Hundreds of British tourists evacuated under armed guard from Kenya over terror

[malistar2012]

Hundreds of British tourists evacuated under armed guard from Kenya over terror fears .

 

 

 

 

 

Friday, May 16, 2014

 

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A number of UK travel companies are suspending holidays to Kenya, with hundreds of British tourists being evacuated under armed guard because of a growing terror threat.

Tour operators Thomson and First Choice are bringing holidaymakers home after a change in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) travel advice.

The two companies have cancelled all flights to the East African country until the end of October, while long-haul travel company Kuoni is, for the time being, not offering holidays to the Kenyan coast.

Earlier this month, a bomb attack at a bus station in the coastal city of Mombasa killed three people and injured around 16.

Another explosion also damaged a hotel in the city during rising tensions and a a recent spate of al-Shabab-linked incidents.

Around 100,000 Britons travel to Kenya every year, and many have been devastated by the change in circumstances.

Andy Coughlan was on 'a dream holiday' after with his wife Irene, 53, who was told she had gone into remission after suffering breast cancer.

'We’re absolutely devastated,' Mr Coughlan, 53, told The Daily Telegraph. 'Ren had been seriously ill for a long time and this was the first time after all the chemo that she was ready to travel.

 

'She said she wanted to wait for her hair to grow back. As soon as it did, we were on our way here.'

The couple from Swansea were staying at the luxury Diani beach and had only arrived in Kenya on Tuesday.

Earlier this week the FCO changed its advice for Kenya to advise against all but essential travel to Mombasa island and within 3.1 miles of the coast from Mtwapa creek in the north to Tiwi in the south.

Kuoni said today: 'Although the advice does not include Moi International Airport, Diani beach or Malindi, the main road to access these resorts goes through the restricted area defined by the FCO advice.

'This means that we are no longer able to offer holidays to the Kenyan coast at present.'

The company added that it would contact all customers who were due to travel in the next seven days and this would continue on a rolling basis until the FCO advice changed.

Kuoni said that any customers travelling from the UK within the next seven days with an itinerary that included the coast were able to cancel free of charge or amend to an alternative destination with no administration fee but at the applicable cost.

The company went on: 'For any customers who are travelling to other parts of Kenya on safari or staying in a lodge and don't have Mombasa included in their itinerary, they will not be affected by the current FCO advice and holidays will continue as normal.'

Thomson and First Choice said they had been continuously monitoring the situation as it developed and have been working very closely with the FCO and follow its advice at all times.

The companies went on: 'As a result of the change in FCO advice, the decision has been taken to cancel all our outbound flights to Mombasa, Kenya, up to and including October 31.

'As a precautionary measure, we have also taken the decision to repatriate all customers currently on holiday in Kenya, including our Air Fare passengers, back to the UK on Thursday and Friday this week.'

According to reports, Thomson has about 400 customers in Kenya, including those in Mombasa and on safari.

The FCO advice reads: 'There is a high threat from terrorism, including kidnapping. The main threat comes from extremists linked to Al Shabaab, a militant group that has carried out attacks in Kenya in response to Kenya's military intervention in Somalia.

'There has been a spate of small-scale grenade, bomb and armed attacks in Nairobi (especially the area of Eastleigh), Mombasa, and North Eastern Province.

'You should take care in public places where people gather, and exercise a heightened level of vigilance.'

A spokeswoman for the FCO said: 'We estimate there are 5,000 British nationals resident along the coast and approximately 500 in Mombasa and surrounding area.'

 

[DoctorKenney]

This looks like it'll give the International Community an even bigger incentive to stabilize Somalia at all costs.

 

This war is spilling into Kenya and other countries already.

 

And this is what the Kenyans get for completely ignoring Somalia in the late 1990's and letting the civil war continue by arming different warlords. You reap what you sow

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Kenya never did arm different warlords they just gave safe heaven to warlords to build their fortune in Kenya. But Kenya had no interest of playing one warlord against the other thats Ethiopias game meles zenawi knew how to play warlords against each other. Kenya really got involved in Somalia only in 2011.

[DoctorKenney]

The Kenyans DEFINITELY armed and financially supported different warlords in Somalia back in the 1990's and 2000's, and so did the Ethiopians. They had a direct hand in prolonging the civil war and numerous reports say the exact same thing.

 

And several warlords and Kacaan-era Generals who have blood on their hands live IN Kenya, without being arrested.

 

The Kenyans (and Ethiopians) prolonged the civil war, armed different warlords, and now that the civil war is spilling into Kenya, now the Kenyans are having to deal with the consequences (including having a floundering economy). And since Kenya's economy relies on tourism, then having no tourists is REALLY going to hurt them in the long run.

 

You get what you deserve.

 

These short-sighted Kikuyu never thought to themselves that having a next-door neighbor (Somalia) in chaos and civil-war might be bad for them in the long-run.

