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Letter from the Editor

Letter from the Editor

Dear Kanere community here & abroad,

Foremost, it’s with great enthusiasm that we announce that Kakuma News Reflector (or KANERE) has obtained its registration status as a national Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Kenya. KANERE strongly welcomes further collaboration from all the Government Departments within Turkana County, the Department of Refugee Affairs, the UNHCR Head of Sub-Office and other humanitarian agencies in Kakuma.

Currently, Kanere is being published on quarterly basis until better funding is available for a monthly or a more regular publication. In this issue, we discuss different patterns of news and incidents that took place inside and outside the refugee camp that affected the refugees in Kenya.

In the camp, some sad news concerned the inter-communal conflicts which persisted inside the camp. In the month of September inter-communal fights escalated between Nuer and Gambella-Anyuak where more than twenty people sustained injuries. However, in the middle of this year at least eight people were killed in the similar violence in the camp, a story featured in this edition.

Food rations were reduced, while since October collection of food in every distribution in Kakuma and Dadaab Complex has been based on an online fingerprinting system. This move has caused instability and alarm to the beneficiaries of food aid. According to the refugee communities, the introduction of “No match no food” in the bio-metric food collection system was largely opposed, but the World Food Program (WFP) stated that the move was to enhance transparency and accountability in food distribution and monitoring.

In the Kenyan capital Nairobi, the Westgate terror attack had negative implications for refugees. The Kenya security machinery had to crack down in Kenya’s metropolis and major cities in the hunt for possible culprits, leading to arbitrary arrest and detentions of innocent refugees.

Following this insecurity, pressure has mounted in Kenya to close refugee camps and to return all Somali refugees to Mogadishu. The Governments of Kenya and Somalia have since worked closely with the UNHCR, establishing a Tripartite Commission on Standards and Procedures of voluntary repatriation for Somalis that was signed in Nairobi on Sunday 10 November, 2013.

However, since the Tripartite Commission was set up, xenophobia against Somali refugees has been on the rise both in camps and urban areas.

Nonetheless, the first (2010) Cohort to study in the Jesuit Commons: Higher Education at the Margins online learning program received their Diplomas in Liberal Studies at a graduation ceremony at the Arrupe learning center.

On the international scene, Italy declared a national day of mourning after a boat packed with African migrants caught fire and sank off the island of Lampedusa, killing at least 300 people in October alone.

As an independent refugee media organization, Kanere seeks support and welcomes funding and material support from the UNHCR and any interested donors, either local or at the international level.

Have a wonderful day,

Signed,

Qaabata Boru

Editorial Executive – Kanere

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Quotes of the Month

Quotes of the Month October – November

“The return of Somali refugees must be voluntary, conducted in safety and dignity.”

– The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Mr. Guterres told Kenyan officials/ “Somali Repatriation”

 

“We call upon the members of the community to maintain peace, it is unfortunate a child was involved whenever fights broke out,”

– said an LWF peace building official/ “Inter-communal conflicts”

“I was arrested together with 20 others, we had documents but police wish to verify all identification papers,”

– a Somali woman told Kanere in an interview/ “Refugees are not Terrorists”

“Kenya is a fair country in terms of refugee protection and to KANERE, the services we offered are pro bono,”

– said Advocate Rahma Jillo/ “KANERE – Registered as an NGO”

 

“The needs assessment was conducted in 2009 and the first intake in liberal studies was in 2010 where 27 students were able to graduate,”

– Elizabeth Lock, JC-HEM Coordinator, JRS Kakuma/ “Diploma Graduation Ceremony”

“There are 15,000 persons who have not reported to collect food rations, meaning these individuals are not in the camp,”

– a UNHCR official commented in a statement at FDC 3 in the Camp/ “Classified Finger Printing”

“Id is a great day. We should be sharing whatever we have with the most vulnerable and needy members of the community,”

–  urged a Sheikh at a mosque in Kakuma 1/  “Muslims Mark Id-Ul-Adha”

“There’re many courses offered online, after three years, it becomes real to accomplish. Despite a lot of burning heat, I made it here”

                   – Said Ahmed Biwaye, one of the graduates/ “Diploma Graduation Ceremony”

“Surrounded with atrocities, harshness and hardship in the line of war, killing fellow human beings breaks my heart,”

– A Former Sudanese War Child was quoted at a Concert in the Camp/ “Emmanuel Jal’s visit to Kakuma”

 

“There are 160 Nuer which outnumbered only 20 Murle arrested in masses but released after strong warnings,”

– said a government official commented/ “Inter-communal conflicts”  

“I felt humiliated in the cell, I was not given time to speak out before being released with a fine of Kshs 6,000,”

– A tired and hungry sheik told Kanere/ “Refugees are not Terrorists”

 “Kanere News is a platform that does not only cover the refugee issues but includes the marginalized host communities of Turkana. It’s an initiative to be funded equally,”

– said a Turkana District information officer/ “KANERE – Registered as an NGO”

“We’re not ready to go back to Mogadishu, our community is not prepared for it either, it’s not yet safe,”

– M. Gabo a Somali refugee told Kanere/ “Somali Repatriation”

“The refugees felt insecure and harassed to have to present their fingerprints to collect the rations,”

– a refugee zonal leader told Kanere/ “Classified Finger Printing”

Categories
Human Rights News Updates

KANERE – Registered as an NGO

Kakuma News Reflector (KANERE) has obtained its registration with the government as a national NGO in Kenya

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Humanitarian Services News Updates

Classified Fingerprinting

The refugees in Kakuma Camp must go through a bio-metric assessment at all the Food Distribution Centers

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Human Rights Humanitarian Services News Updates

Somali Repatriation

Is repatriation a solution for Somali refugees?

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Human Rights Kakuma Town and Kenya News Updates

Refugees are not Terrorists

By Ibrahim Gindicha & Qaabata Boru

Terror attacks had negative implications for refugees following the Westgate tragedy, with arbitrary arrest and detention of innocent refugees

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Community and Culture News Updates Peace and Security

Inter-Communal Conflicts

Six members of the Sudanese Nuer community were arrested by police in Kakuma 2 following inter-communal clashes 

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Education Humanitarian Services News Updates

Diploma Graduation Ceremony

The official ceremony and handing out of Diplomas was marked by delicious meals and entertainments at Arrupe Learning Centre in Kakuma

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Community and Culture News Updates

Muslims Mark Id-Ul-Adha

The Faithful decked in fine robes and dresses conducted early morning prayers at Kakuma football field

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News Updates

Emmanuel Jal’s Visit to Kakuma

The former Sudanese child soldier Emmanuel Jal visited Kakuma refugee camp in the far Northwestern Kenya near to the South Sudan border