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Irungu Houghton, executive director of Amnesty International Kenya, responded to news that the Kenyan government plans to close the Dadaab refugee camp by the end of August:
"The Kenyan government is calling for a humanitarian catastrophe and international criticism if it intends to forcibly return hundreds of thousands of refugees to Somalia without adequate consultation, planning and consideration for their safety. These men, women and children have fled ongoing armed conflicts, fearing for their lives and have been the victims of many other human rights abuses.
Any decision to arbitrarily close the camp would also violate the decision of the Kenya High Court in February 2017 that the closure of Dadaab in 2016 was unconstitutional and illegal under national and international law.
"These plans must be set aside. The Kenyan government must seek genuine durable solutions for Somali refugees, including integration into Kenyan society and resettlement in third countries. The international community must help the Kenyan government achieve this by providing technical and financial support and providing resettlement places for the most vulnerable refugees. "
The Kenyan government has already announced plans to close the Dadaab refugee camp, which is supposed to stem the country's terrorist attacks. In 2016, Amnesty International conducted research in Dadaab, following the Kenyan government's announcement of its intention to close the camp. Amnesty International has found that forcing refugees to return to Somalia violates the principle of no refoulment.
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