Eyes on Kenya

On 4th of march 2008 Rosa Luxemburg foundation, a political foundation of the German Party “the Linke” holds a discussion about the political situation in Kenya. Speakers are the German swing musician Andrej Hermlin, who was arrested in Kenya in Janurary 2008, Dr. Claus Dieter König and Member of the German parliament for the Linke- Hüseyin Aydin. It will take place at the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, at Franz-Mehring-Platz 1, Seminar room 3 (1. floor), close to the Train station “Ostbahnhof” at 18:00. The discussion will be held in German. For further information contact Jörg Schultz (schultz[at]rosalux.de).

Rosa Luxemburg: “Freedom is always the freedom of dissenters”

(more…)

The two German and one Dutch journalist, Gerd Uwe Hauth, Andrej Hermlin and Fleur Van Dissel, who were arrested yesterday were released today. According to a Reuters report:

Two German men and a Dutch woman arrested by Kenyan authorities on suspicion of terrorism have been released, the German Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

A spokesman for the ministry said Gerd Uwe Hauth, Andrej Hermlin and Dutch national Fleur Van Dissel had been released from custody on Saturday. He said he could not provide details about why they had been freed.

Pressure from many angles have been used in securing this release, especially from the foreign ministries of the concerned parties. We still however moan the fact that this kind of pressure may not be there when we talk about local media and sanctions put on them by the Kenyan government. There are tear-gassed and threatened journalists out there. Who will come to their rescue?The FCAEA released the following statement urging for freedom of the media:

Statement on violation of press freedoms and intimidation of journalists

NAIROBI, January 19, 2008– The Foreign Correspondents’ Association of East Africa (FCAEA) strongly condemns incidents of intimidation against both foreign and local journalists and the violation of press freedoms in Kenya’s post-election period.

There has been a serious curtailing of press freedoms since the declaration of Mwai Kibaki as president in the name of public safety and these are hampering journalists from proceeding with their work.

We condemn the arrest and detention of one of our members, documentary filmmaker Fleur van Dissel, for trumped up charges of terrorism. We call for her immediate release and an end to the harassment of foreign journalists simply doing their work.

The FCAEA was dismayed to see the government pointing a finger at the foreign press in newspaper advertisements, urging the international media, as well as diplomats and activists, not to give “our personal opinion or analysis” and to give “evidence” of rigging in the elections.

The international media in Kenya is playing a crucial role of disseminating and documenting the events unfolding in the post-election period and is not in any position to provide the government with evidence of vote rigging.

The press freedoms of local media have been hurt, with an unacceptable gag on live broadcasts. We have heard reports of local press members being intimidated by police and we demand that such intimidation stop.

We urge the government, the opposition and any other prominent actor in the post-election period to allow the media to continue its work freely, without harassment, arrest or intimidation.

Two German and a Dutch Journalist were arrested under the allegation of “terrorist activities” in Kenya. Police spokesman Eric Kiraithe stated, they “have been conducting themselves in a suspicious manner” and photos of “vital installations” were found in their possession. Gerd Uwe Hauth and Andrej Hermlin and Fleur Van Dissel, were arrested at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Andrej Hermlin, who is married to a Kenyan citizen, is a well known German swing musician, and also works as a journalist. He lives part time in the village of his wife in the Mt Kenya region, where he has a house. Due to his knowledge about Kenyan politics he was interviewed and quoted in many German articles and radio features before he left for Kenya earlier this month.

Get real and free Andrej, Gerd and Fleur!

Fleur Van Dissel was working on documentaries about Raila Odinga. One of his documentaries was aired shortly before the election.

There have been complaints by other international journalists, that they were harassed by Kenyan Police and Paramilitary forces, for example they were deliberately tear gassed or attacked by Police on horses. The Standard reports that the KTN journalist who took the incredible footage of the policeman killing a demonstrator in kisumu has reported to police that he has had death threats. Reuters photographer Thomas Mukhoya, who was also reporting from kisumu, has also been threatened.

After censoring live broadcast on TV in Kenya, Kibaki’s regime tries to threaten foreign journalist who they blame for the political unrest.

We call for the immediate release of all three journalists.

Kenyan riot police officers on horseback chase photographers in central Nairobi, Kenya, Jan. 16. Picture from josephkaroki