SUMMARY
The Karamoja region of Uganda is home to a large number of agro-pastoralist groups referred to as the Karimojong. The area, which is comprised of predominantly semiarid thorn savannah, is often described as one of the most inhospitable zones in Africa. Rainfall is erratic and the area suffers frequent draughts. On the other side of the border lies the Rift Valley Province of Kenya, one of the most densely populated regions in the country and home to a variety of ethnic tribes regrouped by the English colonizers under the name of Kalenjin. In both regions cattle herding has proven to be the most sustainable way of life. As necessary resources such as water and pasture are scarce and the value ascribed to cattle is very high, fierce conflicts and large-scale cattle-raiding is a common phenomenon between the groups in the regions.
Tribal clashes can be characterized by a circular pattern since, in order to assure survival, raided tribes must retaliate against other tribes to replenish lost livestock. Another characteristic of conflicts in the area is the cross-border dimension, with tribes from Uganda and from Kenya often venture into the neighboring country in search for cattle to raid. With the availability of modern weapons, the deadliness of the conflicts has increased dramatically over the past decades and local authorities have proven unable to prevent the cattle-raiding-related clashes.
Like other conflicts in the region, also the conflict between the Dodoth and the Turkana was fought over cattle. Both groups have a history of cattle raiding with other tribes and were engaged in a conflict against each other in early 2000, when the Dodoth fought a Turkana – Toposa alliance (see also the Dodoth – Turkana, Toposa](/#nonstate/5477) conflict). While cattle raids often are swift and with little loss of life, a major Dodoth attack against the Turkana on 11 June 2000 became particularly violent and resulted in the loss of 70 lives. During this attack, the Dodoth succeeded in stealing up to 10 000 head of cattle. The reasons for the Dodoth to attack were twofold; First, it was a revenge for an attack by the Turkana – Toposa alliance earlier that year, and second, it was a reaction to the fact that the Turkana moved into Uganda to graze their animals there instead of in their traditional homelands in Kenya.
The non-state conflict between the Dodoth and the Turkana is first included in UCDP data in 2000. In June of that year, fighting between the two groups led to more than 25 battle-related deaths.
