Somalia: Govt. Refuses a Meeting On Refugees

The government of Somalia declined to take part in a meeting on refugees. The meeting would be attended by Kenya Government, Somalia and the UN Refugee Agency-UNHCR.

The meeting was called off as Somalia turned down to take part in it. The meeting would take place in Nairobi. In a letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government of Somalia said it cannot attend that meeting due to the problems that the Kenya government is currently subjecting to the Somali refugees in Kenya. The letter was addressed to the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Kenya.

In the very letter, the Somali Govt. said the way the security forces of Kenya treat the Somali refugees is against an agreement on the Somali refugees previously signed by Kenya, Somalia and the UNHCR. The Somali government said the Kenya security forces treated the Somali refugees in Nairobi in a manner that is inhumane.

This matter may strain further the ties of the two governments as the Kenya security forces continue to round up Somali refugees and have previously arrested staff members of the Somali Embassy in Nairobi.

allafrica.com