6 February 2008
Despite the announcement of progress in negotiations between the Government and the opposition, the Security Council today expressed its concern over the continued violence in Kenya which first broke out after last December's contested polls.
"The Council deplores the widespread violence following the elections, which has resulted in extensive loss of life and serious humanitarian consequences," the 15-member body said in a presidential statement read out by Ambassador Ricardo Alberto Arias of Panama, which holds the rotating presidency this month.
It also noted that "civilians continue to be killed, subjected to sexual and gender-based violence and displaced from their homes."
According to the Kenya Red Cross Society, more than 1,000 people have lost their lives and over 300,000 have been displaced since the 27 December 2007 elections in which President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner over opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Today's statement underlined the need for "dialogue, negotiation and compromise" as the only avenue by which to resolve the current crisis. It also urged the East African nation's leaders to promote reconciliation.
Welcoming the 1 February announcement of advances - such as the adoption of a road map and an agenda - towards finding a solution, the Council expressed its full support for the Panel of Eminent African Personalities, led by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
The body called for all parties to "meet their responsibility" to resolve the crisis, as well as taking immediate measures to curb the violence, which includes ethnically-motivated attacks, and to restore human rights.
Regarding Kenya's "dire" humanitarian situation, the Council called for the protection of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), as well as aid workers and UN personnel.
Also today, a fact-finding mission deployed by High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour arrived in Kenya, and during the next three weeks the team will investigate allegations of grave rights violations in the post-election period.
Yesterday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced that he was dispatching his top humanitarian official to the violence-wracked nation.
John Holmes, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, is scheduled to arrive in the capital Nairobi on Friday, 8 February, for a three-day mission to assess the humanitarian situation in the country.
He intends to meet with Government authorities, opposition leaders, UN staff, aid agencies, donors and diplomats.
Mr. Holmes, who also serves as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, will travel to the Rift Valley, where most of the recent fighting took place, to speak with IDPs and others who have been impacted by the violence.
In a related development, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) has supplied enough food for one month for close to 4,500 IDPs in the eastern town of Turbo.
Also, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) reported that there are more than 7,000 displaced people at the Nakuru camp in the Rift Valley, while there are some 12,000 IDPs residing in more than two dozen camps in Nairobi.
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This is one of the most outrageaus article regarding the Kenyan situation that I have come across. The United States originally congratulated Mr. Kibaki and then retracted it realising that the had made an error. The United States erred by not stating immediately that the elections were rigged and demanding a recount or setting a date for a Presidential rerun in conjuction with the EU,AU and other observers. There is no doubt that the Presidential election tallies were rigged, fraudelent or forged. The ECK itself declared it. The question is, are we going to use propaganda to deviate from the truth and use the military to project an image of security in country, or are we going to bite the bullet and set a date for a rerun, reform the constittion and address land reforms, equal employment and opportunities, really get down and serious to move the country foward? Once Kenyans see the ratification of such a document and it is honored, then they will feel confident about their future. We should remeber that apartheid, segregation and colonialism did not end because the masses had more powerful than their masters but because they had made a resolve to change their conditions. In addition the elite Kenyan cannot enjoy their wealth or make more wealth during instability and 20% of the nation cannot control 80%. We need to get serious and refuse the politics of denial which will push us down the drain. The Presidential election were rigged we all know that including EU,AU,US and PNU that rigged it. Now lets fix the aftermath and not insult the intelligence of Kenyans and rest the World.
Observation from a Canadian: I was in Kenya between 02 December 07 and 29 January 08 and visit the country regularly.
There are and there will be election dispute all over the world (Kenya is not an exception), loosers do not incite or encourage violence.
During the campaign, Raila was referring to his opponent as "enemies" and encougared targetting of Kibaki's supporters property etc. No one should be surprised with violence, chaos, ethnic cleansing,after the election
You have got to be kidding? This without a doubt is the most ridiculous comment I have read. I will not try to convice you with common sense or logic, especially after reading your comments. Pull you head out of the sand. That way you can at least think for yourself and see the world as it really is.
If you leave in Kenya, I wouldnt have to tell you this. THE ELECTION WAS RIGGED. Tribal and Race tentions are a reality all over the world. In our case, it took a rigged election for hell to break lose here. We saw it all unfold. Havent you noticed that out of Kenyas 42 tribes, only one (Kibakis Kikuyu) seems to be under attack all accross the country. Does that tell you something. How could an unpopular candidate win an election with the support of his tribe only. State machinery is not going to bully us into submission. This is about our human right to elect a leader of our choice. Regards,
For PEACE'S SAKE -
Listen to the whole 31,138,735 Kenyans (as of 2007 census) heartbeat, and look at things from the point of their welbeing as a nation. PLEASE, KEEP your emotions and indivdual feelings in check for the good of the PEOPLE of Kenya!
What you are saying is not what the Voice of Kenyans is saying because all Kenyans are not saying the same thing.The attackers and their henchnen are saying "kill the enemies" the "enemies" are saying "we have a right to be here because we are Kenyans" What Kenyans are you talking about?
The European Union, United States and United Kingdom have a large share of blame for the deaths in Kenya. Firstly, the European Union anounced rigging in the Kenya Polls without sufficient evidence. That was of course taken up in a chorus by America and United Kingdom. It does not matter how many times you say something, it does not make it right. Of course it might appear the United States had interest in the candidacy of Raila: Why else would they take the chorus of rigging without the slightest iota of evidence? Raila of course had started before the polls to stage manage rigging ocassions in preparations for the same claims on KTN Television Kenya and how happy he was to have the slightest excuse, with the chaos his party formented during the reading out of results by the electoral body, plus the back up of the strong nations. Kibaki must be steadfast and I profer now that Raila and his ODM colleagues be arrested for any more chaos.