 

The Americans would never allow Canada to be in chaos. Because they know that if Canada continues to be in chaos, it'll affect America negatively. Yet these short-sighted Kenyans don't think like that. Their IQ isn't too high

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Kenyans did little they had no understanding of the civil war and the warlords they loved the conflict aslong as they stayed away from Kenya but now the Kenyan tourism industry is badly damaged. The Ethiopians prolonged the conflict but its due to the stupidity of the warlords of Somalia, for never getting it right. The Kenyans welcomed the refugees of Somalia , Kenyans are cautious Ethiopians and the TPLF are risk takers in their policy. Kenya is learnign from Ethiopia now how to meddle in Somalia affairs the Jubba affairs for example, and other issues in the region.

[DoctorKenney]

Of course the Kenyans would understand what's going on in Somalia's Civil War! They're a sovereign nation with the ability to hire analysts and policy-makers who could study the Somali Conflict and then decide what to do!

 

Countries study each other all the time, especially when it comes to their neighboring country. That's why Brazil has policy-makers who are experts on Argentina. Or Japan has policy-makers who are experts on South Korea. Or Germany has policy-makers who are experts on France, etc.

 

This is all very normal. Why wouldn't the Kenyans have an understanding of Somalia's civil war? And why wouldn't the Kenyans have the incentive or will to resolve Somalia's conflict, knowing that this could be detrimental to their country's security? We've all seen how the Rwandan Civil War in 1994 spilled into Congo, causing a major civil war in Congo where millions died.

 

That's what happens when your neighbor's house is on fire. Your house is gonna catch fire too. And the Kenyans were too STUPID to realize this. They deserve what they get.

 

Don't these Kenyans take lessons from history?

 

[DoctorKenney]

The Kenyans definitely involved themselves in the civil war. There are numerous accounts of them giving refuge, arms and money to these separate Somali warlords.

 

And the warlords are partially to blame yes, but every country in the world is a mixed bag of good and evil. You have power-hungry amoral men who are ready to seize power, in every single country on Earth, not just Somalia. Somalia's most degenerate, illiterate power-hungry old men seized the opportunity to become powerful at the expense of the common Somali. And they sought power and fortune and that's what they got.

 

The Ethiopians and Kenyans should've developed a hands-off policy in Somalia when it came to arming the warlords, but they directly involved themselves in the affairs of our country. They got their hands dirty, and now they're paying the consequences. If they were smarter, they would have tried harder to bring Somalis together and attempt to end the civil war as soon as possible. If they were serious, Somalia's Civil War would've ended in the 1990's. But no, it's STILL going on

 

And the Kenyans will continue dealing with this until they correct their previous mistakes.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

I believe you are right about the incentive they wish to earn from the Europeans but i doubt the Kenyans were ever as involved in Somalia as Ethiopia. Kenyans showed little or no interest in Somalia in the civil war. surely nations study each other and have an entire departments that focus on the strategic interest of a nation regarding their neighboring countries but relations were never bad between Kenya and Somalia during the war. Somali politicians always retire in Kenya own large businesses in Kenya spend their hard currency in kenya.

 

Since the day of Daniel arap moi the Kenyans have showed little or no interest in the Somali conflict. The warlords might have spend times in Kenya but the kenyan govt had little to do with it. Where as Ethiopia gave the warlords cash ammunition and arms and even diplomatic save heaven in their country when needed.

 

Ethiopia meddled in Somalia affairs like no other Ethiopia studied the Somali political culture their behavior their destructive tribal allegiance. Till recent times Kenyans had no clue what the civil war was about only when they got involved in kismayo ask your self how come they never got involved in Kismayo when hiiraale was the warlord there. Their whole policy towards Somalia was non existent

[DoctorKenney]

So you're admitting that the Kenyans are either vindictive, or they're just plain stupid?

 

If the Kenyans helped fuel Somalia's Civil War and helped to arm warlords, then they're vindictive.

 

If the Kenyans stayed out of the way and ignored Somalia's Civil War, then they're just stupid.

 

It's one or the other saaxib. Either way, the Kenyans don't have anyone to blame except themselves. If you ignore the fire in your neighbor's house, then the fire will spread to your house. Sooner or later.

 

That's what happened between Rwanda and Congo in 1994. Congo paid the price and they lost 5 MILLION CITIZENS as a result.

 

Kenya really needs to hire new policy-makers. These low-IQ analysts they have working for the Government have no idea what they're doing.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Kenyans are plain stupid they had no policy towards Somalia only since recent when Alshabaab was abducting Westerners in Kenya and other Kenyans inside Kenya. If i was Kenya i would try to present my self as the peace maker of Somalia and earn incentive at the same time divide and prolong the conflict of Somalia it might sound evil. But i would have done it to protect the interest and political economic interest of Kenya.

