THE PLIGHT OF SOMALI REFUGEES
Kanini Evans Kariuki
July 08, 2009
SOMALI refugees are scattered all over the world right from New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, China, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Arab Gulf States, Syria, Lebanon, Jerusalem, Egypt, Israel, Turkey, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zambia, South Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar, Comoros Islands, Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Senegal, Western Europe, particularly Italy, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Canada, USA, Yemen, and the Djibouti.
Presently, the major countries that host Somali refugees are Kenya, Yemen, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Arabian Gulf States (not signatory of the UN Refugee Geneva Convention of July 1951), Sudan, Libya, Ethiopia, and Egypt (where they were mistreated on their way to Israel.)
Other major countries that host the refugees are Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, UK, Ireland, France, India, Pakistan, Iraq, Malta, Cyprus, Russia, China and etcetera.
The Somali refugee crisis cropped up from the day Somalia joined the club of the Eastern bloc during the cold war in the early 70īs.
In the early days of the 1970īs, it was individuals or small groups who were crossing the Somalia boundaries with Ethiopia, Kenya and Affar and Issa French colonies and across the Gulf of Aden on the way to Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Sultan of Oman.
These refugees mostly settled in the oil-rich countries of the Gulf States which are not signatory to the Geneva Refugee convention of 1951.
In Egypt, those who were working in the Gulf States were making it possible for their families to let their children go to school in Egypt.
Egypt was a signatory of the convention of refugees, but during the Jamal Abdi Nasir era, Egypt suspended its membership and became signatory to the convention during the era of Anwar Sadat.
The Somalis who were in the Gulf States had made reasonable earnings during the petrol-booming business of the Gulf States, but they were not entitled for pension, and their children who were born in the Gulf states after 18 years, were forced either to have a separate residence (which means they must be sponsored by somebody with a business if they had to leave the country), or their parents; the requirement was that if they lost their jobs, they had to leave the country no matter how long they had suffered or stayed.
Those who were in the Gulf States mostly sought refugee status in Western European countries and North America.
The second wave of the Somali refugees resurfaced in the early 80īs when the coup dī etat in April 9, 1978 staged by Abdulahi Yusuf(former Somalia President) failed, and simultaneously, the Siad Barre-led regime started detaining, arresting and torturing clan members of Abdulahi Yusuf.
Subsequently, other clans established opposition movements stationed at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
After the abortive coup dīetat and establishment of the clan movements, thousands of refugees crossed the Somali boundaries with Ethiopia and the Djibouti, particularly when the Somalia National Movement (SNM) fought with the regime of Siad Barre in the NorthWest of Somalia (presently the so-called "Somaliland").
Some of these refugees in Ethiopia were given re-settlement in Western Europe and North America, while the majority were repatriated back to "Somaliland" by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees(UNHCR).
Most of the Somali refugees were generated during the civil war which started from 1988 in which hundreds of people of varying ages died in the seas on their way to Mombasa, while families who were separated in their thousands crossed the Somali/Kenyan border (in a mass of disenfranchised humanity), flocking into camps in North East of Kenya where they are living at present. This was made possible by the UNHCR with the approval of the Kenya government.
Some of the refugees receive support from their relatives in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand, while others get re-settlement in these countries through the request of UNHCR.
When the refugees flock to Kenya, some of them move to the Sudan, Zaire, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania, ending up in South Africa.
In this report,I will separately deal with the treatment Somali refugees receive in some of their host countries.
THE ARABIAN GULF STATES
Somalia depends on its trade with the Gulf States for the importation of over 200 million dollars worth of goods mainly from the United Arab Emirates, Dubai being the focal point of this trade.
Despite the absence of banking and insurance systems in Somalia, the Somalis transfer their money through the Somalis exchange bureaus or by cash during the process of selling and buying.
The Arabian Gulf Sates export from Somalia live livestock and small slaughtered goats
The Gulf States hardly allow the Somalis to acquire citizenship.
The Somalis who enter illegally into the Gulf States risk deportation or detention if caught by law enforcement agencies.
The Saudi authorities deported many Somalis who had their residences cancelled, or who had entered Saudi Arabia illegally.
EGYPT AND THE SOMALI REFUGEES
Egypt is a signatory of the Geneva convention of Refugees, and there is an office for UNHCR that gives protection and assistance of food, shelter, education for children and sometimes allows the qualified refugees to have access to post-secondary education and sometimes professional trainings, while the UNHCR applies for re-settlement in Europe, America, Australia, New Zealand, North America and Western Europe.
The Egyptian authorities have been accused by human rights groups of shooting African refugees while crossing the Egyptian/Israeli boundary.
