AlMohagig Highlights the Deadly Journey of the Sudanese Refugees Fleeing to Egypt

Horrible, Tragic stories, and Blackmail Along the Way Made the Journey Tougher

Victims warn against repeating the experience and possibly losing one’s life on treacherous roads

AlMohagig: Cairo – Sabah Mousa

The number of Sudanese refugees fleeing to Egypt continues to increase significantly daily, escaping the intensification of battles in the country, which extended outside the capital, Khartoum. The numbers increased dramatically after the entry of the Rapid Support militia into Al-Jazira State, a major refuge for those fleeing the war in Khartoum, and the fighting forced… Hundreds of thousands left to head outside Sudan to neighbouring countries, led by Egypt, which received large numbers between legal entry and smuggling. and many Egyptian families expressed their solidarity and that their country hosted Sudanese families, but it depended on Egypt’s ability to meet the needs of the displaced by providing sufficient resources, and Egypt continues Facilitating the crossing of Sudanese refugees and providing humanitarian services to those fleeing the war, and the cities of Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, and Aswan receive the largest number of these refugess.

Legal Entry

Since the first months of the war, large numbers of Sudanese have flowed into Egypt, to unusual degrees, and these numbers have so far reached approximately 500,000 Sudanese, who entered the country legally – according to official Egyptian estimates – at a time when the Cairo consulates in Port Sudan and Halfa witnessed queues. For a long time, many people were wishing to reach Egypt. With the inability to obtain an official entry visa, a number of Sudanese turned to the option of traveling via smuggling by land to reach Egyptian territory amid warnings of the many dangers facing Saleki with this option on a journey that many described as a “death journey.” The Egyptian Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics stated that official figures on the number of refugees in Egypt indicate about 9 million people, including 4 million Sudanese citizens.

Difficult Conditions

Because those who entered Egypt legally were considered more advantaged than those who entered through smuggling, we opened an investigation to examine the conditions of Sudanese fleeing the war to Egypt illegally. Therefore, our first destination was the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Cairo, where fugitives often go. Or those with difficult circumstances in the hope of assistance in managing their living conditions, so that the picture in front of the Commission in the 6th of October suburb in Cairo remains the best evidence of the suffering of thousands of Sudanese who fled the war in their country. The stories are many and painful about the journey of searching for stability, which took many days and did not hold any hope for a stable life in the near future. The Commission faced crowding, crowding, stories, blackmail, and complaints about the dire conditions.

Double the Numbers

We first spoke with UNHCR officials. Christine Bishai, media coordinator for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Egypt, revealed that the number of Sudanese registered with the UNHCR has reached about 240,000. Bishai told Al-Muhaqqiq that the number of Sudanese refugees before the war had doubled many times before the war. The number of Sudanese refugees registered with the Commission in March, a month before the war, was about 61 thousand refugees, and the registered number has now reached approximately 240 thousand refugees, adding that we are registering on behalf of The Egyptian government. We provide humanitarian aid for protection and legal aid, as well as Eid al-Fitr, school admission, and medical aid to the most affected families after providing them with reasons for that. We also guarantee them treatment in Egyptian hospitals with the same treatment as Egyptians. When conducting operations, we communicate with the concerned authorities according to the importance of the case.

Families Break Up

The official spokeswoman for the Commission explained that several Sudanese families were unable to arrive in full, according to the accounts of some of their members, which caused the disintegration of some families. She said that the Commission monitored the arrival of families without the father, and some of them remained with a family member in Sudan. according to Bishai, the first wave witnessed the displacement was the arrival of Sudanese who had relatives in Egypt or friends in addition to those who had homes. As for the second wave, most of them did not have homes in Egypt and came to search for shelter, which prompted some associations and some people in Egypt to try to secure shelter for them, but it was not suitable, according to the Commission, indicating The UNHCR received many requests from Sudanese refugees in Egypt, confirming that they provide financial assistance to some of the most needy Sudanese families, and that money is delivered to them via Egyptian mail.

Three Points

The UNHCR media officer spoke about those who have already been registered. Still, tens of thousands remain among those whose registration procedures have not been completed and among those who have not gone to register yet, and the numbers entering Egypt bear witness to this, as eyewitnesses on the death journey confirmed that approximately A thousand people enter Egypt daily on the back of 20 Box cars, from one entry point out of a total of three movement points: Abu Hamad, Atbara, and Port Sudan.

Hard Trip

We met one of the Sudanese in front of the Commission, and he spoke to us about the suffering faced by those who travel the smuggling route from Sudan to Egypt. Abdullah – a pseudonym – because the speaker refused to reveal his real identity, spoke to the “investigator” warning everyone who thinks about taking this route to reach Egypt, adding The trip is very difficult, although my circumstances are better than others, and I came more comfortably, but I would never advise repeating the experience, and I also draw the attention of everyone who wants to reach Egypt, hoping for UNHCR assistance, as this is a kind of fantasy, and continue, you may get 400 One pound per month after a long struggle to register that may have reached six months, to reach an amount that was not taken irregularly, even though it is not enough for living in Egypt in terms of housing, food, and drink. We ask everyone who hears anything other than this hadith to ensure things are not the way they are. For some, these are the actual situations.

