Mustariya Mohamad's Story
Mustariya Mohamad is one of thousands of Ethiopian migrants facing
hazardous environments in search of a new life in the Middle-East.
Life is hard in Bossaso. Despite a clear turquoise sea, white
sands and friendly locals, brutal 45 degree heat, ongoing tension
and cracked, arid land is straining the livelihoods of thousands.
Derelict buildings are left incomplete, debris clutters neglected
roads, and basic services are lacking.
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target="_blank">Mustariya's Story
"The water is so dirty here. It is like seawater. Sometimes I
even go a day or two without food," says Mustariya currently
suffering from severe stomach pains.
Taken hostage
Originally from Ethiopia, 19-year-old Mustariya Mohamad has been
in Bossaso, the Puntland State of Somalia, for over one year.
Leaving north-east Ethiopia to find prosperity in the Middle-East,
Mustariya embarked on a 15 day journey: "Nine of us left Ethiopia
for Somalia, all from the same village. At first it was easy, we
paid some small money and a truck driver took us across the border.
Then everything changed. Armed men stopped us; they all had guns.
They took us away and did bad things. They left the men alone; they
just wanted us, the women. They held us hostage and stole
everything we had, then spat us out on the side of the road. Our
truck driver had left, so we had to walk for a week until we
reached Bossaso."
Language barriers
After her traumatic journey, Mustariya arrived in Bossaso with
no access to health care, psychosocial support or money: "I still
want to see a doctor, but I can’t go to the hospital because
it is too expensive. Even finding a job here is difficult because I
do not speak Somali, only Oromo. Once I had a cleaning job but I
could not understand my manager’s instructions so he
dismissed me."
Mustariya is intent on reaching Yemen. The lure of prosperity,
education and work in the Middle-East is driving thousands of
Ethiopians to pass through Somalia in search of good fortune. The
Gulf of Aden, however, is a perilous journey: "The sea is very
expensive to cross; it will cost me $100 or $150 to travel from
Bossaso to Yemen. I know the problems, I know people die crossing
the sea and many are deported, but I have been told Yemen will
offer me a better life. I will do whatever it takes."
427 Ethiopian migrants registered
Mustariya is being registered at the Migration Response Centre
in Bossaso. Established jointly by the International Organization
for Migration (IOM) and the Government of the Puntland, the centre
registered 427 Ethiopians in November 2011. "We have seen an
increase in migrants since Ramadan," says the centre's director
Mohamud Jama Musse. "During Ramadan and seasonal periods border
controls are less active so many migrants see it as an ideal
opportunity to start, or complete, their journey."
Migration Response Centres
The Migration Response Centre in Bossaso is one of three centres
currently operational in the Horn of Africa. There are two
additional centres located in Hargeisa, Somaliland, and Obock,
Djibouti. All centres register new migrants and provide a space for
advocacy and migrant rights awareness. They also offer legal advice
and provide medical referrals.
Scale-up needed
Mustariya leaves the Migration Health Response Centre for her
evening prayers: "I just want to find somewhere with peace," she
says. "Somewhere I can get an education. Am I asking for too
much?"