Refugees warned on repatriation

By Lucas Ng’asike

Turkana,Kenya: Refugees at the Kakuma camp in Turkana County have been warned of repatriation for instigating clannism at the humanitarian facility.

The Head of Refugee Affairs Department at Kakuma, Abdulahi Abdi, directed the warning at refugees who recently fought at the camp leading to the death of five colleagues.

He warned they would soon identify and repatriate some of the Sudanese refugees threatening peace at the camp.

The camp manager said the recent clashes were as a result of small clan disagreements.

It emerged that Sudanese clans among them Murle and Nuer from Southern Sudan clashed over a family dispute that generated into a big clan fight.

“It was just a small disagreements between the Sudanese clans. It began as a small family dispute which then generated into a war that left five people dead and several injured,” Abdi said.

He said the clans regrouped and started confronting each other while armed with rungus, spears and clubs. The camp manager said it was unfortunate they lost five people in the fight.

He added that several other injured victims were admitted to the International Rescue Committee (hospital and Kakuma Mission Hospital where they are being treated.He said one victim was still in coma at the hospital with critical injuries.

The camp manager said calm had returned at the refugee camp as security personnel continued to beef up security at the camp.

Abdi said some criminals within the camp took advantage of the family brawl and incited the communities into violence.