ugnet_: Funeral of terror Victims: Kenya's body fee angers relatives-BBC

[Omar Kezimbira]

Sunday, 1 December, 2002, 11:47 GMT Kenya body fee angers relatives Kenyan mourners are bitter at their treatment By Ishbel Matheson BBC correspondent in Nairobi British holidaymakers in Kenya have raised money so that three Kenyans killed in Thursday's bombing can be buried. Officials at a hospital mortuary in Mombasa refused to release the bodies until relatives paid the �150 ( $234) fee. This petty officialdom was made all the more distressing because the families could not afford to pay until the tourists stepped in. The dead belonged to the dance troop which was welcoming guests at the Paradise Hotel when the bomb exploded. Funerals halted The funerals were due to go ahead on Saturday. The graves had been dug in the dancers' home village and the relatives had gathered. Little Pendo Salim's mother was a member of the dance troop But when the families went to pick up the bodies from the hospital mortuary, they were presented with a bill. They were told the bodies would not be released until the mortuary fees were cleared. Help came from British holidaymakers staying at a nearby hotel. After the bombing, guests started raising funds to help the Kenyan victims of the attack. It is this money which will be used to release the bodies for burial. Relatives are bitter about what has happened. One man said that Kenyans were suffering more than Israelis - the original targets of the suicide bombers. The Israeli military airlifted out their survivors and the dead within hours of the attack. The Kenyan government and opposition politicians have also publicly pledged funds to help those caught up in the bombing. But this, it seems, still has to reach those in need.

Israelis targeted Key stories Mombasa in shock Attacks in pictures Israeli PM's response Attack aftermath World outrage Analysis Effect on tourism Al-Qaeda v Israel? Portable missile threat Kenya a soft target Al-Qaeda suspected Threat to economy TALKING POINT Your reaction AUDIO VIDEO TV and Radio reports See also: 23 Nov 02 | Country profiles Country profile: Kenya 01 Dec 02 | Africa US warns of more strikes in Africa Internet links: Israeli Foreign Ministry Kenya Government BBC Focus on Africa BBC Network Africa The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Top Africa stories now: Ivorian rebel cities brace for attack Seven die in Angola mine blast Kenya body fee angers relatives World deal for cheap drugs stalls South African men march against rape Police raids across South Africa Eritrean PoWs return home Giving polio the boot in Ghana Links to more Africa stories are at the foot of the page.

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Links to more Africa stories In This Section Ivorian rebel cities brace for attack Seven die in Angola mine blast Kenya body fee angers relatives World deal for cheap drugs stalls South African men march against rape Police raids across South Africa Eritrean PoWs return home Giving polio the boot in Ghana Muslims condemn Nigerian 'fatwa' Kenya fears uncertain future US warns of more strikes in Africa Tourism in an uncertain world Mombasa in a state of shock The threat from portable missiles Kenya's press asks 'Why us?' Questions over Kenyan security Kenya attacks: TV and radio reports

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