Nairobi, June 11 (IANS) The Kenyan government and development partners have agreed to voluntarily repatriate 100,000 Somali refugees by December, a senior official said on Thursday.
Acting Commissioner for Refugees Harun Komen said the repatriation of Somali refugees would resume next week after a brief halt caused by torrential rains, Xinhua news agency reported.
“We are confident that 100,000 Somali refugees will be resettled back home by December to enable them start a new life. The government and bilateral partners are fully behind this exercise,” said Komen.
Speaking at a public forum in Nairobi ahead of World Refugee Day on June 20, Komen reiterated the government would abide by international statutes while relocating Somalia refugees.
“We have an obligation to protect refugees and other vulnerable groups. The current repatriation of Somali refugees is voluntary and has not violated human rights and dignity,” Komen told reporters.
Kenya is home to an estimated 600,000 refugees from neighboring countries like Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Uganda.
Komen revealed that 70 percent of refugees in Kenya were from Somalia, while the government has intensified search for peace and stability in the horn of African nation to stem influx of asylum seekers.
“We have already commenced discussions with the Somali government to find a durable solution to the refugee crisis. The Somali government has promised to create a conducive environment to facilitate smooth resettlement of refugees,” said Komen.
Kenya has signed a tripartite agreement with the Somali government and the UN refugee agency to facilitate smooth repatriation of refugees.
Komen said the government would not forcibly relocate Somali refugees despite calls from some quarters to do so in the wake of terrorist attacks in the country.
“We have tried to strike a balance between national security and the needs of refugees. The recent terrorist attacks in the country cannot be wholly attributed to refugees,” Komen said, adding that the Kenyan security apparatus has intensified surveillance in refugee camps to deter criminal activities.