a little hope?
The news today is telling me that the opposition party is calling for an end to demonstrations. Instead, they are urging workers such as security guards and hotel employees to strike, and are organizing a boycott of companies owned by government-related folk. The list of companies to be boycotted includes City Hoppa, which runs most of the buses in Nairobi, so getting around solely by matatu might be a bit of a challenge. But hell, I'll take inconveniences. I love inconveniences, just so long as no one gets killed.
Although I support the idea of public demonstration and understand why it has been happening and want to believe that it's helpful in some way, the fact that they are moving away from public protests to economic actions is a huge relief. Though the number of people killed in the three days of protests seems to have been under 20 (so far), that's more than enough. That number included several children who were 'accidentally' shot by overenthusiastic police. There is also apparently footage of a man being shot by police at close range and then being kicked when he falls. I can't watch it, thinking of it makes me sick. So obviously I think that changing tactics at this point, moving to strikes and boycotts is a wonderful plan. A way to show solidarity against corruption and fraud and perhaps bring about change without losing lives.
My only concern is that with hotel and security strikes and transportation problems, the tourism industry will suffer terribly, causing many Kenyans to suffer in turn. I don't know exactly how much money tourism brings in, but it's huge, probably much more than the 5% of the budget supplied by foreign aid (which is also being cut off). It's just sad that people will go without food or clothing or school fees because of this political nightmare.
I'm also concerned that people will attempt to deal with the situation as an 'emergency' without addressing the underlying causes of violent protest, particularly economic and political inequality, government and police corruption and some ethnic tensions (which are rooted in colonial systems of categorization used to exaggerate differences between communities so that the "natives" wouldn't cooperate, rise up and overthrow the British). This past month has exposed so many of the ugly facts of everyday life in Kenya, which I'm afraid will be ignored again as soon as the killings stop and the country is no longer front-page material.
Peace is the most important thing (to me) right now, but peace is not enough. We need peace, and we need change.
From the BBC: Kenya protesters to mount boycott
From Reuters: Aid freeze, boycotts could hurt Kenyan economy
Although I support the idea of public demonstration and understand why it has been happening and want to believe that it's helpful in some way, the fact that they are moving away from public protests to economic actions is a huge relief. Though the number of people killed in the three days of protests seems to have been under 20 (so far), that's more than enough. That number included several children who were 'accidentally' shot by overenthusiastic police. There is also apparently footage of a man being shot by police at close range and then being kicked when he falls. I can't watch it, thinking of it makes me sick. So obviously I think that changing tactics at this point, moving to strikes and boycotts is a wonderful plan. A way to show solidarity against corruption and fraud and perhaps bring about change without losing lives.
My only concern is that with hotel and security strikes and transportation problems, the tourism industry will suffer terribly, causing many Kenyans to suffer in turn. I don't know exactly how much money tourism brings in, but it's huge, probably much more than the 5% of the budget supplied by foreign aid (which is also being cut off). It's just sad that people will go without food or clothing or school fees because of this political nightmare.
I'm also concerned that people will attempt to deal with the situation as an 'emergency' without addressing the underlying causes of violent protest, particularly economic and political inequality, government and police corruption and some ethnic tensions (which are rooted in colonial systems of categorization used to exaggerate differences between communities so that the "natives" wouldn't cooperate, rise up and overthrow the British). This past month has exposed so many of the ugly facts of everyday life in Kenya, which I'm afraid will be ignored again as soon as the killings stop and the country is no longer front-page material.
Peace is the most important thing (to me) right now, but peace is not enough. We need peace, and we need change.
From the BBC: Kenya protesters to mount boycott
From Reuters: Aid freeze, boycotts could hurt Kenyan economy