Thursday, December 22, 2005

Please Help

Kenyan body stuck in Sweden limbo
By Simon Reeves Sweden.

Arthur always had a book in his hand. Sweden's tiny Kenyan community has launched an appeal for help to pay for the body of a dead compatriot to be flown home for burial.
Journalist Arthur Opot, 56, died on 21 November from head wounds after he fell down a staircase while en route to the birthday party of his ex-wife.
According to the traditions of his Luo tribe, the deceased must be buried in his ancestral village.
But Kenyans in the Swedish capital have only raised a third of the cash needed.
A series of fundraising activities have raised some $1,700, but they need $5,000.
Fundraising committee chairman Dr Otieno Wariaro said the community, numbering about 500, cannot bear this burden alone.
He told the BBC that it would be a great shame to have the burial in Sweden after Mr Opot's family had been promised that the corpse would be flown home.
"Even if it means that we keep the body here for over two months, we must try hard to fulfil that promise," Dr Wariaro noted.
"A new fundraising programme is being planned but in the meantime we have decided to appeal to Kenyans, friends and sympathisers for help," he said.
Dr Wariaro described Mr Opot, who lived in Sweden for more than three decades, as a charming person who loved to read.
"He always carried a novel in his pocket," the doctor added.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home