The testimonies of the survivors and different Moroccan social organizations confirm that, on the night of the 28th to the 29th of April, a boat was attacked by the Moroccan security forces, in which more than sixty people were heading to the Spanish coast.
At least thirty-six people drowned, including women and children. A few months earlier, the death of a Senegalese citizen, thrown into the sea by the Spanish civil guard, was reported.
In the context of the meeting of the International Committee of the 3rd World Social Forum on Migration ( www.fsmm2008.org ), the signatory organizations express their deepest indignation at this type of intervention by the authorities, regardless of the country. It is not acceptable that, in the name of fighting illegal immigration, governments are allowed everything. The attempt to enter European territory does not justify putting a person’s life at risk.
European governments, including Spain, have established cooperation agreements with Morocco in terms of migration policy and must demand that those responsible for this African government ensure that the rights of migrants are respected, whose only “crime” is to seek a more dignified life than the one that was promised in its home country by the global economic system.
Therefore, we demand that the Spanish and Moroccan governments carry out an exhaustive investigation into the aforementioned facts, that responsibilities be clarified, and that the necessary measures be taken to ensure that this type of situation does not happen again.
The governments of the countries of the European Union, incoherent with the democratic values that they supposedly defend, sub-contracted the control of borders with countries where the human rights are not respected. European governments are thus increasingly distancing themselves from the values that govern their Constitutions, for example, by basing their migration policies on measures that will lead to an extension of the detention time of migrants in an irregular situation to 18 months, if the European Directive Return is approved.
Meanwhile, the root causes of migration remain the same without the European Union taking responsibility, while policies continue to be carried out that destroy the economic structures of the countries of origin and force their populations to emigrate in search of a more dignified life.
SIGNATORY ORGANIZATIONS: AFESIP; National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities (NALACC); Andalucia Acoge; Asociación de Chilenos en España (ACHES); Asociación Rumiñahui; Association Internationale Scalabriniénne au Service des Migrants (AISSMI); Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos de Andalucía (APDHA); Attack; Rivas City Council; Center d’Etudes Pour l’Action Sociale (CEPAS), Democratic Republic of Congo; Círculo de Tunecinos de Marsella and Carta Mundial de los Migrantes; Comisión Española de Ayuda al Refugiado (CEAR); Conadee; FEDELATINE; CEAR Foundation; State Federation of Refugees and Immigrants in Spain (FERINE); Federation of Progressive Women; Fortress Europe; Southern Foundation; Cry of the Excluded (from Latin America and the Caribbean); Groupe Antiracist d’accompagnement et de Défense des Étrangers et Migrants (GADEM), from Morocco; IEPALA; Liberación-Amauta (Acción en Red); Migration, Refuge and Displacement (MIREDES); Migrant Forum in Asia; MIGREUROP; Catholic Work for Migration (Portugal); Palestinian National Council; Pateras de la vida – Maroc; Plan Migration, communication and development. ALER-Red Con Voice; State Platform of Organizaciones de Mujeres Para la Abolición de la Prostitución; Inter-American Platform for Human Rights, Democracy and Development; European Network Against Racism-Spain (ENAR); International Migration and Development Network; Reseau Africain Sur L’Etude des Migrations (SAR), Senegal; south direction; Pastoral Service for Migrants of Brazil; Immigrant Solidarity – Portugal; USE. Catholic Work for Migration (Portugal); Palestinian National Council; Pateras de la vida – Maroc; Plan Migration, communication and development. ALER-Red Con Voice; State Platform of Organizaciones de Mujeres Para la Abolición de la Prostitución; Inter-American Platform for Human Rights, Democracy and Development; European Network Against Racism-Spain (ENAR); International Migration and Development Network; Reseau Africain Sur L’Etude des Migrations (SAR), Senegal; south direction; Pastoral Service for Migrants of Brazil; Immigrant Solidarity – Portugal; USE. Catholic Work for Migration (Portugal); Palestinian National Council; Pateras de la vida – Maroc; Plan Migration, communication and development. ALER-Red Con Voice; State Platform of Organizaciones de Mujeres Para la Abolición de la Prostitución; Inter-American Platform for Human Rights, Democracy and Development; European Network Against Racism-Spain (ENAR); International Migration and Development Network; Reseau Africain Sur L’Etude des Migrations (SAR), Senegal; south direction; Pastoral Service for Migrants of Brazil; Immigrant Solidarity – Portugal; USE. democracy and development; European Network Against Racism-Spain (ENAR); International Migration and Development Network; Reseau Africain Sur L’Etude des Migrations (SAR), Senegal; south direction; Pastoral Service for Migrants of Brazil; Immigrant Solidarity – Portugal; USE. democracy and development; European Network Against Racism-Spain (ENAR); International Migration and Development Network; Reseau Africain Sur L’Etude des Migrations (SAR), Senegal; south direction; Pastoral Service for Migrants of Brazil; Immigrant Solidarity – Portugal; USE.