12 PROTRACTED DISPLACEMENT FMR33

Riding on the back of a tortoise Abebe Feyissa Demo

An Ethiopian community responds to protracted of into the social structure displacement. of the host country, or resettlement in a third country. However, none of My name is Abebe Feyissa Demo and to Kakuma camp, where these options seem to be available I was born in Addis Ababa in 1960. many of them still live today. to the Ethiopians in Kakuma. Before I had to leave my homeland, I was studying in the University The opportunities for refugees in Impact on behaviour of Addis Ababa’s Department of Kakuma to improve their lives are For so many years refugees were Psychology. In 1991 I fled to escape limited. Kenyan government policy spending seven Sundays in a week the brutal torture of student leaders dictates that refugees must stay in one without any meaningful activity. such as myself. In 1993 I was of two camps (Kakuma or ). At the same time they were excited relocated from Walda Refugees are not allowed to keep with longing and dreams of a better to Kakuma refugee camp. I have lived animals, since this is considered life tomorrow. Every refugee used here ever since. I am actively involved likely to increase conflict between the to dream his or her tomorrow but in my community, and also have refugees and the local Turkana people, had no power to make it come true. worked for many years for the Jesuit and the semi-arid environment is Refugee Service (JRS) in Kakuma. My not conducive to growing crops. It Refugees were like a vehicle whose current role for JRS is Community is possible for refugees to start small brake and accelerator were engaged Counselling Focal Person, which businesses, if the capital is available at the same time: much roaring and involves both counselling those in (either through a loan from an NGO agitation but no forward movement. my community and training others or money sent by family abroad). Eventual engine break-down is in counselling skills and massage. However, the market is finite because the result. And as time slowly went by, Kakuma is in a very isolated area – its refugees began behaving differently. Kakuma refugee camp, located in name means ‘nowhere’ in Swahili They fell prey to illnesses. Personal north-west , was originally – and the majority of customers are hygiene became too much effort. No- established for 12,000 Sudanese other refugees, a small number of one bothered much to take meals. minors who arrived in 1992. Since NGO staff and local Kenyans. All that time they have been joined NGOs in the camp ‘employ’ refugees During the dust-storms that blow by refugees of other nationalities. but due to Kenyan laws prohibiting at the beginning of those never- Kakuma now holds 70,000 refugees. employment of refugees, they are ending days, it was common to see As well as thousands more Sudanese engaged on a voluntary basis and refugees running up and down, there are refugees from Somalia, then paid an ‘incentive’, which is here and there, to hide themselves Ethiopia, Democratic Republic far lower than a wage would be for from the dust – despite the fact that of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda and a Kenyan in an equivalent job. there is nowhere better to go. It is Uganda. Many have been living in as if the running itself is helpful. Kakuma for more than ten years. “Each day of the week falls on Those who came as children have Sunday”was a saying of Zemede Refugees run here and there, trying been educated and have grown Bezabih, a fellow refugee, when everything they can think of to to adulthood in Kakuma; many he explains the day-to-day life of find a solution to their problems children have been born in the refugees in Kakuma refugee camp. and a way out of their refugee life. camp and have never seen their With no work, all the days of the Despite this endless activity, their ‘home’ countries. Since 2006, large week are the same, except in name. progress forward is painfully slow. numbers of Sudanese refugees have The only concern of refugees is now We call it ‘riding on the back of returned home but many, especially and then hiding themselves from the a tortoise’. People are ready and the women and children, are not scorching sun and the dust-storms. willing to make every effort to ride yet ready to leave Kakuma. Once or twice a day they cook inside away from their problems but the their shelters made of plastic sheeting, only animal available to them is a Most of the Ethiopian refugees now every day, every week and every tortoise, so the rider makes very living in the camp were students month, every year, maybe forever. little progress despite their efforts. in higher education institutions or When Sunday happens more than just After years of this, there are some skilled professionals from cities once a week, it becomes a cursed day. who resign completely, come down and towns in Ethiopia. Most were from the back of the tortoise and single, and between the ages of All the refugees want to escape this hang themselves on an acacia tree. 18 and 35. There were more men unhealthy situation. They do not than women. Those who fled in know what to do about it and, more How do some refugees 1991 – as I did – stayed initially frustratingly, they do not know cope better than others? in Walda refugee camp but at the whether it will ever come to an end. Refugees working as counsellors beginning of 1993 this entire group UNHCR’s three durable solutions are and social workers for NGOs of Ethiopian refugees was relocated voluntary repatriation, integration active in the camp recognised the FMR33 PROTRACTED DISPLACEMENT 13

difficulty, and frequently discussed banged into a tree or who fell into role models but their behaviour possible alternative interventions. a pit and bruised his leg. Everyone seems to bring them some benefits. They were not professional helpers talks without properly listening to They have something to look as such. The concern they had for each other, just talks with a feeling forward to – wining the next game. their fellow refugees was more out of liveliness and a satisfaction. The In contrast, most other refugees of sense of communal responsibility one wounded while running after have nothing to look forward to. than professional duty. the thieves talks about his freshly bleeding wound without ever feeling We thought about those refugees They noted that there were some the pain. Sometimes these exchanges who go out at night shouting "leba, refugees who seemed to cope better of experiences last long into the night. leba" and running after thieves. They than others. It was common to find And the next morning many say that returned without catching the thieves, many refugees gambling behind they slept well and their faces show without retrieving the stolen goods, closed doors, often for many hours at they were more rested than usual. sometimes wounded, bruised and a time. Strangely enough, they were swollen, but they would chat for hours with unaccustomed vitality. Why was that? What was the reason for the sound sleep and rested face they showed the next morning?

