The LGBTQ community in Kakuma refugee camp would like to inform the world and all those concerned of the long pending lgbtiq refugee crisis in the place about UNHCR's statement in conjunction to what happened on 3rd February 2023 during food distribution. 

We refute allegations that we were demonstrating on grounds of not being given food on time. As usual, we appeared at ration centre in a number of 100+ to collect food (the reason why we go to ration centres in such a big number at once is to ensure our safety from any kind of homophobic violence during our way to and from the centre plus even during food collection. We feel safe when we are in a group). 

We peacefully asked to be served food earlier enough because the more we were standing in the long que with other refugees, the more we were being stoned and beaten already. We tried to explain and complain this condition of violence against us from refugees to the security team at ration centre but they kept on never to mind about the matter. We kept on pleading that we needed to get food earlier and leave, no one likes to be beaten or stoned simply because they are picking up "2 kgs of maize grains for a month". Our request was not in any way connected to any of us being special from other refugees, but it was a measure that perhaps if taken, our lives could be saved from the violence we were facing back in the long que, that the security team wasn't even willing to attend to and understand or resolve. 

We were rather made to keep waiting, as we were being told to come back on our own special day, or arrangement just like the UNHCR statement says. This was something we felt it was stigmatising us and it wasn't right. We are not special among other refugees to be given a day or arrangement of collecting food. However much we believe that we are vulnerable, it doesn't make us special to the extent of having food on a special arrangement. Just like any other vulnerable group of people in the camp like expecting mothers, children, people with disabilities who pick up food without being given their specific allocated day, we the LGBTQ shouldn't be treated in any way other than that. We have to associate with the rest of the community. 

And besides, if UNHCR believes we can live in harmony with the camp community as they keep on alleging, why would they again need to allocate a day for us to pick up food, a day when no one else will be at ration centre? UNHCR is doing community sensatisations where they are teaching people to stop being homophobic. We don't want to think that this is already failing (after all we already complained about it that it's only exposing us, increasing our risks of violence and its never a durable solution).

Why would they need to give us a day of coming back to pick up food if the community loves us and if perhaps the sensitisations are working?

We therefore believe that the fact that they were suggesting a day for us to pick food, it's something that was to stigmatise us. That's why we didn't accept it. We kept on standing in the line, waiting for them to give us food like anyone else.

Unfortunately, one police officer beat one gay man. This sparkled everything and we immediately asked the police to take him to the hospital plus condemning police brutality. In response, the police tear gased us and the community continued throwing stones to us, badly.

This caused other lgbtiq sustain injuries. However, according to UNHCR, "no one sustained serious injuries". Is this a statement that is in any way related to their mandate? Are they mandated to say, "no one suffered serious injuries?" 

An injury is an injury. Mental, physical, minor, serious injuries are all injuries and no one is meant to have any of them simply because they belong to a certain magnalised group among an unwelcoming society, for so long as humanity still exists. 

Additionally, what UNHCR claims to be misinformation on social media about those injured is wrong and unhuman of them. Those are victims explaining their experiences in the entire sagga. Their experiences should never be termed as misinformation. No one among the victims is mentally ill to claim that they were injured when it's not true, why would they need to misinform? They were injured, they got treatment, they reported to police and more so, they were victimised. It should stop being an a found act of UNHCR to term victims' homophobic experiences as "misinformation". Homophobia causes injuries. Be it mental, physical, minor, serious, not serious, they're all injuries and so a durable solution should be sought, not manipulating victims' experiences as misinformation.

We also believe that UNHCR should consider the fact that the 1,000 refugees went back home without picking up their food simply because they saw it more important to pick up stones and throw them to us than picking up their food. None of us asked them to stop picking up food. Literally, a number of 100 refugees, can't stop 1000 other refugees to pick up their food and get back to their homes. Such a narrative from a humanitarian agancy like UNHCR only shows a clear bias about LGBTQ refugees. We cannot be blamed for stopping 1000 refugees to pick up their food, and rather not seen important to condemn or emphasise what the 1000 refugees violately did to us, with police. We would like to advise UNHCR to improve their mechanisms of gathering evidence about such incidents, otherwise its so mean of them to come up with such a paragraph in their statement, alternatively, this exhibits more bias about LGBTQ refugees from most partners that UNHCR works with to collect evidence, data and information before coming up with their official statements. 

Lastly, whatever happened on 3rd February 2023 was a clear indication that Kakuma refugee camp is homophobic and will never accept lgbtiq refugees. The problem isn't about a group of LGBTQ individuals in the camp. No, the problem is the fact that we are living in a place that is homophobic and there is no any number of police patrol cars, or community sensitisation that will ever solve that. Actually, they are just escalating the entire crisis, leaving us targeted, exposed and risked. Everyone in the camp is biased about LGBTQ refugees. Doctors in hospitals, humanitarian workers, police, members of the host community and fellow refugees.

To else one reading this, please help us amplify our voices. Help us find a durable solution to save our lives please.