On December 21, 2019, over 40 refugees fled their new shelters and ran to the Kakuma Reception Center Gates after a targeted attack by Sudanese Community, where at reporting time they remain trapped with no access to food or water. African HRC has provided food for the past 12 days. The attack occurred on their first night in the shelters.
The placement at this location- Kakuma 3 Block 8 and 9- was an apparent attempt by UNHCR to integrate the LGBTQI refugees into the camp among other refugee populations. The refugees, exiled from their home countries, were seeking protection from homophobic attacks, and their only resource for protection and security would be UNHCR and the Kenyan Government, responsible for placing them at the Kakuma shelters. However they were placed among anti-LGBTQI Sudanese and Turkana people local to the land.
What follows are the statements taken by African HRC answering specific questions asked of the refugees following the attack. we chose 7 statements to post here, showing a pattern of homophobia and targeting:
STATEMENTS
Report by Refugees on Incident Dec 21, 2019 at Kakuma: Please note the AHRC numbers assigned correlate to the individuals. We were therefore able to verify each Statement which can be matched against POC’s name and Refugee number, but have chosen to keep refugee anonymous for purposes of this publication.
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AHRC 0002111 .21st December we were attacked by the Sudanese at night and entered the after cutting our tents and took our items. .we were beaten and my partner was beaten and his backbone got damaged. .At first they threatened us during day by saying in Swahili that (asubuyi kichwa akuna)meaning that at night we have no heads and that night they came. .The threat was made on two of us me and my partner by the Sudanese,but my partner tried to fight back and he was beaten to the back and he go a big Injury. .They had pangas and hoes even sharp razorblades which they used to cut the tents. .They were speaking unknown languages because us we can't understand the Sudanese languages and instead of Swahili they changed to their language. They stole our tents,our food utensils, mats,mattresses,bedsheets,clothes and my partner's phone was taken. .My reason for into the community is that the fact is those people are too deadly and whenever they see/her an LGBTI member their intention is to kill him/her, so the community is not safe us. .Iran from the resettled area because am not safe at all and after threats and attacks they did,those people they wanted to kill us during one nignt because during day they fear to show their faces and they during night. .No any help/no food from Unhcr apart from the other one which they gave us when we're relocated but no any food from UNHCR. .No any new mosquito net was given,we sleep without them,and those whose were not stolen they use their old net but others no. .I don't feel safe going back there because those homophobic people who threats and attack us,one day one/all of us/ might be kill or beaten seriously. .In the morning we ran to nearest police post and we reported and they gave us a reference but after, the officer who gave us that reference said but go back to your places where you came from and if not so they will arrest us for 27yrs for being LGBTIs meaning that even the officer of that place threatened and warned us. No one from UNHCR has ever come to see us ever since we started camping outside the gate of kakuma reception.
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AHRC 000222
What happened December 21st when you were moved into the community: (were you attacked, please describe? Were you Robbed, Please describe.
Yes I was attacked cause that very we didn't sleep , the sudans where seriously pointing to us saying that you shogas now you are here we will kill pointing there necks as your going to cut chicken together with aknife..so we didn't sleep,we entered the house Very late at 3:12am night.
Were you attacked physically (beaten)? What were the extent of the injuries you obtained? No
If you were Not beaten, were you threatened with being beaten or did u fear you would get beaten? Yes
Were Any Threats made against you and who made the threats to you:
Yes ,they were made by Sudanese s and even in the morning
Did the attackers have any weapons or Weaponized Instruments? Please provide details:
Yes,they had weapons like
Pangas , big sticks and hoes
Was any insulting and/or Homophobic language used and directed at you/. If yes, what was said: Yes,they said "tutakufanawa-
Jinga" meaning they will die with us
Were you robbed ? What was stolen?
