CAIRO: A Sudanese migrant was killed and two Eritreans arrested on Saturday in the most recent border incident with Egyptian police. The death continues to put the Egyptian government's position on curtailing efforts to stop the cross-border attempts in question. International and local rights groups have condemned the continued use of violence to stop African migrants, saying the migrants are not a threat to police. Suleiman Yehia Ishaq, 26, was shot after he reportedly ignored a warning call not to cross the border into central Sinai. The Eritreans were arrested while trying to breach the border south of the Rafah crossing. Bedouin often charge at least $1,000 per person in order to smuggle them into Israel, but with Egypt bolstering its police and security forces along the border, it has become increasingly difficult to evade being spotted. 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. Ali, a Somali refugee in Cairo, told Bikya Masr that living in Egypt is “one of the worst things I have experienced in my life.” He points to racism and lack of opportunities as the main hardships. “I know a lot of people who would rather risk being killed on the border than continue to sit around Cairo and be faced with all these troubles because of our status. We can't even work,” he said. Dozens of Africans have been shot dead by Egyptian police in recent years, as refugees and migrants continue to complain of poor treatment and conditions inside Egypt. BM
