CRES\005\11\2015: RESOLUTION ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS ON THE SITUATION IN KENYA
CRES\005\11\2015: RESOLUTION ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS ON THE SITUATION IN KENYA
We, the participants of the Forum on the Participation of NGOs in the 57thOrdinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the 31st African Human Rights Book fair held in Banjul, The Gambia from 31st October–2nd November 2015;
Concerned about the conflict between conservation and the rights of the forest indigenous peoples,
Concerned about the non implementation of the High Court ruling requiring the Government to refrain from any actions that may prevent the Sengwen from the quiet enjoyment of tier ancestral land in the Embobut forest,
The NGOs Forum calls on the African Commission to call on the Government of Kenya to:
- ensure that there is no conflict between conservation and the rights of the forest indigenous peoples and to strengthen conservation in the way science recommends means protecting the rights of Sengwer indigenous peoples to own and live on their ancestral forest lands and territories in the Cherangany Hills;
- take necessary measures to implement/respect the High Court ruling requiring the government to refrain from any actions that may prevent the Sengwer from the quiet enjoyment of their ancestral lands in Embobut forest, including by halting the eviction of the Sengwer from their ancestral home in Embobut Forest, and to work with the Sengwer and the National Land Commission to secure Sengwer rights to remain on their ancestral lands and to live there sustainably;
- adopt urgent measures to secure forest indigenous peoples’ (Yiaku, Aweer, Sanye, Ogiek and Sengwer) rights to their ancestral lands in Kenya, and to address the injustices that have followed from these rights being denied.
Done in Banjul, The Gambia – 2nd November 2015
