At least twenty-three migrants died during the attempt to force the passage of nearly 2,000 illegal immigrants of African origin, this Friday in the Spanish enclave of Melilla, in the north of Morocco. These tensions raise fears of a spiral of violence.
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“It is the policy of the European Union that leads to these tragedies”reacts Sunday, June 26 the president of Amnesty international France Jean-Claude Samouiller after the death of at least 23 migrants at the gates of the Spanish enclave of Melilla, in Morocco. “Each time human traffickers and smugglers are singled out, but the European Union also bears a great responsibility in these tragedies by closing its borders.” :
Do you condemn the reaction of the Spanish gendarmes on Friday evening?
It’s one more drama, one more drama as we say each time. The Mediterranean Sea is the most dangerous immigration route in the world with an average of 3,000 deaths each year. We therefore unreservedly condemn the disproportionate use of force by the gendarmes. People have the right to respect for their fundamental rights, which are the right to life and not to be persecuted and violated. Above all, you cannot compromise with refugee status, which is the only thing that remains when all other rights have been violated. We therefore join the requests for investigation to find out exactly what happened.
Where do these migrants come from and why do they leave the African continent through this enclave?
It is a small piece of Europe on African territory so if people manage to access this territory, either in Melilla or Ceuta, the two Spanish enclaves on Moroccan territory, they can apply for asylum and obtain refugee status. These are people who come mainly from sub-Saharan Africa and who therefore, after in-depth and individual analysis of their situation, can claim refugee status.
Has human trafficking organized by the Mafia accelerated in recent years, as the Spanish Prime Minister denounces?
Yes, but that’s always what governments say when they want to absolve themselves of their obligation to respect the rights of refugees. This is the case in England, which sends migrants back to Rwanda to pull the rug out from under the smugglers. Each time human traffickers and smugglers are singled out, but the European Union also has a great responsibility in these tragedies by closing its borders and setting itself up as a fortress, we prevent people who are entitled to international protection. to assert it and these people are using increasingly dangerous routes. It is the policy of the European Union which leads to these tragedies.