Two Somalis killed on Egypt-Israel border

In the third shooting incident in less than two weeks on Egypt’s border with Israel, two Somali refugees were shot dead Thursday morning by Egyptian border guards, a Somali refugee living in Cairo told Bikya Masr. He said that the refugees had been attempting to sneak into Israel, but were stopped and shot by Egyptian police before they were able to enter the Jewish state. At least 6 people have been killed on the border in the past month and a half.

“They were going to the border, but were not able to make it because police opened fire on them,” Ali, a Somali refugee who himself had attempted to crossing last fall, but turned back out of fear. He said a smuggler contacted him early on Thursday with the sad news.

Egypt has killed nearly 40 African migrants since January 2008, human rights reports say. The majority of individuals attempting to cross hail from Eritrea and Sudan, but an increasing number of other nationalities, including Somalis and Ethiopians are attempting the dangerous crossing of Sinai in an effort to start a new life in Israel.

“It is horrible what happened to these people, but the government needs to understand what is going on here in this country for us refugees,” continues Ali, “because it is not good. We don’t have much of a life here in Egypt and a lot of people believe Israel is a better chance to start again.”

Egypt has been pressured by Israel in recent years to end the smuggling and transfer of goods and people across the lengthy desert border. Cairo responded last year by deploying additional police to the area and began a policy, condemned by Human Rights Watch (HRW), of “shoot-to-kill” of refugees.

In the fall 2008 report issued by HRW, it condemned the Egyptian government’s dealings with refugees along the border, saying that they pose “little to no threat” to the security guards. They demanded the Egyptian government re-examine its policy of shooting migrants, but with the recent string of incidents in Sinai, the policy remains in tact.

Ali believes that as the situation in Egypt continues to deteriorate, the likelihood of more Africans attempting the dangerous border crossing will continue.

“Our lives are not good. People complain all the time and we have many friends who are in Israel, working and living well, so these crossing will continue. I know people are preparing to go even as others are being shot. The risk is worth it for many,” he adds.

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