Yemen: refugees in a no man’s land of waiting

21-11-2012 Photo gallery

The plight of asylum seekers, refugees and other foreigners can be particularly difficult when they are stranded in a conflict-affected area. Family messages, collected and delivered by the ICRC, are often a lifeline between relatives separated by borders or prison walls. Catalina Martin-Chico, winner of the first ICRC Humanitarian Visa d’or photojournalism award, went to see their situation in Yemen’s capital, Sana'a, in 2012.

- Deportation centre in Sana'a. In this centre, foreigners are detained while waiting to be deported back home or have their status in the country clarified. The ICRC distributes food and hygiene items in addition to visiting the detainees regularly to monitor their conditions of detention and treatment. It also provides contacts with their families abroad through Red Cross Messages.
  © ICRC / C. Martin-Chico
- Male section of the deportation centre. An ICRC delegate talks in private with one of the detainees, during a visit to the deportation centre.
  © ICRC / C. Martin-Chico / ye-e-00824
- Yard at the deportation centre. Once a day, refugees can walk in the yard for a couple of hours. Exercise is essential for their general well-being.
  © ICRC / C. Martin-Chico
- Female section of the deportation centre. Aidish, aged 25, looks from the window into the backyard. She and other four women were waiting to be sent back home when this photo was taken.
  © ICRC / C. Martin-Chico / ye-e-00813
- Tahrir cafeteria in Sana'a. Around 11am every Thursday, Somali nationals seeking refuge in Sana'a gather at the Tahrir cafeteria. Mohamed Hersi, an ICRC tracing officer, meets them to discuss the issue of their relatives with whom they lost contact because of the conflict in Somalia. The elders know the community well so Mohamed checks with them regularly for news. Sometimes, Mohamed has Red Cross Messages from Somalia to distribute.
  © ICRC / C. Martin-Chico
- This young man has just received a Red Cross Message from his family in Outside of Shebani cafeteria in Al-Safya neighbourhood in Sana'a. Somalia. Every week Somali nationals meet with an ICRC tracing officer who distributes the list of the missing people and collects new information they might have about their relatives.
  © ICRC / C. Martin-Chico / ye-e-00851
- This centre in Sana'a brings together Somali women refugees. An ICRC tracing officer meets with the women to discuss the cases of missing Somali nationals and see if they received any new information.
  © ICRC / C. Martin-Chico

Yemen: refugees in a no man’s land of waiting

21-11-2012 Photo gallery

Related sections