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dear candrama people:<br>
<br>
let me add my voice to those around the world who are standing up in
support of Ngugi and his wife.<br>
the reports out of kenya indicated that the attack on the two of them
really was politically motivated. he has been critical of human abuses
in his native kenya for a very long time. he goes back to the country
after 22 years abroad and winds up severely beaten and his wife raped.
too much coincidence there.<br>
<br>
ngugi is an important playwright and novelist and a great voice for
human freedom. i urge you to support this committee which is trying to
ensure that justice is not treated casually.<br>
<br>
many thanks to denis salter for circulating this information.<br>
<br>
don rubin<br>
york university<br>
Denis Salter wrote:<br>
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From: Tiziana Morosetti [<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="mailto:morosetti_tiziana@hotmail.com">mailto:morosetti_tiziana@hotmail.com</a>] <br>
Sent: 31 January 2005 15:17<br>
Subject: Ngugi Wa Thiong'o: important</span><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span
style="">Dear Friends,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span
style="">As you may already know, world renowned Kenyan playwright,<br>
novelist and social critic <b>Ngugi Wa Thiong'o </b>and his wife <st1:City
w:st="on">Njeeri</st1:City> <st1:State w:st="on">Wa</st1:State> Ngugi<br>
were brutally attacked on August 11, 2004, in an apartment in<br>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Nairobi</st1:City>,
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Kenya</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<br>
Ngugi was severely beaten and burned with cigarettes, and his<br>
wife,Njeeri, was raped in the ordeal. Subsequently, several people were
arrested in conjunction with the attack, and it is becoming
increasingly clear that this was a politically motivated assault on a
leading international<br>
intellectual and his wife. It was the first time that Ngugi had
returned to<br>
his home country after 22 years of political exile. <br>
We are writing to ask you to take a few minutes of your time to<br>
send a letter to the addresses appended below to encourage the Kenyan<br>
courts and government to take this attack seriously, and to prosecute<br>
not only the direct attackers, but all those involved in the attack.<br>
This is not only an issue of paramount importance for political
liberties<br>
and the rights of intellectuals. It is also a critical test case for<br>
overcoming a culture of silence and impunity surrounding violence
against<br>
women in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Kenya</st1:place></st1:country-region>
(and, in many ways, the world at large). <br>
We have included a letter in the body of this mail that exemplifies
the spirit of the pressure that we<br>
believe it is necessary to put on the Kenyan government to insure that<br>
these attacks are treated in the most appropriate and deliberate<br>
matter. We fear that without this pressure, the political forces behind<br>
this attack may go unpunished, and the issue of rape glossed over. A
letter<br>
of any length, either in your own words or borrowing from the language<br>
of theone included here, would make an immense difference. Please<br>
send your letters to as many of the appended addresses as you wish and<br>
also forward our call to others who might want to join our efforts. <br>
If the Kenyan government in compelled to see the overall importance of<br>
this trial, we will win an overwhelming victory in our struggle<br>
against violence against women and for the rights of public<br>
intellectuals. Thank you for your time. <br>
Sincerely,<br>
The Ngugi and Njeeri Solidarity Committee<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span
style="">Please write to one or more of the following contacts:</span></b><span
style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span
style="">1. Kiraitu Murungi<br>
>Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs<br>
>State Law Office, Harambee Avenue<br>
>P O Box 40112, Nairobi<br>
>Tel: +254 20 227461Minister: <br>
>Minister's email: <a
href="http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5e8338718b8fb6ec9d7390c90fda13fc&mailto=1&to=minister-justice@skyweb.co.ke&msg=F7F09F86-76B0-420D-8062-9EFE225364B9&start=0&len=37136&src=&type=x"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: Tahoma;">minister-justice@skyweb.co.ke</span></a><br>
> <br>
>Permanent Secretary: Dorothy Angote<br>
>PS Justice & Constitutional Affairs<br>
