A Pattni member is tipped to be the Finance Minister of S. Africa
by Mahendrabhai Laljibhai Jadavji (UK)
Pravinbhai Gordhan who is the current commissioner of customs and revenue of South Africa is now tipped to be the Finance minister - Pravinbhai’s father, Gordhanbhai is uncle (mama - mother's elder brother) to Late Mohanlal, Amarsibhai, Chimanbhai and Mahendrabhai Laljibhai Jadavji (UK). If Pravinbhai gets the post, it be the first ever such ministerial post held by one of our Parajiya Pattni. We send our best wishes to Pravinbhai.
JOHANNESBURG, April 29 (Reuters) - Pravin Gordhan, head of South Africa's tax authority, is the frontrunner to succeed Finance Minister Trevor Manuel if he is moved to another post in the new government, a local newspaper reported on Wednesday.
Business Day, citing unnamed sources in the ruling African National Congress, said the party met with its leftist allies on Tuesday to discuss the makeup of the new cabinet under Jacob Zuma, who will be inaugurated as president on May 9. More - Click Reuters News
Kenya
visa fees halved in attempt to boost tourism
March 22, 2009
The Kenyan Government has decided to halve its visa entry fees in a bid to encourage more tourists to visit the East African country.
From April 1 until the end of next year tourist visas will be reduced by 50 per cent, while children under 16 will be exempt from all visa fees - a decision which will save a British family of four (with children under 16 years old) £90 per trip. A single entry visa currently costs £30 and multiple entry visa £60.
The move is an attempt to boost tourism to the country following a huge decline in visitors from both the UK and the United States following the violence that erupted following the ill-fated elections in December 2007 and the ongoing financial downturn.
“The number of tourists visiting the country has gone down owing to the global economic crisis,” he said. “A visa fee waiver can play a part in attracting more holidaymakers.”
British operators to Kenya, which have already been forced to reduce their brochure prices, have welcomed the move.
“This is great news for both safari first-timers and old Africa hands,” said a spokeswoman for a Travel Company. “Kenya is our top recommendation for families looking for an affordable African adventure and with visas now half price for parents and free for kids it’s going to be even better value.”
Nightmare in Kenya
February 04, 2008:
Renewed unrest takes heavy toll on business
Kenyan Indians fear more violence
Rwanda - Kagame calls for military coup
Renewed unrest takes heavy toll on business
Traders in Kisumu are lamenting about the unpredictability of the business environment following an outbreak of violence in the lakeside town.
Most traders are still counting their losses and fear of renewed skirmishes breaking out still hangs in the air. The return of a wave of violence has left the business community counting fresh losses in millions of shillings, with some expressing fear of never being able to restock.
Among the businesses reduced to ashes was Amalo Cables Industry. The managing director, Mr Anil Shah, said his dreams of expanding the premises had now been shattered.
The company, developed at a cost of millions of shillings, was among the leading suppliers of cables in the western Kenya region.Mr Shah said he lost over Sh150 million, adding that he was not sure of establishing the business soon since all the machines were damaged.
“I lost over Sh150 million. Everything was burnt down and the equipment is beyond repair,” said Mr Shah.
Violence takes heavy toll on businesses are in Mombasa and Malindi
Kenyan Indians fear more violence
KENYAN Indians in the port city of Kisumu fear that the post-election unrest that forced them to flee their homes and take refuge in temples may erupt again.
The city, said to be a stronghold of Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga, has been hard hit by violence and looting since Odinga accused President Mwai Kibaki of rigging the December 27 election.
Speaking from Nairobi, Muljibhai Pindolia, a trustee of the Hindu Council of Kenya, told the Sunday Times Extra: “The Indian community has not been targeted by the violence but has been caught up in the looting, burning of cars and destruction of property.
“Most of the Indians living in Kisumu are businessmen who have had to abandon their businesses and flee their homes.
“Residents lived in the Swaminarayan temple for a week at the height of the unrest. Others fled to Tanzania and Uganda.
“The situation is still unsettled. The fear is there that people will come back to loot, kill and destroy. Kisumu has been badly affected because it is an Odinga stronghold and his supporters are angry.”
