AFRICA : KENYA : CHURCH CONDEMNS KILLINGS AT DELTA

CISA NEWS REPORT:
Card.-John-Njue
NAIROBI, September 14, 2012 (CISA) –The Catholic church in Kenya has strongly condemned the recent killing of more than 30 people including nine policemen at an attack in the country’s Tana River Delta and have at the same time urged the Government to ensure that the badly needed humanitarian resources are provided to the victims of the attack.
In a statement issued on September 12, the Church also called on the Government to ensure that both sides of conflict (local communities of the Orma and Pokomo) were disarmed.
The statement, read and signed by John Cardinal Njue and entitled: A Call for peace and Harmony: Thou Shall not Kill also called on the Government to initiate peace and reconciliation programmes within the two communities.
“Politicians should stop pointing fingers at one another and should avoid issuing inflammatory statements,” emphasized the Cardinal.
The Church appealed to the Government to immediately act and ensure that the Constitutional rights of a person to human dignity, freedom and security of the human person and the inherent right to life are upheld.
The Cardinal also urged the Government to set up a commission to find the root cause of the clashes.
“We call upon the communities living in the region and across the country to embrace peace and live harmoniously with each other. As Kenyans, we should refrain from any acts of violence against our fellow brothers and sisters,” said the Cardinal on behalf of the Church.
The Church sent its deepest condolences to all the communities and families in the region who have lost their loved ones in the tragic attacks and wished a quick recovery to those who are still nursing injuries.
Meanwhile the country’s Parliament on Thursday, September 13 asked the police to act decisively and end clashes in the affected region of Tana Delta.
It also agreed to form a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the conflict that has so far claimed more than 100 lives.
The Parliament also approved the deployment of additional security officers to maintain peace and order.
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