JOY AS FIRST BATCH OF SOMALI REFUGEES RETURNS HOME

 BY ADOW JUBAT

International organization of migration (IOM), in collaboration with United Nations high commission for refugees (UNHCR) has embarked in voluntary repatriation of 94 Somali refugees from Kenya.

The exercise which started on Monday and its expected to end on Friday (yesterday) this week would be the first hope of voluntary return for Somali refugees in Kenya, 23 years after conflict and famine drove them from their homeland.

Since the fall of the late dictatorial Said Barre regime millions of Somali nationals have never known peace and function state as war driven by inter clan rivalry and religion fundamentalist take charge of the country.

The repatriation process is the outcome of the tri-partite agreement signed between Kenya, Somalia and UNHCR in November 2013, agreeing a dignified and humane repatriation process for Somali refugees in Kenya on a voluntary basis. 

Some of the returnees were born and bred in Kenya’s refugee camps in North-eastern region who had never saw a functioning state in their homeland were jovial after the journey that will make them set their leg in their war-scarred country.

The refugees, from the sprawling Dadaab refugee complex that hosts over 350,000 Somali refugees, were ferried in two IOM buses with their possessions to the Dhobley in Afmadow District, Lower Juba, on the Somali-Kenya border.

Ali Abdi, the IOM Somali chief of mission told your authoritative Frontier Leaks that the international immigration agency (IOM) will provide food, accommodation and water at the way station in Dhobley and also advise the returnees on routes to their final destinations. 

“The refugees will receive repatriation packages including food rations for three months, non-food items and a livelihood to start-up grant from UNHCR and its partners” He explained in press statement emailed to the Standard by the IOM communication office.

Abdi said Although Somalia is still affected by conflict; a few pockets are safe to receive returnees, especially those liberated by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

“I am glad to see men, women and children go back voluntarily in dignified manner to rebuild their country,” said IOM Somalia Chief of Mission. 

He said IOM will continue to help vulnerable communities willing to return to Somalia by providing them with services such as health care, water and sanitation during the repatriation exercise.

The repatriation process is supported by the Federal Government of Somalia and the Interim Jubaland Authority.