African communities refuse politicization of refugee shelter fire in Sana’a

African communities confirmed on Saturday that the National Salvation Government in Sana’a has shown full and transparent cooperation in reaching the full truth behind the fire incident at the refugee shelter.

In a statement issued after a press conference in front of the International Organization for Migration (IOM)’s office in the capital Sana’a, representatives of the Ethiopian, Sudanese, Eritrean, Somali, and Djiboutian communities refused the politicization of the issue of shelter fire, noting that the investigation into the accident is continuing.

In their statement, the African communities confirmed that the Salvation Government, despite the difficulties of the war and the blockade, provides aid to African refugees, and the foremost of that aid is that their children receive free education.

The statement explained that the aggression and the blockade on Yemen increased the suffering of refugees, and many of them lost their source of livelihood, pointing out that the stopping of the UNHCR in providing service to the refugees in 2016 worsened their conditions.

UNHCR’s office had set difficult conditions with which it would be impossible for an African immigrant to obtain refugee status, which made them spread on the streets as illegal immigrants, the statement added.

The African communities’ statement also denounced that UNHCR and IOM are receiving aid in the name of African refugees in Yemen, while they stopped providing services to refugees.

The statement called on the IOM to launch voluntary repatriation of illegal immigrants and to develop solutions that contribute to improving their status and protection.