Migration, all the dangers faced by refugees and migrants on the land routes that cross Africa

ROMA – Every year, hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants risk their lives on routes from East and West Africa and the Horn of Africa to reach North Africa, cross the Mediterranean Sea and reach Europe. One of the most dangerous passages on these long routes is the Mediterranean Sea itself, which swallows up thousands of people every year. But before reaching the shores and leaving, many people endure violence from criminal gangs, armed groups, traffickers and even, in some cases, border guards and military officials.

The genesis of migrations. The worsening conflict in Sudan, the bloody and forgotten conflict in the Central Sahel region are among the main reasons why many people risk their lives to flee. Many flee violence and persecution. Others flee the devastating effects of climate change or seek work or education opportunities not available at home. Whatever drives them to move, the routes they take and the risks they face are the same.

The violence. A series of new data published jointly by the International Organization for Migration (OIM), from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and from Mixed Migration Center (MMC) is based on interviews with over 31,000 refugees and migrants to map the routes and common dangers people face while travelling. The most common include generic violence, kidnapping for ransom, rape, robbery, trafficking, organ harvesting, detention and ultimately deportation. Many interviewees described crossing the Sahara Desert as one of the most dangerous parts of their journey, both because of the harsh environment and violence at the hands of criminal gangs, smugglers, traffickers and the military. Conflict zones and border towns between Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan were also reported as particularly risky. Essential humanitarian assistance and protection services are almost non-existent at all crossing points and are also non-existent in many of the locations reported as dangerous.