On Wednesday, 12 April 2000, a group of thirty-two signatories issued a declaration at Moyale, entitled the ‘Declaration of Indigenous Communities of Moyale District’. It was distributed to the District Commissioner, other Government officers, and representatives of the Garre community. These last perceived it, not without cause, as a notice to leave. It was sent to the Office of the President and the Provincial Commissioner. Its contents appear also in another letter to the Provincial Commissioner and other documents. Abdullahi Shongolo was present when it was formulated and even helped in brushing up the English of the document with mixed success, as we shall see. He is therefore in one of the classic role conflicts to which participatory observation leads: how can one analyse or critically evaluate that to which one has contributed oneself? That might not be unfeasible, but it is complicated. He has preferred to leave that task to me, himself being around to answer questions. A closer reading of the text, however, reveals, that I myself have unwittingly and unintentionally also had some influence on it.