CHURCH WORLD SERVICE: EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM
EMERGENCY APPEAL: MOUNT ELGON (KENYA) HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
August 23, 2007


SITUATION: The Mt. Elgon district of Kenya -- an administrative district 
in the western part of Kenya, located on the south-eastern slopes of Mt. 
Elgon -- is the site of a long-standing dispute over land ownership that 
has sparked violent clashes between two communities, causing 
displacement and deaths. Tensions have worsened since January 2007.

The clash stems from disagreement over a land settlement issue: The Soi 
clans have traditionally resided in the lowland areas of Mt. Elgon and 
are seeking the eviction of the Ndorobo, who resided in highland areas 
of the mountain.

Some 11,000 families (about 66.000 persons) have been affected, and the 
current death toll stands at about 202, with 148 deaths due to shooting 
and machete wounds, 36 deaths from malnutrition (affecting mostly 
children) and 18 deaths from diseases such as pneumonia, malaria and 
upper respiratory infections attributed to the cold Mt. Elgon weather. 
The wounded continue to seek medical care in the Bungoma and Mt. Elgon 
hospitals.

Residents have been left extremely vulnerable, as their houses have been 
burned, food stocks destroyed and their livestock and livelihood 
threatened. Some of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) have sought 
refuge in the Kapsokwony and Kaptama divisions within the district and 
in the neighboring districts of Bungoma, Teso and Busia. The Chwele, 
Lwandanyi and Malakisi divisions of the Bungoma district and Tamulega 
division in the Teso district are also hosting the displaced. More than 
6,000 people have also fled into neighboring Uganda, according to 
reports.


RESPONSE: CWS is responding by supporting the efforts of partner and 
denominational supporter Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), which 
in turn is partnering with the Kenya-based Presbyterian Church of East 
Africa (PCEA) to respond to the humanitarian needs of the affected 
communities.

In a response that is expected to be completed by May 31, 2008, PDA and 
PCEA plan to supply assorted food items such as maize, beans and maize 
flour, shelter materials including roofing sheets and nails, blankets 
and some very basic utensils like cooking pots, cups and plates.

The response includes providing relief supplies to 2,886 families in 
Tuikut and Kopsiro of the Mt. Elgon District, as well as to lobby the 
government and other agencies involved in land matters to enforce a land 
settlement agreement.

Other elements of the response include:

++ Using media where necessary to lobby and advocate for peaceful 
coexistence among different communities living in different parts of the 
country, especially those living in areas prone to clashes between 
ethnic groups;

++ Facilitating meetings between government officials concerned with 
land matters and community leaders to look for a sustainable and 
agreeable way of settling the Mt Elgon dispute;

++ Meeting with elders from the two communities to identify an amicable 
way of identifying and resolving disputes before they start affecting 
the communities in a larger way.


BUDGET: Total budget is $78,639 and includes $51,595 in direct 
assistance (including food relief); $12,644 in transport and warehousing 
costs; and $11,700 in personnel, administration, operation and support 
costs.

For further information about disasters to which Church World Service is 
responding please visit www.churchworldservice.org or call the CWS 
Hotline, (800) 297-1516.

Contributions to support this emergency appeal may be sent to your 
denomination or to: Church World Service, MOUNT ELGON (KENYA) 
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE Appeal, Account #641-U, P.O. Box 968 Elkhart, IN 
46515. Contributions may also be made by credit card online or by 
calling: (800) 297-1516, ext. 222, or online at 
http://www.churchworldservice.org.

CWS Emergency Response Program special contacts: (212) 870-3151

Program Director: dderr@churchworldservice.org
International: flumeya@churchworldservice.org
Domestic: lreedbrown@churchworldservice.org

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