Obama Calls for Kenyans to Stop the Violence via Voice of America radio

[flpoljunkie]

Obama calls for Kenyans to stop the violence

by Frank James

Sen. Barack Obama took some time from his efforts to win the Iowa caucuses to weigh into the Kenyan crisis, recording a statement for Voice of America in which he calls for calm and reconciliation.

As most everyone knows by now, Obama's father was a Kenyan and the presidential candidate made a high-profile visit to Kenya in 2006 where he visited his grandmother.

So it's a no-brainer that the best-known American with Kenyan ancestry would reach out to his ancestral homeland in an attempt to soothe tensions there.

Kenya has been racked by violence since Sunday when the incumbent president, Mwai Kibaki, who hails from the long-ruling Kikuyu tribe, defeated Raila Odinga, who is from the Luo tribe, as was Obama's father.

Odinga had been leading in pre-election polls and there was evidence of election-day chicanery, leading to the convulsion in Kenya.

Robert Gibbs, Obama for America's communications director, issued this statement:

After consulting with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice about recent events in Kenya, Barack Obama read the following statement on Voice of America radio from Davenport, Iowa.

"I have been deeply troubled by the recent news out of Kenya. The instability and tragic violence pose an urgent and dangerous threat to the people of Kenya, and to Kenyan democracy. My family’s thoughts and prayers go out to all who have suffered, and to the families of the victims.

"The Kenyan people have a proud history of supporting the growth of democracy in their country. Their thirst for democracy was on display in this most recent election, when they turned out to vote in record numbers, and in a peaceful and orderly way.

"Despite irregularities in the vote tabulation, now is not the time to throw that strong democracy away. Now is a time for President Kibaki, opposition leader Odinga, and all of Kenya’s leaders to call for calm, to come together, and to start a political process to address peacefully the controversies that divide them. Now is the time for this terrible violence to end.

"Kenya’s long democratic journey has at times been difficult. But at critical moments, Kenyans have chosen unity and progress over division and disaster. The way forward is not through violence – it is through democracy, and the rule of law. To all of Kenya’s people, I ask you to renew Kenya’s democratic tradition, and to seek your dreams in peace."

Background: Obama spoke last night with Secretary of State Rice and staff spoke this morning Ambassador Mike Rannenberger in Kenya.

VOA Worldwide English radio taped the statement. They are running it now and shared it with VOA Africa bureau, which is heard throughout Africa, including in Kenya.

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/01/obama_calls_for_kenyans_to_sto.html#more

[TeamJordan23]

1. Good for Obama! nm

[Fire Walk With Me]

2. Africa is owned by corporations. Good luck having an effect without kicking those things out.

And the people who are happy to take that sort of money.

[Madam Mossfern]

3. Do you think they'll listen to him?

Just asking.

[cali]

11. It can't hurt. And things are rapidly approaching

disaster there. Obama is extremely well known and looked on with esteem. If things don't escalate we'll never know whether he made a difference. If they do, we'll know it wasn't effective.

[Deep13]

4. Just say no to protracted civil war.

If only Lincoln had thought of that.

Good try by Obama, but we all know it is not going to stop anyone from fighting. Even if somehow Kenyans were inclined to listen to us, most will not be able to do so since VOA is a shortwave station.

[Gman]

5. Oh, so he noticed there are problems in Africa

how international of him.

[Fire Walk With Me]

6. It's a bit like suddenly starting to kiss babies and be seen with puppies.

I've had enough empty posturing from BushCo. If he can do something, great, but making it an election issue stinks of Schiavo.

[Pirate Smile]

9. I'm sorry but do we have any other public officials of any kind with a personal

connection to the country which is currently being wracked with violence? It would be so much better if he would just ignore the situation. :eyes:

Call me crazy but I bet he does actually care whether his Grandmother, Aunts, Uncles and siblings who live there get killed. He just might prefer that the country doesn't descend into Civil War.

[Fire Walk With Me]

10. "do we have any other public officials of any kind with a personal connection to the country

which is currently being wracked with violence?"

Sure, Pat Robertson and his diamond interests.