Mountain Cache

Abdullah said, “I moved from Atbara in a box car with two cabins more than two months ago, with my seven children and me for 400,000 Sudanese pounds.” He added, “I moved from Sidon to Atbara at ten in the morning, and we arrived at the border point with Egypt at midnight, and at the border, we sat for two days, and he was trying.” The smuggler kept us in this area to benefit from buying goods, water, and needs. Then we moved from the Egyptian border at six in the morning to the Egyptian depths in the Kassarat area. We found small vehicles (rickshaws) that transported us to Aswan, and we were subjected to great blackmail from the owners of these vehicles, who took large sums of money from us on the way. It does not take half an hour; others may have their phones or belongings taken away. Abdullah did not forget to talk about the great danger of this deadly journey, pointing to the so-called “Cache” inside the mountains that is used if the smuggler feels danger, and he leaves us until an Egyptian car comes to take us to the border. We could sit in this storage room for two or three days in harsh conditions, being cold and not having enough food or drink.

Death Journey

As for Intisar, she spoke to us in tears about the suffering she faced on the actual death trip to Egypt. Intisar, which is also a pseudonym for “the investigator,” said, “I brought my three children alone and spent everything I had on this trip,” adding, “I never forgot them tying us with ropes inside the box car.” From behind, on our way to the Egyptian border, the driver is driving very quickly on a bumpy road. We jump up and fall on the trunk of the car because we are tied to it like “animals,” with the thick dust that we are exposed to from the extreme speed and the harsh cold waves that we are exposed to. Pointing to many stories about the suffering of many sick people, children and the elderly on this deadly journey, in which many numbers have already been killed, Intisar continued her speech: We arrived in Egypt to find another suffering awaiting us, and long procedures for registering with the Commission, and even if we register we must prove that we are… Poor families are suffering until small sums of money are disbursed to us. Intisar burst into tears, saying, “I want to return to Sudan, to my home, my family, my neighbours, and my stable life. I want to die in my country, as I can no longer bear the harsh conditions, and I cannot manage my livelihood and the livelihood of my children after… I left my husband in Sudan, and the difficult situation will force me to work in homes or ask people for what they need.”

The Biggest Challenge

In Cairo, a large number of Sudanese who fled the war confirmed that they are living in exceptional conditions in Egypt, expressing their concerns about prolonging their stay, given the costs of living and the need for children to go to school, which poses great challenges to thousands of Sudanese families. Some of them told “The Investigator “The biggest challenge faced by Sudanese refugees in Egypt is the search for a suitable apartment at reasonable prices, especially since most of them have not been able to rent an apartment for their families until now, and have continued to live with their relatives, but this situation will not last long, expressing their hope for an end to the war.” So that they can return to Sudan and enjoy security and stability in their country.

Widespread Violations

Informed sources confirmed to the investigator that the majority of those who were displaced to Wad Madani from Khartoum chose to seek refuge in Egypt instead of risking a new internal displacement journey, after which they may find themselves facing another wave of fighting, especially since the Rapid Support Forces were involved in significant violations in the city. , which seized it last December, beginning a new wave of displacement and asylum, according to UN agencies working in humanitarian affairs, and cities and villages in the Al-Jazira state were exposed to attacks and violations, which human rights activists described as widespread after the Rapid Support took control of the state. The resistance committees also said that they had recorded thefts. At least 3,000 cars were looted.

The Journey’s Casualties

Eyewitnesses to the death journey also confirmed the presence of real difficulties and dangers facing those who venture into land smuggling to Egypt, and a large number of them told the “Investigator” that “many travellers became victims of extortion and human trafficking, while many lost their lives as a result of the resulting traffic accidents.” Either due to excessive speed or attempts to escape from the authorities active in combating smuggling in the two countries, the official Sudanese authorities also warned of the dangers of reaching Egypt via smuggling and land routes, including the mysterious fate that awaits those who reach Al-Mahrousa, and that they will face obstacles related to the law. Their situation, as obtaining official residency is not easy and requires huge measures and funds, in addition to registering with the UNHCR, also requires a long period, during which a person may lose all his savings before he obtains the yellow card that provides him with legal protection, from deportation.

Official Warnings

The Consulate General of Sudan in Aswan also warned its citizens and nationals against entering Egypt illegally due to the risks and legal accountability it entails. The Consulate pointed out that several traffic accidents had occurred, in addition to the exposure of many to looting and extortion by human smuggling gangs, and pointed out 5 Traffic accidents last December, which she said caused the death of many people, in addition to dozens of injured and wounded.