Keep off Boni, Marwa warned

Coast Regional Coordinator Nelson Marwa Nelson Marwa (right) on a surveillance mission. He wants Boni Forest bombed. FILE PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Despite the ongoing operation, cases of Al-Shabaab attacks in Lamu are still rife with the militia developing a trend of killing innocent civilians and security officers and fleeing back into the forest.
  • Bar’goni village Boni Community elder Doza Diza questioned why the government has reached the decision to bomb their forest despite the fact that the Bonis entirely depend on it for their survival.
  • The elders also said the community was willing to give out some of its best men to be recruited as Kenya Police Reservists (KPR) to work with other security units in dealing with Al-Shabaab.

Elders from the Boni minority community in Lamu County have asked Coast Regional Coordinator Nelson Marwa to keep off the Boni forest.

This comes days after Mr Marwa had on Thursday last week suggested that the forest should be bombed to kick out out Al-Shabaab militants believed to be hiding there.

Earlier reports indicated that over 300 Al-Shabaab militants were living in the forest hence a decision to commence a multiagency security operation dubbed ‘Linda Boni’ on September 15, 2015.

Despite the ongoing operation, cases of Al-Shabaab attacks in Lamu are still rife with the militia developing a trend of killing innocent civilians and security officers and fleeing back into the forest.

Mr Marwa expressed displeasure over the matter and said he would rather bomb the forest than have officers combing it.

RELY ON FOREST

But speaking to journalists in Lamu’s Bar’goni village on Sunday, Boni minority community elders asked Mr Marwa to stay away from their forest if he cannot think of any other way to flush out the militants.

Bar’goni village Boni Community elder Doza Diza questioned why the government has reached the decision to bomb their forest despite the fact that the Bonis entirely depend on it for their survival.

Since time immemorial, the Boni forest has been revered by the Aweer Community commonly known for their forest way of life.

The Bonis entirely rely on forest life for their economic activities which include hunting and gathering and harvesting of wild honey.

Apart from being their main source of food, the community has also set up traditional worship shrines which are located deep inside the forest where they also offer sacrifices to their gods whenever there is a crisis.

PLACE OF WORSHIP

The shrines have been in existence for decades and the elders feel bombing the forest would not only leave them without a place of worship but will also anger the gods who they believe are also against the bombing idea.

Currently, due to the ongoing Linda Boni security operation, the Boni community members have been forced to embark on subsistence farming in order to sustain themselves after the forest was declared a no-go zone by the KDF since 2015.

Just recently, the Bonis came out and pleaded with the national government to allow them access the forest which is their only source of livelihood.

On Sunday, the elders said the community has not known peace ever since the security operation was launched compared to other places in the country.

They called on the government to instead think of incorporating the local Boni youth into their operation in order to make the exercise a success instead of bombing the forest.

LOCAL YOUTH

“Mr Marwa should think of other ways of dealing with the terrorists and not bombing our forest,” said Mr Diza.

Mr Salim Abdalla called on the government to think about the community first before taking any decision which might completely affect the way of living of the forest community.

“As a community we believe there are many other ways to tackle this. The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers should work with the local youth who know the forest really well.

“We have our shrines and graves of our forefathers inside that forest. That’s where we get our food from. Basically, that’s our lifeline…,” said Mr Abdalla.

The elders also said the community was willing to give out some of its best men to be recruited as Kenya Police Reservists (KPR) to work with other security units in dealing with Al-Shabaab.

WON’T LEAVE

“We are ready to be recruited as KPR provided the government equip us with modern weaponry and clothing. They should also think of giving us salaries to boost our morale,” said Mr Guyo Abdi.

In September 2015, shortly after the government launched the security operation, the community was ordered to vacate their five villages of Milimani, Basuba, Mararani, Mangai and Kiangwe to pave way.

As a result, they incurred huge losses since it was harvesting season and all their farm produce was destroyed by wild animals.

The Bonis now say they are not ready to move out of their villages like what Mr Marwa said in his recent announcement that those living near the forest should prepare to vacate their places to pave way for the security officers to mop out Al-Shabaab militants inside the forest.