update from Kenya Jan 2 - reporting for Auma

Hello all,

I spoke to Auma Leah in Migori, Western Kenya, this morning. She and residents there cannot go outside- the situation with post-electoral violence is too insecure. She reports that in addition to the EU diplomats headed for Kenya, Desmond Tutu and the Tanzanian president are also arriving, to try to bring about an end to the violence and a peaceful path to reviewing the flawed elections. Tomorrow will be a big day, as the opposition candidate has promised a rally in Nairobi that many worry will turn more violent.

There is a total news blackout in Kenya and no internet access as she cannot travel out of doors. Her husband is away and cannot return to the family until the situation improves. Auma and I are going to try to use SMS text messaging to communicate urgent updates, and if she can, she will post them directly to PulseWire via SMS too. So stay tuned.

oh one depressing update: in news searches last night, I found that Nairobi Hospital's Rapid Response Sexual Violence unit has reported a sharp increase in rape and sodomy of women, and also that many women are not even making it to the hospital.

Anne-christine