Jan. 30, 2008, Grand Rapids, Mich.-Christian Reformed Church relief officials say they remain very concerned by the violence that continues to ebb and flow across parts of Kenya.
Just as the situation seemed to be moderating, yet another round of killing, rape and burning of buildings erupted, causing CRC staff this week to fear that no immediate resolution of the bloodshed is in sight.
"You have political, ethnic and issues of economic disparity at work here," says Ida Mutoigo, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee director in Canada. "All three of these things are pulling at the people. We are just waiting and praying" and hoping that order and sanity can be restored in the major towns affected by conflict.
Revenge attacks set off by last month's disputed presidential election spread across western Kenya on Monday, killing scores and provoking thousands to flee their homes.
"The upsurge in violence-which has seen dozens hacked and burned to death in the western Rift Valley-undermined the latest mediation efforts led by Kofi Annan (former United Nations secretary general) to try to resolve political deadlock after President Mwai Kibaki's disputed reelection on December 30," according to the Associated Press.
CRC officials are speaking to CRWRC staff in Kenya several times a day in order to make sure that they are safe. They are also working to provide, wherever possible, relief to the people who have been affected by the violence.
"Western Kenya erupted in violence again over the weekend," says Andrew Ryskamp, CRWRC director in the United States. "As long as a political solution remains elusive, the situation is being manipulated by both political and ethnic forces."
The concern, he says, is that the stream of violence in western Kenya will once again move into Nairobi, the country's capital, spurring more uprisings and terror in some of the city's slum communities.
His sense, he says, is that certain groups have used the dispute over the presidential election as an excuse to go on rampages that continue to take lives and destroy property. "There are reports that in some places any vehicle on the road will be stopped and destroyed," he says.
The CRC's Kenya Event Response Team, set up to keep abreast of the ongoing developments in Kenya, continues to monitor the situation and is once again discouraging any travel to Kenya until the situation improves, as guests can add risk to staff, says Ryskamp.
At least 179 people have died in clashes across western Kenya in the past four days, according to the police. The overall toll since the disputed December 27 election touched off the wave of deadly rioting has now surpassed 900.
Ryskamp says the CRWRC workers have been able to distribute food, water and other necessities to people in Kibera, one of the largest slums in Nairobi and the hub of much of the political unrest that has wracked the capital city of Kenya in recent days.
Meanwhile, the CRWRC has sent relief workers back to Eldoret, a community in West Kenya that has also been the seat of much violence, looting and the burning of business and homes, says Ryskamp.
"We are still able to do some work, but our people haven't been able to get to all of the sites ... Because so many people have been dislocated, the needs are obviously high" in Eldoret and elsewhere.
The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) has five full-time staff in Kenya. The country is also the base for the CRWRC's HIV/AIDS coordinator for the East/South African region. Partners Worldwide, a CRC business-development ministry, also has a staff person in Kenya.
To donate to the Kenya relief response, mark donations "Kenya Conflict" and mail to CRWRC, 3475 Mainway, PO Box 5070, STN LCD 1, Burlington, ON, L7R 3Y8 or to CRWRC, 2850 Kalamazoo Avenue, Grand Rapids, MI, 49560. Donate online at www.crwrc.org. In Canada, call 1-800-730-3490. In the U.S., call 616-241-1691 or 1-800-55-CRWRC. Email: crwrc@crcna.org.
- Chris Meehan, CRC Communications
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Henry Hess
Director of Communication
Christian Reformed Church
To learn more about the Christian Reformed Church visit us at www.crcna.org <http://www.crcna.org
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