Students To Receive Counter Violence Extremism Training.
In a new civilian-military partnership, students in terror-prone areas of Lamu county’s Boni forest will receive specialized training on counter-violent extremism.
The new collaboration will target over 150 students from Witu, Hongwe, Mkunumbi, Hindi, Kiunga, and Basuba.
The initiative is being led by the Centre for Citizens in Conflict in partnership with the county government.
The program aims to build trust and confidence between civilians and military personnel in order to prevent, minimize, and correct civilian harm in operational zones.
CIVIC military adviser Julius Minyori said on Wednesday at the county headquarters in Mokowe that the initiative will also focus on research to identify gaps in civilian and community safety along the Boni Forest stretch.
“Our objective is to engage with armed actors and civilians in conflict to create and implement ways to prevent, minimise and respond to civilian suffering,” Minyori said.
John Okanga, CIVIC community engagement manager, emphasized the importance of military capacity building in civilian protection, as well as its role in fostering collaboration and information sharing.
While residents of Boni Forest face conflict on various levels, Okanga believes the situation necessitates direct engagement between the military and civilians.
“Civilians in the Boni Forest experience conflict in different ways depending on their gender, disability, age, and other factors,” he said.
“In order to minimise harm and improve protection outcomes, direct engagement between the military and civilians is required.”
Terrorists have used the 517-square-mile Boni Forest, which runs from Lamu, Garissa, to the Somalia border, for years.
They use it as a safe haven after carrying out terrorist attacks. They’ve continued to use the forest as a base from which to reorganize and hide weapons.
Despite intensive security measures, the forest continues to be a source of concern for security agencies, as it disrupts and endangers the lives of nearby residents.
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Shee Kupi, the Lamu County Director for Disaster Management, also revealed that there are plans to have law enforcement officers go through Hostile Environment Awareness Training to improve their disaster response.
The HEAT is an immersive security training program designed to improve security and safety awareness in order to prevent and respond to insecurity incidents more effectively.
Students To Receive Counter Violence Extremism Training
