Help chaos victims, envoy appeals

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April 2,  2011

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Jared Nyataya | NATION Dutch Ambassador Laetitia van den Assum listens to Ms Margaret Kariuki on March 31, 2011 in Eldoret as she narrates her ordeal during the post-election violence.

By OUMA WANZALA owanzala@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Friday, April 1 2011 at 22:00

In Summary

• Dutch ambassador urges the government to set up local tribunal for justice to done

Netherlands envoy to Kenya Laetitia van den Assum has urged the government to assist women victims of the post-election violence.

Ms Assum said the women, who were sexually molested or lost their husbands, were living miserably and the government was doing very little to assist them.

Speaking in Eldoret at a meeting with the affected women, she said the government should set up a local tribunal as the International Criminal Court would only handle six suspects.

“A local tribunal will ensure people at the grassroots involved in violence never repeat it again,” she said.

“Women who were affected need to speak so that we do not have a repeat of such inhuman acts,” she said.

Ms Assum said forgetting and forgiving was best left to the victims.

The women accused the government of ignoring them and focusing on saving the Ocampo Six.

Ms Joyce Njenga said she had lost hope of help. “Money spent on the diplomatic shuttle would have been enough to resettle us,” she said.

Ms Assum said the embassy had received about 100 applications from civil society members, politicians and the media wishing to attend the Ocampo Six hearings at the Hague.

“We are surprised by claims that the suspects will have special passports. As a host, we take our role of facilitating travel seriously,” she said.

“The suspects will have the liberty to choose hotels and will not be restricted in anyway,” she said, adding restrictions could only be issued by the ICC.

The ambassador said she was worried about increased tension as politicians traversed the country to seek political support ahead of The Hague date.

“Kenyans should reject attempts by the political class to bring unnecessary tension through tribal groupings,” Ms Assum said.

Centre for Human Rights and Democracy director Ken Wafula had earlier urged the Dutch to bar politicians from travelling to The Hague but the envoy declined.

“This is not a soccer match between Harambee Stars and the Dutch national team to warrant fans going there. MPs should be in Parliament passing laws to implement the new constitution,” said Mr Wafula.

He said some were going there to intimidate witnesses and civil society.

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