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Tanzania: Curb This Influx of Illegal Immigrants
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The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
EDITORIAL
30 April 2008
Posted to the web 30 April 2008
There has been an unusually high influx of illegal immigrants in recent times, with several dozens of Somalis and Ethiopians being arrested every now and then, not only in the border areas, but also deep in the country.
And with these unauthorised visitors breaching the rigid immigration requirements, there has been mounting security concern both in the towns and in the rural areas.
The proliferation of small arms and a high incidence of cases of banditry, mainly in the Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions, are, unfortunately, the price we have to pay as a nation for not ensuring that are border crossing points and tightly controlled.
It is for this reason that we some time back fully welcomed the appointment by the Government of a team to investigate what is attracting these immigrants to our country and how they manage to circumvent the immigration requirements.
And on Monday, the team presented its findings, revealing what many had feared all along.
It is just how dangerous the trafficking in human being has become and the daunting challenges ahead for the authorities, in particular, and all of us, in general, in having to deal decisively with this menace.
The report by the team of experts drawn from the public and private sectors has clearly shown that the illicit trade has been steadily growing and has now evolved into a multi-million shilling industry.
Of utmost concern to this peace-loving nation is that a syndicate that does not mean well and, which must be broken to ensure national safety, is sneaking in the visitors.
Today, nearly 1,300 foreigners are being held in local prisons, but what's even more worrying is the fact that many more may have gone undetected.
With each one immigrant paying between $95 (Sh140,000) and $2,000 (Sh2.4 m), the traffickers have easily built a syndicate that will require extra efforts to dismantle.
One suspect along the Kenya-Tanzania border town of Sirare, even has the cheek to threat immigration officials "interfering with my business".
The team's recommendations must be fully implemented to immediately put an end to this dangerous business.
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Border patrols must be stepped up to monitor the 470 routes the team has revealed as notorious trafficking points.
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