--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No one wants to admit that the temporary…" description: "\"“No one wants to admit that the temporary camp of Dadaab has become permanent: not the Kenyan government who must host it, not the UN who must pay for ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/ben-rawlence-29678_immigration_no-one-wants-to-admit-that-the-temporary_3176460.jpg" --- # No one wants to admit that the temporary camp of Dadaab… ![“No one wants to admit that the temporary camp of Dadaab has become permanent: not the Kenyan government who must host it, not the UN who must pay for it, and not the refugees who must live there. This paradox makes the ground unsteady. Caught between the ongoing war in Somalia and a world…” quote by Ben Rawlence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/ben-rawlence-29678_immigration_no-one-wants-to-admit-that-the-temporary_3176460.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/ben-rawlence-29678_immigration_no-one-wants-to-admit-that-the-temporary_3176460.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/ben-rawlence-29678_immigration_no-one-wants-to-admit-that-the-temporary_3176460.jpg) > ““No one wants to admit that the temporary camp of Dadaab has become permanent: not the Kenyan government who must host it, not the UN who must pay for it, and not the refugees who must live there. This paradox makes the ground unsteady. Caught between the ongoing war in Somalia and a world unwilling to welcome them, the refugees can only survive in the camp by imagining a life elsewhere. It is unsettling: neither the past, nor the present, nor the future is a safe place for a mind to linger for long. To live in this city of thorns is to be trapped mentally, as well as physically, your thoughts constantly flickering between impossible dreams and a nightmarish reality. In short, to come here you must be completely desperate.”” [Ben Rawlence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-rawlence/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The camp, intended as temporary, has become a permanent, precarious existence for refugees, trapped between conflict and global indifference, leading to mental and physical entrapment. **In simple terms:** Dadaab is a permanent, unsafe refuge for desperate people. Key Takeaway Advocate for durable solutions and mental health support. Themes human rights refugee crisis psychology politics desperation Mood somber urgent Type analytical advocacy When to use this quote - policy advocacy - mental health programs - international aid - public awareness campaigns Key Concepts temporary vs permanent mental entrapment global responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What long‑term policies could transform temporary camps into sustainable communities? - How can host nations balance security with humanitarian duties? 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Caught between the ongoing war in Somalia and a world unwilling to welcome them, the refugees can only survive in the camp by imagining a life elsewhere. It is unsettling: neither the past, nor the present, nor the future is a safe place for a mind to linger for long. To live in this city of thorns is to be trapped mentally, as well as physically, your thoughts constantly flickering between impossible dreams and a nightmarish reality. 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