It is reported that some Somalis and other African refugees were shot to death in the course of their escape from the Egyptian soil to Israel.
YEMEN
The Somalis, East African nationalities and Ethiopians use for their illegal journey to the Gulf States and Yemen through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, small overloaded dhows whereby the owners of these dhows in some instances throw the passengers into the sea before reaching the shore, or when they spot the Yemeni coastal guards.
This often results in deaths of women and children while the Nato Navy are patrolling these zones.
According to statistics conducted by the office of the Somali Member of Parliament located in Basoso town, Puntland, the death toll of the victims surpasses 10,000-mostly Somalis, Ethiopians, Eritreans, Tanzanians and a few Kenyans.
In Yemen, there are over 200,000 Somali refugees at present.
Most of them are in camps, while professional refugees are allowed to work in the cities and villages.
The jobs available are mostly those for teachers at all levels, doctors, nurses, engineers, accountants and etcetera.
KENYA
Kenya has been receiving Somali refugees for the last 30 years.
During the Siad Barre-led regime, the number of refugees was negligible and most of them were dissidents.
But after 1991, an exodus of refugeeīs crossed the North Eastern boundary of Kenya, while a small number came through the Mombasa Port.
At present, there are nearly 300,000 Somali refugees in the North Eastern refugee camps, while Kenya is currently receiving 200 refugees who had escaped from the current fighting in Mogadishu between the government and the rebel forces.
Those coming from Mogadishu to Kenya have to contend with a myriad of difficulties and/ or hardships, and some of them die on the way; others are afflicted by diseases and abandoned in the course of their journey, a situation which makes them vulnerable to attack by wild animals.
In the Kenyan camps, UNHCR and the World Food Program (WFP ) have a responsibility of providing food and shelter as well as medical cover to the refugees.
The refugees have been complaining of poor treatment in their quest for sufficient water for drinking and washing, as well as lack of proper shelter and sanitation.
And since their camps are located in semi- desert areas that experience hot temperatures during the day and cold ones at night, the refugees undergo agonizing and unbearable situations.
ALLEGED POLICE HARASSMENT
It was reported recently by human rights organizations that the refugees were being unduly harassed by the Kenyan police in the camps and while crossing the Somalia/Kenya boundary, allegations which were vehemently denied and dismissed by the police authorities.
The police promised to institute a thorough probe into the complaints made by the refugees.
Somalis from Somalia invest in Kenya over 200 million US Dollars annually.
The money comes from Somalia businessmen fleeing from the fighting inside Somalia, from the Diaspora who are interested in buying properties or venturing into business in Kenya, while others bring their families to Kenya and have their children enroll in Kenyan schools, saddened by the feeling that their children will lose their culture and affection to their native country.
Somalis in the Diaspora remit over 1.5 billion US Dollars annually to Somalia, Africa, and the Middle East. This discounts charges that investments made by Somalis in Kenya accrue from sea piracy.
SOUTH AFRICA
In South Africa, Somali refugees usually start their journey from Somalia through Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe then to South Africa, while some of them who are educated and have financial capabilities settle in North America, Europe and the Middle East.
As the Somalis are entrepreneurial and business- minded, they start businesses in the native areas where unemployment and an exceptionally high crime rate is the order of the day.
As their businesses flourish, they hire other Somalis who will later become partners in the trade. But there are side effects to this progress.
The native South Africans tend to be driven by envy, jealousy and hate.
They resort to killing the Somali refugees and torching their business premises.
The antagonism of the South Africans against the Somali refuges and other African workers was recorded and highlighted by the mass media sometimes back.
Currently, there are 120 Somalis who are on deportation and consigned in detention centers, including three women who delivered while in detention; the 120 Somalis are presently complaining of food shortage and lack of medical attention.
It is worth reckoning that the Somalis helped the South Africans during their long struggle against apartheid.
They trained the South Africans militarily and granted scholarships to the South African students.
Interestingly and instead of reciprocating, the South Africans resorted to dehumanizing the Somali refugeeīs. Sad case of the proverbial durry donkey?
TANZANIA
Over 1000 Somali refugees were detained in Tanzania in 2006.
Some of them were released in early 2008, and the remaining ones who were set free in 2009 have headed back to Somalia through Kenya, while the rest left for South Africa.
In Tanzania, the Somali refugees were detained and harassed by the police before being released.
SUDAN
In Northern Sudan, the Somalis are treated normally and have the right to enroll in Sudanese universities and technical institutes.
There are more than 2,500 Somali students. Those who fail in their studies, usually leave for Libya in order to cross the Mediterranean Sea on their way to Europe.
