CAIRO: Hamdy is a 29-year-old Somali living in Egypt. He has been in the country for 6 years and barely survives on the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) monthly allowance. Now, as Egypt seems more ready to deport Africans from the country, he worries about his future. “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.” Egyptian officials said on Sunday that the country had 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. “I was told by the UN that I would be in the country for around 10 months,” said Abdullah, a Sudanese refugee who fled Darfur violence in 2004. 7 years later, he is still in Egypt. “I try to do some odd jobs, but I am 35-years-old and was a teacher, what could I possibly do here,” he told Bikyamasr.com. At least four Africans have been shot dead along the border with Israel in the past month, leaving continued worries that attempting to cross the desert crossing is a risk to one's life. 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. Ali, a Somali refugee in Cairo, told Bikyamasr.com 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. He was the victim of police's heavy hand in Egypt a few years ago when he and two roommates were held in connection with the murder of an elderly man in their building. According to Ali, the two Somali men and one woman were detained for 9 months without charge and were “tortured on a regular basis.” He says life is hard. “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 ShortURL: http://goo.gl/VyRZo Tags: Africans, Ethiopia. Sudan, featured, Israel, Refugees, Somalia Section: East Africa, Egypt, Human Rights, Latest News
