Kate Holt / EPA / Care International
By
Dukhan Jundit
Further to the announcement earlier this week from the Kenyan government with regard to a plan to close two refugee camps, a decision has now been made in wake of mass condemnation to close only one.
The refugee camp at Kakuma will now remain operational whereas the decision to close the camp at Dadaab stands, this being one of the largest refugee camps in the world hosting Somalis fleeing Al-Shabaab terrorists.
There was widespread condemnation from the United Nations, NGOs and human rights organisations from around the world following the Kenyan government’s earlier decision, but these are likley to persisit given that one camp will still close.
The Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Major General Joseph Nkaissery, briefed the Kenya media stating that they would no longer receive refugees from Somalia.
The Kenya government has announced a budget of approximately 10 million dollars for repatriation of some 500,000 refugees back to their countries. It is said that the camp at Kakuma has been found to be not as great a security risk as that at Daddaab.
Kakuma currently hosts a large number of South Sudanese refugees following the outbreak of civil war in December 2013.
We are an educational assistance organization for agencies running schools in refugee camps. Question: What will happen to the children now receiving some schooling in the camps once the camps are closed? Who can speak to this? We would like to engage in dialogue? Thank you, Dale Dieleman, VP. Tent Schools Int.