Nairobi (Alshahid) -The US has identified overcrowding and security concerns, including rape, banditry and shooting as major problems at both Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps.

A State Department human rights report also cited the persecution of Muslim converts to Christianity, community pressure against opponents of female genital mutilation, forced marriage, particularly of young Sudanese and Somali girls, and family objections to out-of-clan marriage as other major problems that need to be addressed.

According to the report, the department was disappointed that even though the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Internal Security ministry and their Immigration counterparts agreed to increase police presence at all refugee camps, the deal remained unsigned as at the end of last year.

It also accused law enforcement officers of sexually molesting women at various camps.

“In March, Human Rights Watch conducted 102 interviews regarding sexual violence in the Dadaab refugee camps. In 46 of the cases, police were accused of gang-raping women in the camps or on their way to the camps,” read the report.

Source: Daily Nation