Somalia
Somalis return from Ethiopia

afrol.com, 1 September - The voluntary repatriation of Somali refugees from Ethiopia to safe and stable "areas of recovery" in northeast and northwest Somalia is continuing. On August 18, a total of 1,539 people were repatriated from Hartisheik camp, bringing to more than 30,000 the number of returnees this year, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today informed. 

A total of 111,877 Somalis have been assisted to return since the operation began in 1997. Last year, one camp in Hartisheik was closed following the repatriation of most of its residents to Somaliland (northwest Somalia), with the few remaining residents being transferred to another of the camps. As of today, there are some 136,000 Somalis left in eight camps in eastern Ethiopia.

In addition to this exercise, 6,800 Ethiopians who had been in Ethiopian camps the camps since the fall of the Syad Barre regime in 1991 have returned to their home regions, with the agreement and cooperation of Ethiopian authorities. According to information from the UNHCR, these returning refugees receive the same aid package as Somali refugees upon leaving the camps, including a nine-month food ration and a transportation allowance, as well as kitchen sets and other non-food items.

The repatriation of Somalis from Kenya also began this year. So far, about 800 Somalis went back to their homes from Dadaab and Kakuma camps. We are waiting for conditions to improve in southern Somalia before facilitating return for another 140,000 Somalis still in Kenyan camps, UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond today said.

A new Somali interim President, Abdiqassin Salad Hassan, was installed on 27 August in the town of Arta in Djibouti. Somalia has, in practical terms, been without government since 1992. In a state of total desintegration, a great number of rivaling clan leaders constituted the only leadership. A constant civil war and lawless conditions, mixed with the difficult natural conditions of Somalia, has made a big proportion of the population flee to neighbouring countries, Arab countries and Europe. 

Abdiqassin Salad Hassan was istalled as interim president by a peace conference held by all the rivaling clans in neighbouring Djibouti. Peace is still fragil, but there is much hope that normality will return to Somalia, as demonstrated by the return of the refugees.

Source: Based on UNHCR

© afrol.com. Texts and graphics may be reproduced freely, under the condition that their origin is clearly referred to, see Conditions.    You can contact us at mail@afrol.com