Bloodshed in Kenya: Plight of Bharatiyas

As tribal violence rages in Kenya, there is legitimate concern for the plight of people of Indian origin and the huge losses suffered by them. Mercifully, as the Union Government has clarified, no person of Indian origin has yet been "subjected to any violence" or "physically harmed". Comforting as this may be, perhaps the Government would do well to reconsider the assertion about Indians not suffering any violence. Though none of them is of Indian origin, at least 300 people have been killed in the riots so far.

Kenyans of Indian origin have suffered incalculable economic losses as an estimated 90 per cent of the shops and businesses owned by them have been looted and set ablaze. Most have had to flee their homes; many have left the country. It appears that the protesters against the flawed re-election of President Mwai Kibaki, a Kikuyu — thanks to ample contributions from this community and the Indian migrants, Kenya became one of the few vibrant economies of Africa — turned on Indians for their association with his Party of National Unity. Threatened of dire consequences, the Gujarati Kenyans in the town of Kisumu had to hide in the Swaminarayan temple complex for five days as tribal militias went on the rampage. The neighbouring countries — Tanzania and Uganda, where many Indian migrants have fled to — are feeling the heat, too, with east Africa crippled by fuel shortages as the roads in Kenya, a regional hub, have become too dangerous for transit. A sight hitherto associated with strife-torn Somalia, roadblocks set up by armed men have mushroomed across Kenya.

The opposition Orange Democratic Movement’s leader Raila Odinga’s call for a rally of one million supporters in capital Nairobi, ignoring the Kibaki Government’s call for restraint, couldn’t have come at a more inopportune moment.

The situation undoubtedly merited enough concern for Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to despatch two letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in quick succession, requesting him to take urgent action for the safety of the people of Gujarati origin in Kenya. As a regular contingency measure, the Indian High Commission in Nairobi has offered emergency visas to people who want to leave for India.

The mission could have played a more pro-active role; it appears to be responding with typical bureaucratic indifference. It goes to the credit of Indian community leaders that notices are being circulated to ensure their safety and welfare. But there is only this much that they can do. With no signs of early peace returning to Kenya, the Prime Minister should consider diplomatic measures to protect the interests of the people of Indian origin — the Government of India can’t be seen to be abandoning them to the mercy of murderous mobs.

A possible move would be to prepare for the evacuation of the people of Indian origin in consultation with the Kenyan authorities if the situation so warrants.

Source: dailypioneer.com

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