Gangs Face Off in Kenya Violence

Nakita Knight 1/28/08 at 2:46pm/global crime

There has been raging violence going on in Naivasha, Kenya since last monday. These violent acts occured between two rival tribes called the Kikiyu and the Luo. The two confronted each other in Naivasha and really duked it out! The gangs through machetes, clubs, and rocks at each other. The uproar slightly ceased when a handful of police officers came and fired bullets into the air. This didn't stop the violence, however. Various crimes countinued throught the week. About 130 miles from Naivasha in a town called Kisumu, armed mobs set some houses on fire, forcing police to open fire. The trouble is that the Kikiyu tribe is upset with the Luo being in their territory. These acts of violence have been occuring since their December 27th election when President Mwai Kibaki to office. Some 500 to 1,000 people have been killed since the election.

Clearly, this battle is a claim of territory. These type of battles have gone back to the most ancient times. I'm not saying that it's right because it most definitely isn't. It's very unfortunate that innocent people are being killed because of there location. What I am saying is that this is definitely nothing new. Tribes and empires have created bloodbaths over land for centuries now. It's sort of a way of life. If you think about it, we do it in our own society. I live in this neighborhood which is this part of Greensboro. You live in that neighborhood which is that part of Greensboro. We don't associate, because we're not from the same area. We didn't grow up the same, we don't dress the same, and we don't share the same customs. When we see each other in public, we don't have to get violent. But, look at me funny and we can go there! Fortunately, our societies aren't nearly as violent. But we do have our own gang violence, which in a large part has to do with territorial claim as well.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/01/28/kenya.violence/index.html