By Scott A Morgan
Despite various Efforts of Mediation the situation within Kenya continues to Decline. Since the outbreak of violence days after the Highly Controversial Elections on December 27th at least 800 people have perished and thousands have been forced to flee their home after ethnically motivated violence began. What was considered by many people a beacon of stability in a very unstable region began to teeter.
Kenya is a key ally of the United States in the War on Terror. It borders Somalia which happens to be one of the key battlegrounds in the current War on Terror. It is a crucial regional player as well. A recent report indicated that one-third of the GDP of Burundi and one quarter of the GDPs of both Rwanda and Uganda move through Kenya. Uganda has reportedly sent Militias and Troops to its border with Kenya for “Security Purposes”. There have been reports that Ugandan Militias are in Kenya attempting to restore order.
So know lets go to the most important question right now which is What is the United States going to do? It has sent its best African Diplomat Under Secretary of State Frazier to Nairobi to attempt to broker talks between the Controversially Re-elected President Kibaki and the Losing Opposition Candidate Mr. Odinga. This attempt failed but a subsequent attempt by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan was fruitful in bringing about a meeting. Current President Hopeful Senator Barack Obama a Democrat from Illinois has worked the phones as well trying to broker a deal. His Father is a member of the same tribe as Mr. Odinga
Another Key Question that has not been answered concerns the International Republican Institute. This Organization which receives funding from the US Congress is holding back the results of an exit poll from the Kenyan Elections. The IRI was one of the many International Electoral Monitors observing the Elections and reportedly their poll has Mr. Odinga winning the Elections. The IRI has a page on its website devoted to Kenya and in a Press Release it announced that it will release the Poll at an Appropiate Time.
The Answer to that question may be closer than we think. On Jan. 25th A Bill was introduced in the US Senate by Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Senator John Sununu (R-NH) will if it is passed have the US to make several Concrete Steps when it comes to the Kenyan Crisis. First the bill will urge the President to support all efforts to bring about a dialogue to end the impasse and hopefully resolve the situation without anymore bloodshed.
There are other provisions in this bill as well that will garner some interest. First of all it will propose some strict measures against members of the ruling PNU and the Opposition ODM. The proposed Punishments include Freezing of Assets of both Parties, Travel Bans and restricting all-non essential Aid from the US until a Peaceful Dialogue resolves the impasse in a Peaceful Fashion. This measure has generated bipartisan support with co-sponsors including Senator Obama, Norm Coleman of Minnesota, Hillary Clinton of New York, Joe Biden from Delaware and Sam Brownback from Kansas.
Currently the Bill which now stands in the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa could see some rapid Movement if the situation further escalates. At this time there are no reports of the House of Representatives having any similar Legislation in the works but hopefully the other Legislative Body in the United States will take similar action and demand that the President call upon a Peaceful Resoluton of the Crisis and restoration of both Freedom of the Press and Freedom of Assembly in Kenya.
Lets Hope that this bill passes muster and the US extends goodwill to a suffering nation.
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The Author publishes Confused Eagle on the Internet (morganrights.tripod.com) and is a Contributing Editor to the American Chronicle.