(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-01-05 20:14

NAIROBI - The United Nations Saturday said in a news release that between 400,000 and 500,000 people have been affected by the post-election violence in Kenya, and about 250,000 Kenyans have been displaced.

Women displaced by violence carry belongings towards Eldoret, Western Kenya, January 3, 2008. [Agencies]

The figures come as the world body's independent human rights experts expressed deep concern  at the growing inter-ethnic conflict in Kenya, citing the deaths of dozens of civilians, including children and women, after a mob set fire to a church where they had taken sanctuary.

"In this regard, we are profoundly alarmed by the reports of incitement to racial hatred and the growing frictions between the different ethnic groups," the experts said in a joint statement.

The rights experts called on all sides to rapidly end the violence that erupted after President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner over opposition leader Raila Odinga in the country's recent elections.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke by telephone Friday with both President Kibaki and opposition leader Odinga, and called on them to resolve their issues through dialogue.

The violence, which has reportedly claimed at least 177 lives, erupted after Kibaki was declared the winner of last week's poll. Ban also spoke with Ghanaian President John Kufuor, current chairman of the African Union.

"In the light of historical precedents in the region, we strongly appeal to the Kenyan authorities, as well as political, ethnic and religious leaders, to put an end to what may become the dynamics of inter-ethnic killings," they said.

The UN rights experts also called upon the international community, including the United Nations Security Council, to " fulfill its responsibilities in this regard."

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