GOVT IS BREAKING LAW BY REPATRIATING REFUGEES, REFUGEE ORGANIZATIONS SAY

Refugee organizations are accusing the government of going against the Kenyan constitution and International Law by repatriating refugees from Daadab Camp.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Senior Regional Information Officer Teresa Ongaro says that the most responsible way of doing it is ensuring the refugees are going back to safe conditions.

‘Repatriation should be voluntary not forceful;that is acoording to the Refugees Act 2006. Kenya needs to have talks with the International Community and the country of origin for refugees to make the environment safe for the refugees to return,’ says Lucy Kiama Executive Director Refugee Consortium of Kenya.

‘So when the conditions are in place UNHCR always stands ready. That is why we have a tripartite agreement with the country of asylum, the country of origin of the refugees and UNHCR which has a responsibility to make sure people return to their countries in safety and dignity and that that return is sustainable. , explains Ongaro.

She adds that sustainability has been an issue since hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese went back home and the same happened with Burundians decades ago yet they are trying to go back to the camps to seek asylum.

Ongaro says that most refugees do not want to stay in camps but it is out of fear they do not want to be repatriated.

‘The issue that prevents people from going home is fear of insecurity. Currently refugees in Burundi are fleeing not because of the unrest but they are uncertain of what is going to happen in their country. Most refugees do not flee so that they have a good life in a refugee camp’.

Further, complaints have been raised over harassment of refugees especially after a terrorist attacks.

‘Security officers mistreat them because of the notion that most of the attacks are masterminded in the camps. Those who are unable to bribe the officers find themselves locked up, says Kiama.

Kiama challenges government to start  using technology to screen refugees at border points so as to detect their intentions of entry.

‘Some might be coming to get treatment but sneak into our borders with illegal arms. These security points can be used to check if entrants are infected with contagious diseases like polio and measles. They can be treated before they enter to avoid cases of outbreaks. Most conflict countries have poor health infrastructure.’

According to the UNHCR Senior Information Officer millions have been displaced worldwide.

The East African region is home to almost 3 million refugees and 300,000 have arrived in the last few months alone.

Kenya hosts 600,000 refugees mainly from the neighbouring countries for almost 2 decades.

This happens as Kenya prepares to commemorate ‘World Refugee Day’ on June 20^th.

It is a day set aside by the United Nations since the year 2000 to pay attention to the situations of people displaced globally.