Ethiopians migrants stranded in Tanzanian forest
According to the East African nation’s police, acting regional police commander SSP Athumani Mwambalaswa, on Saturday said that the Ethiopians were deserted by agents who had promised to take them to their destination but failed to keep to their promise, leaving the immigrants wandering in the forest for 15 days, without food or water.
Regional immigration officer Ndelema Mwakipesilealso said that the immigrants were found in a really bad condition due to hunger, thirst and fatigue.
"When we rounded them up in the forest, we gave them glucose and food as they were very weak," he said. He indicated that the immigrants are expected to appear in court next week.
According to information The Reporter received from Tanzanian sources residing in Arusha, on August 22 some 11 Ethiopian migrants were arrested hiding in the bush in Chalinze town and later police took them to Bagamoyo town near Dar es Salaam for treatment and one of them passed away while being treated from malaria.
The cost for transporting one illegal immigrant is between USD 1,200 to USD 2,400, according to Abdul Ndaishimiye, who was one of traffickers arrested early this year.
Similarly, on August 14 this year, 21 migrants were arrested in Makambako town, southern Tanzania and they were transported in a lorry which was supposed to be transporting cement.
According to Tanzanian police, in January this year, more than 150 migrants from Ethiopia were arrested in Mbeya, Kilimanjaro and Mwanza.
Back in 2012, 43 migrants from Ethiopia were found dead in Dodoma and 83 found in critical conditions in Dodoma town due to suffocation and hunger.
Tanzania is one of the few African countries where Ethiopia does not have diplomatic representation.
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