Pindolia said the council was in constant contact with the community.
“We have been trying to offer comfort, because people are so scared. We have been financing private security companies to patrol the streets and we have also had to airlift food from Nairobi to Kisumu and Kakamega, another town that has been affected.
“Hindu volunteers have joined private security firms to patrol the streets. They have collected a good amount of funds to cater for this.”
He said the community wanted to buy an ambulance and a firefighting vehicle in case of further unrest.
“We don’t expect these services to be available in times of crisis, so the community is trying to be proactive.
“We are talking to the government of Gujarat in India and the central government of India to help people whose businesses have been looted by granting soft loans to start up again.
“Most of the businesses are completely looted, and many vehicles have been burnt, which we don’t understand. Looting we can understand, because people were desperate for goods, but burning and destroying property is something we can’t comprehend.”
He said people had been trickling back to their homes over the past two weeks. “We are still in fear. Until there is a final settlement between the factions, we feel the situation might erupt again.”
Ashwin Trikamjee, head of the South African Hindu Maha Sabha, said the organisation was concerned about the plight of the community and had lent them moral support.
“The Hindu Council of Africa has been keeping us posted on what is happening . When the situation turned ugly, I immediately contacted the organisation to find out what was happening,” he said.
Nightmare in Kenya
Kenyan relatives of the dead milling before the gates of the mortuary said they believed worse bloodshed was to come. “There will be more blood. It cannot stop now,” said one Kikuyu.
What’s unknown, however, is how much direct control Mr. Kibaki and Mr. Odinga now retain over events. With reports of growing gang recruitment on all sides, the fear now is that continuing bloodshed – which has already claimed the lives of two opposition MPs – will no longer be easily stopped.
Rwanda - Kagame calls for military coup
The President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, whose country suffered genocide in 1994, said an intervention by the military may be the only way to halt Kenya’s escalating ethnic bloodshed.
Gang kills two Germans with machetes in Kenya resort
Mon 28 Jan 2008
MOMBASA, Kenya (Reuters) - A gang of youths hacked two Germans to death with machetes during an apparent robbery attempt in a private villa in Kenya's coastal resort of Diani late on Sunday, police said on Monday.
The wife of one of the dead, a German tourist who had arrived in Kenya on holiday a fortnight ago, was also injured in the attack and had been taken to hospital. The second victim was the German owner of the villa.
Kenya burns – distressing video
27th Jan 2008
Is Kenya Heading to a Civil War?
A new wave of bloodshed in Kenya's Rift Valley has killed at least 100 people and triggered a fresh exodus of terrified people fleeing their homes.
The streets of Nakuru were strewn with bodies hacked by machetes and pierced by arrows as police transported 16 charred bodies to a local mortuary.
Shops and homes were torched in Nakuru and Naivasha, the centre of Kenya's flower industry 50 miles from Nairobi, after similar violence broke out over the weekend further west in Nakuru.
The fighting again pitted the Luo and Kalenjin tribes backing opposition leader Raila Odinga against President Mwai Kibaki's Kikuyu supporters.
For the first time on Sunday, the Kikuyus appeared to be orchestrating the violence in what many fear were the first revenge raids for a month of attacks against them by rival tribes
Most of the displaced Kenyans are from the Kikuyu tribe, who are now participating in revenge killings against other tribes. There is growing concern both in Kenya and on the international front that a civil war could erupt at any time. Keep doors open to Asians Keith Vaz, Britain's senior-most Asian MP, urged the British government to ensure that Britain keeps its doors open to Asians fleeing the violence in Kenya.
His call to British Foreign Secretary David Miliband came amid the first evidence that large numbers of Asians have either left or are in the process of leaving strife-torn Kenya, where business establishments owned by them have been torched and looted.
While no estimates are immediately available either in Kenya or in London, there are reliable reports of many Asians having already fled to Arusha and Zanzibar in Tanzania and to Uganda. Many are said to be on the road to Uganda.
Kenyan Asians settled in Britain say this is not unusual in itself - Asians in East Africa tend to leave town just before elections in order protect themselves against any violence - but there are fears that the departure this time around may be a permanent one for some.
