The Institute for Historical Justice and Reconciliation (IHJR) that promotes reconciliation in societies divided by historical conflicts and human right abuses – whose head offices are based in The Hague, Netherlands, is out to initiate a Kenyan project dubbed as Engaging Kenyan Historians in National History Making and Reconciliation: its time frame will span to the fall of 2011.
“Its interesting that this project will bring together prominent Kenyan history scholars has kicked off,” said Prof. Elazar Barkan of Columbia University, who is the Co-Director Centre for the Study of Human Rights and SIPA Human Right Program: “It’s going to involve the use of shared historical narratives in promoting national healing, support the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission, and putting right Kenya’s distorted history.”
Prof. Mamadou Diouf, the Director of African Studies (IAS) expressed that its high time nations realized the place of history from the internal and external conflicts they are going through - that they can be resolved through the right understanding of history. That is why the IHJR has been in the fore front in resolving conflict between countries; Israel and Palestine, India and Pakistan, former Yugoslavia among others.
The Department of History of University of Nairobi is at the pivotal centre in contextualizing the IHJR, Dr. Milcah Achola (Chair), Dr. Godfrey Muriuki, Dr. Hassan Mwakimoto, Dr. George Gona, Dr. Kenneth Ombongi, and Dr. Mary Mwandia are out to muster their knowledge with corroboration with revered Historians as Prof. Betwell Ogoti – Chancellor of Moi University, Prof. Karega Munene of USIU, Prof. Ole Kantai, Prof. Lotte Hughes from Open University, Dr. Felistus Kinyanjui and Dr. Isaac Tarus both from Egerton University, and Prof. John Lonsdale from Cambridge University, forms the core group.
The core group from ethnically diverse and highly respected in Kenyan society, will assist in recruiting additional scholars from departments of history across the country in order to ensure that strong representative group of historians work together to produce significant outcome.
The project is built on three – phase process – spanning at times into years with the challenge of adapting it into specific conflicts. Beginning with negotiations, where historians and scholars are selected to examine and evaluate data while keen not to trade historical veracity for political expediency. Secondly they engage the public via the production and dissemination of educational materials for schools, to the media and involving of community leaders in public discussion. Thirdly they match to networking of the scholars, educators and public opinion leaders to provide a capacity for countering the manipulation of historical myths and unresolved legacies.
Ambassador Betweel Kipragat who attended the launch called the IHJR project to focus on land, managing diversity and ethnicity, corruption and elections. Indeed Prof. Barkan settled on these issues in addition to research on youth mobilization and empowerment and re-evaluating history text books.
Dr. Kiremia Mwiria, the assistant minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology who was the chief guest lamented that scholars in general have failed the nation by manipulating history to achieve their selfish ends. Prof. Ole Kantai high lighted that Kenyan History has gone through a deplorable metamorphosis over the years – from national hood to a tribal tool that has contributed to tribal violence, yes genocide in some countries like Rwanda.
Prof. John Lonsdole pointed out that all nations have their embracing history as they rise, which set people against each other…, people can should learn to forget the past albeit remembering their history. The historians who were brain storming the relevance of the discipline in healing and reconciliation at Panafric Hotel on January 8 and 9 concurred that those in power should not determine the history of the people.
Since history has been tattered over time Kenyan’s primary and secondary history text books content need to be reviewed said Prof. Jacqueline Klopp of the school of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University opined that experience from other countries have seen full revision of history text books thus a new history curriculum that enables the learners to appreciate their mosaic of cultures and diverse tribes.
At this forum it was very apparent that politics must be given its rightful place in the learning of history, distance. Dr. Mwiria, articulated that Kenyan politics is based on ethnicity, not policy or ideology. He pointed out that scholars need to go an extra mile to a mend the destruction they have afforded to Kenyans. He resonated with his colleagues – scholars, in engaging Kenyan historian in national history making and gluing Kenyans: At the backdrop of the gone horrific violence and animosity that characterized the 2007 elections.
IHJR is calling the grand coalition that emerged out of the Kofi Annan‘s minted National Accord to incorporate Kenyan historian with a dignified standing in formulating healing mechanisms. They echoed that bitterness is still running deep among Kenyans, but, unfortunately politicians are focused on the next election. The strong engagement of the civil society in healing is needed to avoid future violence as the next election is approaching, 2012. As the accord reflects, one key element in bring the country together involves addressing what happened as honestly as possible: Hence the place for the historians.
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