A new site that may provide the best information

My mom let me know about a new site online to help track what's really going on in Kenya these days:





Instead of trying to put this all in my own words, I just ripped this off from the web designer's blog:
"So what’s Ushahidi.com about… (for those who don’t know Kiswahili, ushahidi is the Swahili word for witness). The website was mainly set up to document incidents of violence, looting etc. during the crisis (and soon to follow - information about ways to help on a micro-level). The website is still very much a work in progress and will be updated as we go along.
We believe that the number of deaths being reported by the government, police, and media is grossly underreported. We also don’t think we have a true picture of what is really going on - reports that all have us have heard from family and friends in affected areas suggests that things are much worse than what we have heard in the media.
We also (in my idealist world) hope that we can begin to put names and faces to the people who have lost their lives in this mess.
What’s the point of all this you might ask? Well, Kenyans have demonstrated their capacity for selective amnesia time and time again. When this crisis comes to an end, we don’t want what happened to be swept under the rug in the name of “moving forward” - for us to truly move forward, the truth of what happened needs to be told - Ushahidi ( www.ushahidi.com) is our small way of contributing to that.
We will be relying primarily on input from guys on the ground (NGOs, individuals, journalists), so please circulate this widely to your networks and help us witness."

Today I am thankful for capitalism

The swap meet and Farmer's Market booths were a success; today IHF raised a total of $602 to send to the emergency Kenya relief fund. Pretty cool!

I spoke with Jeff after wiring over some money (given to me by the people I met the Khisa/Ouma family through; a member of the OC Friends meeting who was a missionary in Africa in the '60's and his good friend). He was hoping to return home to Bungoma today since all the buses were filled yesterday. He wants to get home before the mass rallies are planned to start in synchrony all over the country. He thinks that supplies will be hard to come by and transportation crippled again for the week once they begin.

I haven't seen anything new in the news, except for a rising death toll. Official reports are now at close to 700, but it's highly probable that this is a gross underestimate.

I want to call Pauline tomorrow to see how the kids are and if Carol has made it to Nakuru yet. I've been thinking quite a bit about the kids today since I spent so long talking about them. I miss them so much and hope they have some degree of normalcy now since school should be starting tomorrow.

Update

Hmm last post was a little negative, but there's still not any GREAT news to report. I've been trying to stay on top of the negotiations underway with Kibaki, Raila, the AU, and the Ghanian president Kufuor. Unfortunately it still looks like no one is really making headway.

I spoke with Jeff Ouma 2 nights ago, and his news was quite grim. I can hear the defeat and depression in his voice. He remains stuck in Nairobi, and does not think travel home is possible at this juncture. As an example he told me about his friend who left Kitale on the 28th, and just arrived yesterday. It took 10,000 KSh and several bribes to make it to Nairobi. This friend is also suffering from shock, and looking for counseling because of all the rotting bodies and horrific sights he saw on his journey.

Jeff says that the government is covering up the amount of casualties, which are much higher than our news reports of around 600. He said that although the curfew has been lifted, he and others are still concerned about the gagging of the media and lack of freedom to assemble. It is his feeling that postponing the opposition rallies is not allowing the people to voice their opinions, and adding to the time bomb. The Kikuyus are acting quite "arrogant" as he put it, running around and beating their chests in a victory dance. He also said that after this, no one would ever trust Kikuyus again.

The most dangerous faction at this point is the Pokot/Kalenjin alliance, who are armed and according to Jeff, perpetrating most of the violence against Kikuyus. This is all in retribution for the land that was taken back in the 60's during the Kenyatta regime; land that they intend to reclaim from the Kikuyus. I am concerned about this because the town of Nakuru is an area Jeff says they are planning to take by force. I am worried for my friend Pauline and her family, and I sent Carol a message with the above information. Although the children are Pokot, the surrounding neighborhood is heavily Kikuyu and there has already been much unrest and rioting.

Jeff was optimistic about the Ghanian president's meetings and continues to pray for justice. It is just heartbreaking to hear the pain in his voice though because I saw firsthand how optimistic he was for this election. In fact, we talked about politics quite a bit during my visit.

The gentlemen that I met throught the Quaker Friends' Meeting are putting a donation together to wire to Jeff, as he is unable to make any money from speaking engagements right now. As for IHF, I am collecting recyclables for an emergency fund and also going to San Diego this week for a swap meet.

