Is it time for the United States and its allies to do more about Kenya? The once-African Democratic role model and key U.S. ally in the war on terror is teetering on the brink of all out tribal warfare, and according to this editorial from Kenya’s largest newspaper, The Standard, ‘Those who subverted democracy and planned, executed and fueled the violence still walk villages, towns and city scot-free … If the U.S., Canada and Britain have evidence of people who were involved in heinous crimes – some bordering on crimes against humanity – then why not go the whole hog? … The comity of nations have set up the International Criminal Court to try people who commit such crimes.’
EDITORIAL
February 8, 2008
Since violence broke out after the presidential election results were announced, foreign nations have appealed for calm, threatened to cut aid, and ban travel for individuals.
They had hoped to stop the killing and destruction of property and find a solution to our crippling political crisis by encouraging dialogue and reconciliation.
But their pleas have gone unheeded. Granted, there’s an ongoing national dialogue, guns have fallen silent in some places
and pangas, machetes and bows arrows may be gone from view in others.But people who uprooted from their homes are still trapped in camps, having moved from places they call home and where they once eked out a livelihood.
But one thing hasn’t changed one iota: Those who subverted democracy and planned, executed and fueled the violence still walk villages, towns and city scot-free. And these must necessarily be people with wherewithal – political, monetary or both.
That is why we welcome the decision of the United States, Canada and now Britain to revoke visas for politicians and other bigwigs who have subverted Kenyan democracy and sponsored violence.
For too long, enemies of democracy and perpetrators of ethnic clashes and anarchy have done so with impunity every election year and have never been forced to answer for their actions. But preventing them from visiting the United States, Canada or Britain is just a slap in the wrist. More must be done.
If these nations have evidence of people who were involved in heinous crimes – some bordering on crimes against humanity – then why not go the whole hog? In 2002, the comity of nations set up the International Criminal Court to try people who commit such crimes against groups and communities.
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