Yes,they stole my bay,blanket ,
one bed sheet and my phone
(Samsung J3)
Can you describe your reasons for fear in the community:
I fear to be killed once they
fndout you are LGBTI,they
just to beat you to death
What was the reason that you ran away from the resettled area?:
We were threatened to be killed
to death
Has UNHCR provided you with any food at the Gate:
No,Even we are not given water
imagine
Have you been provided with new Mosquito nets?:
No
Would you feel safe going back to the same resettled area? Outline your reasons:
No,
Death
Theft
Insecurity
Poor hygiene (no latrines)
Bullying
If no, why do you Not feel safe returning to the same resettled area:
The resettled area is not safe
for my nature
Who did you report this to?:
The police
Has anyone from UNHCR come to see you at the gates of Kakuma Reception?:
No
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AHRC0002333
What happened December 21st when you were moved into the community: (were you attacked, please describe. Were you Robbed, Please describe)
The day I moved to community , l was given the same house with my partner and when it came night we heard a group of people knocking our house and speaking words that we don't understand and that scared us so much that first sleep in the community.
Secondly, very late in the night they came back and tried to pluck off the tents where we made an alarm maybe that tried to scare them away so that day we got a sleepless night with great fear.
Were you attacked physically (beaten)? What were the extent of the injuries you obtained?
I and my partner we didn't get any injury but only sycologically or mentally disturbed that night.
If you were Not beaten, were you threatened with being beaten or did u fear you would get beaten?
On 22 December at night, some of our fellow friends of LGBTI boys left their houses and come to comfort us at night since we are girls. The thieves came back when there many at night and ambushed our house so these boys tried to fight with them but the thieves were more powerful whereby we ran away to save for our live .
But reaching in the morning ,our house was left empty and I only stayed with a small bag that I had left with my friend of another house.
Were Any Threats made against you and who made the threats to you:
Yes, they were. I think the hostile people we found in the community are the ones that made threats to us .
Did the attackers have any weapons or Weaponized Instruments? Please provide details:
Yes , The attackers had weapons because on ambushing us at night, they had long curved sticks and pangas which were very dangerous to our lives and in they used pangas to cut and enter our houses.
Was any insulting and/or Homophobic language used and directed at you/. If yes, what was said:
Yes, Many words were said which I don't understand and remember.
Were you robbed ? What was stolen?
Kitchen materials, cloths and our beddings were robbed on Sunday night which was very worsened night.
Can you describe your reasons for fear in the community:
The first day I went to community,the people we found on the ground tried to intimidate us directly. The attackers came with sharp instrument when ambushing us that can let me loose my life and even staying in tension every time which can cause heart diseases also brings me fear in the community.
What was the reason that you ran away from the resettled area?:
The reason that made me to run away from the resettled area was, the hostile people wanted to kill us and even stealing and destroying of our houses showing that they never accepted us to stay in their area.
Has UNHCR provided you with any food at the Gate:
No, UNHCR has never provided anything to us.
Have you been provided with new Mosquito nets?:
No, we have never been given nets.
Would you feel safe going back to the same resettled area? Outline your reasons:
Oooh!! I don't feel safe going back because even it was for God's Mercy that I escaped because those people were more powerful than me.
If no, why do you Not feel safe returning to the same resettled area:
Since I have tested what is in that place, I can't wish to go back in same area.
Who did you report this to?:
I and my fellow LGBTI, we went to the police station on Monda y early morning but the answer we got was more scaring than what we had faced at night.
Has anyone from UNHCR come to see you at the gates of Kakuma Reception?:
No one from UNHCR has ever come to see us at the gates of kakuma Reception .
Thank you .
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AHRC0002444
What happened December 21st when you were moved into the community: (were you attacked, please describe. Were you Robbed, Please describe)
On 21st December, we were relocated to the community. On that day, there wasn't any sleep at all since I was put in the house with a girl who is under age of which I had to look after. There were unnecessary movements around our house through out the night so we were scared alot.
Then 22nd of December,. We were attacked during late night and our tent was cut by the hostile Sudanese group. We tried to shout but no one could come for rescue. We were told to run away and if we resist we are to be raped and killed. We couldn't wait. We ran and slept in our colleagues room. On coming back in the morning, we found nothing completely. Everything was stolen like house hold utensils, blankets, mats, clothes, mosquito nets and our tent was almost thrown to the ground.
Were you attacked physically (beaten)? What were the extent of the injuries you obtained?
We were just thrown outside and had nothing to do except running
If you were Not beaten, were you threatened with being beaten or did u fear you would get beaten?
We were threatened to be beaten and raped too if we could resist
Were Any Threats made against you and who made the threats to you:
Yes, we were threatened to be beaten and rapped by the hostile Sudanese
Did the attackers have any weapons or Weaponized Instruments? Please provide details:
They had pangas, Sharp knives, big sticks and holding stones.
Was any insulting and/or Homophobic language used and directed at you/. If yes, what was said:
Yes, I was abused that am teaching a young girl satanic and evil things to a young girl. They further said that both of us are a curse on the Turkana lands.
Were you robbed ? What was stolen?
Yes, our clothes, mosquito nets, blankets, household Utensils mats and many of the building materials of our house were taken.
Can you describe your reasons for fear in the community:
I fear the community because I have a believe that I might get killed by the hostile tribes there since am a lesbian
What was the reason that you ran away from the resettled area?:
The attacks made to us by the Sudanese people and there ambitions to kill, rape and robe made me run from the resettlement area
Has UNHCR provided you with any food at the Gate:
No., They have never provided to us any food
Have you been provided with new Mosquito nets?:
We were provided nets on the arrival at the camp. But not any more after our stuff being robbed
Would you feel safe going back to the same resettled area? Outline your reasons:
No I can't go back.
If no, why do you Not feel safe returning to the same resettled area:
The Hostile community full of Sudanese will kill me there and then so I can't return there.
Who did you report this to?:
I went to police first and we were told to go back where we came from.
After, I went to Refugee Affairs Secretariat (RAS) and met a protection officer who went with his other workmates and saw the area where all these happened
Has anyone from UNHCR come to see you at the gates of Kakuma Reception?:
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AHRC 0002555
What happened December 21st when you were moved into the community: (were you attacked, please describe. Were you Robbed, Please describe)
the place we have gonna was place of Sudanese so they take us there as LGBTI,after reaching there Sudanese seen one of our people weared girls dress(gay), at the night they come at my house and remove Hema on my house, stole every thing (all tools UNHCR gave use, foods etc)
So next day they came to my house and stand at behind and start to talk about LGBTI, so, they was talking about how they don't like LGBTI and how we're the one to provide troubles in the world. I was washing my clothes some of them come and tell that they will come to deal with LGBTI. So on that day that how I supposed to left there.
2)nop,they came and told me how they will deal with us.
3) I feared about what they said, and I have seen that there's no security
4)they say because we're LGBTI,we're the one to cause all troubles on the world, SUDANESE was the one who said.
5)they stolen all my things and bad plan for me.
6)that time they had sticks.
7)they used kiswahili and their mother tongue, but they used kiswahili to give me warning.
8)yes, they stolen my tools and my food.
9) there's no security, cause they had bad plan for me(LGBTI)
10)the Sudanese didn't feel us, didn't want LGBTI on their place
11)UNHCR didn't give us any food on the gate.
12)we didn't get any new mosquitonet
13)I can't go back to that area because of insecurity, Sudanese don't want to see use, they have bad plan to LGBTI(what I want is safe place)
14)i don't feel safe to go back there because what I have seen and what those guys told me about what they will do for us.
15)we reported to the police station, and reception center leader.
16)no one came to see us on the gate, we live like the way we came from their, no water, no food from UNHCR, no washing no bathing...
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AHRC 0002666 >>> What happened December 21st when you were moved into the community: (were you attacked, please describe. Were you Robbed, Please describe) >>> Yes i was attacked buy the sudan at night as we were sleeping >>> Yes I was robbed, I was slapped,kicked and boxed when they ate saying move a way from our community we don't want LGBTI(shoga) if we don't move away then they come back we are going to be killed >>> Were you attacked physically (beaten)? What were the extent of the injuries you obtained? >>> Yes i was attacked physically, i was hardly boxed,kicked,slapped and warned to be killed if i continue to live there >>> If you were Not beaten, were you threatened with being beaten or did u fear you would get beaten? >>> I was beaten and threatened >>> I feared because they warned me to be killed >>> Were Any Threats made against you and who made the threats to you: >>> They were mostly Sudanes and at other people >>> >>> Did the attackers have any weapons or Weaponized Instruments? Please provide details: >>> Yes,they had pangas,knives,big sticks,metal pipes and same had stones >>> Was any insulting and/or Homophobic language used and directed at you/. If yes, what was said: >>> Yes Homophobic language was used but i didn't know what they were saying >>> Were you robbed ? What was stolen? >>> Yes i was robbed,Mats,blanket,box of utensils,bags of clothes and food which we were given by UNHCR >>> Can you describe your reasons for fear in the community: >>> I don't have protection in community because people living in community they don't want any LGBTI to live in there community if your identified they will attack and you will beaten or killed >>> What was the reason that you ran away from the resettled area?: >>> I was attached by the Sudanes and other people,during day time i was threatened, at night i was attacked >>> Has UNHCR provided you with any food at the Gate: >>> No and they refused our fell LGBTI members in the reception to give us water >>> Have you been provided with new Mosquito nets?: >>> No >>> Would you feel safe going back to the same resettled area? Outline your reasons: >>>No >>> I have no protection there >>> I was warned to be killed >>> I was beaten from there >>> If no, why do you Not feel safe returning to the same resettled area: >>> If i return back i will be killed >>> Who did you report this to?: >>> To the police >>> To UNHCR kenya >>> Has anyone from UNHCR come to see you at the gates of Kakuma Reception?: >>> No one came
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AHRC 0002777
What happened December 21st when you were moved into the community: (were you attacked, please describe. Were you Robbed, Please describe)
On 21st of December, it was the day when we were relocated to the community., On that day we had a very bad night because we spent the entire night looking without sleep for security issues since the houses which we were given were too weak. So we had to keep security for each other since we were put just two in the same house. On 22nd December, we were attacked by a big group of Sudanese who cut our tent and forced us to move out during the night. We went and spent the night in another colleagues house. On return early in the morning, we found nothing left in our house so they robbed everything.
Were you attacked physically (beaten)? What were the extent of the injuries you obtained?
When these guys attacked us, they slapped and pushed the two of us while telling us that we are a curse to their community. We didn't get any injury thanks to God that we managed to walk away peacefully without being hurt.
Were Any Threats made against you and who made the threats to you: Oh yes, the Sudanese people who occupy the biggest population in that community made those threats to me.
Did the attackers have any weapons or Weaponized Instruments? Please provide details:
The fierce Sudanese were well equiped with fighting weapons such as big sticks, knives and big stones.
Was any insulting and/or Homophobic language used and directed at you/. If yes, what was said:
We were abused and told that we are a curse to their community because we are homosexuals. They even promised to push dry wood in our anuses while laughing.
Were you robbed ? What was stolen?
We lost our clothes, house hold utensils, mats, mosquito nets and food too.
Can you describe your reasons for fear in the community:
I fear these people will attack and kill me in the house since they promised me that already.
What was the reason that you ran away from the resettled area?:
I was promised to be killed because am a gay.
Has UNHCR provided you with any food at the Gate:
Not. They have never provided any food to us here my dear.
Have you been provided with new Mosquito nets?:
We were given mosquito nets by the time we arrived in the camp. But they were stolen in the community. So we have never been given any other net.
Would you feel safe going back to the same resettled area? Outline your reasons:
No. I cant go back because I fear I will be killed by the hostile tribes of the Sudanese
If no, why do you Not feel safe returning to the same resettled area:
I fear I will be killed once I return there.
Who did you report this to?: I reported to the police and they told me to go back to where I ran from since they knew that am a gay
Has anyone from UNHCR come to see you at the gates of Kakuma Reception?:
No., They have never came
