The Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government of the Somali Republic, H.E. Dr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, has expressed his strong condemnation of the kidnappings of two Spanish doctors, two Kenyans and the injury of their Kenyan driver by Gunmen at the Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya.
“I am deeply saddened by this senseless criminal act. I sympathize with the families and friends of all the victims,” said Prime Minster Dr. Ali. “We do not know yet who was behind the kidnapping; nevertheless, these criminals must be caught and held responsible. The continuous threats of Al-shabab terrorists and Bandits to Refugees and Aid Workers in camps are intolerable.”
Prime Minister Ali applauded the Kenyan Police’s pursuit of the kidnappers, and expressed his government’s willingness to support the Kenyan authorities in capturing the kidnappers. Dr. Ali also stated that the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia will work with the Crisis team set up to deal with this incident by the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).
Dadaab Refugee Camp houses 450, 000 refugees and the incident happened near the Ifo camp, one of the three areas that make up Dadaab.
In response to the famine in Somalia, the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia created a high level cabinet committee and, as per its recommendations, established several camps to house and feed Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). The Government also established a Disaster Management Agency, comprising members of civil society to work with the United Nations agencies such as the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and the World Food Programme to synchronize the efforts of dealing with the famine. Food and other aid were distributed to IDPs without incident in the past month.
Prime Minister Dr. Ali stressed the urgency of strengthening the security in and around all Refugee Camps, particularly, in these times when the people of the region are experiencing the worst drought in more than half a century, and hundreds of thousands are housed in these camps.
Prime Minister Dr. Ali said that the protection of vulnerable people and Aid Workers must be prioritized.
Source: PM Office
Somalia Prime Minister condemns the kidnapping of Aid Workers
Published: October 14, 2011
