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    January 20, 2012

Record Number of East Africans Flee to Yemen

   Lisa Schlein | Geneva
   A Yemeni NGO worker distributes water on Somali asylum seekers upon
   their arrival on the beach of Hasn Beleid village, 230 kms east of the
   Red Sea port of Aden, (File October 15, 2008).
   Photo: AFP
   A Yemeni NGO worker distributes water on Somali asylum seekers upon
   their arrival on the beach of Hasn Beleid village, 230 kms east of the
   Red Sea port of Aden, (File October 15, 2008).

   The United Nations refugee agency reports nearly twice as many Africans
   crossed the Gulf of Aden or Red Sea to Yemen in 2011 than in the
   previous year. Despite growing instability in Yemen, the UNHCR says a
   record 103,000 refugees, asylum seekers and migrants from the Horn of
   Africa made the perilous journey last year.
   The U.N. refugee agency reports at least 130 people are known to have
   drowned during the crossing last year. UNHCR spokesman, Adrian Edwards,
   says most of those who manage to reach Yemen's shores arrive in
   desperate condition. He says they are dehydrated, malnourished and
   often are in shock.
   'Those crossing the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden face extreme risks and
   challenges, pretty much at every stage of the journey -- in their
   countries of origin, during transit, and on and after arrival in Yemen.
   The risks include problems of physical and sexual violence, as well as
   trafficking,' Edwards stated.
   Once they arrive in Yemen, Edwards says the migrants face new
   difficulties. These include lack of access to basic services, such as
   shelter, water, food and emergency health care. In addition, he says
   limits are put on their freedom of movement and they have few
   opportunities for employment.
   The latest data shows a significant increase in the number of
   Ethiopians arriving in Yemen. They now account for three out of every
   four arrivals. Until 2008, Somali refugees fleeing violence and human
   rights abuse made up the majority of those arriving in Yemen. This
   trend started to change in 2009.
   Somalis are automatically recognized as refugees on arrival in Yemen.
   This gives them access to documentation and relatively unhindered
   movement. On the other hand, UNHCR spokesman Edwards notes, Ethiopians
   are generally considered economic migrants. This makes their situation
   in Yemen far more precarious.
   'We are particularly alarmed by an incident earlier this week in which
   three Ethiopians were killed by smugglers operating along Yemen's Red
   Sea coast. According to the reports we have had, they were shot while
   trying to escape the smugglers, who were trying to extort money,"
   Edwards explained. "Instability in Yemen and the reduced police
   presence are giving human traffickers and smugglers more room to
   operate. It is also frequently preventing patrols along Yemen's shores
   by humanitarian teams trying to reach new arrivals before the smugglers
   do.'
   Edwards says reports of abductions of migrants upon arrival in Yemen
   for ransom or extortion persist. He says the main targets seem to be
   Ethiopian new arrivals. But, he notes some Somali refugees also have
   been abducted.