By Kylie M Tsudama
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya – On Thursday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) called for the Kenyan government to immediately stop the recruitment of Somalis in refugee camps.

Hundreds of Somali men and boys in the Dabaab refugee camp have been recruited to fight for an armed force in Somalia.

The Dabaab camps in northwest Kenya, near the Somali border, are the largest concentration of refugees in the world with over 280,000 refugees, mostly from Somalia.  These camps have been ripe for recruiters looking to enlist young refugees.  These recruiters have been claiming that they are recruiting on behalf of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to put together a new force to fight in Somalia.

“Permitting recruitment of fighters in refugee camps undermines the very purpose of the camps – to be a place of refuge from the conflict.  Kenyan authorities need to immediately put a stop to this recruitment drive targeting Somali refugees,” said Georgette Gagnon, the Africa director for HRW.

Many of the refugees are fleeing the conflict between the TFG and armed opposition groups, including al-Shabaab.  Originally Kenyan military spokesman Bogita Ongeri sait that this was all “propaganda.”

Recruiters for this new force have used deceitful practices, promising exorbitant pay and telling enlistees that they are backed by the UN and the international community.  They have also encouraged young recruits to lie about their age and to join without telling their families.

Kenyan authorities, including the foreign minister, deny that there is a recruitment drive in refugee camps.  Somali Prime Minister Omar Sharmarke said, “We never recruited in Kenya.”

“We are not involved in any such operation,” said Ongeri.

On Friday, a Somali general said that 1,500 young men are receiving military training in Kenya, a contradiction from the country’s original position denying that recruitment is taking place.

General Yusuf Dhumal, Commander of Somali military forces, said that Somalia and Kenya are working together to recruit.  He said that the 1,500 that have been recruited are being trained to fight Islamist rebels.  The recruitment is part of Somalia’s plan to build a strong army to defend the country.

Ongeri said that they are in line with all international agreements.

“The Kenyan military has not done anything outside the UN and AU frameworks of assisting Somalia as a country to achieve peace and tranquility.  Kenya was to chip in my training the Somali police.  We will continue to train them,” he said.

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki has called on the international community to support the TFG and help Somalis achieve a stable and peaceful nation.  He also asked the international community to fulfill $214 million United States dollars in pledges to support the Somali peace process.

We’re not saying the Kenyan government should not fear the seepage [of violence],” said Letta Tayler, researcher for HRW.  “But what we’re saying is: play by the rules.”

For more information, please see:

Daily Nation – Kenya Admits to Secret Police Training for Somalia – 26 October 2009

CNN – Rights Group Urges Kenya to Stop Military Recruitment of Refugees – 25 October 2009

Bloomberg – Human Rights Accuses Kenya of Recruiting Somali Refugees – 23 October 2009

VOA – Somali General Confirms Kenya Recruiting Soldiers – 23 October 2009

Xinhua – Kenya Urges World to Support – 23 October 2009

HRW – Kenya: Stop Recruitment of Somalis in Refugee Camps – 22 October 2009