot, Turkana, Trans-Nzoia, Marakwet and Baringo. The broad objective of the study was to undertake an investigative survey of the problem of small arms in the North Rift region of Kenya. Specifically, the study aimed to: - Establish the root causes of gun culture in the North Rift. • Identify the various mechanisms of gun trafficking in the region. • Identify the channels and mechanisms of arms transfers including gun market, trends and supply and demand of small arms. • Establish the types of government control measures relating to transfer of arms and their effectiveness. • Assess the economics of the illegal gun trade in the region. The study was prompted by evidence from previous studies that cattle rustling and the resultant communal conflict among several communities living in Northern Kenya and beyond is directly linked to arms trafficking in the region. The adverse impact brought about by arms-fuelled conflict in the North Rift, and the attendant debate among researches, civil society groups, government officials and ordinary people as to the sources of the small arms proliferating in the region further prompted this research. It was also felt that a thorough investigation of the problem of small arms in the area would help to expose the extent to which the problem has permeated the different sectors of the lives of the people, thereby creating adequate information about the nature and extent of the problem. This, in turn would help policy makers within the ranks of the Kenyan government, civil society organizations and other stake holders to come up with long lasting solutions to the problem of illegal arms, reduce incidents of cattle-rustling, ethnic violence, violent robbery and other forms of communal conflict. To address the main concerns of the study, the researchers adopted various methods. Both field survey techniques as well as the historical method of data collection were utilized. The researchers undertook an in depth analysis of relevant secondary data sources such as policy papers, official documents, journals, magazines newspapers, periodicals and published books. The aim was to collect relevant information used to find answers to the central concerns of the study. Fieldwork was undertaken in the five districts mentioned above. These districts were chosen purposively, because it is here that cattle rustling and ethnic violence have been most pronounced, with sophisticated, illegally held weapons featuring prominently. Actual data was collected using both structured and unstructured questionnaires and discussions with people deemed to have useful information related to the study. The researchers also used participant observation techniques such as attending inter-community peace meetings, government barazas, market days and community based seminars. For example, the researchers attended a community peace seminar organized by the National Council of 4 Churches of Kenya in Chesongoch, Marakwet district, a Market day at Kolowa Market, East Baringo, a Peace Meeting between the Pokot and Karamojong communities organized by the POKATUSA near Nakaipiripirit in Eastern Uganda, Refugee clearance at the UNHCR clearance Centre at Lokichoggio, and toured the Kakuma refugee camp. Respondents were drawn from a number of key categories including government officials in Kenya, church and civil society officials, business persons, senior security officials in both the police force and provincial administration, professionals working within and outside the target research area such as teachers, health personnel, community development workers and NGO personnel as well as ordinary ‘wananchi.’1 Care was taken to ensure gender balance. In all, a total of 140 respondents were interviewed for this study, and were drawn from a sampling frame carefully derived from the categories listed above. Purposive, systematic and multi-stage sampling techniques were utilized with the aim of achieving adequate representation of all the categories targeted for the study with the aim of achieving adequate representation of all the categories and, therefore well-balanced opinions. Data collected was carefully analysed using mainly qualitative analysis techniques such as descriptive statistics. It was established that, Turkana culture and that of the neighbouring communities such as the Toposa of Sudan, Merrille of Ethiopia, the Karamajong of Uganda and Pokot of Kenya glorifies cattle raiding. The Turkana therefore feel that they must protect their cattle from hostile neighbours, hence