The problem of Islamic terrorism in Kenya in terms of regional Security in East Africa
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12797/Politeja.13.2016.42.10Keywords:
Terrorism, Kenya, Somalia, al‑Shabaab, regional securityAbstract
The purpose of this article is to present the issue of security in the region of East Africa, particularly in Kenya, in view of the development of the phenomenon of Islamic terrorism. In the last two years it killed more than 400 people in this country and the scale of organized attacks is still increasing. In April 2015 Islamic militants from the Somali group al‑Shabaab attacked Garissa University College in northeastern Kenya. This terrorist attack confirmed that Kenyan authorities are not able to control the 700‑kilometre border with Somalia and ensure the security of citizens and tourists visiting the country. The threat of the escalation of acts of terrorism and the spread of violence to other countries in the region are becoming a major challenge to the foreign policy of Kenya and other countries in the region. In this article the author intends to present Kenya’s current actions in the fight against terrorism in Somalia and to assess the involvement of the African Union (AU) and the East African Community (EAC)– in terms of ensuring the regional security and the involvement of players from the region outside (the USA in particular) –in the context of the fight against Islamic terrorism on a global scale. Therefore the aim of the article is to attempt to evaluate the real possibility of providing effective aid to Kenya in the fight against terrorism. Despite the limited access to sources, dealing with this difficult subject of research has been justified by the fact that the awareness of the threat of Islamic terrorism against Kenya becomes necessary for the understanding of different phenomena and processes essential for the security of East African countries, and also for the fight against terrorism worldwide.
Downloads
References
‘10 Things about CJTF‑HOA’, U.S. Africa Command Blog, 1 June 2012, at <https://africom.wordpress.com/2012/06/01/10‑things‑about‑cjtf‑hoa/>.
‘Africa Union and United States Government in Talks to Support AU Peace and Security Efforts’, 10 February 2011, at <http://www.au.int/en/pressreleases/24180/africa‑union‑and‑united‑states‑government‑talks‑support‑au‑peace‑and‑security>.
‘Al‑Shabaab’, National Counterterrorism Center, at <http://www.nctc.gov/site/groups/al_shabaab.html>. ‘Al‑Szabab: zginęło 137 zakładników’, TVP Info, 25 September 2013, at <https://www.tvp.info/12507418/alszabab‑zginelo‑137‑zakladnikow>.
AMISOM, ‘AMISOM Background’, at <https://www.amisom‑au.org/amisom‑background/>.
AMISOM, ‘Kenya – KDF’, at <https://www.amisom‑au.org/kenya‑kdf/>.
Analo T., ‘KDF Black Market Thrives in Somalia, Funds Al Shabaab – Report’, The EastAfrican, 14 November 2015, at <http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/KDF‑black‑market‑thrives‑in‑Somalia‑‑funds‑Al‑Shabaab/‑/2558/2956848/‑/fkwl4f/‑/index.html>.
Bar J., ‘Polityka państw Wspólnoty Wschodnioafrykańskiej wobec kryzysu w regionie Wielkich Jezior’, Forum Politologiczne, Vol. 17 (2014).
Branch D., Defeating Mau Mau, Creating Kenya. Counterinsurgency, Civil War, and Decolonization, Cambridge–New York 2009 (African Studies, 111).
CJTF‑HOA: Combined Joint Task Force‑Horn of Africa, ‘About the Command’, at <http://www.hoa.africom.mil/about>.
Collier P., The Bottom Billion. Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can Be Done About It, Oxford 2007.
Collier P., Wars, Guns and Votes. Democracy in Dangerous Places, New York 2009.
Collier P., Hoeffler A., Aid, Policy and Growth in Post‑Conflict Societies, Washington 2001 (World Bank Policy Research Working Papers, 2902).
‘Dlaczego terroryści zaatakowali w Kenii? Kto i jak będzie pomagał ofiarom ataku w Nairobi?’. Interview with P. Guła and P. Tarnawski, Wojskowy Instytut Medyczny, at <http://www.wim.mil.pl/aktualnoci‑topmenu‑19/medycyna‑w‑mundurze/1476‑dlaczego‑terroryci‑zaatakowali‑w‑kenii‑kto‑i‑jak‑bdzie‑pomaga‑ofiarom‑ataku‑w‑nairobi>.
