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Letter from the Editor Opinion

Letter from the Editor

Dear KANERE readers,

It’s been many months without publication from us and this has been due to continued challenges over material support but we are back on reporting again.

Every time a new edition is out, it’s an anticipation for the voiceless camp resident. This is the thing we do, to provide uncensored stories and counter humanitarian propaganda on many issues surrounding refugee protection, by reporting facts or exposing some of the failures in the refugee operation.

In this edition, we bring diverse stories from across the camps but limited to a more critical coverage of the news items that don’t get reported in other media outlets.

There are stories as from late July where a refugee woman and her son died in a planned fire incident in the camp following a failure in the protection mechanism by the camp authority.

A story where a refugee child died in an aggressive road accident that involved a speeding humanitarian vehicle within the camp settlement vicinity was heartbreaking to many.

Additionally, a new way of census taking was launched by UNHCR through the Biometric Identity Management System (BIMS). The process emerged with new techniques and sophisticated software machines that record fingerprints and iris scanning of refugees.

And yet, KANERE met with a group of artist volunteers from Clowns Without Borders while they were bringing too much fun to school going refugee children in the camp. Our reporters followed them to their shows and interviewed the artists on why they came to Kakuma, and included their narrative in this edition.

A story on Kakuma’s fraud cases and a few others are lined up for you. Stay tuned until the next issue of KANERE for more vibrant coverage in the new year.

We would like to welcome your opinions and expert contributions by writing to us at – kakuma.news@gmail.com

The KANERE Editorial Board and the team, wish you a happy new year 2017.

Sincerely,

Qaabata Boru

Editorial Executive – KANERE

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News Updates

Signing of peace deal

By Qaabata Boru – qaabata007@yahoo.com

South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after decades of warfare and yet the state has failed to manage its own administration in accordance with the rule of law. A series of violent outbreaks based on ethnic cleansing have been organized since December 2013.

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Letter from the Editor

Letter from the Editor August 2014

Dear KANERE readers,

I take this opportunity to welcome our readers through this double edition of KANERE. It’s with huge compliment as we send our heartfelt condolences to refugee communities in Kenya following the large scale security swoops that have targeted the refugee populations in the urban areas since April.

For several months, the weather in Kakuma remained warm and dry. The camp observed relatively fewer security problems as compared to a year earlier. However, some parts of the camp had experienced violent tribal conflicts among the South Sudanese communities that led to four people dead including a school going teenager.

In this issue, we are focusing more on the plight of the refugees in urban centers with in-depth stories illustrating facts about the recently launched ‘Usalama Watch’ or ‘Counter-terrorism’ operation.

The operation is an attempt to identify illegal aliens residing in the country and subsequently to eliminate the people from places the Kenyan government believes to be harboring terrorists. The operation had largely negative impacts on the foreigners and the refugees in the country, who have criticized and opposed the move.

The arrest and detention of refugees in the urban areas started on the 1st April as a part of a large scale security operation by the security machinery. It was followed by forced relocation to isolated refugee camps. Refugees interviewed by Kanere journalists, told of illegal arrests, extortion and detentions by police.

Hundreds of refugees, mainly of Somali origin, were deported without the due process of law. There are bitter stories of how families were split. Mothers were separated from their children and even by the end of July, there are several families who are not yet reunited.

During the month of April, many Non-governmental organizations providing humanitarian services, including the UN Refugee Agency – UNHCR, kept silent. They might have reasons for this or are they too afraid to exercise their mandate? Refugees in Kakuma are speculating on what will happen if the Kenyan government decides to close all the camps and force the refugees out of the country?

As a double edition, we have other stories on the inter-clan conflict between the Diauechuk and Ayuel, subgroups of South Sudan’s Dinka tribes, and an in-depth-story on the “Lost Boys” of Sudan – a generation that has lost for the second time.

Other stories cover the refugee interpreters who went on protest demanding a raise in the incentive payment as employees of UNHCR; while as a tradition, the World Refugee Day was commemorated by both the camp residents and the members of the host community at Kalemchuch field.

The colorful day was “celebrated” by the humanitarian aid agencies and had high profile guests. Among other notables in attendance were US Ambassador Robert Godec, UK Ambassador Christian Turner and three other Ambassadors to Kenya, Government officials including the county commissioner for Turkana West.

In this past week Kenya witnessed its 17th explosion since the Westgate attack. The country has suffered scores of grenades, gunfire assaults and continues to face threats of terror attacks from Somalia based Al-Shabaab militia. However, it’s not yet clear why the US is pulling the Peace Corps Volunteers out of Kenya secretly!

In this edition, Kanere is reminding the Government of Kenya and UNHCR, in line with protection of refugees and asylum seekers in the country, that international law forbids the refoulement (forced expulsion) of refugees.

We are looking forward to a day that the governments, the world leaders and those who are directly dealing with refugees would have a better understanding and a well established mechanism for dealing with issues surrounding the security of persons of concern in need of international protection.

We hope by reading through these stories everyone can be able to act to the best of their ability for the protection of refugees globally.

Get back to us with your feedback, get involved, send your positive contributions as well as criticism!

Enjoy reading!

Sincerely,

 Qaabata Boru

Editorial Executive – KANERE

Categories
Feature Reports Human Rights Humanitarian Services Kakuma Town and Kenya News Updates Peace and Security

Kenya against the Refugees

The stand of the Kenya government is not clear: are they fighting terrorism, refugees inside the country, or an ethnicity?

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Human Rights News Updates

Deportation of an Ethiopian Refugee to Somalia

An Ethiopian refugee family barely escaped the deportation scheme but their teenage son got deported to Somalia.

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Arts Opinion

Open Letter to the UNHCR Office

Friday, April 18, 2014

To the Office of UN – High Commissioner for Refugees, Switzerland, Geneva.

Subject: Arbitrary arrest and deportation of refugees in Nairobi

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Humanitarian Services News Updates

World Refugee Day 2014

Thousands of refugees in Kakuma and large numbers of humanitarian agencies showed up to commemorate the day with cultural dances.

Categories
Human Rights News Updates

Refugee Interpreters in Protest

UNHCR interpreters went on protest demanding a raise on the incentive payment.

Categories
Human Rights Humanitarian Services News Updates

RSD Transition

The Refugee Status Determination (RSD) process is in transition from the UN Refugee Agency – UNHCR – to the Kenyan government.

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Contributors Human Rights News Updates Opinion

Rights Violation Under Warehousing – By Brett Shadle

Do refugees have the right to know about the impacts of decision making on their futures, lives as they live in limbo?