A youth We concluded that group performs a pleasure and satisfaction traditional in life is to be found in Sudanese having something to look dance as part of forward to and in free a Youth release of physical energy Festival, towards a meaningful goal. Kakuma refugee camp. Development of community activities Based on this belief we decided to find ways to help our fellow refugees. UNHCR/A Webster UNHCR/A Webster Kakuma refugee camp less anxious than others about the refugee life that seems to have no end. The hours passed quickly for them. Some other young refugees used to spend time playing and listening to kirar (a traditional Ethiopian stringed instrument). It was common to see on their faces a rested look.

At that time, it was a frequent experience to hear at night-time the cry of “Leba, leba!” (Thief, thief!) Sudanese refugee minors (the ‘Lost Boys’ now resettled in the US) used UNHCR/A Webster UNHCR/A Webster to raid the Ethiopian community at night. Everybody chased the thieves in the pitch darkness but Those of us who are counsellors and We focused first on the youngsters. those Sudanese minors were rarely social workers used to regularly It was they who were much affected caught. What amazed us were the discuss those experiences and by this unending refugee life. Ex- reactions of those who had been incidents. What interested us was students of higher education and chasing the thieves. When they not the experience itself but the effect young skilled professionals with returned, they would gather in small it had on refugees. We wanted to ambitions were watching idly as the groups to exchange experiences: understand what it was about the prime of their lives passed them by. the one who caught the neck of experience that brought pleasure Our aim became to engage these his neighbour, mistaking him for a and a feeling of well-being. refugees in activities that were thief; the one who couldn’t find meaningful to them. For example, the door of his own house to go Let’s take the example of the we planned plays and music out to join the chase; the one who gamblers. Yes, gamblers are not good festivals that provided food for 14 PROTRACTED DISPLACEMENT FMR33

Refugees who were Once they regained a sense of pride followers of the Ethiopian and purpose, refugees developed Orthodox church decided to the desire to decorate their homes. Competition soon started between

UNHCR/L Taylor UNHCR/L Taylor mobilise refugees to build a church large enough to refugees in decorating homes, accommodate everyone. planting trees and flowers around Within two years, with their compound. Refugees who had financial support from never seen the possibility of true abroad, refugees built living in the camp got married and two sparkling churches. had children. Now their children Youngsters and many older are in school and there are reasons people were more than and meaning to continuing life in willing and ready to help the camp – to not wanting to die. build the church. Church activities and the number of Conclusion church-goers grew each day. All refugees need a sense of security More importantly, refugees to function well. Life in the shadow who dedicated their time of fear is debilitating and corrosive to and energy to this work the soul. That is what they fled from. found that they had bigger They also need to have purposeful appetites for whatever food activities that are as meaningful as was available and greater those back home. It does not mean Member of a reserves of physical energy. that refugees should have all the women's They felt pleasantly tired material possessions they had back group after their work and slept home. However, they need to function crocheting, Kakuma deeply at night. They were with the feeling of being at home. camp completely changed persons. Most often, it is neighbouring thought and that enabled refugees An ex-student of Addis Ababa countries that can provide refuge for to reflect on their refugee life and University theatrical arts department people fleeing. Host countries and even gave them the opportunity volunteered to write, direct and NGOs serving refugees should not to laugh at their misfortunes. produce plays suitable for refugees conclude that providing refugees with of all ages. One morning, colourful food rations – though this provision One member of our community hand-written posters with an is crucial – and making sure that they was working for one of the NGOs invitation to a play appeared in many are safe from danger are enough. in the camp but back home he had places in the camp. It was a talking been a well-known football player. point for all, and triggered a sense of In addition to their basic needs, He quickly managed to form two eagerness and excitement. Many must refugees must have meaningful teams of young refugees and, after a have sensed a feeling of going to one activity, choices, some control over few more weeks of training, a match of the theatres they used to frequent their lives. Very often these do not between the two teams was scheduled back home. Life was continuing. need to be provided by agencies. and all were invited to watch. On As Ethiopians have demonstrated the day of the match, the number of Refugees had the chance of watching in Kakuma, refugee communities refugees who gathered to watch the plays at least once every two months. are quite capable of organising game was spectacular. They walked Just after the show the talk of the themselves and supporting their three kilometres to the football pitch week would be about it, not about members, if they are given the and watched the game with a spirit of the pain of refugee life. Refugees opportunity. It is a challenge to find liveliness as they were waiting eagerly had something to look forward to. meaning in life when more than 15 to see the team they supported win. years have been spent in camps. Building a church and watching While refugee communities in Returning to the camp, most refugees drama were not ends in protracted displacement situations were walking erect and head up, themselves; rather they formed are able to develop resources talking more loudly and smiling more a springboard to something and find ways to cope, in the end frequently to one another. Since then, more important and meaningful. a more permanent solution to refugees have come not only to watch The opportunity to release energy their problems must be found. matches but also to participate in was at last found. Refugees were regular training sessions. Eventually feeling better. Abebe Feyissa Demo has recently many young refugees formed a been resettled in Australia. The number of football teams, each with Within a few years, refugees in author would like to acknowledge their own team name. The sports Kakuma camp set up bars and the assistance of Rebecca Horn activities that started in the Ethiopian restaurants, shops and other service- ([email protected]), Research Fellow refugee community spread to other providing businesses. Internet cafes, at the Institute of International refugee communities – Sudanese, video shows, table tennis, pool and Health and Development, Somali and Congolese. Inter- many other indoor games, barbers Queen Margaret University in community sports matches were held. and hair salons mushroomed. Edinburgh, in writing this paper.