The spread of African immigrants disturbs the residents of Aden and multiplies the crises
English - Tuesday 13 June 2023 الساعة 03:29 pm
Aden, NewsYemen, exclusive:
The problem of African immigrants arriving illegally in Yemen has become a concern for the residents of the capital, Aden, in light of the increasing numbers of arrivals on an almost daily basis.
On the sidewalks of Sheikh Othman, Mansoura, and Khormaksar, dozens of immigrants, most of whom hold Ethiopian nationality, gather in gatherings that have become a threat to residents and the security and local authorities in the capital.
There is no accurate statistics on the number of African immigrants in Aden, but the local authorities confirm that the numbers exceed 6 thousand people, and they are distributed in several main directorates.
According to security sources, "NewsYemen" reported: Most of the migrants arrived in Aden via main roads leading to Lahj Governorate. Noting that the migrants arrived at the western coastal strip of Lahj Governorate, before some of them moved towards Aden to settle there.
According to the sources: Dozens of immigrants were spotted walking in the Bir area, on the western outskirts of Aden. And those numbers arrived from areas belonging to the province of Lahj after they traveled long distances. The arrivals settled in the main district centers in Aden.
Arrest Campaign
In turn, the security services in the capital, Aden, launched, during the past few days, a wide campaign to control African immigrants scattered in the streets of the districts, in preparation for their return to their home.
According to the security services, directives were issued to remove illegal immigrants from the main and secondary roads and streets, in light of the escalating fears of the spread of crime as well as the preservation of the aesthetic view, after dozens of roundabouts and sidewalks were piled up and taken as homes for them.
A security communiqué issued by the Aden Security and Police Department indicated that the security forces, with the participation of the security belt forces, arrested dozens of illegal immigrants of African nationality in the districts of Sheikh Othman, Mansoura and Dar Saad. The security services also tightened procedures at the main ports to prevent the influx of more numbers.
The sources confirmed that the influx of dozens of immigrants led to an increase in the number of theft and chaos crimes, while their spread on the main roads and their adoption of them as places to live increased citizens' fears, distorted the civilized landscape and dumped waste in all its forms.
The security services are intensifying their arrest campaigns and detaining them in special and specific places under the supervision of the local authority of the capital, in order to arrange for their deportation to their home countries at a later time. In addition to joint coordination in order to combat the gangs that smuggle them.
A big problem
Hardly a day goes by without more immigrants coming from the Horn of Africa to the areas of Aden being registered. This matter caused a major problem with the local and security authorities, as confirmed by the governor of the capital, Aden, Ahmed Hamid Lamlas.
He added: The large numbers of African immigrants present in Aden cause a major problem for the local and governmental authorities, whether security or health, especially since these numbers spread among the markets and streets and between residential neighborhoods. He described the situation as "disturbing".
The governor, Lamlas, pointed out that despite the large immigrant crisis, the local and governmental authorities in Aden deal with these numbers from a humanitarian perspective and provide them with the necessary services. Pointing out that the local authority met with officials of the International Organization for Migration in several meetings, in which they discussed many issues of concern to migrants and how to return these numbers to their home countries, especially since their arrival in Aden is illegal immigration, and they do not fall within the framework of refugees.
Despite the efforts and moves made by the local authorities in Aden and their provision of many facilities to migrants arriving in the capital, before returning them to their home countries, the numbers arriving are much greater than those who are returned.
continuous flow
African immigrants are currently a huge burden added to the package of crises and burdens that the city of Aden and the neighboring governorates are experiencing. Where the process of flowing these numbers continues across the southern and western shores of the country. Most of the arrivals refuse to stay in the refugee camps of the International Organization for Migration and go out to the main cities under the pretext of work.
The numbers arriving in Aden have spread remarkably in the streets where they live, which prompted citizens in the districts that witness large gatherings to make an appeal to the local and security authorities to move quickly and remove these numbers, which have become a threat to security and public peace.
According to a report issued by the International Organization for Migration a few days ago, it confirmed that 11,463 African migrants arrived in Yemen during the month of May 2023.
The report added that last April, 13,414 immigrants entered, indicating that the number of Africans arriving since the beginning of this year rose to 66,330 immigrants.
According to the Displacement Matrix (DTM) of the Organization for Migration in Yemen, about 76% of the total immigrants arriving in May entered the country through Lahj Governorate, with a number of 8,711 immigrants, while the remaining 24% (2,748 immigrants) entered through Shabwa Governorate, although The latter witnessed a significant increase in the flow of migrants by 57%, while the former witnessed a decrease of 25%, compared to April 2023.
voluntary return
The International Organization for Migration confirms that it has carried out, through voluntary repatriation trips, in cooperation with a number of partners, the return of more than 3,000 African migrants to their home countries.
The member of the organization in Yemen, Wajdi bin Muhammad, confirmed in a previous statement that the numbers of African migrants returning to their homelands are on the rise due to the increasing number of migrants in Yemen, who are stranded and are demanding the UN organization to return them to their countries from which they came.
However, there are large numbers who decided to return to their countries through dangerous sea trips, after the deterioration of their living conditions in Yemen, and their inability to complete their journeys towards the Gulf countries that they dreamed of.
According to the report of the International Organization for Migration for the month of May, about 514 migrants (486 males and 28 females) chose to return home on risky boat trips during May 2023, "because of the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Yemen and the challenges they face in their orientation." Towards Saudi Arabia, which is the main goal of their migrations through Yemen, in search of better sources of livelihood in the Kingdom.
