02/04/2008 21.50 - The fighting continued
in Kericho and Chebilat, where 34 people were killed
according to Francis Murei, of the justice and peace
commission, who noted that the "violence eshows no sign of
ending soon". In Chebilat, armed youth formed roadblocks,
but the nearby monastery of Kipkelion, which ahd been
attacked a few days ago, was not involved. In the Rift Valley, there was news of a
partial return to calm. “The situation is calm and there is
great expecation for Kofi Annan's mediation", said Nixon
Oira, a member of the justice and peace commission of
Eldoret, to MISNA . "In the past 48-72 hours, the violence
has ceased and people are looking to the ongoing talks with
hope” said Oira. Calm has also returned to Kisumu and other
western areas, where schools reopened today. Testifying to
the improving conditions was also the fact that the a
government spokesman said that all media restrictions
imposed on the local press have now been revoked. (Missionary International Service News Agency)
http://www.misna.org/mnews.asp?IDLingua=1#
Link to
a video about the Community of Victoria
Kenyans seek
monasterial sanctuary - 30 Jan 08
01/26/08
-
Today,
the feast of our Founders, at mid day a group of young men
approached the monastery intending to attack. The rather
large police force that is consigned to the area discouraged
the young men from proceeding. There were no violent acts
against any person or the property.
MISNA :
KENYA -
01/21/2008-14.03
ARMED GROUPS BACK IN ACTION AROUND KIPKELION MONASTERY
Armed youths returned in action this morning
around the monastery of Kipkelion, attacking villages and
inhabited areas surrounding the religious structure of the
Trappist monks. The news was referred to MISNA by the superior
general of the monastery, Fr. Dominique, contacted by phone in
Kericho, the main city of the area where he went this morning to
buy food and other necessary provisions for the over 600
displaced that in the past days sought refuge in the convent. “I
just received a phone call from the police chief to inform me
that the situation is degenerating. Groups of youths have once
again surrounded the monastery and last night already torched
several homes. For the moment there are no precise estimates on
victims and we only have information on some wounded, but we
fear that the situation is about to deteriorate further. The
assailants are in fact too many and the police risks being
overwhelmed”, the superior of the monastery added to MISNA.
Since Thursday evening the situation escalated in the area
around the Our Lady of Victoria Trappist monastery in Kipkelion,
where groups of armed youths of the Kipsigis tribe (a sub-group
of the Kalenjin ethnic group) targeted surrounding villages and
circled the religious structure, demanding that the displaced
hiding inside be handed over and claiming rights on the land of
the monastery. According to the Kenyan press, at least 11 people
were killed in the violence of the past days around Kipkelion,
while some international media sources reported twice the number
of dead. The area of Kericho was already theatre in 1992 to
violent unrest between the Kalenjin and Kikuyu, the ethnic group
of President Mwai Kibaki, whose confirmation in office is
rejected by the opposition. According to sources contacted in
the area by MISNA, the recent violence is however only in part
tied to the electoral crisis underway in Kenya since the end of
December. “Some groups are taking advantage of the political
tension to settle old scores”, said a MISNA source contacted in
Kericho.
http://www.misna.org/default.asp?IDLingua=1
01/20/08 - This message was sent Sunday, January 20, to the
Generalate by Dom Bernardus of Tilburg who has been in
contact with Dom Dominic of Victoria Abbey in Kenya and
Mgr. Lebeaupin, the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya.
“The Monastery has been surrounded since Saturday, January 19,
by a group of young men who want to attack the monastery and the
some 600 refugees about 125 families living in the monastery.
These people are members of the Kikuyu and Kisii tribes who live
in the neighborhood of the monastery. These people took refuge
in the monastery when the political disturbances began. The
young men who want to attack the monastery presumed that the
refugees had vacated the area completely. When they became aware
that the people are in the monastery and that they will return
to their property, the young men burned all their homes. The
police who were present to protect the people and the monks took
sides with the young men.”
Monday, January 21, Abbot General was able to phone Dom Dominic.
It seems that the situation is worsening.
Let us pray
for the Community
and the
refugees and the situation in Kenya.