Volume 1, Issue 5-6 / May-June 2009
A man murdered at the break of the dawn in kakuma two phase II of kakuma refugee camp, Kenya.
A refugee man who was identified as Ergalem Temellese, Eritrean, refugee was murdered on 28/5/2009 by unregistered man under the UNHCR who was later identified as Bulcha Badasa who claimed to be Ethiopian refugee. This date was on the 20th May 2001 according to Ethiopian calendar which marks the 18th anniversary day of Ethiopian People Revolution Democratic Front (E.P.R.D.F) in Ethiopia.
This incident makes situation more complicated since this looks of a more political intruders comes into the camp, may live within the refugee communities, and left unrecognized.
The death of Ergalem was very astonishing and made people fearful. The two had been living together as friends for now two year because they came together from Shashamane town back in Ethiopia. They were living inside a temporary shelter like any other refugees at Kakuma II phase II of the camp. According to Bulcha Badasa during an interview with Kanere Journalist at Kakuma police station on the 29th may 2009.
When Kanere asked him why he committed such crimes, he could not clearly figure out reasons why.
According sources from the communities, Bulcha killed Ergalem while he was sleeping, with a heavy object described as stone that hit his head as the medical doctor from kakuma mission hospital stated on the second day. “I have never seen this before in my life. There was a big crack on the head of this victim and all this bleeding was a result of the internal bleeding. A heavy stone of approximately ten kilo gram’s might have hit his head.” said the medical doctor.
“I have killed him and I’m done. I just surrendered myself to Kenya police because I know I cannot escape. I will be okay with any kind of decision made on this case by the government”. Said Bulcha Badasa. Bulcha claimed that he murdered Ergalem since they had political differences that force him to fled Ethiopia.
During an interview with Kanere Bulcha stated that he arrived in the camp in 2005 but Eritrean community leader stated that Bulcha arrived in 2007 and was not registered refugee under UNHCR. According to the community leader he acknowledge that Bulcha is a registered, so this is not a care that concern with UNHCR but the Kenya Government but the question remain on the UNHCR on how Bulcha gets into the camp? Refugees some source; how did he have consideration to be provided with shelter, food and medical at kakuma refugee hospital when he committed suicide?
Many rumors and speculation goes around the Eritrean and Ethiopian community in Kakuma one that Bulcha was an expert killed where he had and also attempted to murder several refugees in the neighboring communities like Uganda, Sudan and in Kenya. “after he fled from Uganda on unidentified circumstances he came to Nairobi, Kenya where he was imprison for six (6) months for murdering an Ethiopian refugee by name Ably in 2007, said anonymous refugee source.
Additionally, before Bulcha came to Kakuma Refugee camp he chopped off on head of GETANA known refugee to Eritrean leaders. Fortunately, Gatana survived and Bulcha managed to escape to unknown place for some time but the victim got resettlement to Canada between 2002-2003 according to sources.
Neighbors stated that Bulcha was been threatening to kill Eritrean by sharpening machete for several days. “I personal felt load on the death of Ergalem, who reported to me the matter and also police station and Ergalem was arrested by a police officer at Kakuma 3 and kept in the cell for three days.” Said anonymous refugee at Kakuma 2 phase 2.
In 2006, the murderer committed suicide by stumping himself seven (7) times in his stomach and was admitted to Kakuma Refugee camp Hospital