Government
blamed over attack
Wednesday,
December 6, 2000
By NATION Reporter
Leaders
from Wajir have accused the government of failing to protect residents
from attacks by Ethiopian militiamen.
They
demanded that the government cuts diplomatic links with Ethiopia
to show its displeasure at the frequent attacks on innocent civilians.
The
Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr Bonaya
Godana, declined to comment and referred the Press to the Office
of the President, saying it was a security issue.
Minister
Marsden Madoka, and the permanent secretary in charge of the provincial
administration and internal security, Mr Zakayo Cheruiyot, were
both reported to be out of their offices.
On
Monday, Wajir leaders, including Mr Abdullahi Abdi Ali, the national
youth coordinator of the Democratic Party, and Mr Abdullahi Galgalo,
Ford-Kenya's secretary for youth affairs, said they were alarmed
at the frequency of Ethiopian attacks in the area.
They
described the attack as "brutal, inhuman, unfortunate and uncalled
for".
They
were referring to an incident last week in which heavily armed militiamen,
believed to be from Ethiopia, attacked Gurar border town and killed
12 people, injuring five others.
A
four-year-old girl was also abducted by the militia, who retreated
to Ethiopian with stolen livestock.
Thousands
of people have fled the area, fearing more attacks.
The
North Eastern provincial commissioner, Mr Maurice Makhanu, last
week visited the area and demanded that the Ethiopian government
returns the abducted girl and the stolen livestock.
Yesterday,
the leaders, who visited our news room, asked the government to
provide them with arms to protect themselves.
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