The African Exodus
Dr. Mike Naftali
Refugees and Africa: Since the year 2000 refugees from Africa have been seeking refuge in Israel. Close to 1000 refugees arrived in Israel by the end of 2006. In 2007 the wave of refugees arriving to Israel from Egypt increased significantly, and during 2007 7000 additional refugees came to Israel. It is estimated that over 5000 refugees entered Israel during 2008 .
This complicated reality reflects the dire political, security and economic situation in Africa. Millions of Africans have joined the wave of African refugees in the last decade due to civil wars and natural disasters: In Sudan and in the Congo, in Somalia and in Eritrea, in Niger and in Chad, in Liberia and in the Ivory Coast, and the list goes on. Hundreds of refugee camps were established throughout the continent for extensive humanitarian and professional aid.
These refugees join the large group of people whose impossible living conditions in Africa push them, as illegal immigrants, towards Europe. In the last decade close to 10,000,000 (ten million) illegal immigrants came to Europe, most of them from Africa. The main countries through which the refugees come are Spain, Italy and Greece. Approximately 3,000,000 illegal immigrants arrived in Spain alone, some of who were also asylum seekers. A section of this surge of people with nothing is at this moment also knocking on Israel’s borders. In the last months 10 – 20 people have arrived in Israeli every night, seeking refuge and work, The phenomenon of refugees in Israel: Up to now the state of Israel has no clear, agreed policy on how to handle the refugee phenomenon. The increase in the phenomenon has expanded the scope of activities of various organizations dealing with human rights such as “The Hotline for Migrant Workers”, "Amnesty International" and others, alongside community and humanitarian organizations such as the “Kibbutz Movement” and Brit Olam and youth organizations, especially "Hanoar Haoved ve Halomed" (The Federation of Young Students and Workers), Mahanot Haolim and Hashomer Hatzair youth movement.
Brit Olam’s activities for the refugees: As an International Israeli-Jewish humanitarian aid organization, has been dealing for some time in aiding the refugees in Israel and in Africa. Dealing with the issue was central to Brit Olam’s agenda during the past few years. The activities regarding this issue are based on experience gained in a number of areas: 1. Active involvement in international humanitarian aid in the past few years, and especially aid during the East Asian tsunami disaster to the Internally Displaced People in India and Sri Lanka, 2. Aid to the African refugees in Israel, and especially support for the children and teenagers, by the initiation and active partnership in the formation and operation of “the Israeli Coalition for African Refugees in Israel”. 3. Aid to the Congolese refugees within the framework of the ‘Band Aid’ project for the victims of the Eastern Congo civil war (in partnership with the Student Union and ‘Latet’).
4. Initial aid to the Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia. These activities formed Brit Olam’s scope of operation in the field of aid to the refugees, revolving around four main activities: 1. Aid to the refugees in Israel through a range of activities and operations, including humanitarian aid in Tel Aviv and in the refugee camp in Kziot, assistance and treatment for children and teenagers, professional training and more. Aprogram that supports young mothers and pregnant refugee women. 2. Aid to the African refugees, first and foremost by aiding the refugees residing in refugee camps in Ethiopia, many of whom are refugees from various African countries and nationalities. 3. Coordination and formation of complete policies in dealing with the issue of the refugees in Israel and the laying of foundations for operating programs in Africa. 4. Promotion of the inter-organizational coordination and cooperation within the framework of the Israeli Coalition for the African Refugees in Israel. Review of activities: A. Assistance to the refugees in Israel: 1. Undertaking humanitarian operations for the refugees in Israel, including humanitarian aid to the refugees in Tel Aviv, especially through the donation of basic necessities, food and clothing. Dispatching of volunteers to shelters in the south of the city, especially in the field of education. 2. Assistance to the children and families in the refugee camp in Kziot, and activities for refugee children during the summer, the highlight of which was a ‘fun day’ for hundreds of refugee children in Givat Brener. 3. Initiation and active cooperation in the advancement of the “Israeli Coalition for African Refugees in Israel”, since March 2007. Assistance in the recruitment of money and resources through events, support from companies and more, and their transferal to field organizations, including Hanoar Haoved youth movement. 4. Involvement and support in the African Refugee Development Center (ARDC). 5. The foundation and operation of the Israeli refugees website www.irefugees.org (which is currently under construction and in the process of being upgraded.) 6. Regular volunteering of youth from “Muzot” art school (which is the responsibility of Brit Olam’s sister organization Topaz) in a UNICEF child centre for the children of refugees and immigrants in Tel Aviv.
* For more information please write to Avital Banai - Coordinator of Activities for the Refugees - avital@britolam.org |
