Somalis cross over to Ethiopia from troubled Sudan

Credit: AP

KHARTOUM, Sudan - A number of Somali nationals have managed to cross over from troubled Sudan following clashes in the capital Khartoum, a senior official said, even as several governments contemplated evacuating their nationals from the country which is currently witnessing skirmishes.

An official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said close to 27 Somalis have crossed over to Ethiopia through Metema, with Abdisalam Hereri, a former BBC reporter who went to attend singer Suleiman Tubeec's funeral one of them.

On Sunday, Hereri, who now covers Somalia diaspora stories, posted on his Facebook page that he had arrived in Hargeisa, Somaliland. A day before he was supposed to leave Khartoum, the fighting broke out. He says that just like his contemporaries, he took advantage of the ceasefire to cross over to Ethiopia.

The veteran journalist told VOA that together with 20 others, he took a bus through Al Qadarif and then into Gallabat where he said the team encountered a huge problem. Sudanese officials, he said, attempted to charge them a huge amount of money due to a lack of law and order.

They asked each person for $500 to obtain an “exit stamp” on their documents, Hereri said. “After strong negotiations, we were charged $50 each.” But upon arrival at Metema, he said, the situation was different since they were treated with decorum.

“The atmosphere was very different from the one in Sudan, there was order and respect,” he said.

“The soldiers at the checkpoint expressed sympathy to us when we told them we fled. … We were welcomed very much, we have not had any problems, no one asked us [for] money,” he said

More than 200 Somalis arrived on Saturday in Al Qadarif, Somali Ambassador to Sudan Mohamed Sheikh Isak told VOA Somali on Sunday. He said Somali officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are communicating with their Ethiopian counterparts to facilitate the entry of Somalis into Ethiopia

Reports indicate that those fleeing from Sudan are not getting assistance from the government of Somalia contrary to reports from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with one Isak noting that: “We have not provided them transport.” “They are leaving voluntarily but we are giving them guidance,” he added.

He said Somalis have been traveling in groups to Al Qadarif, which he said is the "safest passage." He advised women not to travel alone to Al Qadarif. The embassy, he adds, remains open for those who want to leave Sudan through their own means.

“We have issued 120 ‘go-home documents,’” which will allow travel from Khartoum to Al Qadarif, he said.

Abdalle Muse Ibrahim, a student at Khartoum’s International University of Africa, said essentials are expensive. He also said he could not find a remittance office in the town to have money transferred from their parents in Somalia.

“Housing and living expenses are very expensive,” he said. “Students who came here with pocket money will run out of money in a week’s time.”

Sudan is currently facing turmoil following fighting between Rapid Support Forces [RSF] and Sudan National Army which has left over 200 people dead. The government of Sudan accuses RSF of sabotage but the latter insists Khartoum started the friendly fire which has turned out chaotic.

But parties have refused to withdraw soldiers from the streets as fighting intensified over the weekend. The main difference between the two groups emanates from the integration of RSF into the national army further delaying efforts for the democratization of the country which has been battling with instability for four years since the ouster of Omar al-Bashir.

GAROWE ONLINE