[NYTr] Kenya Orgs Decry Violence, Seek Dialog

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

Prensa Latina, Havana
http://www.plenglish.com

Kenya Orgs Decry Violence, Seek Dialog

Nairobi, Jan 7 (Prensa Latina) Kenyan civic organizations condemned the
violence in the country and called for a negotiation process to
reestablish order, disturbed after the December 27 presidential
elections.

Kenyans for Peace, Truth, and Justice - 20 human rights and attorney
associations - presented a document Monday listing the three main
causes that led to the recent uprisings that have caused more than 300
deaths.

The disorganized protests, once the final electoral results were
announced, emergence of instigative militias, mostly in the Rift Valley
area and reactivation of the Mungiki sect are given as the reasons for
the disturbances.

They also included excessive use of police force.

The 11-point document claims the government, headed by President Mwai
Kibaki, of Kikuyu origin, took advantage of the uprisings to deprive
Kenyans of their fundamental rights, as freedom of speech, assembly and
association.

It warns that if those measures continue so will the wave of violence.

The 20 Kenyan civilian society organizations called the unusual
incidents during the electoral process "serious" and said the results
are legitimate, thus allowing Kibaki to swear-in for his second term of
office was illegal.

Trying to ease the tension, they demanded a negotiation process that
prioritizes establishment of an interim electoral authority to review
the entire electoral process and, depending on the results, to propose
a recount of votes or new elections.

They are also demanding that the Electoral Commission resign and
President Kibaki postpone appointing a new cabinet until the country
returns to normalcy.

The plan for a government of national unity, announced by the president
to get through the crisis, was rejected by opposition leader Raila
Odinga, of Lou origin.

hr ccs iom jcd. PL-21