By: Latifa Yusuf Masai
BERBERA (Somalilandsun) – The more than 20,000 people seeking refugee in Somaliland from the war in Yemen have been properly processed and documented.
This was informed by the Principal Immigration Officer Colonel Mohamed Ali Yusuf ‘Mohamed Ambaro” after concluding a refugee registration inspection at the Berbera port which is the main conduit of arrivals from Yemen.
Col Mohamed Ambaro who was accompanied by senior officers from his department during the two days working visit to Berbera had the opportunity to supervise the processing and registration of 119 Refugees from Yemen aboard MV Nova 1 boat at the port.
“The 11
9 refugees who arrived to Somaliland aboard MV Nova 1 were processed in a properly manner just as those preceding them” said the PIO who also thanked reception staff seconded by the Government and international partners organizations for their diligence.
The latest batch of 119 refugees to arrive from Yemen where they escaped a brutal war on Houthi rebels by a Saudi Arabia led coalition had 30 toddlers and 77 native Yemenis while the remainder were from neighbouring Somalia and Somaliland citizens.
Revealing that the purpose of his team’s visit was geared towards empirical verification of the registration process for the arrivals from Yemen Col Ambaro said his department with oversight over travel documents was satisfied by procedures.
Though Somaliland authorities have opened their arms and pockets to those seeking safe havens from the war in Yemen, vigilance over hosting persons with terrorist links runs supreme thence stringent measures within their main entry point at Berbera port.
As per normal procedures Col Ambaro said that once registration is complete the refugees who are housed in designated areas are then processed by citizenship and after recuperating those from Neighbouring countries like Somalia and Ethiopia are assisted homewards for those requesting such while the rest including Native Yemenis are settled in towns of their choice within Somaliland.
For the many innate citizens of Somaliland formerly working and residing in Yemen the government facilitates their resettlement in original home regions where those without homes are provided with pieces of land for such.
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