UN humanitarian chief expresses determination to stay the course in Kenya
(Nairobi/Geneva/New York, 10 February
2008): John Holmes, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian
Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, concluded his three-day mission
to Kenya, expressing his determination to help displaced communities return
to normal life and calling for a rapid solution to the political crisis.
'I have met a lot of people in a very
sad and tragic psychological state. The stories about what had happened
to
them and their fears for the future
were moving, and that has reinforced the determination that I and my
colleagues have to do all we can to
help in the situation,' Mr. Holmes said. During visits to the Tigoni and
Karathimo displacement camps outside Nairobi and to the Jamhuri Show Ground
camp near the Nairobi slum settlement of Kibera, Mr. Holmes met with camp
dwellers to discuss their concerns about their moving out of camps and
between areas of Kenya. He also spoke to the Kenya Red Cross Society and
to NGOs about psycho-social programmes underway to ease the trauma experienced
by many IDPs during the past six weeks. He stressed that the United Nations
is keeping up the pressure to find a sustainable solution to the political
problems through support to the Kofi Annan-led meditations, while offering
impartial humanitarian assistance to people in need regardless of their
political or ethnic affiliation.
The circumstances at the Tigoni police
station camp during Mr. Holmes' visit were particularly emblematic of the
fluid displacement situation in Kenya.
As the violence subsides and a resolution of the political crisis appears
within reach, IDPs are acting on their
wish to return home. On Saturday, approximately 6,000 IDPs left the Tigoni
police station camp on buses, with their
possessions loaded on trucks, to return to their ancestral lands in Western
and Nyanza provinces.
Mr. Holmes also met with the Kenyan
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Moses Wetangula, and the Opposition leader
Hon. Raila Odinga of the Orange Democratic
Movement (ODM). During these meetings, he called for a
resolution of the political situation
and emphasized that when IDPs return home, they must be do so on a
voluntary basis. There was agreement
with the Minister of Foreign Affairs that communities should be consulted
on matters related to returns.
'Our fundamental and overriding hope
is that a political solution will be found in the short term so that the
violence can stop definitely,' said
Mr. Holmes. 'We welcome the calm in the recent days which has created an
opportunity for politicians to tackle
the problems that are clearly fundamental. We hope the violence will stop
and
we strongly emphasize the need for accountability
for those responsible for that violence. That is why the United
Nations is helping not only on the humanitarian
front but also in the political process,' he added.
As many as 1,000 people have been killed
and over 310,000 people have become internally displaced in the six
weeks of violence following the announcement
of the results of the disputed Presidential elections of 27
December. The Rift Valley, Nyanza and
Western provinces as well as slum areas of Nairobi have been most
affected by the unrest. In addition,
some 12,000 Kenyans have fled to neighbouring Uganda. As international
mediation efforts continue, the United
Nations agencies and their humanitarian partners are working to provide
immediate relief to almost a half a
million people.
'I think the response during the first
six weeks has been reasonably satisfactory, led in a commendable way by
the Kenya Red Cross with help from the Government, NGOs and the international
humanitarian community', Mr.Holmes said.
For further information, please call:
Christina Bennett, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 8059, mobile +1 917 435 8617;
Elisabeth Byrs, OCHA-Geneva, +41 22 917 2653, mobile, +41 79 473 4570;
Jens Laerke, OCHA-ROCEA-Nairobi, +254 (20) 762 2119, mobile +254 (0)7 22
513 503. OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org
or www.reliefweb.int.