REMEMBERING VICTIMS OF APRIL VIOLENCE

Just about three months ago, the far north of this country experienced one of the worst outbreaks of violence in our nation’s history. The violence was triggered by what appeared to be grievances over the outcome of the Presidential elections, but from all indications, they have very deep roots in long-standing social and economic grievances, which had taken political dimensions in the run-up to the elections. The violence in most parts of the north took on partisan patterns, with leaders and members of the ruling PDP being attacked. Prominent PDP members, traditional rulers and other members of the political elite with some relationship with the Party were attached; their residences destroyed, and government offices razed. For two days, gangs made up mostly of young people roamed the streets and took on security agents, who responded with batons and bullets.

          Much of the violence died down in most parts of the north in a day or two, except Kaduna State, where it spread to most parts of the State, and took a most destructive dimension, feeding on existing fault lines of religion and ethnicity. In three days, the orgy of mass killings had taken the lives of hundreds of people, majority of them villagers in their homes, or innocent travellers who had the misfortune to fall into the hands of the wrong mobs. For four days, people were slaughtered with little resistance. Whole communities were sacked. In some instances, entire male members of communities were killed. Within one week, refugees flooded Kaduna, Zaria, Saminaka and other towns. Soldiers took over, as the entire State was placed under a curfew. Elsewhere, many other States also received large numbers of victims of the violence as refugees.

          Three months after that mindless violence, its victims are all around us. They are visible in the thousands of women and children, and a few men who are living very difficult lives in refugee camps. There are reminders in demolished and burnt-out buildings; in entire communities sacked; and burnt churches and mosques; in bitterness and anger; and in numerous check points and daily rumours of impending attacks and reprisals; massive disputes around the Panels set up to establish what happened and their causes.

          The most visible and pathetic reminder of the April violence is the thousands of refugees in camps in Kaduna. These people, who a few months ago were mostly villagers earning an honest living, or other hardworking citizens, have lost everything but their lives. Their children have been subjected to terrible experiences, and most of them will be psychologically scarred for life. The young have had their education interrupted, and their parents have no hope of securing a stable and secure environment to give them another start in life.

          There are reports of plans by the Government of Kaduna State to relocate the refugees at the Muslim Hajj Camp at Mando to the Rehabilitation Centre at Kakuri. These plans, to the extent that they have any credibility at all, need to be carefully thought out. There are many problems which will have to be dealt with if the refugees will move to Kakuri. First, it will require considerable sums to put the place into the condition required to receive and cater for this large number of refugees. Shouldn’t those funds be better utilised in finding a permanent solution to the refugees? Secondly, the move will reinforce the worry that these unfortunate citizens are going to be refugees for a long time to come. All that will change will be their location, and not their status. Thirdly, it will send a signal that the Government of Kaduna state has not thought through an effective strategy of resettling these refugees, either in their former communities, or where they feel safe and secure. There should be no argument over the fact that the responsibility of managing the refugee problem in Kaduna in a humane and effective manner belongs to the government. Wealthy Muslims, NGOs, and CSOs have helped, and should continue to help these victims, but these are not, and should not be substitutes for what the government should do.

          Under the circumstances, the refugee camps in Kaduna State serve as disturbing reminders of a sad past, and hint at some laxity and insensitivity on the part of the government towards the victims. The misfortune of fellow citizens who have suffered should not be compounded by decisions of the government which will merely relocate the problem; not solve it.