As an LGBTQIA+🏳️🌈, I bear witness to the horrifying police brutality that unfolded before my very eyes, along with my fellow LGBTQIA+ advocates, freedom fighters, and refugees in Kakuma refugee camp. It was a day we had come together to celebrate our pride, a moment of unity and empowerment during Pride Month. However, what transpired shattered our sense of safety and belonging.
In the midst of our joyful pride party, the police forcefully invaded our presence, displaying an alarming disregard for our rights and humanity. Our small tent house, adorned with rainbow flags symbolizing our pride and resilience, was ruthlessly torn down. We, the members of the LGBTQIA+ community, were subjected to brutal beatings by those who are entrusted with the duty to protect us, but who instead exhibited violent, homophobic, and transphobic tendencies.
This appalling act served as a stark reminder that within Kakuma refugee camp and Kenya at large, there is no place for us. Even the officials who should be safeguarding our rights have become perpetrators of violence and discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ family. We pose no threat, for we bear no weapons and have not inflicted harm upon anyone. Yet, we are continually targeted by the refugee community, subjected to brutality, torture, persecution, discrimination, and social stigma solely due to our sexual orientation and gender identity.
The conditions we endure in the camp are unbearable, pushing us to exist in a state of constant fear, insecurity, and suffering. We are forced to live in a primitive and inhospitable environment, stripped of our dignity and denied basic human rights. This relentless adversity places an immense burden on the LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers and refugees in Kakuma refugee camp, compromising our very survival.
Therefore, I implore all those who champion human rights and stand against injustice to join forces and provide us with international support. We call upon activists, organizations dedicated to protecting LGBTQIA+ rights and lives, and the global community at large to unite as one, advocating for our freedom from the confines of Kakuma refugee camp. It is evident that this camp will never be a safe haven for us.
We desperately need your unwavering support and solidarity. Ignoring our plight is not an option; it is through your intervention and collective efforts that we can secure our liberation. Together, let us work towards a world where every LGBTQIA+ individual can thrive, free from persecution and discrimination. Our lives and well-being depend on it..
