By KANERE staff writer, March 10, 2020
An asylum seeker was found dead at the Ethiopian Orthodox Church compound in Kakuma refugee camp one on Saturday, February 9 2020 in an apparent suicide.
The man was an Ethiopian national in his 40s named Endalkachew Seifu, who had fled his country in the year 2013, as reported by his close friend.
“He felt hopeless after many unsuccessful attempts to get his ‘Mandate’”, his friend explained. ‘Mandate’ refers to the refugee recognition document provided by UNHCR and the Refugee Affairs Secretariat (RAS).
He added that the man had been struggling unsuccessfully to get his documents for seven years, despite fulfilling every criterion for the Refugee Status Determination interview.
“The body of the deceased was found hanging from a tree, with a scarf tied around his neck, “the Kenya Police investigations paper reads.
Hashim Tirunhe, an asylum seeker who came to Kakuma from Ethiopia in 2010, told KANERE that “the Refugee Status Determination (RSD) is a long process which can take many years. However, what makes it frustrating is waiting for ten years while others who came to Kakuma much later are quickly recognized as refugees.”
Individuals who are undergoing long asylum processes often experience anxiety and uncertainty regarding their future. This anxiety is increased by the dire economic situations faced by many people, which can lead to attempts at self-harm. However, suicide is a mental health problem and it can be treated and prevented.
Preventing suicide requires identifying risk factors and reaching out to those who may be the most at risk and in need of further assessment and assistance.
As of February 2020 ,more than 23,000 Asylum seekers are living in Kakuma refugee camp, of which around 3000 are asylum seekers from Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian Community chairman claimed that “we are working closely with concerned offices to solve these kinds of stalled cases. And yes, we have both men and women who have been waiting their RSD decisions from the concerned offices for a long time”.
As Since 2018, suicide and suicide attempts by both women and men have been rising in Kakuma refugee camp, though most of them go unreported.
Recently, the UNHCR issued a press statement – in response to the death of a Ugandan refugee -claiming that“UNHCR is concerned about the growing challenges faced by refugees and asylum-seekers as well as communities hosting them, in meeting their basic needs in the current difficult context.”