This report reviews the (largely unreported) scale, consequences of, and responses to the increasingly serious pastoral conflicts in the drylands border region of Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda. It concludes that international and domestic actors must recognise the dynamics of these conflicts if arms control and disarmament activities are to generate meaningful outcomes. Improved security, peacebuilding and sustainable development are needed, followed by coordinated voluntary disarmament programmes. While recent disarmament initiatives have been destabilising, local conflict mitigation organisations have provided an effective alternative.
Pastoralists’ livelihoods are dictated by the upkeep and size of their herds, and environmental conditions often force them to migrate. With limited access to water, competing rights to land, and increased access to small arms, fatal inter-tribal conflict arises when pastoralists from one tribe enter the territory of another. The consequences are far-reaching: widespread fatalities (including of women and children), the protracted displacement of families and severe depletion of livestock. For example, a 2008 Small Arms Survey study in Eastern Equatoria State (Sudan) and Turkana North (Kenya) found that nearly half of respondents had witnessed a violent event. Further, as of 2003 a total of 164,457 people had been displaced by conflict in northern Kenya.
Factors contributing to the conflict among pastoralists include: increasingly unfavourable climatic conditions; past discriminatory land reforms; land privatisation; government policies favouring sedentary groups and large-scale agriculture; and the emergence of local elites aiming to profit from cattle rustling. Further:
- Without sufficient roads, accessible lines of communication, and a large qualified security presence, pastoralists take up arms for protection.
- Cross-border raiders are immune from prosecution because governments lack the necessary capacity and infrastructure.
- The availability of cheap and easy-to-use high-powered assault rifles has escalated the conflict and led to indiscriminate killing during raids.
Governments in the region have responded with heavy-handed coercive disarmament operations. These have led to distrust and subsequent violent clashes between communities and security providers.
- Uncoordinated top-down disarmament initiatives mask the root causes, and can destabilise communities.
- Governments have failed to invest sufficient human and financial capital in abating the conflict and in development in the pastoral regions.
- A culture of pastoralism is emerging that relies on local instruments of conflict response, as opposed to confidence-eroding disarmament programmes that prematurely disarm insecure communities.
Disarmament will only be appropriate after a full overhaul of the security sector, supported by policies to address the demand for small arms. When communities no longer face threats from neighbouring tribes and inadequate security providers, traditional voluntary disarmament (of neighbouring tribes simultaneously) can be used.
- Governments need to install adequate law enforcement in the pastoralist regions, with sizeable incentives so that security forces will not resort to corruption. More water wells and feeder roads are also needed.
- Local CSOs working to mitigate conflict and sensitise communities with workshops and peacebuilding campaigns should be supported.
- Cooperatives and inter-tribal commerce should be established to build partnerships and economic development through trade.
- Fast-growing, drought-resistant Napier grass could be planted in grazing areas.
- Communities must be informed about disarmament exercises before they begin, and community members should play an active role to facilitate ownership. Villages could be rewarded with improved infrastructure and social services after a certain number of weapons have been collected.
- The Kenya/Uganda Joint Security Programme (established in 2005) should begin operations and disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration campaigns must be introduced for paramilitary groups in Sudan and Uganda.