Some of these students die of hunger and other hardships at the Sahara desert between Libya and Sudan.
In their journey from Libya through the Mediterranean Sea, the Somali refugees usually hire tag boats which are obsolete and overloaded.
This overloading at times results in drowning of the refugees after the boats capsize in the high seas of the Mediterranean; the boats sometimes run out of fuel and the victims face acute shortages of food and water.
This is how hundreds of Somali refugees who include pregnant women, children, old men and the disabled perish in the high seas of the Mediterranean.
At times, they are lucky to be rescued by the Italian Coastal Gaurds and their navy,or other vessels navigating in the area.
SOUTHERN SUDAN
In Southern Sudan, there are reports of Somali women being raped by some officers while consigned in certain areas.
They are allegedly subjected to constant sexual assault while being chained to objects in order not to escape.
This sexual abuse has been reported to the Somalia ambassador in Khartoum by Somali girls who manage to slip through the dragnet of the officers.
Exasperated Somali Members of parliament, recently demanded strongly that the Somali foreign minister should take the necessary steps to critically address the plight of the Somali refugees, particularly those who are suffering in Southern Sudan and South Africa.
NEPAL
In Nepal, there are more than 20 Somali refugees who had been taken there by human traffickers.
The refugees have difficulties living in Nepal and have been holed up there without basic necessities.
RUSSIA
There are over 1,000 Somali refugees here facing lack of proper shelter and clothing, a situation which has been made worse by the fact that Russia gets extremely cold during the winter season. Those who are homeless find it very difficult to live in Russia.
SYRIA
In Syria, there are about 3,000 Somali refugees, mostly families from the Gulf States whose residences were terminated.
However, the Syrians treat them civilly and allow their children enrollment in their schools without paying school fees, besides giving them medical cover.
Syria is among the best places in the world for the Somali refugees.
LEBANON
Here there are about 200 Somali refugees living with the hope of being re-settled by the UNHCR to a second country through family re-unification or refugee asylum.
MY RECOMMENDATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
i. Somali politicians should discard their political differences and salvage their people and nation from the current human tragedy the Horn of Africa nation is experiencing internally and externally, and opt for reinstatement of the Somali state sovereignty.
ii. There should be an immediate intervention of human rights organizations to investigate the violation of human rights of the Somali refugees in their countries of asylum.
iii. The Libyan government should treat Africans entering their country with a modicum of humanity and formulate a program of re-settlement for them.
iv. The African Union (AU) must clamor for salvation of Africans who are engaged in the crossing of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
END
Presently, the major countries that host Somali refugees are Kenya, Yemen, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Arabian Gulf States (not signatory of the UN Refugee Geneva Convention of July 1951), Sudan, Libya, Ethiopia, and Egypt (where they were mistreated on their way to Israel.)
Other major countries that host the refugees are Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, UK, Ireland, France, India, Pakistan, Iraq, Malta, Cyprus, Russia, China and etcetera.
The Somali refugee crisis cropped up from the day Somalia joined the club of the Eastern bloc during the cold war in the early 70īs.
In the early days of the 1970īs, it was individuals or small groups who were crossing the Somalia boundaries with Ethiopia, Kenya and Affar and Issa French colonies and across the Gulf of Aden on the way to Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Sultan of Oman.
These refugees mostly settled in the oil-rich countries of the Gulf States which are not signatory to the Geneva Refugee convention of 1951.
In Egypt, those who were working in the Gulf States were making it possible for their families to let their children go to school in Egypt.
Egypt was a signatory of the convention of refugees, but during the Jamal Abdi Nasir era, Egypt suspended its membership and became signatory to the convention during the era of Anwar Sadat.
The Somalis who were in the Gulf States had made reasonable earnings during the petrol-booming business of the Gulf States, but they were not entitled for pension, and their children who were born in the Gulf states after 18 years, were forced either to have a separate residence (which means they must be sponsored by somebody with a business if they had to leave the country), or their parents; the requirement was that if they lost their jobs, they had to leave the country no matter how long they had suffered or stayed.
Those who were in the Gulf States mostly sought refugee status in Western European countries and North America.
The second wave of the Somali refugees resurfaced in the early 80īs when the coup dī etat in April 9, 1978 staged by Abdulahi Yusuf(former Somalia President) failed, and simultaneously, the Siad Barre-led regime started detaining, arresting and torturing clan members of Abdulahi Yusuf.
Subsequently, other clans established opposition movements stationed at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
After the abortive coup dīetat and establishment of the clan movements, thousands of refugees crossed the Somali boundaries with Ethiopia and the Djibouti, particularly when the Somalia National Movement (SNM) fought with the regime of Siad Barre in the NorthWest of Somalia (presently the so-called "Somaliland").
