Nigeria Delays Closure of Refugee Camps
Nigeria no longer plans to close displacement camps and return people to their homes by the end of this month, as fighting with Boko Haram continues.
The government had planned to shut the camps, where tens of thousands of people are sheltering from the insurgency, before Ramadan begins on May 27.
Borno state governor Kashim Shettima acknowledged that it is not yet safe for camp residents to return to their homes.
While Nigeria’s government has declared Boko Haram defeated, the military is still battling the group and the militants continue to carry out deadly attacks. This week, three suicide bombers killed two people on the road from state capital Maiduguri to the city of Bama.
“We will not wait till eternity. We are very optimistic that very soon the entire Borno will be safe enough for full habitation,” Shettima said.
At least 1.8 million people are displaced in Nigeria. Around one-third live in camps, while the majority live with local communities.
Small German Town Wins National Integration Award
Germany awarded its National Prize for Integration to the small town of Altena, praising its officials and residents for working together to help refugees integrate.
The western German town has taken in 370 refugees, with some residents taking them into their homes, offering mentoring or volunteering to teach them German.
The township of 17,000 had seen its population decline in recent decades, and the mayor hopes the new arrivals will reverse its fortunes, propelling the local economy.
While some experts say Altena exemplifies how small towns can reap the benefits of immigration, others caution of the major challenges of integration in rural areas.
100 Lone Children Flee South Sudan Every Day, Says Charity
Around 100 unaccompanied children flee South Sudan over the border into Uganda every day, World Vision said. Already, 9,000 children have fled the warring nation since July and the California-based charity expects that figure to reach 10,000 soon.
“The majority of these children saw their parents being killed, while others lost touch with their families once fighting broke out,” said World Vision’s Gilbert Kamanga. “Some of them walk for more than a week to get to Uganda, with nothing to eat … This is one of the worst forms of violence against children.”
Some 1.8 million people have been displaced by fighting in South Sudan, with around 2,000 people crossing into Uganda every day.
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