January 17, 2007 Situation here in Kenya remains calm, but uneasy. The opposition has called for 3 days of mass action to force the govt. for some concessions. Mass action, unlike in western countries, usually turn violent and unruly with the criminal elements taking advantage to loot people and property supposedly to support the cause of a particular party. Most of the businesses in the central business district of Nairobi and other major towns were closed yesterday afternoon when riot police engaged the protestors, although the situation in the suberbs like Parklands,Westlands, Muthaiga and Ngara was calm and normal with businesses open and people going around as usual.
Hopefully, with international mediation, we are looking in the direction of a coalition govt. Both the President and Mr. Odinga have shown their willingness to a dialogue. Let's pray things work out as the economic and social implications are quite serious.
Shall keep u posted with further developments.
Kenya Crises – Latest Videos Wednesday 16th January 2008
January 16, 2008 - ODM supporters demonstrate in Mombasa - Corner of Jomo Kenyatta Roundabout and Digo Road
Jan 16, 2008 Kenyans protest – Video news from Nairobi, Eldoret and Mombasa
Things are now getting back to normal here in Nairobi. The parliament was sworn in yesterday with the opposition odm member being elected the speaker. Fortunately no member of our community was directly affected by the post election violence.
Latest News compiled by the Editor:-
Fresh clashes between police and opposition protesters in Kenya
Opposition protests resumed in Kenya today, Wednesday, 16th January. Kenyan police fired the protesters, killing two and wounding several others, in a crackdown on nationwide rallies against President Mwai Kibaki's disputed re-election.
Kisumu - The worst clashes were in Kisumu, Kenya’s third largest city and an opposition stronghold, where mobs of furious young men hurled stones at police officers, who responded by charging into the crowds and firing their guns. According to Eric Kiraithe, a spokesman for the Kenyan police, the only people injured by police officers were hooligans destroying property and robbing people.
“What we are seeing are teams of young men trying to commit crimes,” Mr. Kiraithe said. `”You cannot call this a demonstration.”
In Nairobi, the capital, police officers sealed off the central business district and ordered everyone out, sending wave after wave of bewildered office workers trudging down the roads leading to the suburbs. Police were battling with crowds in several of the city’s slums, which have been a flash point of anger since the election.
In Mombasa, there have been running battles between protesters and police and several people have been injured. Police hurled tear gas and used batons to beat back several groups of protesters several-hundred strong.
A major victim in all this seems to be Kenya’s economy. Tourists are cancelling trips in droves, leaving some of the biggest hotels in the country only 20 percent occupied, which could lead to layoffs. This morning, protesters fought with police in the streets of Mombasa. Witnesses said that hundreds of demonstrators, many of them Muslims, tried to block roundabouts in the city centre but that police officers in riot gear chased them away with tear gas.
Many Kenyans are getting tired of the violence, disruptions and cloud of uncertainty that hangs over the country. On Tuesday night, the opposition party, which won more Parliament seats than the president’s party in the December elections, used its muscle to install one of its own members as speaker, which could mean serious gridlock in Kenya’s government for the foreseeable future.
All Indians in Kenya are safe - No loss of lives but livelihood lost by many
8th Jan 2008 Report compiled by Pran C. Arjan – Editor, Pattni Connection.
Taking into account this holiday season, many poor families have had no business for two weeks. That was a huge loss. It's a loss of daily livelihood. It's heartbreaking to see businesspeople turned into beggars. What they have spent years building up has been wiped out in a week.
Report from Nakuru
One Pattni family in Nakuru, Pravinbhai Jagda, who runs a jewellery shop, has reported that they were safe.
In Nakuru, the violence broke out in the sprawling Kaptembwo and Ponda Mali slums where seven people were killed and property worth millions of shillings destroyed. Twenty-four other people were seriously injured and admitted to the Rift Valley Provincial GeneralHospital for treatment. Two famous nightclubs along Kanu Street were torched and tens of shops and supermarkets looted in several residential estates as tension rose throughout Sunday night.
Kisumu - Indians are safe
All Indians in Kenya are safe, but there have been serious losses in small businesses. Many cases were reported of looting of shops and commercial establishments.
