Newsflash: Kenyan Police Kill S. Sudan’s refugee in the guise of enforcing COVID-19 measures
April 26, 2020 (Thessherald)–A 22-year-old South Sudanese refugee living in Kakuma Refugee Camp has died after being beaten by the Kenyan police, according to an anonymous source who prefers not to be named.
“It’s tragic, he was severely beaten on Saturday and died this evening – this is the situation we have been facing in the camp, they come and kill you with impunity and no one takes measures against them,” said one of the youth leaders interviewed by The South Sudan Herald.
“The name of the deceased has been withheld due to the sensitive nature of the issue” he added.
The Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, is one of the largest camps in the world, hosting refugees, asylum-seekers and persons of concern and stateless persons who have fled their countries due to conflicts, prosecutions and political-related issues.
According to the UN Refugee Agency , the camp currently hosts more than 194,000 people, and most of them come from South Sudan.
On Saturday, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) expressed its solidarity and reiterated its commitment to standing with refugee communities in these difficult situations brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic continues, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, notes the increasing challenges faced by refugees, asylum-seekers and other vulnerable populations, and calls for continued solidarity,” said UNHCR in its statement.
“UNHCR appreciates the inclusion of refugees, asylum-seekers and stateless persons in the Government of Kenya’s preparedness and response plans. The impact of the slow-down of global and national economies due to the pandemic has affected access to jobs and livelihoods and the ability of the most vulnerable populations, particularly refugees and asylum-seekers, who are already challenged in meeting their basic needs.”