Kenya to Close World’s Largest Refugee Camp

Kenya is planning to close the world’s largest refugee camp. They  say it poses a security threat that could lead to terrorist attacks.Most refugees there are from Somalia who escaped conflict in their country.

Kenya’s government announced plans to close the camp “within the shortest time possible.” But the United Nations and international human rights groups have criticized the move.

The U.N. refugee agency urged Kenya this week to reconsider its decision. The agency said in a statement that closing the camp would have “devastating consequences.” 

Kenya’s Interior Minister,  said at a news conference Wednesday that the camp threatens Kenya’s security. He said the government believes the camp harbors extremists from Somalia’s Islamic al-Shabab group and is used to smuggle weapons.

Al-Shabab began launching attacks in Kenya after Kenyan troops entered Somalia to fight the militant group in 2011.

Kenya’s government has admitted that closing the refugee camps will harm refugees. It urged the international community to take steps to minimize the pain and suffering.

Human Rights Watch senior refugee researcher Gerry Simpson says refugees are not the source of security threats in Kenya.But Interior Ministry spokesman disagrees, saying that terrorists have used refugee camps to plan and train for attacks.

Government and security expert Mummoh Nzau agrees that terrorists have infiltrated the camps, and that the camps do pose a security risk. But he is calling for a careful approach to dealing with the situation. He said one option would be to relocate the camps.“They can move the refugees right inside Somalia, but in a way that it is safe for them, and that they can be accessed by the international refugee agencies and other aid agencies.”

The United Nations said it planned to repatriate 50,000 more refugees this year. But officials admitted this repatriation would be a difficult task because the Somali government is still fighting an insurgency from al-Shabab.

Kenya, which has been hosting refugees for nearly 25 years, previously threatened to close the camps, but did not follow through.

VOCABULARY:

refugee - n. a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.

devastating – adj. highly destructive or damaging

consequence – n. a result or effect of an action or condition

at odds – in conflict or at variance with something

harbor– v. to shelter or hide a criminal or wanted person

smuggle – v. to move items illegally into or out of a country

minimize – v. reduce something to the smallest possible degree

repatriate – v. to send someone back to their own country

insurgency – n. an active revolt or uprising

militant - n. is someone who is engaged in a war or who acts aggressively for their cause

extremist - n. a person who holds extreme or fanatical political or religious views, especially one who resorts to or advocates extreme action.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Are there many refugees in your country?
2. What rights do and don’t refugees have?
3. Do you think the image of refugees has changed over the years?
4. What problems do refugees bring to the countries they go to?
5. What benefits are there to countries who accept refugees?
6. How do you think countries decide who is a refugee and who isn’t?
7. What should people do on World Refugee Day (June 20)?


source: 
http://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/kenya-to-close-worlds-largest-refugee-camp/3327650.html
http://esldiscussions.com/r/refugees.html