BY AILEEN MURPHY

Fr Gabriel Dolan, from Cashel, only returned to Kenya in October this year and in a bizarre twist, despite the deteriorating political climate in the country, he is delighted to be back in the African country.

Fr Dolan, a missionary priest with the Kiltegan Fathers, explained how things started to fall apart in the Country in the last few days.

"Things started getting bad as the final Presidential votes were announced, that was on Sunday 30 December. It was televised and you could actually see the 'rigging' taking place. It was all so rushed, the results were announced, the President taken to State House and installed, all within half-an-hour.

"There was no public ceremony, he was just brought there, protected by police, and sworn into office. Immediately it was obvious riots were going to happen and I just thought I'd better get home, then, about ten minutes later you just heard the din and the roar all over the place".
Fr Dolan, who has spent 24 years ministering in the country, said the unrest was 'worse than anything I've seen in Kenya'.

"The rioting continued all of Sunday evening and most of Monday just exactly where I was. The rioters were targeting members of the Kikuyu tribe, President Kibaki's ethnic community.

"At the moment', he reported, " there are 250,000 displaced people all over the country, and although the Government are saying figures of 300-400 people dead, I've been working with human rights groups and I think it's more like 1,000 people who have been killed in the space of a week."

There have two aspects to the violence, Fr Dolan explained: "There was chaos in the cities, and then in the rural areas, especially in the Rift Valley, they have been targeting Kikuyu's farmers who are being burnt out and they have all rushed to churches for refuge, food and protection.

"That's what happened in Eldoret where people were attacked and burnt to death in a church. That has never happened before in Kenya. People go to a Church because that's where they feel safe where they can stay until things calm down.
"Two others churches have also been targeted, although in these cases no one was killed. But, it means people are reluctant to run to the church. In many cases they are now going to police stations instead. Despite this, many of our Kiltegan parishes are hosting 2,000-3,000 people within a church compound."

Looking forward, Fr Dolan said much hope now rested with the arrival in Kenya of John Kufuor, the Chairman of the African Union, and President of Ghana, who, it is hoped, will mediate between the groups.

"They are talking about a Government of National Unity, and that's what we had before, but that can only work again if it is organised from outside, but not if President Kibaki thinks he can pick people from all parties who are friends of his and form a Government. No, that won't work, it has to be done on the basis of equality between the two major parties. And I don't think a re-run in the next three months is the answer, because the Electoral Commission are the ones who mishandled it and they along with the judiciary need to be corrected. We need a lot of constitutional reforms to ensure that when elections do take place, they will be free and fair."

Fr Dolan reported that things were starting to calm down.

"In the cities, shops are open again and people are concerned with daily life. Schools open again next week and they are thinking about getting books and uniforms organised. Kenyan people are very resilient, no matter what. Life must go on. That's what we are trying to encourage, people need to get back to life and let the politicians sort it out amongst themselves."

And, to some extent life is beginning to return to normal with numbers at demonstrations falling: "People are just tired, they are tired on both sides and are just saying the politicians have got us in a mess.'

Fr Dolan also expressed disappointment at the decision of Irish charity organisation 'Goal' who have evacuated staff out of Kenya.

"I think it was a very unwise decision because there have been no white people attacked and there has been no foreigner in danger. In fact any targeting has been very selective. I just think it is disappointing aid agencies who came to help are running away, the Church would never dream of doing that. I don't think we are in danger, it is the very vulnerable people who live in isolated areas with no one to protect them that we are concerned about.'

Fr Dolan returned to Kenya at the end of October. Now based in Mombasa, he is helping to establish a new parish in a slum area called, 'Bangladesh': "There's about 150,000 people in this slum and we have a small church and we are trying to get a site where we will put a community centre and some services. "It's wonderful to be in Kenya, and to be in my own parish. I'm glad I was here now because it gives you an identity with your own people, that you are in a position to help and get to know people in an emergency. This is something people will talk about for years to come, so you have that identity with them," he explains

"I am still hopeful', he concluded. "The violence has gone down and people are concerned with finding a long-term political solution. Kenyans know there is a lot at stake. The radios and television are carrying messages and peace songs all day long. The churches are coming together and everyone is really trying to save the situation, and I think it can be saved."