>Please use fax: 254 20 316317<br>
><a
href="http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5e8338718b8fb6ec9d7390c90fda13fc&mailto=1&to=psjustice@africaonline.co.ke&msg=F7F09F86-76B0-420D-8062-9EFE225364B9&start=0&len=37136&src=&type=x"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: Tahoma;">psjustice@africaonline.co.ke</span></a><br>
> <br>
>2. Attorney General<br>
>State Law Office<br>
><st1:address w:st="on"><st1:Street w:st="on">P O Box 40112-00100</st1:Street>,
<st1:City w:st="on">Nairobi</st1:City></st1:address><br>
>Tel: 254 20 227411<br>
> no email address. Please use fax: 254 20 315105<br>
> <br>
>3. First Lady Lucy Kibaki<br>
>State House<br>
><st1:address w:st="on"><st1:Street w:st="on">P O Box 40530-00100</st1:Street>,
<st1:City w:st="on">Nairobi</st1:City></st1:address><br>
>Tel: +254 20 227436<br>
><a
href="http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5e8338718b8fb6ec9d7390c90fda13fc&mailto=1&to=oafla@statehousekenya.co.ke&msg=F7F09F86-76B0-420D-8062-9EFE225364B9&start=0&len=37136&src=&type=x"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: Tahoma;">oafla@statehousekenya.co.ke</span></a><br>
> <br>
>4. John Githongo<br>
>State House<br>
><st1:address w:st="on"><st1:Street w:st="on">P O Box 40530-00100</st1:Street>,
<st1:City w:st="on">Nairobi</st1:City></st1:address><br>
>Tel: +254 20 227436<br>
><a
href="http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5e8338718b8fb6ec9d7390c90fda13fc&mailto=1&to=contact@statehousekenya.co.ke&msg=F7F09F86-76B0-420D-8062-9EFE225364B9&start=0&len=37136&src=&type=x"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: Tahoma;">contact@statehousekenya.co.ke</span></a><br>
> <br>
>5. Office of President <br>
>State House<br>
><st1:address w:st="on"><st1:Street w:st="on">P O Box 30510-00200</st1:Street>,
<st1:City w:st="on">Nairobi</st1:City></st1:address><br>
>Tel: +254 20 227411<br>
><a
href="http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5e8338718b8fb6ec9d7390c90fda13fc&mailto=1&to=pps@statehousekenya.co.ke&msg=F7F09F86-76B0-420D-8062-9EFE225364B9&start=0&len=37136&src=&type=x"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: Tahoma;">pps@statehousekenya.co.ke</span></a><br>
> <br>
>6. Hon. Ayang Nyong'o <br>
>Minister<br>
>Ministry of Planning & National Development<br>
><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Treasury</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Building</st1:PlaceType></st1:place><br>
><st1:address w:st="on"><st1:Street w:st="on">P O Box 30007-00100</st1:Street>,
<st1:City w:st="on">Nairobi</st1:City></st1:address><br>
>Tel: +254 20 252299<br>
><a
href="http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5e8338718b8fb6ec9d7390c90fda13fc&mailto=1&to=mopnd@treasury.go.ke&msg=F7F09F86-76B0-420D-8062-9EFE225364B9&start=0&len=37136&src=&type=x"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: Tahoma;">mopnd@treasury.go.ke</span></a><br>
> <br>
>7. Phillip Murgor<br>
>Director of Public Prosecution<br>
>State Law Office<br>
>P O Box 40112-00100, Nairobi<br>
>Tel: 254 20 227411<br>
>no email address at DPP but personal through his law firm<br>
><a
href="http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5e8338718b8fb6ec9d7390c90fda13fc&mailto=1&to=murgor@nbi.ispkenya.com&msg=F7F09F86-76B0-420D-8062-9EFE225364B9&start=0&len=37136&src=&type=x"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: Tahoma;">murgor@nbi.ispkenya.com</span></a><br>
> <br>
><br>
><b>Please forward a copy of all letters you send to the following<br>
addresses<br>
>as well</b>:<br>
><br>
>1. Federation of Women Lawyers – Kenya <br>
>Amboseli Road off Gitanga Rd.<br>
>P.O. Box 46324 Nairobi, Kenya<br>
>info <<a
href="http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?mailto=1&msg=F7F09F86-76B0-420D-8062-9EFE225364B9&start=0&len=37136&src=&type=x&to=info@fida.co.ke&cc=&bcc=&subject=&body=&curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5e8338718b8fb6ec9d7390c90fda13fc"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: Tahoma;">mailto:info@fida.co.ke</span></a>>
@fida.co.ke<br>
<<a
href="http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?mailto=1&msg=F7F09F86-76B0-420D-8062-9EFE225364B9&start=0&len=37136&src=&type=x&to=info@fida.co.ke&cc=&bcc=&subject=&body=&curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5e8338718b8fb6ec9d7390c90fda13fc"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: Tahoma;">mailto:info@fida.co.ke</span></a>>
<br>
> <br>
>Jane Onyango, Executive Director: <br>
>jonyango <<a
