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Danes insist on refugees for cash

A view of the Dadaab refugee camp in northern Kenya. PHOTO | TONY KARUMBA | FILE

A view of the Dadaab refugee camp in northern Kenya. A Danish opposition party insists that Somali refugees arriving in Denmark could be sent to Kenya at a fee. FILE PHOTO | TONY KARUMBA |  AFP

By MIKKEL DANIELSEN AND KENFREY KIBERENGE

A Danish opposition party insists that Somali refugees arriving in Denmark could be sent to Kenya at a fee.

In an article in the Politiken, one of the leading newspapers in Denmark, the party, which might ascend to power next year, suggested that Sh15 million should be set aside yearly to fund a refugee camp on Kenyan soil.

“It is no big surprise that the Kenyan Government is rejecting the proposal. Kenya has previously accepted Somali pirates arrested by the Danish Naval Forces, even though the government initially did not like the idea. So it would not be the first time for us to negotiate an arrangement with Kenya,” Mr Martin Henriksen, Danish People’s Party’s spokesperson on alien affairs told Politiken.

Yesterday, the government, through the Interior ministry, took exception to the remarks and maintained that such a request would be turned down.

TAKING NEW REFUGEES

“We are in the middle of repatriating willing refugees to their countries. So, how would the government explain to Kenyans that we are taking new refugees from another country?” asked Mr Mwenda Njoka, the Interior ministry spokesman.

Between 2011 and 2012, the Danish Navy handed over 28 suspected Somali pirates to Kenyan authorities in Mombasa, who were later prosecuted.

Earlier this year, 24 of them were sentenced to seven years each in Kenyan prisons. Now, Mr Henriksen suggests that with extra financial aid, Kenya could accept the refugees.

“If Kenya receives a couple of hundreds of refugees, while we oblige to support thousands of Kenyans it might be that the Kenyan Government will see it is as good deal,” he said, reacting to a story in the Nation last weekend in which Kenya scoffed at the proposal.

Early this month, Danish People’s Party suggested that refugees from Syria and other parts of the world could be sent to Kenya if the two countries could reach an agreement.

As part of the deal Kenya would be provided with additional aid if a Danish refugee camp was established.

Mr Njoka asked: “Why aren’t they suggesting a European country? Why can’t they fund development and peace initiatives in Somalia like we are doing and then take the refugees back to their country?”

Source: Daily Nation

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