Xinhua
Thursday, March 14, 2013
About 12,000 refugees crossed the border back into Somalia in January
and February, the majority from Kenya although conditions back home are
not yet viable for large-scale returns, a UN agency said on Wednesday.
In its latest Humanitarian Bulleting released by UN Office for
Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) issued in Nairobi said the
returns to Somalia continue at slow pace since conditions in the Horn of
Africa nation are not yet viable for large-scale voluntary return.
“The numbers, however, do not indicate intentions and many refugees
cross back and forth, sometimes to check on property or find seasonal
work,” the report said.
The UN says there has been a gradual increase in the number of
international aid workers operating in southern Somalia, following the
withdrawal of Al-Shabaab from key towns.
Relief agencies working in Daadab attribute the movement to refugees
crossing the border back to Somalia as that of refugees returning in
search of work in Somalia as well as to check up on their farms and the
assess the situation on the ground, especially as Al-Shaabab has ceded
many towns and areas following the offensive by the AMISOM forces.
According to UN refugee agency, (UNHCR), the trend of increased
returns, mainly from Kenya to Somalia, which saw an uptick in January,
continued in February.
“In the first nine weeks of the year, about 12,000 people reportedly
crossed the border Nearly 10,500 of the 12,000 arrived from Kenya and
Ethiopia, while the rest returned from Yemen and Saudi Arabia,” the
Humanitarian Bulletins aid.
The movements from Kenya, from where the vast majority of people
crossed into Somalia, increased more than eight-fold between
November-December and January-February, according to the UNHCR.
According to the report, movements from Kenya were recorded mostly in
Dobley (5,241), Diff (1,808) and Ceel Waaq (925). People also arrived
in major towns within the border region without stopping at the border
posts.
Large numbers of arrivals were also recorded in Baardheere (1, 142)
and Kismayo (721) and according to the UNHCR; some of those arriving
indicated they did not have authorization to stay in Kenya.
“People further stated that the Kenyan governments’ decree to
relocate refugees to Dadaab camp led to their return to Somalia. Other
reasons included fear of election violence as well as insecurity,
robbery, rape, harassment and other acts in the camps, ” it said.
The bulletins aid some movements into Kenya were recorded, but these
continued to decrease, with 57 people tracked compared to 213 in
November-December.
Insecurity in the district was cited as the reason for their
movement, according to the UNHCR, adding that movements from Ethiopia
decreased from 917 in November-December 2012 to 623 in January-February.
“People arrived in Doolow before moving further to their places of
origin located mostly in Bay and Bakool regions,” the UNHCR said.
These people stated they travelled to visit relatives left behind in
Somalia and some reportedly intend to cross back to the Dollo Ado
refugee camps shortly, according to the UNHCR.
Arrivals to the border post (Doolow) with intention of crossing into
Ethiopia show a decreasing trend. Statistics show 56 people arrived in
Gedo region’s border points of Doolow and Belet Xawoo.
These people indicated insecurity caused by Al-Shabaab in Burdhuubo in Somalia as the main reason for movement.
After decades of factional fighting, the Horn of Africa nation has
been undergoing a peace and national reconciliation process, with a
series of landmark steps that have helped bring an end to the country’s
nine-year political transition period and the resulting security vacuum
which rendered Somalia one of the most lawless States on the planet.
These steps included the adoption of a Provisional Constitution, the
establishment of a new Parliament and the appointments of a new
President and a new prime minister.