Calm returned to Kisumu in western Kenya on Friday, a town where hundreds of Indian families briefly took shelter in temples and mosques amid raging violence. But 600 families have been temporarily airlifted to neighbouring Uganda.
Chotu Pabari, 60, told the Hindustan Times from Kisumu. "It is very calm, very peaceful now. People are cleaning and opening their shops. The security is quite good. We don't know what can happen, but we are hoping for the best."
Around 15 Indian-owned shops in Kisumu were among those looted, Pabari said, and five were burned, possibly when police fired tear gas shells into buildings to quell rioting mobs. Hundreds of Indians left their homes and stayed for a couple of nights in a local SwaminarayanTemple, an Aga Khan Foundation-owned complex and a mosque.
Around 15 Indian-owned shops in Kisumu were among those looted, Pabari said, and five were burned, possibly when police fired tear gas shells into buildings to quell rioting mobs. Hundreds of Indians left their homes and stayed for a couple of nights in a local SwaminarayanTemple, an Aga Khan Foundation-owned complex and a mosque.
With normalcy returning, most of them had now returned home. But some had temporarily relocated to Uganda, funded by community donations. "More than 600 families have been airlifted to (the Ugandan capital of) Kampala," said Madhukant Shah, trustee of the United Business Association, a largely Indian-dominated conglomerate of 2,000-odd companies.
Indians were not the target
Incorrect Indian media reports had put Indians at risk - it would make them stand out and make them appear as adversaries. Indians have not been targeted by either side in the violence between rival political groups.
Indian Government is monitoring the situation in Kenya, which hosts about 75,000 Indians, and the High Commission in Nairobi is in touch with the community groups, External Affairs Ministry said in New Delhi on Wednesday.
"There is no report of any person of Indian origin having been subjected to any violence or hurt," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told reporters in New Delhi amid concerns about safety of the Indian nationals in Kenya in view of the bloody unrest.
Kenya in Turmoil - Second Report
7th Jan 2008 Prabhudas Pattni,
Secretary General - Hindu Council of Africa
Commisioner - Inter Faith Action for Peace in Africa (IFAPA)
This is the second report on the situation in Kenya for all our Hindu brothers and sisters in Africa.It tries to explain all the factors leading up to the present situation that has seen Kenya in one of its deepest crisis since independence.
The General Election of 2007 was one of the most closely fought election ever.There were more than 2000 candidates for 210 parliamentary seats; and more than 7000 candidates for civic seats.There were 9 people vying for the presidency.The pre-election period was very exciting.People were campaigning freely.There was complete freedom of association and expression of views.The campaigns went well.
At the time of voting, the people were very orderly and peaceful.There was large voter turnout all over the country.The Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) had prepared well.Almost all polling stations opened on time and wherever there was delay, people were given more time to vote. The problems started as the results of presidential and parliamentary results started to come into the headquarters of ECK.There were allegations of vote rigging and differences in tallying of final votes only for the presidential candidates.The announcement of the outcome of presidential elections was delayed.The delay raised anxiety and temperatures.The first serious violence broke out in Kisumu town; a stronghold of the main contestant Mr. Raila Odinga.The situation degenerated quickly and turned into a looting and burning spree.40-50 businesses within Kisumu town of our Hindus were completely looted and 7 of their shops burnt to ashes.Shops that were cleaned out were supermarkets, electronic and electrical goods, generators, workshops, quarries, shoe shops, grocery shops etc.Many of the businesses of Africans of other tribe were also looted.Other businesses and shops of our Hindus – about 10-15 - outside the main town were also cleaned out.We are trying to get the exact figures of the number of businesses affected and the amount of loss since there are also reports of other isolated cases of looting in smaller towns.Our Hindu families took refuge in one of our temples and the Agakhan centre.At one time, there were as many as 1000 Asian Kenyans in these two places together.Fortunately, there was enough food supply for 2-3 days to take care of such large number of people.After 3 days, some of the families moved to Nairobi and some to their own homes in Kisumu.There were a total of eight flights from Kisumu each carrying 47 people.7 came to Nairobi and one to Kampala.The Hindu community was totally united and worked under the guidance of Hindu Council of Kenya.The Council, at one time i.e. on the fourth day, transported vegetables and medicines from Nairobi to the affected people in the temple in Kisumu by air.
