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
.