href="http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?mailto=1&msg=F7F09F86-76B0-420D-8062-9EFE225364B9&start=0&len=37136&src=&type=x&to=jonyango@fida.co.ke&cc=&bcc=&subject=&body=&curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5e8338718b8fb6ec9d7390c90fda13fc"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: Tahoma;">mailto:jonyango@fida.co.ke</span></a>>
@fida.co.ke<br>
><<a
href="http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?mailto=1&msg=F7F09F86-76B0-420D-8062-9EFE225364B9&start=0&len=37136&src=&type=x&to=jonyango@fida.co.ke&cc=&bcc=&subject=&body=&curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5e8338718b8fb6ec9d7390c90fda13fc"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: Tahoma;">mailto:jonyango@fida.co.ke</span></a>>
<br>
> <br>
>Hellen Kwamboka<br>
>hellen <<a
href="http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?mailto=1&msg=F7F09F86-76B0-420D-8062-9EFE225364B9&start=0&len=37136&src=&type=x&to=hellen@fida.co.ke&cc=&bcc=&subject=&body=&curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5e8338718b8fb6ec9d7390c90fda13fc"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: Tahoma;">mailto:hellen@fida.co.ke</span></a>>
@fida.co.ke<br>
<<a
href="http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?mailto=1&msg=F7F09F86-76B0-420D-8062-9EFE225364B9&start=0&len=37136&src=&type=x&to=hellen@fida.co.ke&cc=&bcc=&subject=&body=&curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5e8338718b8fb6ec9d7390c90fda13fc"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: Tahoma;">mailto:hellen@fida.co.ke</span></a>><br>
><br>
> <br>
>2. The Ngugi and Njeeri Solidarity Committee<br>
>ngugisolidarity <<a
href="http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?mailto=1&msg=F7F09F86-76B0-420D-8062-9EFE225364B9&start=0&len=37136&src=&type=x&to=ngugisolidarity@gmail.com&cc=&bcc=&subject=&body=&curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5e8338718b8fb6ec9d7390c90fda13fc"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: Tahoma;">mailto:ngugisolidarity@gmail.com</span></a>>
@gmail.com<br>
><<a
href="http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?mailto=1&msg=F7F09F86-76B0-420D-8062-9EFE225364B9&start=0&len=37136&src=&type=x&to=ngugisolidarity@gmail.com&cc=&bcc=&subject=&body=&curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5e8338718b8fb6ec9d7390c90fda13fc"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: Tahoma;">mailto:ngugisolidarity@gmail.com</span></a>>
<br>
> <br>
><br>
>3. Kenya Human Rights Commission<br>
><st1:address w:st="on"><st1:Street w:st="on">P.O. Box</st1:Street>
41079-00100</st1:address><br>
><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Nairobi</st1:City>, <st1:country-region
w:st="on">Kenya</st1:country-region></st1:place><br>
><a
href="http://by103fd.bay103.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=5e8338718b8fb6ec9d7390c90fda13fc&mailto=1&to=admin@khrc.or.ke&msg=F7F09F86-76B0-420D-8062-9EFE225364B9&start=0&len=37136&src=&type=x"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: Tahoma;">admin@khrc.or.ke</span></a><br>
> <br>
><br>
>---Thank You,<br>
>The Ngugi and Njeeri Solidarity Committee<br>
> <br>
> <br>
> <b>Sample Letter</b>:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span
style=""><br>
>January 31, 2005<br>
> <br>
>To Whom It May Concern:<br>
> <br>
>We are writing to appeal to the Kenyan government to react<br>
appropriately and with all deliberate speed to the brutal attack on
Ngugi Wa<br>
Thiong'o and Njeeri Wa Ngugi and the rape of Njeeri. We write to stress<br>
the urgency of an appropriate response that will hold accountable<br>
not only the direct attackers, but all those responsible for what we see<br>
as a politically motivated attack by enemies of what Professor Ngugi<br>
Wa Thiong'o stands for in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Kenya</st1:country-region>,
<st1:place w:st="on">Africa</st1:place> and the world. <br>
The world community continues to watch this case closely, first<br>
and foremost because we are shocked by the brutality of this attack<br>
and rape, but also because of the grave implications impunity for<br>
the perpetrators would have. International organizations, including<br>
women's groups, civil liberties organizations, and organizations of<br>
writers and intellectuals are but a few of the members of the
international<br>
community deeply invested in how the present administration<br>
will respond to this attack. <br>
It is critical for the Kenyan government to rebuff this grave<br>
attack against an internationally celebrated public intellectual whose<br>
commitment to his country and the empowerment of ordinary<br>
people has been unwavering. If this attack on the occasion of his first<br>
