Migrants thrown into the sea

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_2475331,00.html

By: vava. Partner: Eloise

Six migrants were drowned and eleven are missing and suspected to be dead as an outcome of human traffickers forcing them into the sea during a clandestine trip (secret trip) across the Gulf of Aden. (Human trafficking is when people are smuggled and sold for slaves; so basically human traffickers where smuggling Somalis and Ethiopians to be sold for slaves in Yemen.) There where 52 Somalis and Ethiopians on the boat that left on Thursday from Suweto. The boat was one of seven that reached Yemen. In a statement, the UN (United Nations) agency said, "When the smugglers noticed the presence of the Yemeni police onshore, they refused to get closer to the coast and forced passengers overboard in deep water."  Thirty-five people made it to shore and were aided at Society for Human Solidarity before being taken to UNHCR's (Commissioner for Human Rights) Mayfa's Reception centre. A statement made by the agency citing initial reports was, "This is the third fatal incident since the beginning of 2009. So far this year, a total of 168 boats and 9,449 people have reached the yemen coast. To date, tge death toll stands at 47 people, with 23 bodies buried and 24 missing at sea." The fact that so many people are arriving in Yemen, and the fact that the number of people has increased since last year when more than 50,000 crossed the Gulf of Aden into Yemen, means that UNHCR's resources and space is getting all used up. 

We should care about this because this means that not only is slavery still going on, but people are losing their lives. I had no idea, honestly, that slavery and human trafficking still happened. I knew that people where losing their lives in war, for example, which is something we hear about everyday. I never hear about places like Yemen in the news. The fact that people are being sold for slaves is absolutely horrific, and we need to become knowledgeable so we can do something about it and make others aware.