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Rights report likely to cost
Kenya US aid
Story by KEVIN J. KELLEY,
Publication Date: 02/27/2004
Daily Nation / Kenya
The latest US government findings
on Kenya's human rights record could cost substantial amounts in
development aid.The State Department cites a few positive signs,
but rates the Kibaki Government’s record as poor – the same
grade the US regularly gave the Moi regime.
Respect for human rights is one of
the criteria the US would apply in judging eligibility for its new
millennium challenge account. From May, billions of additional
dollars are to be allocated to Third World countries that meet
these standards.
The negative tone of the section on
Kenya in the 2003 report, released on Wednesday, may come as an
unexpected affront, given US officials’ positive remarks about
Kenya prior to and following President Kibaki’s state visit to
Washington last October.
The report welcomes the creation of
an autonomous human rights commission and a ministry of gender
affairs.
Note is also made of several steps
the Government has taken to reduce corruption, including the
dismissal of 38 magistrates and the transfer of 40 others in
response to official corruption accusations.
But security forces, particularly
the police, continued to commit unlawful killings, tortured and
beat up detainees, used excessive force and raped. Prison
conditions remained life threatening, it said.
Police harassed and arbitrarily
arrested and detained persons, including journalists and civil
society leaders. Most of the officers who committed the abuses
were neither investigated nor punished.
It claimed the Government
restricted freedom of speech, press, assembly and association.
Police disrupted public meetings and forcibly dispersed
demonstrators and protesters.
In contrast to previous years, was
the absence of reports of arrests of political activists.
But violence and discrimination
against women and abuse of children remained serious problems.
© by Daily Nation / Kenya
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