return to his home country, after 22 years in forced exile, is not<br>
condemned, and all those responsible pursued for their crimes, a
chilling blow<br>
to intellectual liberty will have been dealt. Such blows have<br>
impact the world over. This one, in particular, would send a sad message<br>
regarding <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Kenya</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s
capacity to overcome its political past. This<br>
government must respond firmly to demonstrate a commitment to the
political<br>
future of the country. It is equally critical to demonstrate a
willingness on the<br>
government's part to respond to the full gravity of the rape of <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Njeeri</st1:City> <st1:State w:st="on">Wa</st1:State></st1:place><br>
Ngugi. The culture of silence around violence against women in <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Kenya</st1:place></st1:country-region><br>
fosters repeated and widespread abuses against the human rights of<br>
women. A full length Amnesty International report on violence against
women<br>
in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Kenya</st1:place></st1:country-region>
(March 8, 2002) cites several national and international<br>
instruments that hold governments responsible for failures to prosecute<br>
with "due diligence" any violence against women. We want to express our<br>
unconditional solidarity with Njeeri Wa Ngugi in her ongoing struggle to<br>
stand publicly against the epidemic of violence against women.<br>
We believe that the government of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Kenya</st1:place></st1:country-region> has both the
opportunity<br>
and the responsibility to meet the challenge of supporting her. This<br>
challenge consists in bringing all those responsible for this attack on<br>
Njeeri Wa Ngugi and Ngugi Wa Thiong'o to justice. But steps must also be<br>
taken toend the conditions that foster this culture of silence. Systems<br>
must be put in place, as in other countries, for women to anonymously<br>
identify their attackers. Every form of sexual violence against women<br>
must be treated as a crime of the gravest consequence. The victims<br>
cannot be left to fight alone. To that end, we hope that this<br>
administration will not set the precedent of allowing Njeeri Wa Ngugi
to stand<br>
alone. At a time like this, when we are seeing political violence<br>
erode so many countries in Europe, North America, Africa, and indeed on
every continent, it is doubly important for people in positions of<br>
power to stand against the impunity of perpetrators. We hope that with<br>
your actions, you will set an example for <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Kenya</st1:place></st1:country-region> and the world.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span
style="">Thank you for attention<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span
style="">(Signature)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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color="#000000"> <o:p></o:p></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p><font
color="#000000"> </font></o:p></span></p>
</font></strong></div>
<div><strong><font color="#0000ff">__________________________________________________</font></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div><strong><font color="#0000ff">"To celebrate this award, and the
work it recognizes of those around the world, let me recall the words<br>
of Gandhi: My life is my message. Also, plant a tree."--Wangari
Maathai, winner of the 2004 Nobel <br>
Peace Prize.</font></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div><strong><font color="#0000ff">________________________________________________________________________________________</font></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div><strong><font color="#0000ff">" . . . and they shall beat their
swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks: <br>
nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn
war any more."<br>
Isaiah 2.4<br>
___________________<br>
Denis Salter<br>
Professor of Theatre<br>
McGill University<br>
853 Sherbrooke Street West<br>
Montreal, QC<br>
H3A 2T6<br>
(514) 487 7309<br>
<a href="mailto:d.salter@videotron.ca">d.salter@videotron.ca</a><br>
<a href="mailto:denis.salter@mcgill.ca">denis.salter@mcgill.ca</a><br>
__________________</font></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div><strong></strong> </div>
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