I'm a long-term advocate for African peace and freedom. Obama's timing is just smelly, considering that there has been genocide in Darfur going on for just how long? Two years? When did he discover Africa? Yesterday? And how long is it until the Caucus? Oh, tomorrow?

:/

[Pirate Smile]

12. Well, blame the timing of the Kenyan election.

[Fire Walk With Me]

15. Sorry, I'm ranting. I don't trust Obama

but I'm upset about "my" candidate, Kucinich, not being part of the situation tomorrow. Sorry for the sarcasm, I shouldn't have gone there.

[Pirate Smile]

22. I understand.

:)

[cali]

16. How is it that a long time advocate for Africa is so ignorant about

Obama's efforts re Darfur, including the Darfur Peace initiative? Interesting that you, a great advocate for Africa, are so fucking clueless. He's been advocating for African issues for years. Way to prove that you're full of it.

[Fire Walk With Me]

17. Fair enough; my interest does not equate to omniscience. I still don't trust the man.

Helping Africa will require the removal of the international corporations. Obama doesn't seem interested in that (among other things).

[cali]

18. No president can do that. And might I suggest that you

look into Obama's work on Africa? It deserves more than derision.

[Fire Walk With Me]

20. I'll do so. I leapt at a chance to be sarcastic and did not have the background

from which to make an educated statement.

[cali]

23. thank you.

and you're not alone. I've been guilty of the same.

[Sultana]

25. There has been genocide in Sudan for decades

and no one spoke out. I hate how the West thinks that Darfur is the only genocide situation, no one ever talks about the forgotten war in the Congo and such.

At least he spoke up, Sheesh!

[babylonsister]

7. Kenya was his father's homeland; he has a personal interest and I

think his reaching out is an admirable action:

Hero's welcome for Obama in Kenya
Senator's Africa tour includes visit to father's homeland


U.S. Senator Barack Obama, left, is received by Kenyan Minister of Foreign Affairs Raphael Tuju on Friday during a courtesy visit at the Minister's office. Obama, whose late father was born in Kenya, and who is the only African-American in the U.S. Senate, has received something of a hero's welcome on his first visit to this country since he was sworn into office in 2005.
Tony Karumba / Pool via AP



NAIROBI, Kenya - Hundreds of U.S. Embassy employees and their families cheered and sang to greet Sen. Barack Obama after he met Friday with President Mwai Kibaki during Obama’s first trip to his father’s homeland since taking office.

Obama also met survivors of the 1998 bombing of the U.S. Embassy and laid a wreath in memory of the 248 people killed, officials said.

“We will not forget what has happened here,” Obama said.

Hundreds surrounded the park in central Nairobi, cheering and waving. A bystander was allowed through a security cordon to present Obama with a wood carving.

“Lots of politicians visit, but this is special and meaningful because of Obama’s Kenyan background,” said survivor George Mimba, a Kenyan who still works at the embassy as a computer manager.

more...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14512605/

[sandnsea]

8. Awww, such loving people

spreading joy and good-will everywhere.

:puke:

If he'd done nothing the Obama-haters would be bitching too.

[annie1]

13. .

[annie1]

14. This is one of the reasons I like him for Pres, he seems to care a great deal ...

about africa. and he's not my fave person for pres, but this is one of the things i really like about him.

[Sultana]

19. Asante sana!

and Shukran, Obama. :-)

God willing, one day Africa will rise until then we must stop these senseless fighting and killings.

[Catherine Vincent]

21. I hope they listen to him. :(

[kaiden]

24. I'm kind of afraid to jump in here.

I went to Wichita State University with a couple of Kenyans, John Gitachu and Nga Wa Waikwa. Both were Kikuyu tribesmen. They told me that the Luo were "dark-skinned" and therefore not as high class as the Kikuyu, who were lighter. Now, to my eyes, there was no difference, but the social and economic divisions among those tribes run deep. John and Waikwa also told me that no Kenyan, Kikuyu or Luo, would ever associate with a Nigerian because they were REALLY black.

I think the possibility of a Luo winning an election must scare the ruling class Kikuyu.