Some of 30,000 families displaced in a recent clash between two rival Somali clans started returning home following a peace agreement at the weekend.
By East African Standard (Kenya), by Adow Jubat | 08.23.2005
The groups, mainly children and women, had camped at Kutulo, Borehole 11 and Elwak for the last three weeks after fleeing from a bloody clash that left more than 150 people dead.
Carrying worn out mattresses, sleeping mats and other household items, they trekked the six-kilometre journey singing songs of praise for the Kenyan government which brokered the peace deal after hosting the rival Marihan and Gare militia in Kenyan border town of Elwak.
The returning of the refugees comes barely five days after two ministers from the interim Somali government led a pull-out of over 5000 heavily armed Marihan militia men from the contested Burhache border town.
The ministers, Bare Hirale of National Reconstruction and Resettlement and Mohammed Sayyid of National Assets and Procurement, facilitated the move as agreed at a reconciliation meeting chaired by Mandera DC Kimani Waweru.
The Militia from the Marihan pulled out of Burhache, which they captured from their rival militia three weeks ago, in a convoy of 15 armoured cars at 10.30am on Friday.
And for the first time since the clashes begun five months ago, the rival clan elders negotiating for a peaceful co-existence held their meeting inside the war-ravaged town.
Waweru urged them to respect the resolution to avert further bloodshed and displacement of innocent people.
