Gina Ponzi
March 31, 2009
10:15 PM
Hundreds of thousands of refuges are fleeing violence and turmoil in Somalia only to find that they face similar threats and dangers upon arrival in Kenya. Corrupt Kenyan police commonly extort money and exert violence on the Somalian refuges, according to human rights groups. Currently, a third of Somalia’s population exists on emergency food aid, and at least a million people have fled their homes in effort to escape the violence. There has been violence in Somalia for 18 years now; over 17,000 citizens have been killed during the past two years of fighting in Somalia. The primary impediment to peace in the country is Shabaab, a pro-al Qaeda militant group. Upon arrival, many refuges find their situation is hardly better than it was in Somalia; Kenyan police often demand bribes, and threaten refuges with violence, sexual violence, and deportation.
Obviously, the situations in both Somalia and Kenya are difficult and far from ideal, and the corruption within the Kenyan police force is disgraceful and unjust. It is absolutely necessary that the Kenyan government crack down on the corrupt police, and offer greater protection and humanitarian aid for the Somalian refugees. It is a breach of international laws to deny asylum to refugees, and there have been accusations that Kenya is under direct disobedience to these laws.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2009/03/30/AR2009033000168.html
1 comment:
This is ridiculous. Violence and murders like this is just liek the holocaust which no one ever wants to see happen again. Someone needs to step in and make a difference to help save the lives of Somalians.
Post a Comment