Tension In Dadaab Refugee Camp Between Sudanese And Somali Refugees

15 July 2010 - (Nairobi) – Tension has been high between the Somali and Sudanese communities in Dadaab refugee camp, northern Kenya, after the killing of a Somali boy on Tuesday.

The killing sparked riots in the camp after the body was found near structures occupied by Sudanese refugees.

The spokesperson of the UNHCR at the camp spoke to SRS on Thursday from Daadab.

[Emmanuel Nyabera]: “There was a situation where a 15 year old Somali boy was found dead close to the Sudanese shelter and I think there is an assumption in the Somali community that it is a Sudanese who killed him. After that there was a bit of conflict between the two communities, around 35 people were injured, so we had to move more than 200 Sudanese from Hagadera to Ifo. The security forces have managed to calm the situation, and meetings are going on between the community leaders to promote reconciliation. Investigations are taking place, the policemen are carrying out investigations but so far we have not been informed of any result.”

Daadab Refugee Camp in Kenya is home to over 160,000 refugees, mostly from neighboring Somalia.