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Post-poll raiders ‘worked in
shifts’
By ALPHONCE SHIUNDU
Daily Nation
Sunday, August 10 2008 at 20:59
In Summary
- Militias were given food,
weapons and allowances during the fighting
- Raiders are said to have been
paid between Sh100 and Sh3,000 each, money sourced from
businessmen, politicians and fund-raisers.
The post-election violence early
this year was organised and executed with military precision, a
human rights report says.
Leaders and communities are said to have provided food, transport
and allowances for the militias.
In some areas, the raiders are said to have been organised to
fight in six-hour shifts before coming together to wrap up the
attack mission at night.
This is contained in a Kenya National Commission on Human Rights
preliminary edition of a report titled , “On the Brink of
Precipice: A human Rights Account of Kenya’s Post-2007 Election
Violence”, and released on Friday. The report details how the
violence was planned and executed.
“During the course of the fighting, we would see vehicles, land
cruisers, carrying food and water to our opponents,” the report
quotes one fighter.
The raiders are said to have been paid between Sh100 and Sh3,000
each, money sourced from businessmen, politicians and fund-raisers.
According to the 159-page report, the attackers operated in groups
of about 100. But before reaching their target; they would split
into groups of 20, each with a specific role – chasing away
property owners, looting, torching houses and even killing.
MPs, both sitting and former, are among 200 people mentioned as
having contributed to the chaos.
But KNCHR boss Florence Jaoko was categorical that being mentioned
in the report did not necessarily amount to an accusation of
involvement, but rather an indicator to the police and the
Attorney General on where to focus their investigations.
Supported findings
The report will be presented to the Waki Commission on
post-election violence, the AG, the Prime Minister, the minister
for Justice, and the President, beginning this week.
And a human rights lobby Sunday supported findings of the
Government-funded rights group.
Programme director of the Centre Against Torture, David Koros,
while speaking in Eldoret, said the information in the KNCHR’s
report corroborated its findings.
download the full report when available from:
http://www.knchr.org/
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