Global perspective Human stories

Record number of people make perilous journey to Yemen, UN reports

Record number of people make perilous journey to Yemen, UN reports

Newly arrived Somali refugees wait to be registered at a refugee camp in Yemen.
Fleeing conflict, poverty and drought, more than 74,000 people – a record number – from the Horn of Africa risked their lives this year to make the treacherous journey across the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea to begin their lives anew in Yemen, the United Nations refugee agency said today.

Fleeing conflict, poverty and drought, more than 74,000 people – a record number – from the Horn of Africa risked their lives this year to make the treacherous journey across the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea to begin their lives anew in Yemen, the United Nations refugee agency said today.

This figure is up a staggering 50 per cent from the 50,000 arrivals last year, Andrej Mahecic, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told reporters in Geneva.

Refugees and migrants travel in smugglers’ boats under harrowing conditions, he noted. “In some cases they are beaten, raped, killed or just thrown overboard into the shark-infested waters.”

The often overloaded and rickety boats sometimes capsize, drowning those on board.

Latest UNHCR statistics show that 309 people lost their lives in 2009, while nearly 600 died in 2008, as they tried to reach Yemen.

“The mixed migration route through the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea is presently the busiest and the deadliest one in the world,” Mr. Mahecic said.

While Somalis have comprised the majority of the arrivals in previous years, the number of Ethiopians reaching Yemen has doubled from last year to more than 42,000, while the number of Somalis has remained steady at around 32,000.

Virtually all Somalis aim to reach the two reception centres at Mafyaa and Ahwar before traveling to Sana’a and Aden, while most Ethiopians seek job opportunities in Gulf nations.

Upon arriving in Yemen, all Somali nationals are automatically recognized as refugees by Yemeni authorities. The country currently hosts 150,000 Somali refugees.

People with other nationalities, including Ethiopians, who want to apply for asylum must do so under the refugee status determination procedure carried out by UNHCR.

This year, most Ethiopians did not approach the reception centres because they did not intend to apply for asylum. “However, we believe that some of them may have avoided approaching the centres, fearing arrest and detention as those who do not apply for asylum and are found to be in the country illegally could end up in Yemeni detention and are ultimately deported,” Mr. Mahecic said.

UNHCR has not had systematic access to Ethiopians detained in Yemen for entering the country illegally, and has been expressing its serious concern over the continued detention and deportation of Ethiopians, who are not allowed to contact UNHCR, with authorities.