Peace peace PEACE out,
Angela

Worry

I'm just sitting here pushing refresh on my email over and over...I was able to talk to Juan and Laura briefly. All the volunteers have gone to Tanzania to wait out the storm. Total chaos has descended; Juan says everyone is carrying knives and machetes, and it's just insane how badly everything has gone to pieces in just 5 days.
The kids are okay, but sad. The volunteers are worried that they will feel like they've been abandoned. Carol is hopefully on her way to Kenya right now so that they won't be so alone. Pauline is in a very fragile state as her uncle was one of the Kikuyu's killed, and her husband David has been injured in the raids. Thankfully they should have enough money to tide them over with food and Juan has also gotten the local police involved in security.
In Bungoma, Liz and her family are still indoors, trying to be patient and pray for peace. Jeff is still stuck in Nairobi. They have no electricity and fresh foods are becoming increasingly hard to find. She sounds very positive and happy and asked about my family (of course) but I imagine the atmosphere is very strained.
I wish I could do something. I wish I was there instead of here just feeling useless and worried.

Please pray for Kenya

You may have heard all the news reports of the violence in Kenya; immediately following the announcement of Kibaki as the winner of the elections chaos broke out.
The vote was unfair as many Kenyans had feared. It was known from the start that the margin between Kibaki and the opposition leader Raila Odinga was extrememely tight and unfortunately that has been used to the incumbent's advantage. The electoral commission admits that they aren't sure that Kibaki is the winner. It's heartbreaking because the democratic process is so highly valued among Kenyans, and there was such an aura of hope surrounding this election...that it could be the first fair and free election in their indpendant history. I feel so empathetic as an American who's vote didn't count in 2000. What a frustrating, enraging, unjust way to be treated. It's understandable that people are mad enough to be violent, after being placated by their supposedly democratic government.
The scariest part of this whole mess is the ethnic element. Kenya is an eclectic mix of tribes, with over 40 represented within the country's borders. The majority tribe, Kikuyu, are mainly centered around Nairobi and Nakuru. Kibaki is a Kikuyu. Western Kenya is home to the second-largest tribe, the Luo of which Raila Odinga is a member. The election "results" have caused genocide-like violence of Kikuyu's vs. Luos.
My friends in Bungoma are safe, but separated. Jeff (who is a Luo) has been stuck in Nairobi since the 26th as it is very very unsafe to travel. Liz's extended family are all still there from the holidays so I'm glad she isn't alone but everyone still has to stay indoors.
The orphanage is okay as well, although it sounds like a pretty scary place to be right now. Here's an excerpt from an email from Juan yesterday:

"none of us have come in to town for a few days which is why I'm only just going through my emails. In all honesty the situation hasn't been good. There has been looting and fires all around. Two nights ago the riots reached Githima, a huge crowd of men protecting the village clashed with those coming to loot. The riots moved to right outside our gate, some trespassed but were chased out. We have all been sleeping in the same building for the last three nights, up in the new girl's dorm. That way we find it easier to control the situation at night. The watchmen are doing great. Last night things were much quieter as the police and army moved in. We have been hearing gunfire every night though we trust they come from police dispersing crowds. We have emptied all rooms of valuable belongings and hiden them in the roofs. At night the children go into the room early and we put movies on until they fall asleep. The young ones are nearly oblivious, the older ones much more distressed. Today they have gone out to play and the atmosphere seems much better. I have phoned Gideon to ask for extra guards, he says they are all taken from around the area. I phoned the police officer I knew and he said that they cannot spare another one since they are so in demand, in any case a lot have left town. We stopped the local soldiers on their patrol yesterday. I explained to them what we were and the situation over the last few nights and they are fully behind protecting us. Also the whole village is intent on protecting us. They have been doing amazing, men stay up all night watching and looking for signs of trouble. I don't know if things are going to get better or worse, impossible to tell. The news broadcasting has been highly controlled and thus very few real news are reaching us, apart form internet. Talked to Clarrison in Pokot, he suggested we go there but I said the roads will be too dangerous, moreover there will be less food. The general concensus is that food here in Nakuru is running out too, already prices near us are 3 times what they were a few days ago. I have also phoned the assistant to the DCO, he highly reccomends staying put. Frankly, if the soldiers and police patrol like they did last night then so do I. Work wise, everything has stood still, David doens't come in to work as he is with crowds protecting the village, Papa and other farmer can't come into town because of road blocks. Mary can't finish making the uniforms for same reason. We wonder how it is going to happen if and when school starts next week."

I feel so useless and disconnected and far away. I have written to the American and Kenyan embassies and Barack Obama to try and pressure them to have a 3rd party intervene but I'm sure on the whole this is not that effective. I wish I was there with everyone.