The situation in other parts of Kenya continued to deteriorate.In Eldoret the violence was intense.Many houses and business premises of Africans were burnt.People were driven from their homes.A lot of them took refuge in the churches.Even that was not safe.One church was burnt down with 30 children and elderly people inside. They all died.The same started in some of the informal settlements in Nairobi.Up to now, more than 100,000 people have been displaced and more than 400 people have lost their lives.No Hindu/Asian lives have been lost so far.
It is good to note the positive role of the Indian High Commission during this turmoil.For the first time, a lot of concern was shown by Government of Gujarat.There were daily calls from ministers from the Gujarat Government and the Chief Minister made a special effort to get the news directly from Hindu Council officials.The High Commission made provisions for issue of emergency visas even after normal working hours.The High Commissioner and his deputy are even now in constant touch with the officials of Hindu Council of Kenya.It is noteworthy that the Gujarat Government offered to help in anyway possible and went as far as to say that they will look after any displaced persons coming to India.Such care and assurances have raised the respect for India and particularly Gujarat in the minds of the people of Indian origin in Kenya.
The pressure on the political leaders is yielding some fruit.There is a slight temperance in their stance.Solutions are being sought by all concerned.A consensus of some sort is emerging.Firstly, there is no solution in re-tallying the results. There are flaws in the results from the Returning Officers.It would be very difficult to verify some of the poll results.Secondly, there is talk of a government of national unity that would be like a transitional government till the presidential elections are done all over again in three months’ time.These are however, only proposals so far.
The tense situation is now easing off.Today, Saturday 5th January, was almost a near normal day.Shops are open.People are going about their businesses.There is adequate supply of bread, milk and maize meal. Everywhere, leaders are talking about peace in the nation.We do hope that people of Kenya will embrace peace and from Monday, go about their normal lives in peaceful manner.All the religious organisations have designated tomorrow as the day of national prayers for peace.
Kenya faces fresh violence Editor, Pattni Connection
Hundreds of women and children, including boys as young as five, have been gang-raped in a wave of sexual violence that has swept Kenya in the aftermath of last week's disputed presidential election. It was not just in Nairobi's slums that sexual violence was reported. Aid workers said they had received reports of attacks across the country. Last Thursday, a British woman in the prosperous suburb of Kilimani said she had witnessed from the balcony of her home an apparent sexual attack on a well-dressed young woman.
Operators cancelled tour to Kenya holidays as British Foreign Office advice against all but essential travel to Kenya
Video on how one Arun Shah is affected by Kenyan violence
Gujaratis are worried about about their loved ones in Kenya
Kenya has nearly 100,000 Gujaratis, mostly businessmen, who have been there for generations. And as the country continues to be on the boil with people being killed, shops being looted and burnt, the Gujarati Diaspora is on the edge.
VIDEO:- Jitendra Patel, a Gujarati businessman based in Kenya, who's in Anand now, is deeply worried. He had come here on a vacation but the post-poll violence in Kenya, in which 300 people have died so far, has made him desperate to get back to his family.
Tension shifted from Kisumu to the capital Nairobi. Many Gujaratis have moved out of riot-hit areas as a precaution. The Indian embassy at Nairobi is also giving emergency visas to people who want to come to India.
Indians have been targeted because they are close to president Mwai Kibaki’s ruling Party of National Unity (PNU). Kibaki belongs to the Kikuyu tribe, the main business community of Kenya, which has controlled the country’s politics since 1963. Indians have strong ties with Kikuyus because of the business connection, which has upset ODM, dominated by the other tribe - Luo. The leader of Kenda, Kamlesh Pattni had also backed President Kibaki.
Though no Indian is reported to have been killed in the upsurge of violence, which has claimed around 300 lives so far, reports of extensive damage to property and shops owned by Indians are filtering through.
Indian High Commission has been speaking to community leaders in various towns where people of Indian origin are in significant strength like Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret.
Indian community leaders and religious heads in Nairobi even called an urgent meeting late on Wednesday evening to take stock of the situation.
