Orgy of brutality after voting has Kenyans in state of terror

January 13, 2008

Abductions, torture, slaughter and rape are the order of the day

January 13, 2008 Edition 1

Special Correspondent

Principal Gathura was trying to move on Friday about 600

families from the classrooms of the Star of Hope Academy in violence-

torn Muthare North, a suburb of Nairobi, into the open air of the

school grounds.

It might have seemed an uncharitable gesture but it was in reality a

rather heroic effort to maintain normality in the face of tragic

chaos. Kenyan schools and universities are supposed to re-open

tomorrow and Gathura wanted the refugees to make way for his 250

nursery and primary school pupils.

The re-opening of schools, where it happens, will mark the end of

what could only sardonically be called the festive season in a

country that has been ripped apart by violence that has shocked the

nation.

The orgy of killing and raping was sparked by last month's

presidential elections, which the opposition, and most impartial

observers, believe President Mwai Kibaki stole from opposition

leader Raila Odinga.

The 600 families at Star of Hope are among at least 300 000 Kenyans

displaced from their homes by the violence.

" We need food, bedding, tents. This is hectic, " Gathura

said. " People fled here from Kijiji-Chachewa, a village across the

river, when it was attacked by Luos two weeks ago. The villagers

include Kikuyu, Kamba, Kisii, Taita … "

Where the village once stood, now only soil and bits of plastic

remain. In that small refugee camp alone, there are nine newly

orphaned children ranging in age from two to 15. The severely

overstretched Red Cross has only delivered food to them twice, the

last time seven days ago. Starvation is setting in.

Teachers and children - like the rest of the population - across

Kenya have been profoundly traumatised. Schools in some areas will

not re-open. The Kenyan Counselling Association and the Kenyan

Psychologists' Association have stepped up calls for voluntary or

trained counsellors.

More than 1 000 children (at conservative estimates by the United

Nations Children's Fund, Unicef) have been orphaned or separated

from their parents.

Some are now being subjected to rape in refugee camps (which have

sprung up in churches, schools, mosques and sports arenas) and on

the streets.

Horrific ongoing revenge killings are taking place even in central

Nairobi. The estimate of 1 000 killed is probably low.

A group of young men was abducted at 6.30pm on Monday in downtown

Nairobi, by a Kikuyu gang. They were taken to a house, and then

called into a room where one by one they were hacked to death.

The only person to survive was allowed to live because he had a card

showing he was a volunteer with a relief organisation, but the skin

was partly removed from one hand with a scalpel, he was badly

beaten, made to lick the blood of those hacked before his eyes, and

had to open his mouth while attackers urinated into it. He, too, is

suicidal.

The incidence of rape has trebled at least and few victims are able

to go to hospitals for help because of erratic public transport in

Nairobi and dangerous road travel in rural areas. Military convoys

escort those on roads outside cities.

Most factories remain closed and many tour agencies with thousands

of bookings cancelled are laying off people, which means the wage-

earning economy has been cut dramatically.

In one instance last week in Nairobi, eight women were abducted by a

gang and taken to a burnt-out building where they were repeatedly

raped, some with their daughters.

A tampon was removed from a menstruating woman and attackers

squeezed her menstrual blood into the mouths of those they raped.

Counsellors and medical workers are exhausted and profoundly

traumatised. Jane Mburu, a social worker, said: " I can't take any

more. I want to leave. I can't bear it. "

The Nairobi Women's Hospital has probably the best rape care on the

continent, considerably better than that in wealthier South Africa,

but from December 27 to last week many staff were marooned in their

homes and those who worked were traumatised by what they were

dealing with.

Some areas are still so dangerous staff have to be collected for

work in an ambulance. Not all staff have been able to return from

rural areas. Public transport is still sporadic and dangerous in

many areas of the country.

There is no government assistance to a massive, but haphazardly co-

ordinated relief effort led by non-governmental organisations.

Minimal foreign donor support is being pledged to stem the tide of

the crisis.

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January 13, 2008