[canalrunner]

When I hear and read the news about the violence in Kenya, my mind turns to the marvellous Kenyan runners who come to Canada and US each year to enlive our races, inspire us and make their livelihood. They amaze me.<br><br>
They are incredible people from an incredible land. I have read several articles on the beautiful hills in which they train and about the training camps that people can attend to be humbled and awed by watching the Kenyan runners train on their home turf. I have thought how wonderful it would be to go and experience that country.<br><br>
The violence makes me sad. The death toll is nearing 600 in Kenya .<br>
As many as 250,000 people have also been internally displaced by the violence, which was started after suspect elections. Kofi Annan, ex Sec-gen to the UN is travelling there to try to help regain the peace.<br><br>
My thoughts and prayers are with the Kenyan people and the Kenyan runners. May safety, security and peace be yours. I hope that you can come back to North America to run this year, and you do so from a country at peace.

 

[mcsolar99]

it's a sad situation. tergat dropped from fukuoka because the military was called for some "special training" in preparation for the fallout? (how did the government know?) :<br><a href="http://japanrunningnews.blogspot.com/2007/11/tergat-withdraws-from-fukuoka-due-to.html" target="_blank">http://japanrunningnews.blogspot.com...ka-due-to.html</a><br><br>
and a kenyan who fled the violence had a hard time in phoenix (see end of this story):<br><a href="http://www.iaaf.org/news/Kind=2/newsId=42897.html" target="_blank">http://www.iaaf.org/news/Kind=2/newsId=42897.html</a>

 

[Sans Souci]

I echo that hope, canalrunner. GL to Kofi Annan ... and good health. I read that he has a "severe flu" so mediation has been postponed.<br><br>
Thanks for the links, mc; and canalrunner for the thread.

 

[dromedary]

canalrunnner and mcsolar, thank you for the very thoughtful posts and the links. We're so lucky here in Kickrunner-world. We have many freedoms the poor Kenyans do not have right now. I hope their country can heal.

 

[Ileneforward]

Well said, Dromedary!

 

[Tamster]

I just read this: <img alt="sad.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/sad.gif"><br>
winner of last years Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, MN was killed yesterday in Kenya.<br><br><a href="http://www.startribune.com/13954112.html" target="_blank">http://www.startribune.com/13954112.html</a>

 

[canalrunner]

It is a sad state of affairs, made sadder because we have all witnessed the beauty and glory of the Kenyan runner.

 

[Sans Souci]

Heartbreaking. <img alt="sad.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/sad.gif">

 

[rochrunner]

"Race Results Weekly and Grandma's Marathon report that Wesly Ngetich died in the Kenyon violence on Monday. In addition to winning Grandma's in 2007 and 2005, Ngetich was third in the 2005 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, second at the 2006 Chevron Houston Marathon and second at the 2007 Austin Marathon. Ngetich was scheduled to return to Grandmas in hopes of being the only three time winner of the Duluth, Minnesota event. Grandmas reports that four other men have also won the event twice in the events 31-year history: Garry Bjorklund, Dick Beardsley, Doug Kurtis and Patrick Maturi.<br><br>
Reuters reports that Ngetich was a victim of a poisoned arrow attack during fighting in his home town of Trans Mara, at the edge of world famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve on Monday."

 

[mcsolar99]

the movie spirit of the marathon gave some insights into the "normal" situation in kenya... where daniel njenga talks about how some thugs tried to steal money from his brother, ended up burning down his brother's house, killing his sister-in-law and his nephew. njenga used some of his winnings to build his brother a new house, and there's a nice scene showing the party and ceremony opening the house.<br><br>
currently the situation is even worse than normal, and that's very sad. here's a way to help:<br><a href="http://www.kenyaredcross.org/" target="_blank">http://www.kenyaredcross.org/</a>

 

[CassadAAmius]

The situation just got even worse with the assassination of Mugabe Were today, who had been a voice of reason and reconciliation. So senseless.<br><br>
From today's NY Times:<br><br>
The details are still sketchy, but the shooting appears not to have been a robbery but a hit. Word spread fast and violently, with opposition supporters rioting across Nairobi, the capital. The unrest seems to be escalating, and Kenyans are now literally ripping their country apart, uprooting miles of railroad tracks, chopping down telephone poles, burning government offices and looting schools. Militias from opposing ethnic groups are battling in several towns and Kenyan army helicopters fired warning shots on Tuesday to disperse them. There have been reports of forced circumcisions and beheadings.<br><br>
The economy is paralyzed. More than 800 people have been killed since the election on Dec. 27. United Nations officials are saying that the government has failed to protect civilians, including girls who are getting raped at displaced persons camps.<br><br>
Many Kenyans fear their country is tumbling toward disaster.<br>
“The police are not in control,” said Maina Kiai, chairman of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. “ Actually, nobody is in control.”