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| Outrage at Kenya assassinations | Outrage at Kenya assassinations |
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| A UN investigator of extra-judicial killings in Kenya has called for an international inquiry into the murder of two human rights activists. | A UN investigator of extra-judicial killings in Kenya has called for an international inquiry into the murder of two human rights activists. |
| Oscar Kamau Kingara was shot dead along with a colleague hours after a government spokesman accused their group of aiding a criminal gang. | Oscar Kamau Kingara was shot dead along with a colleague hours after a government spokesman accused their group of aiding a criminal gang. |
| A consortium of human rights groups in Kenya says it holds the government responsible for the death. | A consortium of human rights groups in Kenya says it holds the government responsible for the death. |
| The police have denied any government involvement in the killings. | The police have denied any government involvement in the killings. |
| But UN investigator Philip Alston said that in the circumstances, suspicion was bound to fall on the Kenyan police. | But UN investigator Philip Alston said that in the circumstances, suspicion was bound to fall on the Kenyan police. |
| "It is extremely troubling when those working to defend human rights in Kenya can be assassinated in broad daylight in the middle of Nairobi," said Mr Alston, who last week released a report accusing Kenya's police of involvement in extra-judicial killings. | "It is extremely troubling when those working to defend human rights in Kenya can be assassinated in broad daylight in the middle of Nairobi," said Mr Alston, who last week released a report accusing Kenya's police of involvement in extra-judicial killings. |
| Mr Kingara is one of those who gave evidence to Mr Alston. | Mr Kingara is one of those who gave evidence to Mr Alston. |
| The eyewitnesses on the scene saw the two vehicles create a jam, stop the traffic until they came out, gunned down these two human rights officers Cyprian Nyamwamu href="/1/hi/world/africa/7928519.stm">Rule of law reels in Kenya class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7909523.stm">Kenya police 'ran death squads' "This constitutes a major threat to the rule of law, regardless of who might be responsible for the killings," said the UN investigator. | |
| Mr Alston's report called for Kenya's top policeman and the attorney general to resign for failing to address police impunity. | Mr Alston's report called for Kenya's top policeman and the attorney general to resign for failing to address police impunity. |
| Mr Kingara and his colleague John Paul Oulu were shot dead in their car near State House, the official residence of the Kenyan president. | Mr Kingara and his colleague John Paul Oulu were shot dead in their car near State House, the official residence of the Kenyan president. |
| Afterwards a student was shot dead in a riot sparked by the killings. | Afterwards a student was shot dead in a riot sparked by the killings. |
| Police Commissioner Hussein Ali says three policemen have been arrested in connection with the student's death. | Police Commissioner Hussein Ali says three policemen have been arrested in connection with the student's death. |
| He said he would make a statement about Mr Kingara's shooting in a couple of weeks after a comprehensive investigation. | He said he would make a statement about Mr Kingara's shooting in a couple of weeks after a comprehensive investigation. |
| Point-blank range | Point-blank range |
| But Mr Alston says only an independent investigation will do. | But Mr Alston says only an independent investigation will do. |
| "It is imperative, if the Kenya police are to be exonerated, for an independent team called from somewhere like Scotland Yard or the South African police to investigate," he said. | "It is imperative, if the Kenya police are to be exonerated, for an independent team called from somewhere like Scotland Yard or the South African police to investigate," he said. |
| A student was shot dead during protests about the assassinationsAccording to Mr Alston, the two human rights defenders were on their way to a meeting with a senior officer of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights when they were shot at point-blank range whilst sitting in heavy traffic. | A student was shot dead during protests about the assassinationsAccording to Mr Alston, the two human rights defenders were on their way to a meeting with a senior officer of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights when they were shot at point-blank range whilst sitting in heavy traffic. |
| The killings have outraged the human rights community. | The killings have outraged the human rights community. |
| "The human rights community in Kenya holds the government fully and wholly responsible for the assassinations," Cyprian Nyamwamu of the Kenya Human Rights Consortium told the BBC's Network Africa programme. | "The human rights community in Kenya holds the government fully and wholly responsible for the assassinations," Cyprian Nyamwamu of the Kenya Human Rights Consortium told the BBC's Network Africa programme. |
| "These two colleagues, members of the Oscar Foundation, are genuine, established, renowned human rights defenders," he said. | "These two colleagues, members of the Oscar Foundation, are genuine, established, renowned human rights defenders," he said. |
| Mr Nyamwamu said there had been no attempt to save the men. | Mr Nyamwamu said there had been no attempt to save the men. |
| "The eyewitnesses on the scene saw the two vehicles create a jam, stop the traffic until they came out, gunned down these two human rights officers and paraded and ensured that nobody took these two to hospital until they were dead." | "The eyewitnesses on the scene saw the two vehicles create a jam, stop the traffic until they came out, gunned down these two human rights officers and paraded and ensured that nobody took these two to hospital until they were dead." |
| 'Front' | 'Front' |
| He said the police only arrived on the scene two hours later. | He said the police only arrived on the scene two hours later. |
| MUNGIKI SECT Banned in 2002Thought to be ethnic Kikuyu militantsMungiki means multitude in KikuyuInspired by the Mau Mau rebellion of the 1950s Claim to have more than 1m followersPromote female circumcision and oath-takingBelieved to be linked to high-profile politiciansControl public transport routes, extorting moneyAccused of beheading police informers Profile: Secretive sect "This is just one kilometre away from the central police station in Nairobi. It's not in the bush," he said. | MUNGIKI SECT Banned in 2002Thought to be ethnic Kikuyu militantsMungiki means multitude in KikuyuInspired by the Mau Mau rebellion of the 1950s Claim to have more than 1m followersPromote female circumcision and oath-takingBelieved to be linked to high-profile politiciansControl public transport routes, extorting moneyAccused of beheading police informers Profile: Secretive sect "This is just one kilometre away from the central police station in Nairobi. It's not in the bush," he said. |
| Mr Kingara's Oscar Foundation Free Legal Aid Clinic published a report last year, which said that 8,040 young Kenyans have been executed or tortured to death since 2002 in a police crackdown on a gang known as the Mungiki. | Mr Kingara's Oscar Foundation Free Legal Aid Clinic published a report last year, which said that 8,040 young Kenyans have been executed or tortured to death since 2002 in a police crackdown on a gang known as the Mungiki. |
| "It is a front so they can be able to carry out their activities," Alfred Mutua said. | "It is a front so they can be able to carry out their activities," Alfred Mutua said. |
| Mainly drawn from President Mwai Kibaki's Kikuyu ethnic group, the Mungiki run transport rackets in the capital and are seen by some as a Kenyan version of the mafia. | Mainly drawn from President Mwai Kibaki's Kikuyu ethnic group, the Mungiki run transport rackets in the capital and are seen by some as a Kenyan version of the mafia. |
| Mr Mutua spoke as members of the led protests against police violence in the capital Nairobi and other towns. | Mr Mutua spoke as members of the led protests against police violence in the capital Nairobi and other towns. |
| They were calling for Mr Alston's recommendations to be implemented. | They were calling for Mr Alston's recommendations to be implemented. |
| Are you in Kenya? Did you witness the attack in Nairobi? What is your reaction to the killings? Send us your comments using the form below: | Are you in Kenya? Did you witness the attack in Nairobi? What is your reaction to the killings? Send us your comments using the form below: |
| In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |