Sokari Ekine, Thursday, October 16, 2008
Just over two years ago the Spanish government - desperate to stop
migrant workers from crossing into Spain from the Sahara - came to an
agreement with the Senegalese government to deploy their coast guard.
They also agreed to set up a school for youths in the hope that would
stop them from selling DVDs and umbrellas in Granada and Barcelona. It
didn't. Thousands more came
and are still coming. They put up electric fences in Morocco and
arranged with the Moroccan police to deport migrants - many were dumped
in the desert by the Moroccan authorities. With Morocco closed,
Mauritania became the new departure point for crossing into Spain. The
Atlantic waters being far more treacherous than the Mediterranean has
meant thousands drowning in the small wooden boats during the
crossings. In one of the most horrendous crossings, 47 Senegalese were left adrift to die in the Atlantic. The boat with the bodies was eventually found in Barbados.
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