Some of these refugees in Ethiopia were given re-settlement in Western Europe and North America, while the majority were repatriated back to "Somaliland" by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees(UNHCR).
Most of the Somali refugees were generated during the civil war which started from 1988 in which hundreds of people of varying ages died in the seas on their way to Mombasa, while families who were separated in their thousands crossed the Somali/Kenyan border (in a mass of disenfranchised humanity), flocking into camps in North East of Kenya where they are living at present. This was made possible by the UNHCR with the approval of the Kenya government.
Some of the refugees receive support from their relatives in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand, while others get re-settlement in these countries through the request of UNHCR.
When the refugees flock to Kenya, some of them move to the Sudan, Zaire, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania, ending up in South Africa.
In this report,I will separately deal with the treatment Somali refugees receive in some of their host countries.
THE ARABIAN GULF STATES
Somalia depends on its trade with the Gulf States for the importation of over 200 million dollars worth of goods mainly from the United Arab Emirates, Dubai being the focal point of this trade.
Despite the absence of banking and insurance systems in Somalia, the Somalis transfer their money through the Somalis exchange bureaus or by cash during the process of selling and buying.
The Arabian Gulf Sates export from Somalia live livestock and small slaughtered goats
The Gulf States hardly allow the Somalis to acquire citizenship.
The Somalis who enter illegally into the Gulf States risk deportation or detention if caught by law enforcement agencies.
The Saudi authorities deported many Somalis who had their residences cancelled, or who had entered Saudi Arabia illegally.
EGYPT AND THE SOMALI REFUGEES
Egypt is a signatory of the Geneva convention of Refugees, and there is an office for UNHCR that gives protection and assistance of food, shelter, education for children and sometimes allows the qualified refugees to have access to post-secondary education and sometimes professional trainings, while the UNHCR applies for re-settlement in Europe, America, Australia, New Zealand, North America and Western Europe.
The Egyptian authorities have been accused by human rights groups of shooting African refugees while crossing the Egyptian/Israeli boundary.
It is reported that some Somalis and other African refugees were shot to death in the course of their escape from the Egyptian soil to Israel.
YEMEN
The Somalis, East African nationalities and Ethiopians use for their illegal journey to the Gulf States and Yemen through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, small overloaded dhows whereby the owners of these dhows in some instances throw the passengers into the sea before reaching the shore, or when they spot the Yemeni coastal guards.
This often results in deaths of women and children while the Nato Navy are patrolling these zones.
According to statistics conducted by the office of the Somali Member of Parliament located in Basoso town, Puntland, the death toll of the victims surpasses 10,000-mostly Somalis, Ethiopians, Eritreans, Tanzanians and a few Kenyans.
In Yemen, there are over 200,000 Somali refugees at present.
Most of them are in camps, while professional refugees are allowed to work in the cities and villages.
The jobs available are mostly those for teachers at all levels, doctors, nurses, engineers, accountants and etcetera.
KENYA
Kenya has been receiving Somali refugees for the last 30 years.
During the Siad Barre-led regime, the number of refugees was negligible and most of them were dissidents.
But after 1991, an exodus of refugeeīs crossed the North Eastern boundary of Kenya, while a small number came through the Mombasa Port.
At present, there are nearly 300,000 Somali refugees in the North Eastern refugee camps, while Kenya is currently receiving 200 refugees who had escaped from the current fighting in Mogadishu between the government and the rebel forces.
Those coming from Mogadishu to Kenya have to contend with a myriad of difficulties and/ or hardships, and some of them die on the way; others are afflicted by diseases and abandoned in the course of their journey, a situation which makes them vulnerable to attack by wild animals.
In the Kenyan camps, UNHCR and the World Food Program (WFP ) have a responsibility of providing food and shelter as well as medical cover to the refugees.
The refugees have been complaining of poor treatment in their quest for sufficient water for drinking and washing, as well as lack of proper shelter and sanitation.
And since their camps are located in semi- desert areas that experience hot temperatures during the day and cold ones at night, the refugees undergo agonizing and unbearable situations.
ALLEGED POLICE HARASSMENT
It was reported recently by human rights organizations that the refugees were being unduly harassed by the Kenyan police in the camps and while crossing the Somalia/Kenya boundary, allegations which were vehemently denied and dismissed by the police authorities.
The police promised to institute a thorough probe into the complaints made by the refugees.
Somalis from Somalia invest in Kenya over 200 million US Dollars annually.
