Thursday, February 7, 2008

Kenya, government urges foreigners to Come back

 

Come back to Kenya, government urges foreigners

By Andrew CawthorneThu Feb 7, 3:03 AM ET

Information Minister Samuel Poghisio said on Thursday the violence in Kenya was diminishing and that most of the country was unaffected, so investors and tourists should not take fright.

"Come in and hold hands with Kenyans and say 'We are with you' and let not the images beamed internationally be the ones to guide you," Poghisio said in an interview with Reuters.

But he acknowledged Kenya had been through what he called a dark period in its history.

More than 1,000 people have been killed -- mostly in ethnic clashes and some by police during protests -- and about 300,000 displaced since violence erupted after a disputed December 27 election in which President Mwai Kibaki was returned to power.

The violence has prompted tourists to shun Kenya and some businesses have made contingency plans to relocate should the bloodshed between government and opposition supporters go on.

Poghisio said the world had an exaggerated image of the violence as most of Kenya was not affected, life was back to normal for many, and political foes were now talking.

"The international community needs to know that it is still very possible to travel to Kenya," he said.

"It's not what you hear and what you see."

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But Poghisio said he was under no illusion about the gravity of events.

"It is a period in our country that will always remain as a black hole. It is a dark period in history," he said.

"We went into elections very normally. Turnout was good and everything looked good. And then bang, the announcement, and almost all hell broke loose literally. Neighbor turned against Neighbor, friend against friend."

HATE RADIO

Nevertheless, political polarization among local media and the repeated use of gruesome images by foreign media had worsened the impact on Kenya's reputation, said Poghisio.

"If on a daily basis they show pictures of demonstrations, and riots and mutilated bodies, of war and burning houses ... that has tended to give a bad image," he said.

"What's going on in Kenya is an isolated case of some politically instigated violence ... If you put it in perspective, 80 percent of Kenya's land mass is not experiencing violence. There are many people going about business as normal."

Poghisio, who has just lifted a government ban on live broadcasting introduced when trouble first flared, said his ministry was preparing legal action against provincial radio stations accused of inciting violence.

495px-Kenya_MapRecalling Rwandan broadcaster Radio Television Libres del Milles Collines' incitement prior to that country's 1994 genocide, he said some Kenyan radio stations had been playing war songs and stirring communities to action.

"I have understood the Rwanda situation ... And we're saying let's be careful as a country that we do not have this repeated," he said.

"When you go into the realm of crime, directing people even on how to punish somebody else, how to burn houses and do all these things ... it is crime."

r3533374795 Poghisio said the world should give Kenya a chance to resolve the election dispute rather than rushing to condemn it and "push it down."

Violence was slowing, mediation led by former U.N. head Kofi Annan was progressing, and some government and opposition legislators were going out together to preach peace, he said.

"Knowing Kenya's history, and the way that Kenya has been gradually climbing and not declining, sometimes a small valley is a prelude to a very good, steep climb ahead."

(Editing by Bryson Hull and Ralph Gowling)

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Security Council on Kenya Violence

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UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday deplored the widespread violence in Kenya and urged political leaders to resolve the crisis over disputed elections through "dialogue, negotiation and compromise."

The statement was the first response by the U.N.'s most powerful body to the fighting that erupted after the Dec. 27 presidential election, which has killed more than 800 people in a country once considered among the most stable in Africa.

Kenya88 The council statement expressed concern at the "dire humanitarian situation" in the country, where some 310,000 people have fled their homes, and gave strong backing to negotiations led by former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to end the violence.

"The council emphasizes that the only solution to the crisis lies through dialogue, negotiation and compromise and strongly urges Kenya's political leaders to foster reconciliation," the statement said.

Supporters of President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga have been clashing over who won the presidential vote. Odinga is demanding a new election, but Kibaki has refused, arguing his re-election was fair.

Protests since the election have turned violent and deteriorated in many cases into ethnic clashes, with much of the anger aimed at Kibaki's Kikuyu tribe, long resented for dominating politics and the economy.

The council welcomed the announcement of progress in negotiations between Kibaki and Odinga on Feb. 1, including the adoption of an agenda and timetable for action to end the crisis.

It urged the two leaders to implement the actions they agreed to without delay, "including by meeting their responsibility to engage fully in finding a sustainable political solution and taking action to immediately end violence."

The council said this means ending ethnically motivated attacks, dismantling armed gangs, improving the humanitarian situation and restoring human rights.

"Recalling the need to avoid impunity, the council calls for those responsible for violence to be brought to justice," the statement said.By EDITH M. LEDERER – 7 hours ago

The Associated Press: Security Council Deplores Kenya Violence



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