A) Facts of the Matter 6. The Application relates to the Ogiek Community of the Mau Forest. The Applicant alleges that the Ogieks are an indigenous minority ethnic group in Kenya comprising about 20,000 members, about 15,000 of whom inhabit the greater Mau Forest Complex, a land mass of about 400,000 hectares straddling about seven administrative districts in the Respondent's territory. 7. According to the Applicant, in October 2009, through th e Kenya Forestry Service , the Respondent issued a 30 -day eviction notice to the Ogieks and other settlers of the Mau Forest, demanding that they leave the forest . 8. The Applicant states that the eviction notice was issued on the grounds that the forest constitutes a reserved water catchment zone, and was in any event part of government land under Section 4 of the Government Land Act. The Applicant states further that the Forestry Service's action failed to take into account the importance of the Mau Forest for the survival of the Ogieks, and that the latter were not involved in the decision leading to their eviction. The Applicant contends that the Ogieks have been subjected to several eviction measures since the colonial period , which continued after the independence of the Respondent. According to the Applicant, the October 2009 eviction notice is a perpetuation of the historical injustices suffered by the Ogieks. 9 . The Applicant further avers that the Ogieks have consistently raised objections to these evictions with local and national administrations , task forces and commissions and have instituted judicial proceedings, to no avail. B) Alleged Violations 1 0. On the basis of the foregoing, the Applicant alleges violation of Articles 1, 2, 4, 8, 14, 17(2) and (3), 21, and 22 of the Charter. 3