Kamlesh Kamdar of Mombasa said community leaders had asked them to keep their bags packed. "Circulars were put up at community halls and religious places informing people to remain prepared to leave Kenya if the situation worsens. We have also advised all Indians outside Kenya to delay their arrival at least by two weeks," Kamdar said.
Nitin Malde, secretary of Hindu Council of Kenya said, "We have taken account of the damage caused to the India community. Ninety per cent of Gujarati-owned shops in Kisumu have been looted and burned down."
Following is the message from Prabhudas bhai Pattni, the Secretary General of the Hindu Council of Africa. He will also be updating our community if the situation worsens. Although we send circulars by e-mail as there come, there may be delays of receiving these messages to your address. Members of our community are advised to visit our website regularly to check on any updates
Kenya in Turmoil
Prabhudas Pattni,
Secretary General - Hindu Council of Africa
Commissioner - Inter Faith Action for Peace in Africa (IFAPA)
4th January 2008
This is a report on the situation in Kenya for all our Hindu brothers and sisters in Africa.It tries to explain all the factors leading up to the present situation that has seen Kenya in one of its deepest crisis since independence.
The General Election of 2007 was one of the most closely fought election ever.There were more than 2000 candidates for 210 parliamentary seats; and more than 7000 candidates for civic seats.The pre-election period was very exciting.People were campaigning freely.There was complete freedom of association and expression of views.The campaigns went well.
At the time of voting, the people were very orderly and peaceful.There was large voter turnout all over the country.The Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) had prepared well.Almost all polling stations opened on time and wherever there was delay, people were given more time to vote. The problems started as the results of presidential and parliamentary results started to come into the headquarters of ECK.There were allegations of vote rigging and differences in tallying of final votes.The announcement of the outcome of presidential elections was delayed.The delay raised anxiety and temperatures.
The first serious violence broke out in Kisumu town; a stronghold of the main contestant Mr. Raila Odinga.The situation degenerated quickly and turned into a looting and burning spree.40-50 businesses within Kisumu town of our Hindus were completely looted and 7 of their shops burnt to ashes.Many of the businesses of other Africans were also looted.Other businesses and shops of our Hindus – about 10-15 - outside the main town were also looted.
We are trying to get the exact figures of the number of businesses affected and the amount of loss since there are also reports of other isolated cases of looting in smaller towns.Our Hindu families took refuge in one of our temples and the Agakhan centre.At one time, there were as many as 1000 Asian Kenyans in these two places together.Fortunately, there was enough food supply to take care of all the people.
After 3 days, some of the families moved to Nairobi and some to Kisumu.The Hindu community was totally united and worked under the direction of Hindu Council of Kenya.The Council at one time also transported vegetables and medicines from Nairobi.
The situation in other parts of Kenya continued to deteriorate.In Eldoret, there the violence was intense.The same started in some of the informal settlements in Nairobi.Up to now, more than 100,000 people have been displaced and more than 300 people have lost their lives.No Hindu/Asian lives were lost.
The situation as of today – 4th January 2008 – is still tense.In spite of the immense pressure on both the leaders to come to the dialogue table, nothing seems to be working so far.However, Kenyans are shocked by the violence and there are concerted efforts going all by all, led by the faith based institutions and the international community to bring peace to this troubled country.
We shall keep you informed of further developments but the situation is slowly coming under control and we are hoping that by next week the country will be at peace.
Kenya torn apart by riots
Editor, Pattni Connection
Kenya is going through the most volatile moments in Kenya since 1963 independence. What is taking place in Kenya is really distressing. Never has anyone thought that such disorder, deaths and destruction could be meted out against innocent Kenyans
We have decided not to upload videos that have appeared on the web today as these contain scenes some of our Pattni members may find very distressing. It seems the worst is not over yet. The orgy of violence is still continuing. Kenya's opposition has said that it will hold a mass rally of thousands of its supporters in a park in Nairobi, the capital, on Friday.
US Embassy had advised tourist to stay put and not to take unnecessary risk.
Due to the limited scope of our website, we shall mainly concentrate mainly on the welfare and safety of our Kenyan Pattni members and Hindus in general.
