Quite unknown to many, there is so much treachery in our human rights movement as we know it today but because we live in a world where dysfunction and disorientation have become a permanent feature it is invidious to single out the movement alone. DISRUPTION believes, however, that because the human rights movement is so central to the quest of rebalancing society, confronting exploitation, inequality and injustice fearlessly is made very difficult when its important ally in pushing back the rigged system is itself collapsing on its own weight and inertia. Some insiders in the human rights movement holds the view that we must maintain studious silence on some of the treacherous lapses to keep the left intact. That we can kill the entire movement if we exposed some of the unethical conduct of some of its most prominent leaders.
Take this example; “we agree that we all will not attend a government meeting to register our displeasure at how the state has casually treated us on a matter so important that citizens have lost their lives. On the morning of the meeting, the collective WhatsApp platform is awash with message after message of key leaders saying, ‘am heading to Pride Inn’ (Not the real hotel) to attend the very meeting folks had agreed not to attend a few days earlier”. When we interrogate each other later everyone says I was ordered by my Executive Director to go to the meeting, the EDs decided they needed to face up to the government at any opportunity available.
Take the second example; “A chemical factory sets up base in a residential area. We mobilize the affected community to advocate against this factory that is poisoning the residents. At a demo the police arrest 5 of us. Two bribe the police and are released. The rest are charged with ‘creating disturbance and robbery of a wallet, ID and 500 Kenya Shillings belonging to a police officer. The 3 are released on a bond of Kshs 20,000/- and remanded at the main Prison. A local politician pays up the bail. The matter is escalated to the National parliament who organize a public hearing to determine the grievances of the community. The media highlights the injustices. A community member who at the time was an employee of the factory suffers the direct consequences of the poisoning and leaves employment to join the advocacy. The international community recognizes the ‘gallant work’ by this ‘celebrity activist’ and gives an international human rights award for outstanding advocacy against pollution”. The contributions of the community fall through the cracks.
in my third and final example a premier human rights organization calls a press conference and announces to the world that they have documented 100+ list of terror suspects and bang every Embassy and Consulate in the country starts calling incessantly to be given a copy. Donor partners are keen to fund work in this area to seeks ways in which the criminal justice system can intervene and this announcement is an immediate incentive. Having professed specific numbers and expertise to boot the organization is under pressure to make the non-existent numbers announced by any means necessary.
These stories hurt. Especially in a country where young people acquiesce to the idea that the state can completely screw them and they are helpless to do anything about it. I n the human rights movement I have always seen the best site for curating the possibility of rekindling the radicalism of our youth so that the youth in Kenya can make demands of their leaders, risk being shot at not for some celebrity to score cheap political points but for the cost of college education to be brought down, resist authority and not fear that they will lose something. I long for a day when human rights activism will become a natural part of life among the young people for them to demand services and accountability from the private sector, county and national government. We are living in times when schools only teach kids how to obey orders, socialize students to be directed by others, and to pretend they care about things when they care less. Because we have been broken from courageous action, human rights activism must be the place where the importance of taking risks which is what is needed if the fortunes of our great majority will be changed in the foreseeable future is debated and acted upon. The human rights movement should be the space where friction-causing manners are amplified. Where did we get the charlatans in my three examples? Let us wake up and take back our movement from employees – devotees I hope you hear me!
People are so greedy and selfish that defending rights is nothing important without money.
A good read and a true picture of the state of human rights work I hope and we will wake up our sleep.
Thank you comrades Obiero and Charles. You stand at the pinnacle and can change these fortunes if you step up to the plate. Make that choice everyday people are waiting.
The three examples draw a vivid dipiction of the current state of play. Patrick should also have painted the picture on how “he who pays the piper plays the tune” (talking about donor agencies) and the growing greed/corruption in the sector.
In another instalment i will devote some time to discuss the funding mechanisms and how that is impacting civic space and our posturing
A wonderful piece…Yes, this has to be echoed more loudly to smoke out what ails the HRD movement.
Really sad that this is the case in Kenya today. The murk within CSO voices is one that supports mediocrity. These organizations are at the forefront in hijacking people’s movements for their own gain – donor money.
We have CEOs earning 600k a month who bark orders at employees/activists who earn 25k, they wait for Feild reports, they job is to push papers, appear on pressers and to kill any possible radical movements. These misleaders and charlatans are stuck in their perceived heroism of the 90s. They have been great company for the ruling elite accompanying them in their mission to destroy the people.
Sadly, some civil society spaces are as toxic as they can be. Young people in these spaces decry the lack of on-the-ground intelligence of the CSO misleadership. They are however afraid to speak out because of the fear of victimization by the cabal.
The civic space shall remain in chains if these organisations don’t urgently get new leadership that’s led by young people who understand the current pains of the population, and get rid of individuals who’ve lived their lives fully through the billions of donor cash that pass through their hands into oblivion. May the real civil society be born. Great article comrade Ochieng!
We have fallen short in the same cause we were to advocate for and stand guard. In this we have lost our credibility in the very communities we were to serve. I wonder what will the books of history write about us. Will we find the strength and will power to arise from our own state of eternal slumber of confusion and greed to rekindle the lost glory that we once had. I wonder