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No one in Kenya is sleeping safely at night. A resolution to the electoral crisis in Kenya remains to be reached, as the humanitarian crisis continues to grow. The United Nations estimates 255,000 people have been displaced by the post-electoral violence, living in makeshift shelters. Even in their homes, people all over Kenya are living in insecurity and fear, many afraid to leave their homes to even go to the market. Kenyans also report that people are being forced from their homes at night. “The senseless loss of life and displacement of families that followed the flawed presidential election in Kenya has created a humanitarian crisis of immense proportions,” said UUSC President Charlie Clements. “The chaotic situation has shattered the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent bystanders, most of whom were already among the most vulnerable segments of the population. “For several years, we have worked with partners in Kenya on social justice issues that are now being overshadowed by the violence. We will continue to monitor the situation closely, and we urge the political adversaries to take whatever steps are necessary to reach a peaceful settlement consistent with democratic processes.” Daily impact of the violence Across Kenya, entire neighborhoods and villages have been burned to the ground. Kisumu, the third largest city in Kenya and a shipping gateway to Uganda, Tanzania, and Burundi, was badly affected by the violence. A UUSC partner told us, "Many areas of Kisumu have been almost totally burned down, including the city center. The areas that have been destroyed are where ordinary people live and work. There are a lot of evictions, land grabs, and people moved into camps.” As displaced people crowd into inadequate sites for their safety, there is an urgent need for food, water, medicines, blankets, mosquito nets, cooking utensils, and sanitation and bathing facilities. Schools, hospitals, and police stations have been hastily turned into shelters. Sources put the number of people killed in the violence between 485 and 600. However, these numbers are likely to rise once humanitarian aid groups gain access to remote areas that are currently restricted. Many schools scheduled to open Monday, January 14, are still full of displaced persons, and parents are afraid to send their children to school amid the current insecurity. Many hospitals are overwhelmed with trauma cases and are running low on medicines and supplies. Kenyans never carry national identity cards for internal travel, but now even people buying vegetables or fruit are being asked for identity cards and turned away at the vendors’ whim. Travel throughout Kenya is still very limited. Armed groups of locals control checkpoints in the countryside, and many local transportation companies have not resumed service. "Street vendors and traders have been completely interrupted in their livelihoods. It's hard for them to get their commodities to sell, their vending kiosks were the first to be destroyed, and the markets have been burned.” says our source. There are serious shortages of fuel, water, food, and other commodities given the closing of the ports and the paralyzed state of transportation. The transportation crisis has prevented humanitarian aid workers from accessing remote areas and for local and international humanitarian groups to assess the extent of the damage and the number of people affected. In terms of the larger picture, Kenya is a key country in East Africa, serving as the regional hub for humanitarian work. The United Nations warehouses supplies there for local and regional distribution. If problems persist, regional humanitarian work in Uganda, Southern Sudan, and the Congo will be affected. (January 11, 2008) Donate to UUSC-UUA Kenya Crisis Fund >> Read a statement from Kenyans for Peace, Truth and Justice >> Click here to view a map showing impact of elections violence >> |
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