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Author Topic: Conflict in Kenya
CMOT Dibbler
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Babbler # 4117

posted 02 January 2008 05:47 PM      Profile for CMOT Dibbler     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
There has been much coverage of the post election violence in Kenya. Tonight they were discussing a violent incident in which several Kenyan villagers were burned. The only problem was that the report made it seem as though this act was spontaneous. They gave no context. What caused this violence? What historical tensions made these villagers turn on each other? And how can Kenyans stop such brutality?
From: Just outside Fernie, British Columbia | Registered: May 2003  |  IP: Logged
Webgear
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 9443

posted 02 January 2008 08:46 PM      Profile for Webgear     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Walrus Blog on Kenya
From: Montgomery's Tavern | Registered: May 2005  |  IP: Logged
Webgear
rabble-rouser
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posted 03 January 2008 06:30 AM      Profile for Webgear     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Riots break out
From: Montgomery's Tavern | Registered: May 2005  |  IP: Logged
Webgear
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 9443

posted 03 January 2008 09:09 AM      Profile for Webgear     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
NDP Calls For Action


“Our government must act now to bring stability to Kenya,” said Layton. “We need to make a concerted effort to stop Kenya’s descent into further ethnic violence. Canada should be an international leader and encourage collaboration with allies in the Commonwealth and call on the UN to provide a pathway to stability.”


From: Montgomery's Tavern | Registered: May 2005  |  IP: Logged
remind
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 6289

posted 03 January 2008 11:53 AM      Profile for remind     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Webgear:
NDP Calls For Action

“Our government must act now to bring stability to Kenya,” said Layton. “We need to make a concerted effort to stop Kenya’s descent into further ethnic violence. Canada should be an international leader and encourage collaboration with allies in the Commonwealth and call on the UN to provide a pathway to stability.”


Well, I am happy to hear the at least the NDP have taken a stand on this, but Canadians who care, should not hold their breath that the Harper government will take any stand opposing what the USA wants.

quote:
On December 30, both the United States and Britain called on the presidential candidates to accept the election results, and the US Embassy issued a statement praising the work of the Electoral Commission. An embassy official called for patience, urging that any concerns over the voting be addressed to the commission. This was backed by a statement issued in the US by State Department official Tom Casey calling on Kenyans to accept the final result, also praising the commission for the “largely peaceful and orderly voting.”

This stance has been made increasingly untenable by the criticisms that have since emerged over the vote-counting procedures. The European Union (EU) observer in one constituency had witnessed election officials saying Kibaki had won by 50,145 votes, but by December 30, the Electoral Commission had increased the same result to 75,261 votes. The chief EU observer stated that the “Electoral Commission has not succeeded in establishing the credibility of the tallying process.”

Western diplomats attempted to persuade the Electoral Commission to do a re-tally, but whilst they acknowledged there had been “irregularities”—admitting that the turnout in one constituency was 115 percent and that a candidate had run away with ballot papers in another—they were clearly under pressure to accept the result. Four of the 22 Electoral Commissioners have since expressed doubts about the veracity of the results.

On December 31, therefore, the US State Department was forced to express “serious concerns” about the voting. Tom Casey said, “I’m not offering congratulations to anybody.” Any sense that the US was happy with the election results was an “error,” said Casey, and called for the “problems” to be resolved by the Kenyan legal system in accordance with its constitution. British Foreign Secretary David Milliband said in an interview January 1 that there were allegations of voting irregularities on both sides and “we don’t know who won.”


http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/jan2008/keny-j03.shtml

Yes, and how disengenuous is that of the USA to call for the Kenyan judicary to make the decision, considering the President just appointed new justices only a few days before the election.

quote:
- A good chunk of the sitting Electoral Commission’s commissioners were replaced with new ones. With the knowledge that one of the new commissioners is the President’s personal lawyer, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to divine the fact that they probably were loyal to the President.

- The knee jerk reaction to replace the chairman as well was overturned at the last minute to give the commission the perception of independence. Kivuitu was largely trusted by both sides. Then, at any rate. However I’m inclined to think some form of hold was gotten over Kivuitu.

- Days to the election the president swore in a new set of beaming judges


History

Part 2 lead up to election

h/t to BnR


From: "watching the tide roll away" | Registered: Jun 2004  |  IP: Logged
scooter
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posted 04 January 2008 04:39 AM      Profile for scooter     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by remind:

Well, I am happy to hear the at least the NDP have taken a stand on this, but Canadians who care, should not hold their breath that the Harper government will take any stand opposing what the USA wants.


How "western" of you.

The concern should be the lack of comment from neighbouring African governments. The resounding silence to President Mugabe's antics in Zimbabwe, I suspect, has been taken as a sign that abuse of ones citizens is tolerated.


From: High River | Registered: Apr 2004  |  IP: Logged
remind
rabble-rouser
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posted 04 January 2008 02:37 PM      Profile for remind     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by scooter:
How "western" of you.
Is that the new stereotype instead of saying "white"?

quote:
The concern should be the lack of comment from neighbouring African governments. The resounding silence to President Mugabe's antics in Zimbabwe, I suspect, has been taken as a sign that abuse of ones citizens is tolerated.
I believe Uganda has troops there trying to calm things down.

And why should concern be there only from African governments?


From: "watching the tide roll away" | Registered: Jun 2004  |  IP: Logged
Webgear
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posted 04 January 2008 02:45 PM      Profile for Webgear     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Kenya's humanitarian crisis grows

"At least 180,000 people have been displaced by unrest as the humanitarian crisis grows after last week's disputed election in Kenya, say UN officials.

Some have been housed in makeshift camps while others have sought refuge in police stations or churches, fleeing violence that has claimed 350 lives."

There is a nice map of KENYA'S ETHNIC GROUPS


From: Montgomery's Tavern | Registered: May 2005  |  IP: Logged
Coyote
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posted 04 January 2008 03:00 PM      Profile for Coyote   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Does anyone have any reliable links as to the history of this conflict? Afraid I know very little about the region. I have a vague recollection from British Colonialism class I took back in the day, but that's a decade ago now.
From: O’ for a good life, we just might have to weaken. | Registered: Jan 2004  |  IP: Logged

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