Tell Bush to support peace and justice in Kenya!
President Bush is scheduled to visit Africa this week from Feb.15-21, and he needs another strong reminder telling him to support democracy and human rights in Kenya (and the whole continent), not aggressive US military interests, while he is there. The US has recently issued travel bans on key hard-line politicians and their families from entering the US, but the US needs to continue to apply more pressure on those responsible for the violence and for holding up the mediation efforts. Please see below for a sample letter/script and contact information for the White House and State Department. Please call/email now to express your concerns, and to make sure that the President supports peace and justice in Kenya during his trip!
Sample Letter/Script [edit freely, shorten for phone calls]:
Dear [xxxxxxx],
As a [Kenyan/Kenyan-American/American friend of Kenya, etc.], during President Bush’s trip to Africa this week I would like to encourage him to truly support democracy and human rights in Kenya. He will not be visiting Kenya, but he will make visits to neighboring Tanzania and Rwanda, countries heavily affected by the post-election instability in Kenya. I strongly hope that President Bush will address the situation in Kenya during his trip by: strongly supporting the mediation efforts of Kofi Annan, refusing to recognize the current illegitimate Kenyan Government, pressuring Kenya’s leaders to reach a political agreement and call an end to all violence, and addressing the fundamental underlying issues of needed constitutional, electoral and land tenure reform. Also, I encourage President Bush to urge all African leaders to do the same, especially during his talks with Tanzanian President and new AU Chairman Jakaya Kikwete. The U.S. has taken initiative by imposing travel bans on key Kenyan hard-line politicians and their families from entering the U.S., but the U.S. needs to continue to apply more pressure on those responsible for violence and for holding up mediation efforts. The Bush Administration should act now on unanimously-passed Feingold-Sununu Senate Resolution 431, which also urges the President to freeze the assets of hard-line politicians and restrict all non-essential aid to Kenya. Specifically, the Bush Administration should freeze all military assistance to Kenya immediately. As Kenyan human rights leaders Maina Kiai, who testified before Congress last week, and L. Muthoni Wanyeki recently stated in a New York Times editorial: “Some of the security forces benefiting from this aid and equipment have been killing Kenyan civilians with impunity. The United States must not be an accessory to their brutality.” The Bush Administration should also urge the release of the exit polls conducted by the International Republican Institute in order to better assess the outcome of the Dec. 27 elections and what went wrong. Lastly, the Administration should refrain from all simplistic and divisive depictions of the violence as “ethnic cleansing” or “tribal conflict.” I kindly thank you for your consideration of my concerns.
Sincerely,
xxxxxxx
Send to/call:
*White House Contact:*
Fax Number: 202-456-2561
Comment Line: 202-456-1111
Main Switchboard: 202-456-1414
Email:
Vice-President email:
*State Department - Ms. Condeleeza Rice - Secretary of State*
Direct Office Line: 202-647-5291
Main Switchboard: 202-627-4000
Email:
Jendayi E. Frazer - Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Affairs
Direct Phone Line: 202-647-4440
Email:
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