Road to Death : The Trip from Somalia to Yemen

Those who seek to leave their countries for a better life elsewhere face fatal consequences as many of them drown or arrive at their destination only to discover that their hopes for a better life cannot be realized.

Hundreds of Somalis have lost their lives at wide sea over the few passing months while attempting to cross to the Gulf of Aden in search of better economic opportunities in Yemen and other Gulf states.

Official statistics show that over 50,000 illegal emigrants have reached Yemen since the start of 2007, while around 920 emigrants were reported missing or dead during the same period.

In a press conference made on October23, UNHCR spokesperson Ron Redmond  mentioned that more than 20,000 people have so far made the perilous voyage across the Gulf of Aden in boats operated by ruthless smugglers operating from Somali ports, noting that at least 439 people have died and other 489 are missing and feared dead.

With the situation in Somalia terrible and insecure, many willingly make their trip to Yemen hoping to find peace and stability there. Moreover migrants consider Yemen as a gate to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States or even to Europe.

"We heard in Somalia that many Somalis in Yemen traveled to Europe as refugees so we amid Yemen and came in blocks" said 45-year old refugee in Sana'a, Abdullah Youssuf. 

Another Somali worker Jamie Mohamed Ali, 41, pointed out that African refugees, mostly Somalis, travel on small fishing boats with a capacity of 50 people but filled with 90 – nearly two times the regular capacity and  the journey takes sixty three hours from Somalia's Bossassu to Bir Ali, situated on Yemen's coast.

Speaking of his experience, Ali noted "To avoid any possible danger, we were put under restrictive rules sitting down and not moving, not even urinating along the journey. Moreover, carrying food or water were restricted during the journey, so some passengers couldn't survive the cruel situation and die during the trip.

Though the journey is too expensive to be afforded by most Somalis, this does not prevent them from undergoing this hazardous journey; however, they never expected the trip to be so difficult

"We prefer not to have that boat trip if only we could find something to eat in Somalia." Said 55-year old Somali refugee Saeed Mohammed.

Mohammed further claims that Yemeni coastguard forces are partly responsible for the increasing death rates among Somali refugees because they always hunt smugglers who, in their turn, force the passengers to jump into the sea before they reach the shores, hinting that some know swimming while others do not. Sometimes they are disoriented even if they know how to swim.

Following such a long and unsafe trip, migrants hardly obtain any help when they finally make it to the Yemeni shores.

In a letter sent to the National Organization for Defending Human Rights and Freedoms HOOD, some Somali refugees expressed their wish not to remain in Yemen any more especially when their basic needs are not met.

HOOD lawyer Abdul Rahman Arman pointed out that they [Somali refugees] asked his organization to act as a mediator between them and the UNHCR, hinting they do not have identity cards and they are unable to travel in Yemen's governorates.

When the Yemen Post tried to contact the Somali Embassy in Sana'a to get more information about Somali Refugees, the Embassy refused to give out anything claiming they have no information. Further, some officials rejected our phone calls