Attention Mr. Ndegwa Muhoro, Director, Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Nairobi, Kenya
Dear Mr. Muhoro:
We are writing this public letter today representing IPEN, a global network of more than 500 public interest non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in 116 countries to strengthen and implement safe chemicals policies and practices that protect health, human rights, and the environment. We are gravely concerned about the safety of our friends and colleagues in Kenya who are members of the Centre for Justice, Governance and Environmental Action (CJGEA).
We are aware that following the legal service notices on the 2nd of February 2017 to Metal Refinery EPZ Ltd. for the Owino Uhuru Class Action Litigation Case, CJGEA members have been ruthlessly threatened and harassed. They are living in fear for their lives. Due to threats to their security, they cannot stay in their homes and have had to relocate.
Yesterday we released a press release (see below) about a member of CJGEA Mr. Alfred Ogola who was almost burned with his family in his house, and nothing has been done. We also talked about the attacks on other CJGEA members.
Today, a member of CJGEA Mr. Wilfred Kamencu's son has been kidnapped. Mr. Kamencu has been at the police station all morning. The fear our members are living in is at an extreme.
We need the government to investigate this and ensure CJGEA members are being protected. We are also calling on the government to please find Mr. Kamencu's son as soon as possible.
We have been making urgent calls to action to the DPP for weeks now, and nothing has been done. We are urging the DPP to step in, investigate this, and ensure that our people are protected and don't go on living in fear.
In December, IPEN held an African Sub-Regional Meeting in order to foster relationships among IPEN Participating Organizations (POs) in the region; learn from each other by sharing skills, experiences, and best practices; expand knowledge about international chemical policy developments; and update POs in the region on the IPEN 2020 goals.
Speaking to the Sarnia Observer, Veronique Perron, a spokesperson for federal Science Minister Kirsty Duncan stated that the Canadian government is committed to moving forward on banning asbestos and will be making an announcement regarding government action to enact the ban before the current session of Parliament ends on December 20, 2016.
The government’s action on a ban will be grounded in science and evidence-based decision making, stated Perron.
