{"id":6508,"date":"2021-04-13T16:40:06","date_gmt":"2021-04-13T16:40:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cov19chronicles.com\/?p=6508"},"modified":"2023-12-05T12:34:45","modified_gmt":"2023-12-05T12:34:45","slug":"rise-in-attacks-on-lgbt-refugees-as-kakuma-refugee-camp-in-kenya-is-threatened-with-closure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cov19chronicles.com\/rise-in-attacks-on-lgbt-refugees-as-kakuma-refugee-camp-in-kenya-is-threatened-with-closure\/","title":{"rendered":"Rise in attacks on LGBT+ refugees as Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya is threatened with closure: April 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Content warning: Reports of sexual violence and images of blood<\/strong><\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n John S. contacted the Covid Chronicles from the Margins project asking us to help raise awareness of the plight of LGBT+ residents and protest to UNHCR at their treatment. He has been in Kakuma camp since early 2020 and is 21 years old. In the interview below, he highlights the dangers faced by LGBT+ refugees. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In Kakuma, \u201cLives are being lost daily. We are being raped, slashed, beaten and discriminated against. It is too much!\u201d At the same time, he values the fraternity of rainbow refugees in Block 13 at Kakuma. He asked us to share two petitions on change.org<\/a> and Avaaz<\/a>, and a Gofundme fund-raiser<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n April 2021 Kenya\u2019s government has ordered UNHCR to close Kakuma refugee camp<\/a> by mid-April. Dadaab and Kakuma camps are among the largest refugee camps in the world. Both are located in northern Kenya. Together they shelter some 410,000 refugees and asylum-seekers. More than half the population come from Somalia and roughly a quarter from South Sudan. The rest come from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Sudan and elsewhere in the region. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are 300 LGBT+ people, adults and their children confined to Block 13 in Kakuma camp. They have warned UNHCR and the Kenyan government they are unsafe and facing repeated homophobic violence<\/a>. As the Kenyan government called for refugee camps to close, pressure mounted with a series of attacks<\/a>. Then on 15 March 2021, a firebomb was thrown into \u2018Block 13\u2019, seriously injuring 2 <\/a>in the LGBT+ community. In its 25 March 2021<\/a> statement, UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) claimed they were offeting support and protection to LGBT+ refugees, but the LGBT+ activists dispute this. The UNHCR Protection Office was closed early March 2021, due to COVID<\/a>. And imminent closure of the camp has opened a hornet\u2019s nest of homophobic violence. According to John, instead of arresting perpetrators of the 15 March fire-bombing, police arrested a gay man. In this interview, John highlights the dangers faced by LGBT+ refugees in Kakuma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Helen Hintjens<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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