Bainito and Hezron presenting a petition to the prime cabinet secretary in Kenya. Photo: FWCC.
Stopping ecocide: Hilary Saunders is impressed by FWCC
‘FWCC is speaking truth to power.’
In autumn 2024, Woodbrooke ran two learning sessions on ecocide, with the help of Stop Ecocide International (SEI) and FWCC (Friends World Committee for Consultation). This issue is crucial for FWCC, as it is frequently contacted by Quakers around the world who are affected by climate disasters, and need help.
In the first session Sue Miller, a lawyer working for SEI, explained the legal process for making ecocide an international crime. She emphasised how the ability to hold powerful individuals criminally liable could change their behaviour. Marian Liebmann, a Quaker and expert in restorative justice, then urged participants to consider if Friends could call for restorative justice to be included alongside criminal penalties for ecocide.
The second session was organised by Bainito Wamalwa, the clerk of FWCC’s Africa Section, and Hezron Masitsa, the Justice and Peace secretary for FWCC, working with James Gondi of SEI. All three are based in Nairobi, so they arranged a session with a strong emphasis on Africa.
Eight days later, Bainito and Hezron presented a petition to the prime cabinet secretary in Kenya. In his report on this meeting, Bainito said: ‘The petition calls on the government of Kenya to declare support for creating legal protection of life on Earth by including ecocide as a crime against peace in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court in the knowledge that many countries must stand together to put this law in place.’
He explained that Vanuatu, with the support of Fiji and Samoa, has put down an amendment to the Rome Statute. ‘The working party will be seeking the support of more states, so as to reach the 50% required for a vote (and later the 67% required for the amendment to come into force).’ If African states which have ratified the Rome Statute realise they can vote on this, ‘that could make a big difference… A lot of African states are really suffering due to the climate crisis and other appalling environmental damage, mostly due to multinational companies’.
Bainito and Hezron’s commitment to environment and sustainability is shown in their love of the natural world and a sense of responsibility towards its care. They highlighted the role of the Quaker United Nations Offices and other Quaker agencies and Yearly Meetings in climate issues.
The prime cabinet secretary assured them that Kenya is committed to addressing climate change and promised to task his legal team to look into the draft amendment.
There are more Quakers in Kenya than in any other country in the world and they are highly respected for the work they have done to resolve conflicts and to help rebuild communities.
FWCC is speaking truth to power and doing what love requires of us. It can take a long time to change the law, so it has set up a Climate Emergency Fund, which can make payments of up to £500 to Quakers helping to provide disaster relief in their local communities. Please support it financially, if you can: https://fwcc.world/cef.
