By Lucianne Limo

The military has killed more than 600 people in the operation against the militia in Mt Elgon District, a human rights report has alleged.

The damning report by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) consequently calls for the suspension of the Kenya Army from current or future United Nations peacekeeping operations.

At the same time, the commission is calling for the prosecution of Chief of General Staff, General Jeremiah Kianga, the Army Commander Augustine Njoroge, and Police Commissioner Maj-Gen Hussein Ali.

KNCHR accuses the top military commanders of failing to prevent torture in the volatile region.

The commission said it had written to the UN Commissioner for Human Rights Ms Louise Arbour to recommend to the Security Council to suspend Kenya’s Armed Forces from peacekeeping missions.

"We call for suspension until they show commitment to human rights, locally and internationally," said KNCHR commissioner, Mr Hassan Omar.

The human rights watchdog has gathered evidence attributing serious human rights violations including torture, ill treatment, arbitrary arrests, beatings, detention and other outrages by the military.

The report, ‘The Mountain of Terror’, was released on Thursday at KNHCR offices, Nairobi.

The commission also petitioned the Attorney-General to institute criminal proceedings against the Defence minister, Mr Yusuf Haji, Western PC, Mr Abdul Mwasserah, Lt-Col SK Boiwo, OCS Mt Elgon, Maj SM Musomi and Mt Elgon Intelligence officer, Maj Yahya Mohamed.

"The top leadership of the military is charged with the prevention of torture in their operations and are deemed to have constructive knowledge of what is happening," said Omar.

He added: "We have advised (Amos) Wako to institute prosecution for acts of torture and ill-treatment in Mt Elgon against the officials. Through negligence, they have failed to effectively control their forces to ensure they don’t break the law."

The commission said it would move to the International Criminal Court in The Hague if Wako failed to prosecute the officials.

"There are other avenues available, but we want to give the AG the benefit of the doubt to prosecute the individuals," said Omar.

The commission said the Government could not absolve itself from over the alleged human rights violation in Mt Elgon District.

Omar said the Government’s core responsibility was to protect citizens and where human rights were violated, it should address them.

In the report, the Commission has outlined the nature of injuries and torture the military allegedly inflicted on victims, including members of the Sabaot Land Defence Force.

They include sexual violence, food and sleep deprivation and submerging victims in sewage. Other alleged forms of torture include being hung upside down from a moving helicopter and forced to crawl on razor wire.

The victims, the report claims, also had deep lacerations resulting from whiplashes and bullet wounds. KNCHR also alleges that the victims were forced to swallow sand and that pepper was inserted in women’s private parts.

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