Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi)
9 September 2008
Nairobi — Muslim human rights organisation has expressed fears that some of the persons allegedly arrested by Kenyan authorities and transferred to Ethiopia and Somalia last year may disappear forever.
In a new report, the Muslim Human Rights Forum (MHRF) says it tracked the arrestand detention of 152 individual in Kenya throughout last year and the rendition of at least 117 of them to the two Horn of Africa nations.
"There has been no official disclosure about the actual number and identities of the captives still held or of those released, neither by the Ethiopian authorities nor by their partners in the renditions, namely the Kenyan, Somali and American authorities. This has given rise to a well-founded fear that some of the deported individuals my permanently disappear."
MHRF says its report, titled Horn of Terror, is based on interviews with former detainees and security officers involved in the arrests, detentions and renditions in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia.
The organization believes the arrests and renditions are part of the American war on terrorism. It accuses the Government of Kenya of violations of international law by facilitating the invasion of Somalia by Ethiopia and by collaborating with the US.
Ethiopia is responsible for atrocious violations perpetrated against individuals captured by its army as prisoners of war, following the invasion of Somalia, the report says.
MHRF called on Kenya to immediately secure the return of the nationals who were deported illegally. Kenya should also ask Ethiopia and Somalia to acknowledge the individuals detained in their countries and to allow international access to them.
The lobby group also wants Kenya to ask the US government to return Abdulmalik Mohamed from Guantanamo Bay in Cuba to face trial at home.
Both Ethiopia and Kenya should make full disclosure of all foreign prisoners in their countries and allow them access to humanitarian organisations and diplomatic representatives, MHRF says.
America should respect the sovereignty of Kenya, and Kenya should cease providing the US and Ethiopian governments facilities from which to launch military activities. The state should close down the Manda Bay Military Base in Lamu Distirct and disband the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit ubtil there is a national anti-terrorism policy in place.
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