Indians have come in the line of fire
Indian central government is in no mood to heed Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s advice that Indians be rescued from the violence-hit African nation Kenya, as, it feels, any proactive move would only make the NRIs more vulnerable to mob attacks.
“Indians, by their sheer presence, have come in the line of fire in what is essentially a tribal war in Kenya,” officials in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
MEA sources say the Indians, who have huge presence as owners of shops and businesses, have apparently suffered the maximum losses as the mobs had targeted their properties, including homes.
As you can see from the messages received from the Lohana community, we now share information that will benefit both communities.
Message from C.J. Rabheru
Secretary - Lohana Community, London and Trustee - Jalaram Mandir, Greenford.
Dear Pran, Please circulate this information that may be useful to the Pattni and Hindu Community
To all Pattni, Lohana and Hindu Community
Please kindly advise all the Hindus holding British Passports to Register with British Embassy as a matter of urgency so that if and when situation becomes dangerous British Embassy is duty bound to take care of British Citizens.
If British High Commission in Nairobi is NOT receptive then people concerned must contact Foreign & Commonwealth Office in UK and request their relatives in UK to contact their local MP
British Citizens weather they are going as Tourists or Residing in any Country are required to notify their arrival in that Country, though this is NOT mandatory but one of the facilities offered by the UK Government.
If and when some thing happens in the Country, British High Commission is required to contact the UK Citizen and advise them of the steps to be taken.
We Asians do not follow these procedures due to ignorance of the information.
Hope situation improves in Kenya fast. It is a good Country.
I have pasted the information available on UK Government Website which clearly advises as I have stated.
What to do on arrival
When you arrive in the country, there are several steps you can take to help things go smoothly. It may be an unsettling time for you and your family, so any preparations you can make will be a real benefit.
Some of the things that you can do
Register with the local authorities - this may give you access to the local welfare services after a short period of time, if you are in doubt then ask
If you are moving to another European Economic Area country (EEA - is the European Union countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) country you must apply for a residence permit within three months of arrival
Register with the British Consulate, this will help the Consulate keep in touch with you if you get into difficulties
Ensure your passport is valid and fill in the next-of-kin details on the back page - if your passport is about to expire apply to the British Consulate to have it renewed
Open a foreign bank account; if you are retiring, in many countries your pension can be paid directly into your bank account there
If you haven't already started, learn the local language, you will find day-to-day life much easier
If you haven't got one already make a will - you can get professional legal advice on how to do this, your local British Consulate can provide a list of English-speaking lawyers who can help you
Check local traffic regulations -driving is permitted on a valid UK licence in EEA countries, although you may be required to exchange it for an EEA national licence once you have gained residence status
For non-EEA countries you will need to take an International Driving Permit (IDP), which must be obtained before you leave the UK
Make sure you are fully insured to drive and that your car complies to the regulations of that country
To help you settle in, find out about British associations, clubs, publications and charity organisations for the expatriate English-speaking community - you can get contact lists from your local British Consulate
stay in touch - remember to give your family and friends in the UK your address abroad
keep your vote by registering in the UK as an overseas elector
I am a Lohana but concerned of all Hindus in Kenya due to the recent violence reports reaching us on BBC. You brothers and sisters are the best judge of the situation there and if there is anyway we can come useful to your plans or plight please let us know.
Anil Ghelani
Kenya Election 2007
Kenya violence toll soars to nearly 300
Police raids, arson and tribal attacks over the last 24 hours have claimed more than 100 lives in Kenya, police and officials said Tuesday, bringing the toll for five days of post-election bloodshed to 299.
Uneasy calm returns to Kisumu
Uneasy calm returns to Kisumu after 4 days of riots and looting. This video shows the town on the aftermath of the riots after the Election results including an interview of an Indian shopkeeper
Humanitarian crisis in Kenya -Nakuru – Eldoret Road
Difficult times ahead for Kenya
Gujaratis caught in Kenya violence
Hundreds of Gujarati businessmen have taken shelter in a temple in the Kenyan town of Kisumu after President Mwai Kibaki’s return to power triggered violence in the country, killing over 300 people. There are close to 100,000 Indians in Kenya with 3,000 in Kisumu, the worst-hit town. Kisumu is the stronghold of defeated presidential challenger Raila Odinga.
