LOC10:27
07:27 GMT
GENEVA, Aug 29 (KUNA) -- The UN High Commission of Refugees (UNHCR) said on
Wednesday that 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 percent
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," said the UN agency in a press release.
"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."
The UNHCR 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.
The UNHCR is 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, The UNHCR expects 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. (end)
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KUNA 291027 Aug 12NNNN