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"Murder
is murder"
by Rights Features Service
(August 29, 2000) Kenya's
media was barred from witnessing a post-mortem on slain human
rights priest Father John Kaiser, as President Daniel arap Moi
dismissed political involvement, charging that "murder is murder."
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Father
John Kaiser won the Law Society of Kenya Human Rights Award.
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Fr.
Kaiser was murdered on the night of August 23 and his death
has sparked anger among the Catholic faithful and local politicians
who accuse the government of President Moi of complicity.
"We suspect foul play,"
said Bishop Ndingi Mwana'a Nzeki, Kenya's Catholic archbishop.
Elsewhere, the president
asked people with information on the murder to report to the police
"rather than rushing to the journalists."
Documents found in
Fr. Kaiser's vehicle included a letter he had written to the United
Nations Development Program (UNDP) describing President Moi's
government as "ruthless and unjust."
In the letter the priest
brought to the attention of then-UNDP representative Kilian Kleinshmidt
of the "serious state affairs at Maela camp" where Fr. Kaiser
housed internally displaced victims of politically instigated
tribal clashes in 1994. Other documents found in his possession
included handwritten notes that accused "Kenya Army and police"
of driving people out of their homes while camouflaging as Maasai
tribesmen.
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