The government has banned live TV broadcasts and flooded streets with security forces to defuse one of the most volatile situation in Kenya since its independence in 1963.
The Gujarati diasporas have been living in fear. Although no lives have been lost, there has been massive damage to property and businesses owned by Indians, particularly Gujaratis.
In Kisumu, almost three out of every four businesses owned by Indians have been burnt down, residents said.
Hundreds of Gujarati businessmen have taken shelter in Swaminarayan mandir in Kisumu for the past two days and are gradually running out of food.
The Indian community has also received SMS asking them to stock up on food for five more days. The SMS warn of more trouble. However, no fresh riot cases were reported.
On Monday, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urging him to take up with Kenya the issue of safety of Gujaratis residing in that country.
Muljibhai Pindoliya, president of Hindu council of Africa, said over the phone that there are 43,000 Gujaratis in Nairobi and about 3,000 in Kisumu. With defeated presidential challenger Raila Odinga sticking to his guns after an allegedly rigged election and freshly re-elected President Mwai Kibaki vowing to assert his authority, the east African nation is locked in a crippling crisis.
Kanti Rabadia, owner of an auto parts company in Kisumu — an opposition strong-hold and also the worst affected by the violence said, “We haven’t come out of our homes for the past five days and God knows when we will be able to go to work.”
Rabadia said offices and factories belonging to Gujaratis had been looted and their houses attacked by local residents. Rabadiya said in 1998, when violence broke out in Nairobi, many Gujaratis had taken shelter in the Swaminarayan temple, but rioters set the place of worship on fire. “I fear a repeat of the 1998 incident. If security personnel fail to control the rioters in a day or two, then nearly 400 Gujaratis hiding in the temple are at risk,” he said.
Anand Rana, a resident of Kisumu, said, "The town has come to a standstill. Supermarkets and shops are charred beyond recognition. Most Gujaratis are staying in the Swaminarayan temple in Kisumu. We ventured out on Tuesday to take stock of the situation. Almost three-fourths of Indian businesses have incurred huge losses."
Amit Shah, who lives in Nairobi, said the situation was grim on the outskirts of the capital. "The riots have resulted in massive damage to Indian properties." Shail Patel from Nairobi, who is in Gujarat now, said things are under control in the city with the government deploying troops and imposing curfew.
The situation in Nairobi is as bad.
Meanwhile, Indians in Nairobi are on tenterhooks with the Opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party planning a massive rally on Thursday of over one milllion supporters. Many fear this could lead to violence. The government has denied ODM the permission for the rally. It has asked people to stay away or be prepared to face the consequences.
Most Gujaratis live in Parklands, Westlands, SouthSea and Town Kirinaga Road in Nairobi.
Swami Purushottam Priyadasji, the acharya of Swaminaryan Gaadi Sansthan at Nairobi, said over phone, "I have been going to the affected areas and telling people that Indians, particularly Gujaratis, have been contributing to the development of Kenya and should not be targeted."
Gopal Patel, a businessman from Nairobi, said all Gujarati businesses had been shut down for the past week. "We will open shops from Wednesday when the Christmas break ends."
Naran Kerai, who has a construction business, said: “We knew violence of this proportion will break out in Kenya after the election. That’s why we stored milk powder, edible items and other provisions,” he said.
Dipak Halai, who is engaged in civil engineering work in Nairobi, said the country is losing two billion shillings ($31.45 million) worth of taxes daily due to the unrest caused by a delay in announcement of the presidential election results.
Shirish Goswami said: “I have been living in Nairobi for eight years on work permit. On July 1, I came back to Bhavnagar and would not like to go back to Kenya as there is no mental peace in that country. Twice I have been looted during my stay in Nairobi.”
Arvind Patel and his brother Dinesh Patel who are government contractors in Nairobi, said they were planning to visit their native town in Kutch, but have now cancelled their holiday plan.
“We have locked ourselves in the house. We are not able to talk with anyone as our mobiles and landlines are not working properly. We are also out of touch with the outside world as the government has banned all TV channels,” he said.
