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DAM-L Kenyan Dam activist harrassed, arrested/LS (fwd)



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Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2001 14:12:02 -0800
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From: Lori Pottinger <lori@irn.org>
Subject: Kenyan Dam activist harrassed, arrested/LS
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For more information, contact argwings@freedom.usa.com


AFRICA WATER NETWORK
IN PARTNERSHIP
SONDU-MIRIU COMMUNITY ADVOCACY GROUP

PRESS STATEMENT

Harrassment and Intimidation In Sondu Miriu

We, the undersigned, wish to protest a Government attempt to muzzle 
the voice of the communities in Nyanza at the Sondu-Miriu Hydro power 
project through the arrest of journalist Argwings Odera and the 
intimidation of environmental activists Pireh Otieno and Duncan Odima.
This is a ploy to ensure that members of the community affected by 
the project in Nyanza do not get to meet with the Japanese Prime 
Minister during his scheduled visit to Kenya and JICA assisted 
project from January 10.
Hate callers to our offices have warned us that men in Nyakach and 
Kabondo constituencies will be thrashed and their women raped if they 
dare say anything negative about the project during the scheduled 
visit. We have been warned that our families will suffer our 
"hard-headedness" if we do not behave.
This move to shut up the community was clearly illustrated on 
December 26 during the arrest, torture, incerceration and subsequent 
arraignment in court with political charges of journalist Argwings 
Odera who has been involved in investigating this project for the 
last two years.
Police shot at members of the community who were witnessing the 
nine-hour arrest of the journalist. The Nyando District Criminal 
Investigating Officer, a Mr Otieno, and the Deputy OCPD, a  Mr Kola, 
are detaining our project vehicle at Ahero Police Station unless we 
pay Kshs20,000 for the 100 bullets "wasted" when police shot at the 
community members and Mr Odera on December 26.
Special Branch officers have been visiting our offices and the homes 
of the two activists demanding to know their whereabouts. The 
activists have subsequently been rendered ineffective in preparing 
the community for this meeting with the Prime Minister who was coming 
ostensibly to bring funds for the Sondu-Miriu project and another 
funding for an AIDS project.
Funding for the second phase of the dam project was put on hold 
December 9 after the Japanese Parliament came to learn of the gross 
human rights abuse of community members and employees at the dam 
project and incidences of high level corruption.
We call upon the government to cease immediately this harassment and 
intimidation of the Nyakach and Kabondo communities and desist from 
harassment and torture of people involved in the project.
We were assured no no future harassment or arrest in Sondu during a 
meeting on December 12 at meeting with the project funders, 
JBIC-Japan, proof of which we submit to you. The bank requested us to 
prepare the community for the meeting. Many days later, this is what 
befalls us!
Let the truth about the project be told to the Prime Minister  by the 
affected community members and the employees.

Signed:

Pireh Otieno 				  Africa Water Network


Duncan Odima			 Sondu-Miriu Community Advocacy


Argwings Odera			AWN Associate

-- 
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
       Lori Pottinger, Director, Southern Africa Program,
         and Editor, World Rivers Review
            International Rivers Network
               1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California 94703, USA
                   Tel. (510) 848 1155   Fax (510) 848 1008
                         http://www.irn.org
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

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