CBC Newsworld, January 3

Photo courtesy of Paul Bettings

Nancy Wilson: In Kenya, ethnic violence continues across the country. Hundreds of people have died in clashes following last week’s disputed presidential elections. World leaders are making an appeal for calm, including South Africa’s Desmond Tutu. Aid workers fear the violence could create a humanitarian crisis. Marie Bettings is one of the people trying to help.  She’s a program officer with World Vision Kenya, and we reached her by phone in Nairobi. Marie, I gather you’ve been out on the streets of Nairobi early today. What did you see?

Marie Bettings: Well I have to say that the increased tension and violence that we’re witnessing was very apparent today. We were able to see smoke plumes rising from many parts of the city.  As soon as we were able to get close enough to where the demonstration was to happen today there were riot police out, tear gas, road blocks all over the place, which is very nerve-wracking for someone like myself who begins to ask “well what’s happening to people who are cordoned off in these areas?”

Nancy Wilson: So you saw that on the one hand. We know that authorities were calling for calm.  Was there any evidence of that? Are people responding to that call and urging people to try and remain calm?

Marie Bettings: Well I have to say that part of what was very encouraging today to see was many of the crowds were actually holding branches with leaves, kind of symbolic of the olive branch for peace. Many people were waving anything white they could find – white bed sheets, white pillowcases, their shirts, kind of showing that truly what Kenyans want is a peaceful resolution to this increase in tension and violence across the country.

Nancy Wilson: So if on the one hand there plenty of people who are responding to this call for calm, as you mentioned, very anxious times for lots of people, you have to think that people are either in real distress or eager to leave. Just give us a snapshot of the humanitarian crisis or challenges right now.

Marie Bettings: Absolutely. What we’re hearing from a lot of our World Vision workers who are out in these areas is that, number one: their humanitarian access is incredibly restricted at this point.  In many areas, we’re not able to access people because of the army blockades that are happening. We’re hearing reports now that more than 150 thousand people are displaced within Kenya itself – an unparalleled situation within this country for years. We’re hearing of course that there are up to more than 300 deaths that have occurred because of the rioting that has taken place and of course this leaves people, especially the most vulnerable of our society, the children, in a place of great harm.  They’re running out of water and food.  Right now we’re going into Kenya’s dry season, and so people who are dependent on livelihoods like little stalls, vegetable stands, all those kinds of things and are living day to day, aren’t able to access any income to buy those basic needs for their children.

Nancy Wilson: You mentioned that the army is preventing you and your colleagues from trying to help people in certain areas.  What, then, are you able to do?

Marie Bettings: Well we are trying our best to make sure that we are accessing the areas that are open to us.  We have about 60 projects around the country. At this point in time we’re looking to provide family kits to about 4,000 families. Those things will include things like mosquito nets, blankets, plastic sheeting, things that those families can really use.  And in areas where we’re not able to access we’re looking for and working with local partners to make that happen.

Nancy Wilson: So you’ve just outlined some of the most immediate and pressing needs for a lot of people, and I have to assume that you and others are dealing with a very volatile situation on the ground.  What do you think that the international community needs to be doing right now?

Marie Bettings: We need to make sure that we are advocating for a peaceful resolution, a democratic resolution. Of course, we’re seeing the international community step up; as you mentioned, Desmond Tutu has arrived in the city.  Also, we’re seeing the African Union step in and begin to have some dialogue between all the parties. But as the same time, some pressure does have to leverage so that all of the parties are realizing just how detrimental this is to the innocent group that is caught up amongst all this. And of course this is having a ripple effect across the entire eastern region of Africa.  Uganda is land locked, and we’ve seen fuel prices double just in the past few days because they can’t get oil from the Kenyan ports.  World Vision itself has many offices in Kenya.  For instance, I work for World Vision Somalia, so we run our Somalia operations out of Kenya, the same for the South Sudan operations.  This isn’t just World Vision, this is many of the other agencies here as well.  So it’s not just a Kenyan issue but this is quickly becoming a regional issue as well. 

Nancy Wilson: Marie Bettings, appreciate you making time for us. We wish you and your colleagues well with your efforts.  Thanks for making time for us today.