Somalis having it rough in Egypt!
Readers, a few years ago (2009, here) I took issue with a United Nation’s report that stated that charity toward refugees/immigrants comes from the teachings of the Koran and Shariah Law (more so than Christianity!). At the time, I pointed to the Muslim countries that were anything but charitable toward asylum seekers. Now we have (more) news that the new government of Egypt is not only not charitable, but black Muslims seem to be a special target for their hatred.
I guess that Arab Spring thing was only for Arabs!
From Bikyamasr.com:
CAIRO: Somali refugees across the world have passed the one million person mark, said the United Nations refugee agency on Friday, highlighting the growing need for an end to conflict in the Horn of Africa.
[…..]
Here in Egypt, life for Somali refugees is not easy, especially as the government began earlier this year to deport unregistered migrants in the country. Making matters worse, the UNHCR has largely not registered new refugees in the country in recent years.
Hamdy is a 29-year-old Somali living in Egypt. He has been in the country for 6 years and barely survives on the UNHCR monthly allowance.
“I have no real job and life is hard,” he told Bikyamasr.com, sipping his tea and warming his hands as the steam billowed upward. He stares in silence.
“A few of my friends have been arrested by the government when they tried to cross the border into Israel. We don’t know where they are right now and pray they are safe,” he continued. “It is not a good life to be a refugee in Egypt.”
Earlier this year, Egypt deported 93 Ethiopians who entered Egypt with the goal of crossing the Sinai desert into Israel illegally.
For Hamdy and others, this is the only way to make a life for oneself. “What can we do but hope to be allowed to work and have a family,” he said.
In Egypt, life is a struggle, where Africans face racism, ostracism and a lack of opportunity. For children of migrants and refugees, going to school is impossible as the Egyptian government does not allow refugees to attend public schools. For the vast majority of Sudanese and Somalis in the country, this leads to a waiting game, and in recent years as foreign relocation has been all but closed, they remain patiently in their host country for a call that doesn’t come.
The Africans want to get to Israel:
Egypt’s border security has been repeatedly criticized for its “shoot first” strategy in dealing with migrants attempting to cross into the Jewish state, as they often do not issue verbal warnings first and fire at the Africans.
Israel says that approximately 10,000 Africans have entered the country illegally via Egyptian borders over the past few years.
Africans in Egypt complain of poor living conditions and bad treatment at the hands of their host nation. Many see Israel as the next best solution for their troubles and are willing to risk death to reach the Jewish state, refugees in Egypt have repeatedly said.
So, let’s see—Egypt, a Muslim country governed by Shariah law, won’t take care of Muslim refugees, but tiny Israel is pressured into taking them.