Socio-Cultural Aspects of Illegal Migration in Raya Azebo Woreda, Tigray National Regional State
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Date
2017-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Illegal migration to Saudi has become usual phenomenon for most communities in Ethiopia. Many studies have attempted to explain the causes and consequences of this phenomenon. However, most of these studies tended to explain illegal migration from economic aspects: unemployment rates, wage differential, family economic crisis, etc as the main causes of illegal migration. Yet, illegal migration cannot just be explained by economic factors. Taking this in mind, this study endeavored to investigate the socio-cultural aspects of illegal migration. Specifically, it attempted to role of socio-cultural aspects in explaining illegal migration in all its stages. Indeed, by conducting a migrant survey with 128 potential migrants and 122 migrant returnees, by making in-depth interviews with 15 migrant returnees, by approaching 16 key informants, by conducting nine focus group discussions and by making field observation, this study found the role of socio-cultural aspects eminent. According to the findings of this study socio-cultural factors such as community attitude towards illegal migration, pressure from others, the presence of social capital both at home and abroad, cultural proximity, and soon create migratory intentions and induce migratory decisions. Besides, the presence of social capital coupled with the proximity of language and religion determine journey and destination experiences of migrants. The journey and destination experiences of migrants are also affected by the route followed (whether Djibouti or Somali route) and the associated risk, and the kind of jobs migrants engage in their destination (between inside home (housemaid), outside home (shop keeping, working in factories), drug dealing, and desert (livestock keeping). the study divulged the socio-cultural consequences of illegal migration al individual, household and community levels as well. Finally, this thesis calls for further investigation of the socio-cultural aspects (e.g. the emerging roles of social media), and for consideration of socio-cultural aspects in any policy intervention by government and non-government organizations to tackle the problem
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Keywords
Illegal migration; potential migrants; migrant returnees; social capital; cultural proximity; community attitude; human smuggling; trafficking in persons