[Dhaka Tribune] A Kenyan court said on Thursday it would be unconstitutional for the government to close a sprawling refugee camp housing mostly people who have fled unrest in neighbouring Somalia.| I'm afraid I just don't understand the suicide mentality of the judges in the various courts around the world today... |
But rights groups argued it would hurt Somalis fleeing violence and poverty and accused Kenya of forcibly sending people back to a war zone. The government has dismissed that allegation.
"The government’s decision specifically targeting Somali refugees is an act of group persecution, illegal, discriminatory and therefore unconstitutional," High Court judge John Mativo said in a ruling.
At its peak, as Somalis fled conflict and famine in 2011, Dadaab’s population swelled to about 580,000, earning it a reputation at the time as the world’s largest refugee camp. Early last year, UN officials said the number had fallen to 350,000, while a Kenyan official later in the year put it at 250,000.
The government originally wanted to shut down Dadaab last November, but delayed the closure after international pressure to give residents more time to find new homes.
The court’s action was welcomed by rights groups.
"The High Court sent a strong message that at least one of Kenya’s branches of government is still willing to uphold refugee rights," said Laetitia Bader, Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch.