Oromo rights group appeals to Kenyan Government and UNHCR to uphold the rights of refugees in Nairobi

The following is a press release from the Advocacy for Oromia.

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Press Release, 9 April 2014

Requesting urgent intervention to uphold the rights of refugees in Nairobi

Advocacy for Oromia (AFO), a non-profit advocacy organisation working to ensure that the Oromo people’s rights and wishes are respected, is highly concerned at the wave of arrests that have taken place during the weekend in Nairobi, following recent terrorist attacks in the capital.

Advocacy for Oromia understands the security concerns of the Government of Kenya and the steps taken to protect the people who live in the country, including asylum-seekers and refugees. However, we have been informed that those arrested are held at various police stations as well as at the Kasarani Stadium in a very harsh and poor condition.

Furthermore, the door to door operation has involved breaking the houses of refugees and asylum seekers, beating them up cold-heartedly, and treating them in heartless manner and robbing their properties. However, none of the government bodies have initiated any inquiry into the matter which continues to violate human rights.

Advocacy for Oromia believes that such widespread human rights violations perpetuated against the people are one of the major contributing factors that have been destabilizing the Horn of African region.

Advocacy for Oromia, therefore, requests the urgent intervention to ensure that the law enforcement agencies to uphold the rights of all those arrested and to treat them in a humane and non-discriminatory manner. AFO also requests the Kenyan government to immediately stop this recurring abuse of refugees and asylum seekers and release those detained, return their robbed properties and provide them the protection they deserve. The officers involved must also be subjected to internal investigations for the breach of the department orders as issued by the department.

AFO further requests the government to allow UNHCR and other organisations to provide assistance to the detainees and obtain their release where appropriate.

Advocacy for Oromia