DATE=8/7/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=KENYA / BOMB ANNIVERSARY (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-265205
BYLINE=KATY SALMON
DATELINE=NAIROBI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Kenya and Tanzania are marking the second
anniversary of the twin U-S embassy bombings in their
capitals. On August 7, 1998, Nairobi and Dar-es-
Salaam were rocked by nearly simultaneous bomb blasts
that blew up the American embassies. Katy Salmon in
Nairobi reports that Kenyans are commemorating what
they call Black Friday - one of Africa's bloodiest
terrorist attacks.
TEXT: /// SINGING. EVERYBODY COME WE ARE GOING TO
SING A SONG TO REMEMBER DEPARTED FRIENDS. ESTABLISH
AND FADE UNDER ///
Hundreds of Kenyans - some on crutches, others in
wheelchairs - gathered at the site of the former U-S
Embassy to lay wreaths and to observe a minute's
silence in memory of those who died two-years ago.
Two-hundred-thirteen people were killed and more than
five-thousand injured when a car bomb exploded at the
U-S Embassy in the center of Nairobi on a busy Friday.
At a ceremony Monday at the bombing site, United
States Ambassador Johnnie Carson called the attack an
act of terrorism against democracy and promised
justice for the victims.
/// ACT CARSON ///
We will redouble our efforts to ensure that
those who were responsible will be brought to
justice, will be caught, prosecuted and judged.
Terrorism should never be allowed to triumph
over justice and evil should not be allowed to
triumph over right.
///ACT ENDS///
No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but
the United States has accused suspected terrorist
Osama Bin Laden of planning and funding the East-
African bombings.
At the bombsite in Kenya, survivors recalled their
experiences. Julie Ogoye lost her left eye.
/// ACT OGOYE ///
It was a day of pain, bloodshed; it was a time
when, it is like life was coming to an end.
/// ACT ENDS ///
Julie Ogoye says she was in her office when the bomb
exploded.
/// ACT OGOYE ///
So I was blown out, taken over. I went and
landed over the other side of the building. So
after some time, somebody tried to come and help
me out. I could not see straight away. I found
my eyes blinded.
/// ACT ENDS ///
Julie Ogoye says she was taken to the hospital where
doctors worked to save her sight.
/// ACT OGOYE ///
That is when I was told my left eye was out of
the socket. So they had two operations and even
went to Germany to try to revive it, but it was
not possible.
/// ACT ENDS ///
Douglas Sidialo was also blinded by the Kenya bomb
blast. As chairman of the survivors' association,
which is called Visual Seventh August, he is asking
for more aid from the United States government to
extend support programs, which are due to end next
year.
/// ACT SIDIALO ///
We will kindly ask, humbly, the American
government to consider extending these programs
for as long as people need medical attention,
school-fees support.
/// ACT ENDS ///
More than three-thousand Kenyans are suing the U-S
government for 500-million dollars of compensation.
(SIGNED)
NEB/KS/GE/RAE
07-Aug-2000 10:45 AM EDT (07-Aug-2000 1445 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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