AFRICA: Horn migrants heading south "pushed backwards"

[Forkboy]

JOHANNESBURG, 2 August 2011 (IRIN) - Increasing numbers of Ethiopians and Somalis fleeing war, drought and poverty in their home countries face arrest, deportation and detention as they try to make their way to the south of the continent.

For most the goal is South Africa - the only country in the region where refugees and asylum-seekers have freedom of movement and the right to work rather than being confined to camps. But as the number of migrants from the Horn of Africa seeking asylum in South Africa has reached unprecedented levels, border authorities have started refusing them entry.

“There’s a new unofficial policy since the beginning of May where Somali and Ethiopian nationals are being informed they’ll not be given asylum by the South African government,” said Abdul Hakim, chairperson of the Somali Community Board, a local organization representing the interests of Somalis.

Hakim said that before the crackdown, about 1,500 Somalis were entering South Africa every month. With official borders closed to them, many were now entering the country illegally and then making their way to refugee reception centres to apply for asylum.

http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=93403

[leveymg]

1. Do you have any idea how far it is from Somalia to South Africa?

Only to be refused entry at the border?

Might as well push a drowning child under who tries to climb aboard a motor yacht at anchor in the middle of the sea.

G-d help us to hold onto our humanity.

[Forkboy]

2. The scary part is that I think this is just the start.

:(

[applegrove]

3. And then there is violence comitted against the migrants by South Africans who are afraid they

are taking their jobs. It is just awful.

[Forkboy]

4. For me it's the single saddest statement on humanity right now.

There's no excuse for this, imo.

[leveymg]

5. For me, the saddest part is that this has happened before, several times. And, each time,

millions die and nothing gets done to prevent famine and genocide from happening, quite predictable and inevitably, again. And, it's not just the Horn - it's Haiti, Central Africa, West Africa.

It's the legacy of slavery and the evil of separate standards for people with the leprosy of dark skin from certain countries. Once it happens somewhere, nobody wants to get involved except those who exploit it for their own gain.

[Forkboy]

6. Can't, and won't, argue with any of that.

:(