After the deadly Garissa attacks the government gave a 3 months notice to all somali refugees at the Daadab refugee camp.In response to that,The United Nations (UN) has warned President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy, William Ruto, against closing down Dadaab Refugee Camp and forcing refugees back to Somalia. In its first reaction after Ruto threatened to put all refugees in trucks and buses and send back to Somalia by force in three months if the UN will not repatriate them willingly, United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) warned that forcing Somali refugees back to their country would have extreme humanitarian and practical consequences both on Kenya and the refugees.
UNHCR Spokeswoman, Karin de Gruijl, told Uhuru/ Ruto to reconsider their decision to repatriate refugees by force because the move will be against the law and will have economic consequences on Kenya. “We are urging the Jubilee Government to give the matter further consideration,” said Gruijl. “The main issue is voluntariness of returns. If these people were forced to return, it could be in breach of international law and UNHCR would not facilitate such a move and it would have consequences,” she added citing the UN Refugees Convention of 1951.
Besides, the UN warned that repatriating the refugees will give Al Shabaab a ready-made army as they young refugees may just join them to teach Kenya a lesson. “Basically, Kenya would be handing over to Al Shabaab a ready-made army of say 200, 000 young men who will have nothing to do,” she said. The Jubilee Government decided to close down the Dadaab camp after it became apparent that it was being used as a recruitment and planning ground for Al Shabaab.
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