CLASHES AT THE REFUGEES CAMP IN KENYA
Story by NATION Team Publication Date: 8/2/2006
Three people have died in Turkana District during a clash between refugees and residents.
The clash occurred after three men allegedly shot dead a Sudanese refugee who was asleep at Kakuma camp.
The victim's kinsmen embarked on a revenge mission and attacked two residents they accused of having taken part in the killing. They beat one of them to death.
There were conflicting reports on the number of those who died in the Thursday incident. Initial reports from the local people said eight people had been killed while police said only three died.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees spokesman Emmanuel Nyabera said only two died. He said that a resident, who was beaten up by the refugees, was rushed to Kakuma Mission Hospital where he was treated and discharged.
Turkana district criminal investigations officer Jason Obilo said three people died in the conflict. He identified them as Mr William Diong, 20 (Sudanese), Mr Ebei Loyeru, 20 (Turkana) and Mr Yusuf Dirie, 32, a Somali.
Relatives claimed that five women might have been among the dead, but Mr Obilo said it had been established that the five had not been killed.
The CID boss said Mr Dirie was killed on Thursday and his mobile phone stolen. "On Saturday, three armed gangsters struck at the refugee camp and shot Mr Diong in the stomach, killing him instantly," he said.
On Monday, when Mr Diong was being buried at a cemetery, Mr Loyeru and a friend, who were passing by, were attacked by mourners. Mr Loyeru was killed while his friend was injured, he said.
Mr Nyabera said calm had been restored at the camp by the General Service Unit (GSU) personnel from Lokichogio.
A meeting was held yesterday to reconcile the groups and restore calm at the camp with a population of about 90,000 people.
Last year, 13 people died in a similar dispute between the local people and the refugees when they fought over the use of water from River Tarach.
