SANA'A: According to the latest figures from the Interior Ministry there would be a reported two millions African refugees in Yemen as they all fled their war-torn nations hoping to find a safe haven. Most refugees actually only pass through Yemen, preferring to move on later to richer and more hospitable lands such as Saudi Arabia or the Gulf countries, attracted by their riches and promises of work. Although the government maintained that it would honor its commitment to the United Nations by looking after refugees to the best of its abilities, the Interior Minister expressed some concerns over the never-ending exodus towards Yemen, saying that the nation was already stretch as it is in terms of humanitarian help. Several aid workers told Bikyamasr.com that Yemen was fast reaching its quota, not be able to accommodate any new arrivals. “There is simply not enough to go around. At this point it is not a matter of will but rather a lack of ability for catering to and housing these people. Yemen needs help to cope,” said Ameena with the Save the Children Association. An official statistic has recently said that between 160 to 200 refugees were arriving in Yemen every day. But beyond the difficulty of the humanitarian situation, the Ministry is worried that potential terror elements linked to al-Shabab, an offshoot of al-Qaeda in Somalia, would be hiding its militants amidst refugees to anonymously land in Yemen and join the ranks of Ansar al-Sharia. Also, human traffickers have been using the influx in refugees to conduct their revolting trade, benefiting from people's misery and hope for a fresh start.
