By: ABDIKADIR OKASH
NAIROBI—The United Nations refugee agency has called on the Kenyan government to tone down the rising anti-refugee sentiments following reports that at least 2000 Somali refugees have opted to return to their country for fear of forceful eviction.
The statement comes at the wake of an approaching deadline that will see the closure of the biggest camp in the world. The closure was captured in a tripartite agreement by Kenya, Somalia and the UNHCR signed in 2015. The Kenyan government said it would close down the camp on November.
Kenya says the refugee camp serves as breeding ground for the militant group Al Shabab, although there has never been a suspect from the camps on record.
Since the Interior Minister Joseph Nkaisery made the remarks on May this year at Nairobi, refugees became worrisome that the Kenyan government could compel them to return to Somalia.
To show how the government was serious about the matter, a state funded refugee agency was suspended.
“We have received a number of complaints where the refugees said they felt unsafe to stay in the camps until the deadline,” Mohamed Gurhan an officer with the UNHCR office in Dadaab said.
He added that at least 16, 000 refugees left since the Kenyan government said it would close down the camp.
“Most of those returning are not doing it voluntarily,” Mohamed said.
“They fear for their security and wellbeing. They don’t want to be caught off-guard,” he added.
In 2014 following two explosions in the capital Nairobi, the Kenyan security agencies started an operation codenamed “Usalama Watch” where a number of Somali refugees were detained without charge. An unspecified number of them were returned to Somalia.
Right agencies led by the Human Rights Watch reported cases of sexual violence against women by the Kenyan police officers and cases of extortion.
The operation lasted for a month and was called off following pressure by the international community and the right groups.
But there are doubts whether security will improve once the Daadab refugees complex is shut. The border between Kenya and Somalia is porous and people pushed back may return to Kenya.
Without even basic necessities, there are fears that the shunned refugees could be easier recruits for armed groups in both countries, particularly the militant group Al Shabab.
There are 328,111 Somali refugees living in Dadaab camps and a total of 415,849 registered Somali refugees in Kenya.
