Migrant boat sinkings off Madagascar highlight desperation felt by many Somalis

Mogadishu, Somalia — The Somali government says it will begin evacuating the survivors of two boats, carrying mostly Somali migrants, which capsized off the coast of Madagascar Saturday. Twenty-four passengers were killed while 46 others survived. The passengers were attempting to migrate in search of a better life, away from Somalia’s chronic drought, violence and food insecurity.


During a news briefing in Mogadishu, Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalin Fiqi confirmed the fatality figures from the capsizing of the two boats off the coast of Madagascar, in the Indian Ocean on Saturday.


Fiqi said that while authorities believe most of the migrants are Somalis, they suspect that a small number are from other countries. He said migrants identified as Somalis will be brought back to their home country.


He said, "We have made significant efforts over the past two days, particularly through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and their embassy staff in Addis Ababa; they have maintained close communication with their headquarters and the office of the president. Together, they have worked effectively to determine the best way to evacuate these survivors after assessing the nationalities of those involved."


Migration from Somalia has been on the rise in recent years, mainly due to a lack of security and lack of employment opportunities in the country.


There are no reliable estimates of how many have migrated. Zakariye Yusuf Abdirahman, program manager of the Coalition of Somalia Human Rights Defenders, said many Somali youths have a sense of hopelessness that drives them to seek opportunities elsewhere, even if it means facing dangerous conditions.


He said that with the ongoing insecurity and employment challenges in the country, the burdens people face continue to increase daily. He also said there seems to be no end in sight, and this situation particularly affects the youth who are striving for a better life and future.


Some Somali lawmakers accuse the government of failing to create opportunities for young people under 30 years old, who make up 75 percent of the population.


Mohamed Ibrahim Moallimu, an opposition member of parliament, said young Somalis should try to make their country a better place rather than flee.


The lawmaker said he understands why young people are leaving the country. He believes that the insecurity caused by terrorism and the lack of employment opportunities are significant challenges contributing to their disappointment with their homeland. However, he encourages them to recognize that they have the power to create change in their country.


One major reason people say they are leaving is the heavy taxes placed on businesses by both the government and militant group al-Shabab, which has led to widespread protests in recent months. This situation has forced many individuals to shut down their businesses.




Asma Mohamed of Mogadishu is one such individual.


She said that, although it is tragic to hear about the incident in Madagascar, the youth involved believed they had no other option. She explains that she used to run a stall. However, when both the government and al-Shabab militants imposed taxes on her, she was forced to close her business. Now, she said, she is preparing to leave the country.


Meanwhile, dozens of Somalis who left and got as far as Madagascar are preparing to come back, no doubt happy to be alive after the boat sinking, but no closer to migrating from the country they desperately wanted to leave.