‘EALA Speaker and Somalia Parliament Counterpart Hold Talks in Kampala’, East African Community, 9 June 2015, at <http://www.eac.int/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1900:eala‑speaker‑and‑somalia‑parliament‑counterpart‑hold‑talks‑in‑kampala‑&catid=146:press‑releases&Itemid=194>.
‘EALA Wants Partner States to Infuse Mechanism for Speedy Implementation of Peace and Security Decisions in the Region’, East African Community, 24 May 2015, at <http://www.eac.int/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1890:eala‑wants‑partner‑states‑to‑infuse‑mechanism‑for‑speedy‑implementation‑of‑peace‑and‑security‑decision-in‑the‑region&catid=146:press‑releases&Itemid=194>.
Fage J.D., A History of Africa, London 1990.
Global Terrorism Database, ‘Overview of the GTD’, at <http://www.start.umd.edu/gtd/about/>.
Goyvaerts D. (ed.), Conflict and Ethnicity in Central Africa, Tokyo 2000.
Hansen S.J., Al‑Shabaab in Somalia. The History and Ideology of a Militant Islamist Group, 2005‑2012, London 2013.
‘His Excellency, Uhuru Kenyatta C.G.H.’, Official Government Website, at <http://presidency.go.ke/index.php/2013‑12‑18‑15‑53‑46/presidency/2‑uncategorised/43‑his‑excellency‑uhuru‑kenyatta‑c‑g‑h>.
Institute for Economics and Peace, The Global Terrosism Index 2014, at <http://www.visionofhumanity.org/sites/default/files/Global%20Terrorism%20Index%20Report%202014_0.pdf>.
Jagielski W., ‘Kenia. Terroryści kontra turyści’, Gazeta Wyborcza, 3 August 2014, at <http://wyborcza.pl/1,91446,16420599,Kenia_Terrorysci_kontra_turysci.html>.
Jorgic D., Honan E., ‘Kenya Says It Destroys Two al Shabaab Camps in Somalia’, Reuters, 6 April 2015, at <http://www.reuters.com/article/us‑kenya‑security‑military‑idUSKBN0MX0EA20150406>.
Kaldor M., New & Old Wars. Organized Violence in a Globalized Era, Stanford 2007.
‘Kenia: Celowe ataki na chrześcijan’, Open Doors, 23 June 2014, at <https://www.opendoors.pl/przesladowania/wiadomosci/2014/05_maj1/3194123/>.
‘Kenia rozpoczyna żałobę narodową po rzezi chrześcijan. Islamiści straszą: “Nic nie zapobiegnie kolejnemu rozlewowi krwi”‘, wPolityce.pl, 5 April 2015, at <http://wpolityce.pl/swiat/239832‑kenia‑rozpoczyna‑zalobe‑narodowa‑po‑rzezi‑chrzescijan‑islamisci‑strasza‑nic‑nie‑zapobiegnie‑kolejnemu‑rozlewowi‑krwi>.
‘Kenia wypowiada wojnę islamistom. Lotnictwo zbombardowało obozy Al‑Szabab’, tvn24, 6 April 2015, at <http://www.tvn24.pl/wiadomosci‑ze‑swiata,2/atak‑na‑kampus‑w‑kenii‑lotnictwo‑zbombardowalo‑obozy‑al‑szabab,530903.html>.
Law B., ‘AFRICOM Hosts East African Community Delegation”, United States Africa Command, 9 December 2015, at <http://www.africom.mil/newsroom/article/23996/africom‑hosts‑east‑african‑community‑delegation>.
Lemarchand R., The Dynamics of Violence in Central Africa, Philadelphia 2009 (National and Ethnic Conflict in the 21st Century).
Leslie C., ‘Horn of Africa Senior Leaders Summit’, United States Africa Command, 13 April 2015, at <http://www.africom.mil/newsroom/article/25336/horn‑of‑africa‑senior‑leaders‑summit>.
Levinson D., Ethnic Relations: A Cross‑cultural Encyclopedia, Santa Barbara 1995 (Encyclopedias of the Human Experience).
Lobell S.E., Mauceri P. (eds.), Ethnic Conflict and International Politics: Explaining Diffusion and Escalation, Gordonsville 2001.
Mantel‑Niećko J., Ząbek M. (eds.), Róg Afryki. Historia i współczesność, Warszawa 1999 (Historia Państw Świata w XX Wieku).