 

Many countries have such a policy towards their neighbors. Rwanda and the M23 towards Congo for example. Kenyans have done absolutely nothing and now Alshabaab is going ape on them inside kenya, you have to always think from a strategic point of view.

 

Kenyans are just docile bantus who are happy with the little attention they get from Europeans and their little tourism industry. There is no long term interest for Kenya, Civil war in Kenya will come sooner or later, and most likely a religious war and it will start some where in Mombassa and will spread all over the place.

[DoctorKenney]

Xaaji, if the Kenyans were smart, then back in the 1990's they would have created autonomous Federal States in Southern Somalia (similar to the Administration in Waqooyi) and then create some fragile peace in the country while having a strong influence in the affairs of Somalia.

 

It would've been a win-win situation. Kenya could have taken credit for stabilizing the country, while at the same time they directly have control over Somalia's day-to-day affairs.

 

But no, they were too stupid. You can't expect these docile, low IQ Kenyans to ever make decisions that's in their best interests. They're too busy pandering to Westerners and hosting Safaris.

 

And the Somali Civil War will continue to destabilize Kenya. The Kenyans have no choice but to use all their energies to help eliminate Al Shabaab and also create a professional Somali Army to help pacify the country. A capable and professional Somali Army is the only thing that will help stabilize the Horn of Africa.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Kenyans could have done so much more than just waiting and they had the tools the money the resources the ideas but they are not risk takers. I think they were scared of Somalis. Somalia was broken in pieces they should have taken advantage of it. Daniel arap moi administration remained on the sidelines. Ethiopia gave warlords platform ammunition armed them against each. Made sure they were allied to all Somali factions enemy's to non. Kenyans only came into the Somalia civil war when they were feeling the heat. But maybe i capitalize on events that happen and i think differently than the Kenyans.

 

if i was the leader of Somalia i could annex NFD with out firing a single bullet.Now the Kenyans have influence in kismayo instead of the other way around. Remember for most countries in the region with the exception of Somaliland and Djibouti. The Somalia conflict remaining as it is in its current predicament is in the interest of Kenya ofcourse a peaceful Somalia would be better for Kenya. What kenya wants is Alshabaab gone and the warlords fill the vacuum. And no Somali state with a strong army because a strong army eventually will threaten them. Alshabaab ruins their industry tourism but they get fundngs from Europe for their work in Somalia.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Is this 'dhaqtar' wishing his fairy tale of Kuukuuyada creating their own bantustan gobollo in Koonfurta in the name of his supposedly supporting 'federalism'? And he calls Kuukuuyo's early no-hands policy 'naive'?

 

Kuukuuyada siyaasadda Soomaaliya gacmaha ay toos ula gasho waxee ahayd Oktoobar, 2011. Wixii taas ka yimidna waa waxaa hadda ka hadleyno, dhib iyo balaayo kala kulantay.

 

2011 kahor Kuukuuyada shaqadeeda ma ahayn, mana kala jecleen Soomaaliya dhibkee ku jirtay, in fact weyba sii jeclaan lahayd dhibkaas Soomaaliya kusii jirto maadaama dalkeeda, gaar ahaan Nayroobi dhaqaalo badan ku heli jireen dhibka Soomaaliya, gaar ahaan xarumaha caalamka Nayroobi degnaa oo Soomaaliya xiriir la lahaa, koow ka tahay xarunta weyn Qaramada Midoobay ku leedahay Nayroobi. Waxee kale daqli ka heli jirtay xirooyinka barakacyaasha ee Dhadhaab ee NFD. Qabqablayaasha Nayroobi deganaana hoteelada u degnaan jireen, dhaqaalo kale meelee ka helaan.

 

Shirkii la qabtana Nayroobi ayuu ahaa, another dhaqaalo for hoteelada. In fact, if they wanted to influence any, they would, especially shirkii dheeraa ee 2002 ilaa 2004 socday. Whereas Xabashi officials blatantly interfered shirkaas, Kuukuuyada wey ka gaabsaneyd shirkaas, despiste it being held in Nayroobi's suburban.

 

Islii kaligeed dhaqaalo aan la sheegi karin ka heli jirtay, mid toos ah iyo mid daboolan. Boqolaal kun dadkooda maalintii Islii u soo shaqo tagi jiray, shaqaalahaas oo ka xoogsan jiray hoteelada ama dukaamada ama maqaayadaha ama bankiyada ama guryaha ama kiyoosyadooda yar yaraa.

 

So, why would they interfere siyaasadda qaracan ee Soomaaliya?

 

And when they did, aad iyo aad ugu fashilmeen, dhaqaalo la'aan iyo nabad la'aan na dheefeen. It is their best interest, Soomaaliya's interest inay ciidamadooda kala baxaan Jubbooyinka, xad beenaadkiina dib ugu noqdaan.