Africans in the Sinai: update and new developments

Milan, January 3rd, 2011. A major Israeli organization that works to prevent and resolve humanitarian crises in the Middle East is now collaborating with EveryOne Group in an attempt to free the 250 African refugees being held by traffickers and to encourage the Egyptian Government and international institutions to begin an effective, long-term operation to combat trafficking in human beings and organs.

The New Year has seen the creation of a new project that germinates in a world in flames, from the perspective of human rights. There are too many children, too many women, too many men without rights; and the democratic world, focusing on its own idea of health and safety, has chosen to observe their plight with indifference. The situation of the African migrants in northern Sinai is deteriorating all the time.

Several days ago the group of 250 young people and children was divided into two. About 140 people are still in Rafah, in the fruit orchard near the mosque, the church that has been turned into a school, the government building. The authorities know where this location is and who the kidnappers are. But they have done nothing about it. 90-100 others have been moved elsewhere. We reminded the Israeli organization that 8 Eritreans have already been killed by the traffickers, while four were taken to an illegal and secret clinic to have their kidneys removed. Only those who pay the ransom (thanks to relatives in Europe) are released on the border with Israel. 24 Africans have reached Israel where they have been identified.

Others were arrested by Egyptian border police. We do not know how many. It is also likely that small groups of refugees were able to cross into Israel, as the border checks are not always impenetrable and the traffickers know where security is weakest. All the prisoners have been subjected to violence and torture. Each paid $ 2,000 on entering Egypt, but the kidnappers have demanded a further payment of 8,000. Some of them have mobile phones and continue to call relatives, begging them to pay the money. Payments are made through Western Union or a bank account in Egypt.

The Egyptian government and the UN have received (through our group and Habeshia) the full names of some of the traffickers (Abu Khaled Hamas and the Ethiopian, Fatawa Mahari, a resident of Rafah, for example). They have also been given the phone numbers of some of the traffickers. But they are doing nothing about it. The Minister of Internal Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt claims that they cannot send the army or the police to the smugglers' hideout, due to an agreement with Israel. He says he cannot carry out an operation against the traffickers - who are armed to the teeth - since Egypt has signed a pact with Israel pledging not to carry heavy weapons near the border.

The traffickers are armed with modern weapons. We explained to our new partner in this difficult mission that it could be extremely useful to ask the Israeli Government to allow the use of heavy weapons by Egypt in order to free the hostages, and possibly even participate in the operations, taking advantage of Israel's unmatched experience in combatting terrorism. It would also be a way of bringing the two countries closer together. In addition to the group of 250 Africans, it seems that in the Egyptian Sinai there are many other migrants who have been reduced to slavery. There is mention of 2000 people. Another initiative taken by EveryOne Group in collaboration with the NGO network - which is now taking form – against the smuggling of human beings, was to make a first contact with the Bedouin tribes of Sinai. We appealed to them in a letter to oppose the hateful trafficking in migrants, slaves and organs. On January 15th, on the initiative of the al-Tarabin tribe, all the Bedouin chiefs will sign an official document stating their commitment against trafficking, in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior and local authorities. This is one more important step on a difficult road to civility and human rights.

Complaint against the traffickers of the Sinai
Human trafficking in the Sinai: the UN, EU and democratic governments must intervene

Refugees in the Sinai: Egyptian police kill an Eritrean on the Israeli border

Refugee Hostage Crisis in Northern Sinai Getting Worse
Africans in the Sinai: update and new developments

Egypt: Policeman killed by human traffickers
The African migrants in Sinai and the Evian Conference

Report: Hamas torturing 250 Eritreans in Egypt
Egypt: rights organizations urge govt to rescue African hostages

Hostages, Torture, and Rape in the Sinai Desert
Egypt: Eritreans taken hostage, no progress

EveryOne asks Egypt to send a Task Force to liberate the Eritrean Refugees

Urgent action needed: an appeal for the liberation of 250 African migrants being...

Egypt Plays Down Reported Eritrean Refugee Hostage Crisis In Sinai
A brief report by EveryOne Group on the illegal detention in Rafah of over 250 migrant...
European Parliament Resolution on Eritrean Refugees held hostage in Sinai
The long road of death, massacre in Sinai
Refugees crossing Sinai subject to torture, rights group says
A statement that is an accomplice in the humanitarian tragedy
Eritrean migrants in the Sinai: two more killings
Egypt: End Traffickers’ Abuse of Migrants

The pope lifts the lid on Sinai's tortured Eritrean refugees
Sinai, eritrean refugees. Everyone group has filed a criminal charge against the traffickers
Desert horror for asylum seekers

Benedict XVI recalls the drama of the hostages in the Sinai desert

Eritrean Refugees. We know where they are being held. Authorities to intervene now