Kakuma (Kenya): two Burundian refugees killed

Two Burundian refugees have been killed and several others injured, in a week, at Kakuma camp in northwestern Kenya. Nearly all the victims were ambushed allegedly by the South Sudanese community of the Nuer tribe. The police are accused of ineffectiveness. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Last week, a woman has had an abortion, at a public water tab as she was going to fetch water, following fight that broke out between refugees and instigated by the South Sudanese refugees.

“After being violently mistreated, the pregnant woman had an abortion. South Sudanese from the Nuer tribe are aggressive here in the camp. They are the perpetrators of several wrongdoings and crimes”, report Burundian refugees.

They already deplore the death of two other Burundian refugees, who died in hospital last February.

“They fell into an ambush. The perpetrators of the ambush took everything from them before injuring them. Evacuated, they unfortunately succumbed to their injuries at the hospital”, regret relatives of the deceased.

Burundian community leaders are trying to mediate.

“If the wise didn’t recommend us not to revenge, we would have killed at least one of them to show them that they too can die.
Community leaders are calling on us to calm down but it will not last, mob justice will follow in any case”, swear young Burundians.

The police are accused of being inefficient and biased.

“Sometimes we reckon the police are complicit because they do not act in the face of this crime. And if ever there are people arrested, they are free the next day. And if it’s the Kenyans, then it looks like they have the blessing to manhandle the refugees”, says a young Burundian who was injured in the face when he tried to intervene during a fight between refugees and Kenyan citizens of the host community.

Refugees also denounce the inaction of the police and civilian guards when it comes to searching for property, especially motorbikes stolen from the camp. They ask the police to change their behavior and redouble their efforts to secure, especially at night, the road that connects Kakuma and its extension of Kalobeyei, a section more used in this kind of banditry.

Kakuma has more than 200,000 refugees of several nationalities, including more than 20,000 Burundians.