The world’s harshest migrant route - from Ethiopia to Saudi Arabia.
Analysis by Michael Maalouf, Staff Writer
April 14th, 2020
When we think of migration journeys, we often think of those taken to first world countries which provide aid to refugees. Normally we hear of those who desperately try to cross to Europe as it’s up on headlines and those who would do everything to reach the United States to follow the American dream by crossing the border of Mexico. However, around the world this phenomenon is ongoing as people are struggling daily to provide for themselves and their families, as vast areas around the world are facing poverty due to conflicts, governmental exploitation, absence of proper technological infrastructure, strict regulations on investmenT, and centralization of decision making.
This Journey starts from Ethiopia of the fastest growing economies in Africa. A country with a strategic influence in the horn of Africa with a population of 105 million makes it a giant among its neighbors. The nation has proven its mark on development through building the first metro in Sub-Saharan Africa, a boom in the manufacturing industry eventually being called Africa’s China, as well as an increase in infrastructure particularly with the building of the Grand renaissance dam ( which will create a great source of energy for Ethiopia as it will double the energy supply and is considered to the largest dam in Africa). With all the indicators of a promising future for Ethiopia most of the country’s population, which constitutes significantly of young people, is struggling to survive as unemployment surges and living expenses are as low as 1-2$ per day. This comes after extensive struggles the country had to pass through especially with the many conflicts and wars. From the war with Eritrea to the tensions with neighboring Somalia, Ethiopia has been drained from its resources and political stability.
As ethnic tensions where on the rise within the country things got significantly difficult. The Omoro ethnic group which is the largest ethnic group went through a series of clashes with the Amhara and the Tygrians which is the minority that is holding all the economic power and decision making in the country. In other terms the country is facing the recurrent post-colonial minority rule scenario where they get a hold of the top positions while leaving the majority in a desperate search of representation.
With all the economic difficulties and social unrest in the country many young Ethiopians mostly Oromians find themselves unemployed in a nation with a vast population but very little opportunities for them. As this is a matter of survival their quest to find employment goes around in several directions one of which is considered to be the harshest migrant route which goes from Ethiopa to Saudi Arabia.
Why is this route the harshest in the world? Well for many reasons the journey starts from Ethiopia almost every day where often migrants don’t have access to transportation so they pay smugglers 150 euros per person to lead them to the Djibouti border to eventually reach the port town of Tajdoura to mark their first obstacle. On their way to Tajdoura they have to cross desert land that is full of hills and heat waves that leave migrants malnourished and dehydrated, which unfortunately regularly leaves many to die in the plains of the harsh terrain. Often passersby and locals end up making makeshift graves for those who are left dead. Migrants walk for several days where they have sleepless nights in order to finally reach Tajdoura where they are transported by dawn by a crowded boat to Yemen where in some cases smugglers ask for extra money.
When they cross the sea and they reach the south of Yemen at Ras al Ara a village, known to be a stronghold for smuggling, they go down from the boats where the local smugglers hold them in very basic and poor facilities.
The migration from east Africa was tackled by the government before the war in Yemen, however the army now joins taking fees from smugglers in order to let them pass and has evidently become flexible for migration flows. In a country already hosting 200,000 Somali refugees and in an ongoing War they are exposed to danger and exploitation. Once they reach Yemen they face abuse of all kinds some local mafia’s kidnap them and ask for ransom from their families, treated like slaves from their smugglers, risk of being killed and abused.
They Often reach Yemen without being aware of a War going on there as they come from the poorest regions of Ethiopia where in some villages Television or any form of media isn’t present at all. With them reaching and having to deal with a War torn country their walk up to Aden and then Saudi Arabia is almost a mission impossible. As they walk trouble of all kind is facing them dirt roads, kidnappers, shooting, Yemeni army, and much more. Passing to Aden up north is even considered to be an achievement many of those who reach Aden end up sleeping on the streets while begging for scraps of food and money. Those who reach the Saudi border are considered to be of luck, however for those who aren’t able to pass are often shot by the Saudi border guards.
Many of the migrant’s bodies are found lying on the streets with stories of struggle that will go with them to the grave. Many of those stuck in Yemen are willing to back home with no help available at all, in a country that is barely meeting ends, these migrants are facing extremely harsh conditions. Some have been able to return by a UN repatriation program which let them return to Adis Ababa, while they are returning many are still coming in regardless of the risks they would have to face as they are desperate to find work.
This is the story of one of the world’s harshest migrant route in a time where the world is progress, we still see these scenes of people who are ready to do anything to provide for themselves and for their families through any kind of work but find themselves to be exploited by many. It’s time to build more awareness on what is going on around the world and help those who are struggling by anyway that doesn’t involve selling them false dreams.