Red Cross aids displaced Kenyans

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Source: CCTV.com | 01-14-2008 09:14

In Africa thousands of displaced people camping in a showground are receiving aid from the Kenya Red Cross in western Kenya.

In Africa thousands of displaced people camping in a showground are receiving aid from the Kenya Red Cross in western Kenya.(CCTV.com)

A spokesman says the death toll from ethnic clashes since the December 27 election has risen to 575.

They're in desperate need of clothing and medicine handouts. And Kenyans displaced by post-poll violence in the capital's slums have appealed to the government for urgent aid to rebuild their looted businesses and homes.

The Kenya Red Cross says there are 1,600 displaced people in the western town of Kakamega.

On Sunday, agency workers provided food and other aid to the displaced people in the area. They want to see greater efforts to resettle refugees.

Allan Kilakal Masauah, Kenya Red Cross Official, said, "Most of these IDPS who are here, some of them lost their houses, their houses got burnt and we have some others who left their houses because everything was looted and they had nothing left so that's why they are here receiving food items."

Meanwhile, an international human rights group has accused the Kenyan police of killing and wounding dozens of protesters.

They warn that the opposition's call for mass rallies this week has raised concerns of new clashes.

In Africa thousands of displaced people camping in a showground are receiving aid from the Kenya Red Cross in western Kenya.(CCTV.com)

Human Rights Watch, based in Washington, D.C., says observers and even officers have described the police response to demonstrations in Kenya's dispute over presidential election results as an unofficial "shoot to kill" policy.

Police deny the accusations, saying they have acted legally.

On Friday Kenya's opposition called for protests in 28 locations in defiance of a government ban.

It followed the failure of days of international mediation to break a deadlock between President Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga, who came in second after a tally that he says was rigged.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei