Surviving the Desert to Saudi Lands

Over 60,000 Yemenis infiltrate into Saudi Arabia every year to search for work and money, according to official statistics. Nearly all pay human smugglers small financial amounts to get them across the border as some even risk dying on the way to get there.

According to smugglers who talked to the Yemen Post, they could cross the Yemeni outlet to Al-Zubair, a highly sandy barrier rising to 30 meters and is considered the last point of Yemeni lands, by paying YR 200 to the Yemeni border guard police. Infiltrators gather in Al-Zubair point from which they can watch the Saudi patrol and wait until they get the chance to escape to the nearest village. 

However, problems for these illegal emigrants start as soon as they cross the Yemen border, as they become increasingly worried and terrified, fearing they might be arrested and sent to Saudi prisons. Previous prisoners who asked to remain anonymous, mention that the treatment they received in Saudi prisons was as bad as it can get.

Prisoners told the Yemen Post that a number of prisoners die resulting from snake or scorpion bites in their cells, or through floods and unintentional firing by border guard officers. Last month, an infiltrator from Al-Baidah governorate was shot and reported dead by a Saudi soldier following hunting that lasted for hours at the Yemeni-Saudi outlet.

Still, the infiltration is not limited to a certain age or gender, as children, women, youth, middle-aged people can all be found, all seeking to find a better life and work opportunities.  "Men and women from different ages enter the Saudi borders," said Munasser Ali Jaradh who added "Women with their kids are seen on the road to Al-Khaugarah village heading for the city of Samidah." 

The Yemen Human Rights Watch did not criticize Saudi for its arbitrary use of detainees and for denying prisoners access to legal and medical assistance.

Five months ago, 60 Yemeni infiltrators were imprisoned in an open border prison and remained under rain for hours. Four infiltrators were reported dead by the Saudi Al-Watan Newspaper.

Ahmed Saghair Egari claimed that his cousin died because of hunger and thirst in Saudi Arabia's Khabt Al-Midhialif , while he was attempting to cross to the Saudi capital. He added that his relative's corpse remained in Al-Bahah hospital's morgue for nearly a year without his family's knowledge.

Ibrahim Hunaish says that as they were traveling for 24 hours to cross around the Saudi borders, seven robbers driving red GMC vehicles forced them to take off their clothes and lie face down in sands as they took their money and left them on the road.

Edris Mohammed Al-Hamdani an infiltrators, mentions that when traveling through the borders, it is necessary to prepare enough food and drink for a four-day crossing. This is however if they do not lose their way or get lost. If they get lost in the desert before reaching the Saudi villages they would face death. "My situation is worsening day after day and I can hardly secure my family demands especially under the current price hikes and difficult economic situation," said Al-Hamdani. “ That is why I would risk going to Saudi, though I know the dangers i face,” he added.

Under the current economic situation in Yemen, more people are undertaking such hazardous trips to Saudi Arabia and, sometimes, to UAE. Infiltrators claim the hard living condition and low income together with economic circumstances push them to risk their lives in an effort to reach Saudi lands where they can find jobs to support themselves and their families behind.

Many do not succeed in their first chance to enter Saudi lands and some, when having enough money, make several attempts until they succeed.

On a daily basis, Saudi security authorities deport 2500 Yemeni infiltrators after they arrest them in several border areas and they are kept in Jazan city's Al-Kabus military prison where all those arrested are gathered  in preparation for their deportation.

According to UN reports, Yemeni infiltrators are subjected to mistreatment at deportation centers and prisons which are always far below the international standard especially when their number exceed centers and prisons' capacity. Infiltrators are kept in prisons with almost no serviced, as these prisons lack even simple ventilation, and other basic services.

For those lucky enough to reach Saudi cities and villages, they work in wide-ranging jobs like building, herding, farming among other jobs. These jobs pay them on average 120 Saudi Rials a day, almost 7000 YR. The amount they receive out of one day work is what they would  receive in one week in Yemen, giving them a better chance to improve their family’s bad financial situation. “ In one month work, I receive what I would get in six months if I was in Yemen,” says Ahamd Ali Al-Taweel, who was lucky enough to stay in Saudi for more than a year.

For those who are lucky, they manage to reach big cities like Al-Riyadh, Jeddah and Al-Damam, infiltrators will spend more time working and some will wait until they can get visa by their bosses. "I worked in Al-Riyadh for one year and a half after I had managed to infiltrate to there two years ago. I worked for someone there who, upon trusting me, granted me a visa," says Mu'amer Qasim, who travelled the dangerous path to Saudi risking his life for the sake of his family.