Martie R., ‘New Weather System Enhances Mission Capability of Kenyan Defense Forces’, United States Africa Command, 5 December 2013, at <http://www.africom.mil/newsroom/article/11530/new‑weather‑system‑enhances‑mission‑capability‑of‑kenyan‑defense‑forces>.
‘Masakra po zamachu na uniwersytet w Kenii. Nie żyje nawet 150 studentów’, Polskie Radio, 2 April 2015, at <http://www.polskieradio.pl/5/3/Artykul/1413254,Masakra‑po‑zamachu‑na‑uniwersytet‑w‑Kenii‑Nie‑zyje‑nawet‑150‑studentow>.
Ministry of Defence – Kenya, at <http://www.mod.go.ke/>. ‘Nairobi: dwa autobusy wyleciały w powietrze’, TVP INFO, 5 May 2014, at <http://www.tvp.info/15064265/nairobi‑dwa‑autobusy‑wylecialy‑w‑powietrze>.
NATO, ‘Assistance to the African Union’, 16 March 2015, at <http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_8191.htm>.
Nhema A., Zeleza P.T. (eds.), Resolutions of African Conflicts. The Management of Conflict Resolution and Post‑Conflict Reconstruction, Athens, OH 2008.
Pająk K., ‘Somalia – studium upadku państwa i walki o bezpieczeństwo morskie w regionie’ in R. Kłosowicz, A. Mania (eds.), Problem upadku państw w stosunkach międzynarodowych, Kraków 2012 (Studia nad Rozwojem).
Pawełczak M., Kenia, Warszawa 2004 (Historia Państw Świata w XX Wieku).
Połoński M., ‘Al‑Kaida w rok po śmierci Osamy bin Ladena’, Portal Spraw Zagranicznych, 24 June 2012, at <http://www.psz.pl/116‑bezpieczenstwo/al‑kaida‑w‑rok‑po‑smierci‑osamy‑bin‑ladena>.
‘The Protocol to the OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism’, 8 July 2004, at <http://www.au.int/en/sites/default/files/treaties/7787‑file‑protocol_oau_convention_on_the_prevention_combating_terrorism.pdf>.
Redłowska K., USA i UE w Afryce Subsaharyjskiej. Współpraca i rywalizacja, Toruń 2011.
Solomon H., Terrorism and Counter‑Terrorism in Africa. Fighting Insurgency from Al Shabaab, Ansar Dine and Boko Haram, Basingstoke 2015 (New Security Challenges).
‘Somali Militants Launch Assault on Presidential Palace in Mogadishu’, The Guardian, 8 July 2014, at <http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/08/somalil‑militants‑attack‑presidential‑palace‑mogadishu>.
Tarimo A., Citizenship & State in Eastern Africa, Bamenda 2010.
‘U.S. Counterterrorism Aid to Kenya’, Security Assistance Monitor, 21 July 15, at <http://www.securityassistance.org/fact_sheet/us‑counterterrorism‑aid‑kenya>.
UN, Secretary‑General Ban Ki‑moon, ‘Statement Attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary‑General on Attack on UN Compound in Mogadishu, Somalia’, 19 June 2013, at <http://www.un.org/sg/STATEMENTS/index.asp?nid=6919>.
United States Africa Command, ‘About the Command’, at <http://www.africom.mil/about‑the‑command>. USAID, ‘Kenya’, at <https://www.usaid.gov/kenya>.
USAID, ‘Where We Work. Africa. Interactive Map’, 17 August 2015, at <http://map.usaid.gov/?l=regional&w=SUB%20SAHARAN%20AFRICA>.
The White House: President Barack Obama, ‘Fact Sheet: U.S. Support for Peace, Security, and Countering Violent Extremism in Africa’, 27 July 2015, at <https://www.whitehouse.gov/the‑press‑office/2015/07/27/fact‑sheet‑us‑support‑peace‑security‑and‑countering‑violent‑extremism>.
‘Yonaton “Yoni” Netanyahu (1946‑1976)’, Jewish Virtual Library, at <https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Yoni_Netanyahu.html>.
‘Zamach w Kenii. “Brak narzędzi do walki z terrorystami”‘, Interview with B. Popławski, Polskie Radio. Dwójka, 8 April 2015, at <http://www.polskieradio.pl/8/3660/Artykul/1416371,Zamach‑w‑Kenii‑Brak‑narzedzi‑do‑walki‑z‑terrorystami>.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