The money comes from Somalia businessmen fleeing from the fighting inside Somalia, from the Diaspora who are interested in buying properties or venturing into business in Kenya, while others bring their families to Kenya and have their children enroll in Kenyan schools, saddened by the feeling that their children will lose their culture and affection to their native country.
Somalis in the Diaspora remit over 1.5 billion US Dollars annually to Somalia, Africa, and the Middle East. This discounts charges that investments made by Somalis in Kenya accrue from sea piracy.
SOUTH AFRICA
In South Africa, Somali refugees usually start their journey from Somalia through Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe then to South Africa, while some of them who are educated and have financial capabilities settle in North America, Europe and the Middle East.
As the Somalis are entrepreneurial and business- minded, they start businesses in the native areas where unemployment and an exceptionally high crime rate is the order of the day.
As their businesses flourish, they hire other Somalis who will later become partners in the trade. But there are side effects to this progress.
The native South Africans tend to be driven by envy, jealousy and hate.
They resort to killing the Somali refugees and torching their business premises.
The antagonism of the South Africans against the Somali refuges and other African workers was recorded and highlighted by the mass media sometimes back.
Currently, there are 120 Somalis who are on deportation and consigned in detention centers, including three women who delivered while in detention; the 120 Somalis are presently complaining of food shortage and lack of medical attention.
It is worth reckoning that the Somalis helped the South Africans during their long struggle against apartheid.
They trained the South Africans militarily and granted scholarships to the South African students.
Interestingly and instead of reciprocating, the South Africans resorted to dehumanizing the Somali refugeeīs. Sad case of the proverbial durry donkey?
TANZANIA
Over 1000 Somali refugees were detained in Tanzania in 2006.
Some of them were released in early 2008, and the remaining ones who were set free in 2009 have headed back to Somalia through Kenya, while the rest left for South Africa.
In Tanzania, the Somali refugees were detained and harassed by the police before being released.
SUDAN
In Northern Sudan, the Somalis are treated normally and have the right to enroll in Sudanese universities and technical institutes.
There are more than 2,500 Somali students. Those who fail in their studies, usually leave for Libya in order to cross the Mediterranean Sea on their way to Europe.
Some of these students die of hunger and other hardships at the Sahara desert between Libya and Sudan.
In their journey from Libya through the Mediterranean Sea, the Somali refugees usually hire tag boats which are obsolete and overloaded.
This overloading at times results in drowning of the refugees after the boats capsize in the high seas of the Mediterranean; the boats sometimes run out of fuel and the victims face acute shortages of food and water.
This is how hundreds of Somali refugees who include pregnant women, children, old men and the disabled perish in the high seas of the Mediterranean.
At times, they are lucky to be rescued by the Italian Coastal Gaurds and their navy,or other vessels navigating in the area.
SOUTHERN SUDAN
In Southern Sudan, there are reports of Somali women being raped by some officers while consigned in certain areas.
They are allegedly subjected to constant sexual assault while being chained to objects in order not to escape.
This sexual abuse has been reported to the Somalia ambassador in Khartoum by Somali girls who manage to slip through the dragnet of the officers.
Exasperated Somali Members of parliament, recently demanded strongly that the Somali foreign minister should take the necessary steps to critically address the plight of the Somali refugees, particularly those who are suffering in Southern Sudan and South Africa.
NEPAL
In Nepal, there are more than 20 Somali refugees who had been taken there by human traffickers.
The refugees have difficulties living in Nepal and have been holed up there without basic necessities.
RUSSIA
There are over 1,000 Somali refugees here facing lack of proper shelter and clothing, a situation which has been made worse by the fact that Russia gets extremely cold during the winter season. Those who are homeless find it very difficult to live in Russia.
SYRIA
In Syria, there are about 3,000 Somali refugees, mostly families from the Gulf States whose residences were terminated.
However, the Syrians treat them civilly and allow their children enrollment in their schools without paying school fees, besides giving them medical cover.
Syria is among the best places in the world for the Somali refugees.
LEBANON
Here there are about 200 Somali refugees living with the hope of being re-settled by the UNHCR to a second country through family re-unification or refugee asylum.
MY RECOMMENDATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
i. Somali politicians should discard their political differences and salvage their people and nation from the current human tragedy the Horn of Africa nation is experiencing internally and externally, and opt for reinstatement of the Somali state sovereignty.
ii. There should be an immediate intervention of human rights organizations to investigate the violation of human rights of the Somali refugees in their countries of asylum.
iii. The Libyan government should treat Africans entering their country with a modicum of humanity and formulate a program of re-settlement for them.
iv. The African Union (AU) must clamor for salvation of Africans who are engaged in the crossing of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
END
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