'No amnesty for worst killers'
2008-02-15 08:33
Nairobi - A truth commission planned to heal wounds left by Kenya's crisis should not grant amnesty to those behind the worst killings, says a local rights group.
Former United Nations chief Kofi Annan was leading talks to end turmoil triggered by President Mwai Kibaki's disputed December 27 re-election that had killed at least 1 000 people and uprooted 300 000 more, shattering the country's peaceful image.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga accused Kibaki's team of rigging the vote, while Kibaki said he was fairly re-elected.
Both sides had agreed in principle to some form of power-sharing and were now focusing on the details behind closed doors at a safari lodge, sources close to the discussions said.
Reconciliation commission
They might also set up a South African-style truth, justice and reconciliation commission to investigate widespread abuses including ethnic attacks and killings of protesters by police.
Applauding moves to investigate the bloodshed, the government-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) said ringleaders should not be forgiven.
"The worst perpetrators and planners of the types of violations that have taken place over the recent weeks must never be exempted," said KNCHR commissioner Hassan Omar Hassan. "To do so would be a travesty of justice."
The group's call added to international pressure for the perpetrators of violence to be held accountable.
Various Western nations had threatened travel bans or freezing of assets against guilty parties, and had also said that anyone derailing the Annan talks would face "consequences".
The post-election turmoil had shocked locals, neighbouring states and world powers alike, crippling Kenya's tourism industry and denting one of Africa's most promising economies.
Inter-ethnic tensions
Kenya's foreign minister lashed out at Britain's high commissioner on Thursday after the envoy said on local TV the government did not reflect the democratic will of the people.
Moses Wetangula said Adam Wood's comments had shown "total disregard" for diplomatic etiquette, and he threatened to take unspecified action if the incident was repeated.
A spokesperson at the British High Commission in Nairobi said Wood was only reiterating the British government's position.
Hassan said any truth commission must study past crimes, including grand corruption and bad governance. He accused authorities of ignoring signs of growing inter-ethnic tensions.
He said: "We have lived in collective denial that there were serious structural fault lines in Kenya's make-up. This facade of national unity has regrettably been laid bare, resulting in gross violations of human rights."
The trouble had exposed deep rifts over land, power and wealth that date from the British colonial era and had been stoked by some Kenyan politicians ever since.