Kenya must protect citizens during referendum, Amnesty

 London, 04 Aug-(ANA)-Amnesty International is calling on Kenyan politicians not to incite ethnic hatred or violence and for the country’s security forces to protect the population from human rights violations during a key referendum on a new constitution.

 Kenya’s most recent elections in December 2007 led to a wave of violence and associated police killings in which over 1,000 people lost their lives. The UN estimated that over 500,000 people were displaced from their homes.

 As part of the power sharing deal that ended the deadly wave of violence following the disputed Presidential elections in 2007, it was agreed that a new constitution would be drafted.

 If passed, the new constitution will, among other things, introduce checks to the President’s power and ensure greater regional devolution.

 The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has captured various politicians on film using hate speech in their campaign rallies between May and July 2010. An MP from the Rift Valley was reportedly arrested by police and detained for one night, on allegations of circulating leaflets warning some people to leave his constituency. (ANA)

FA/ANA/04 August 2010-----------