Kenya Army Refutes Claims of Torture

The Kenya chief of general staff, General Jeremiah Kianga, on Tuesday refuted claims the army is committing human rights abuses in a military operation to flush out a rag-tag militia calling itself the Sabaot Land Defense Force (SLDF) in the Mount Elgon area along the Kenya-Uganda border.
Médecins Sans Frontières has faulted the army for allegedly torturing local residents to extract information on the whereabouts of members of SLDF.

In a reported issued to the press in Nairobi, the organization further claims that tens of thousands had been displaced and mutilated and continued to live in an environment of insecurity without sufficient food, clothing or shelter.

Kianga said the report is meant to discredit the army, saying it is based on hearsay and noting that the local residents are happy with the military operation as it is flushing out the militia that has been terrorizing them.

He said the army will go on with the operation and put a permanent military camp in the area as a long term security solution.

Last week, Defense Minister Yussu Hadji was grilled by a parliamentary defense committee on claims that the military is committing human rights abuses.

Both the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights and the United States-based, Human Rights Watch have also accused the military of torturing locals.

The SLDF activities have led to the deaths of more than 500 people and displaced more than 300,000 families since the organization took arms in 2006 over land grievances.

Source African Press Agency

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