Yemen arrivals increase as Horn of Africa mixed migration hits all-time
highs
Tue, 28 Aug 2012 11:04 GMT
UNHCR
The flow of refugees and migrants from the Horn of Africa across the Gulf of
Aden and the Red Sea towards Yemen continues to exceed previous records. In
the first seven of 2012, more than 63,800 people made this perilous journey
compared to 48,700 during the same period last year - a 30 per cent
increase. 2011 was also a record year with more than 103,000 arrivals by sea
to Yemen, the highest total since 2006 when UNHCR started collecting data on
this route.
Noteworthy is a significant change in the composition of this population,
with more Ethiopians making the crossing using the services of smugglers
operating along the shores of Somalia and Djibouti. Our primary concern is
for those fleeing conflict and persecution and who are forced to resort to
any available means to reach safety in neighbouring countries - in this
case, meaning taking boats operated by smugglers. Due to conflict and human
rights violations in their home country Somalis are automatically recognized
as refugees in all neighbouring countries - including Yemen.
In previous years, Somali refugees have constituted between a quarter and a
third of all arrivals to Yemen. From January to July this year only
one-in-six of those arriving in Yemen were Somali nationals. While the
number of Somalis making the crossing remains relatively stable, the number
of Ethiopians continues to rise (more than 51,000 this year alone).
Some of the Ethiopians who reach Yemen decide to seek asylum. Most cite a
lack of prospects and a difficult economic situation. To avoid detention and
deportation, they attempt to evade contact with the Yemeni authorities.
Reports of serious abuses of Ethiopians at the hands of smugglers have been
increasing.
We are also seeing disturbing trends in the way that boat crossings are
being done. In addition to growth in the number of daily boat departures to
Yemen from Djibouti, the smuggling process has now become so organized that
those deciding to make this dangerous journey are using established money
transfer systems to pay smugglers (rather than carrying cash for fear of
being robbed by bandits en route to their departure points).
The vast majority are crossing the Red Sea from Obock, Djibouti, with the
remainder crossing the Arabian Sea from Somaliland and Puntland.
Once data for August is compiled, we expect to see another spike in arrivals
in Yemen. Migrants who go to Yemen in hopes of working in the Gulf States
usually try to depart during Ramadan because they think patrols on the
border between Yemen and Saudi Arabia are more lax during this time. They
also believe that if they get to their intended destination during Ramadan,
they may benefit from zakat or other charitable donations in the form of
money, food and the chance to perform odd jobs.
