Reuters: Refugees in Somaliland angry at status change

[Chief_Aaqil]

Refugees in Somaliland angry at status

 

change 22 Jun 2010, 10:17:30 GMT

Source: IRIN

 

HARGEISA, 22 June 2010 (IRIN) - The announcement by the government of Somalia's self-declared republic of Somaliland that there were no refugees in the region – only economic migrants from neighbouring countries – has angered hundreds of refugees in the country.

 

"We are political refugees, not economic migrants; we were politically persecuted in our homes," a representative of Ethiopian refugees said at a ceremony marking World Refugee Day on 20 June in Hargeisa, capital of Somaliland.

 

The representative said Somaliland's directive went against its humanitarian responsibilities to refugees.

 

"This day [20 June] reminds millions of refugees across the world of their violated human rights, the violence they have suffered and the poor living conditions they endure," the representative said.

 

The theme of this year's World Refugee Day was, "They took my home but they cannot take my future".

 

"This theme aims to highlight the plight of refugees worldwide, as well as their courage and resilience," Abdoulaye Barry, head of the Hargeisa office of the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, said.

 

He told the audience that the issue was not only to alleviate the plight of refugees, but rather, "as human beings, we have a moral obligation and responsibility to lend a helping hand to people who must flee persecution".

 

Somaliland's Justice Minister, Adan Ahmed Ilmi, said many Somalilanders had been refugees in the past, "so we know what it means to be a refugee".

 

He, however, said the country would continue to welcome and protect refugees.

 

According to UNHCR, Somaliland has at least 1,600 recognised refugees, about 20,000 asylum-seekers and 67,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs). Of the refugees, most are Oromos and Amharas from neighbouring Ethiopia, the remainder are Eritreans and several individuals come from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

 

Barry told IRIN that repatriation was not feasible at present for most of the refugees and that the agency was prioritizing resettlement and reintegration for most of the refugees in the country.

 

Integration problems

 

An Ethiopian refugee, who requested anonymity, expressed his displeasure at Somaliland's decision, saying most refugees were afraid to speak up because they feared being kicked out of the country.

 

"We have no proper protection; one can be sent back anytime; we have no freedom, we are even afraid to say anything because we may not leave this compound before action is taken against us," he said.

 

He said the UN was urging the refugees to integrate into the local community, but "the Somalilanders don't want us; the best way we could do this is by inter-marrying but how can we do this if they won't even interact with us?"

 

js-ah/mw

 

© IRIN. All rights reserved. More humanitarian news and analysis: http://www.IRINnews.org

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

They should be send back to their country of origin

[Thankful]

The announcement by

the government of Somalia's self-declared republic of Somaliland

Self-declared .....so maybe i'll go back home and buy some land and self-declare it a republic!

 

Back to the topic, there are far more people from Somalia living in Addis, then there are Ethiopians living in Somalia. So if NW Somalia's admin in Hargeysa wants to give the ethiopians living there a hard time, Ethiopia might just send back our people! Maybe they should all go to NW Somalia.

[Che -Guevara]

They could perhaps inter-marry as the man suggested.

[Duufaan]

It is a big dilema for self declared land. the ethiopian are their brothers and sisters. Unlike somalis in ethiopia, many of these ehtiopia are effected with aids and they are doing very good job spreading it. The deases is out of control in Hargeys at alarming rate.

[Che -Guevara]

HIV/AIDS doesn't discriminate and no one knows truly know the number of Somalis infected with AIDS.

[RedSea]

Originally posted by Duufaan:

The deases is out of control in Hargeys at alarming rate. [/QB]

Do you pull statistics out of your hat and throw it out there in the hopes it might resonate with people. The HIV/AIDS rate in Somaliland is very low and has been . There are no significant number of Ethiopians in Somaliland to cause change including the standards of the health of the population. It's like saying Somalis in America have dramatically effected the welfare of America. Epic fail!

[Freedomfighter007]

^^^lol you tell them brotha.

[Duufaan]

Originally posted by Qhalib:

quote:Originally posted by Duufaan:

The deases is out of control in Hargeys at alarming rate.

Do you pull statistics out of your hat and throw it out there in the hopes it might resonate with people. The HIV/AIDS rate in Somaliland is very low and has been . There are no significant number of Ethiopians in Somaliland to cause change including the standards of the health of

the population. It's like saying Somalis in America have dramatically effected the welfare of America. Epic fail! [/QB]

I do not have numbers but I can tell you, it is really serious. There are number of location where they track pateints and they could provide statistics. Anyone could be the victum. The people who have the deseas is out to get others.

[RedSea]

^ahahahha ok.

[Naxar Nugaaleed]

all this talk about HIV aside, am thinking they should be happy with this new status as full member of this community rather then refugees

[Hales]

but "the Somalilanders don't want us; the best way we could do this is by inter-marrying but how can we do this if they won't even interact with us?"

 

I dont get this, there are other ways of integrating than intermarriage.

I mean if their allowed to stay then their should be no problems.

[Che -Guevara]

^Mutual penetration is the ultimate integration

[Hales]

Unlike somalis in ethiopia

The deases is out of control in Hargeys at alarming rate.

Dufaan, your contradicting yourself here, your allegation to me sound like they stem from xenophobia towards the Ethiopians

[Haatu]

Excuse me but what are the ethiopians doing there? Are they oromo/amhara? Where's the xabashi PasserBy when you need him