Guest guest Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 Dear All, Earlier this year after 13 years in the Diaspora I came home bringing my family with me from Europe. I did it because I believed in my country and I felt I had something to contribute to the development of a country, which I love and missed dearly all the time I was away. I did not expect to spend my first New-year's celebrations in fear, sadness and disappointment and I hope my daughter will soon forget the pictures running on the TVs it was her first Christmas and New Year in Kenya. We however have been lucky we were in a safe part of the country and even back in Nairobi we are relatively safe. I think often about all those Kenyans who have lost their lives and had to flee from their homes because of the blunders and power hunger of the politicians. Politicians who sit safely in their well guarded homes in Nairobi- their children are never part of the youth called out to take part in demos where they play dangerous hide and seek with police. Before elections and after I heard sentiments and stories from all sides which made me realise how far we are still caught-up in myths about each other and ethnic divisions set in place by a colonial system, and propagated by each one of the different governments we have had since. I realised how much our people need to be educated to overcome these sentiments. Outside of election times our people live together in the vast surburbs and slums of Nairobi helping each other to survive but come elections the politician come for a visit and leave chaos (this can not be said of Rift- Valley where Ethnic conflcits have been coming and going since the Nyayo era). But even there it has never been as bad as this. The same people who have been killing each other nights and burning eaht others meagre properties are the ones who have had the least to gain in any of the past governments and will still have the least to gain whatever governement comes to power. People are spreading hate mail and sms ( might explain the Government's reaction to sms mentioned here). While I support the Freedom of press and communication, let us not forget that the media - Radio was used extensively to promote genocide in Ruanda. I received an sms yesterday (which I will not repeat here) but it made my blood run cold. In my opinion nothing present or historical can justify ethnic cleansing by any group. I think as a forum we should really concentrate on seeing how we can assist the displaced and how we can assist to stop the carnage and the hate and contribute to a healing process and I am glad to see from the mails of several readers that this is the tread we are taking. I think it would be a waste of time to start discussing who met who where. I still believe in this country, in the people of this country and that is why I am still here and I hope the need to run will never arise. Lastly I would like to thank all of you who are thinking about us in these difficult times and praying for us in whatever way you do. Don't give up on us. Muthoni Dr. Muthoni A. Mathai email: mathai@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 4, 2008 Report Share Posted January 4, 2008 Dear All, Earlier this year after 13 years in the Diaspora I came home bringing my family with me from Europe. I did it because I believed in my country and I felt I had something to contribute to the development of a country, which I love and missed dearly all the time I was away. I did not expect to spend my first New-year's celebrations in fear, sadness and disappointment and I hope my daughter will soon forget the pictures running on the TVs it was her first Christmas and New Year in Kenya. We however have been lucky we were in a safe part of the country and even back in Nairobi we are relatively safe. I think often about all those Kenyans who have lost their lives and had to flee from their homes because of the blunders and power hunger of the politicians. Politicians who sit safely in their well guarded homes in Nairobi- their children are never part of the youth called out to take part in demos where they play dangerous hide and seek with police. Before elections and after I heard sentiments and stories from all sides which made me realise how far we are still caught-up in myths about each other and ethnic divisions set in place by a colonial system, and propagated by each one of the different governments we have had since. I realised how much our people need to be educated to overcome these sentiments. Outside of election times our people live together in the vast surburbs and slums of Nairobi helping each other to survive but come elections the politician come for a visit and leave chaos (this can not be said of Rift- Valley where Ethnic conflcits have been coming and going since the Nyayo era). But even there it has never been as bad as this. The same people who have been killing each other nights and burning eaht others meagre properties are the ones who have had the least to gain in any of the past governments and will still have the least to gain whatever governement comes to power. People are spreading hate mail and sms ( might explain the Government's reaction to sms mentioned here). While I support the Freedom of press and communication, let us not forget that the media - Radio was used extensively to promote genocide in Ruanda. I received an sms yesterday (which I will not repeat here) but it made my blood run cold. In my opinion nothing present or historical can justify ethnic cleansing by any group. I think as a forum we should really concentrate on seeing how we can assist the displaced and how we can assist to stop the carnage and the hate and contribute to a healing process and I am glad to see from the mails of several readers that this is the tread we are taking. I think it would be a waste of time to start discussing who met who where. I still believe in this country, in the people of this country and that is why I am still here and I hope the need to run will never arise. Lastly I would like to thank all of you who are thinking about us in these difficult times and praying for us in whatever way you do. Don't give up on us. Muthoni Dr. Muthoni A. Mathai email: mathai@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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