Kenya Reckless closure of worlds biggest refugee c will put lives at risk
(MENAFNEditorial) Kenya: Reckless closure of world''s biggest refugee camp will put lives at risk LONDON United Kingdom May 9 2016/APO (African Press Organization)/ --
The Kenyan government’s decision to close down two large refugee camps including the world’s biggest at Dadaab is likely to put thousands of innocent lives at risk said Amnesty International today. “This reckless decision by the Kenyan government is an abdication of its duty to protect the vulnerable and will put thousands of lives at risk” said Muthoni Wanyeki Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East Africa the Horn and the Great Lakes. “It could lead to the involuntary return of thousands of refugees to Somalia and other countries of origin where their lives may still be in danger. This would be in violation of Kenya’s obligations under international law.” In a statement the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government Dr Karanja Kibicho said the decision to close Dadaab and Kakuma camps was due to “immense security challenges such as the threat of Al-Shabaab.” He said Kenya had hosted more than 600000 refugees for over a quarter of a century and had shouldered a “very heavy economic security and environmental burden.” He also asked for the support of the international community to expedite the process. “While it is true that resettlement to third countries has been slow Kenya should itself consider permanent solutions towards the full integration of refugees some of whose stay in Kenya is now over generations” said Muthoni Wanyeki. “Forced return to situations of persecution or conflict is not an option.” Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Amnesty International.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.