Migrants and refugees suffer Extreme forms of violence, exploitation and death on Africa’s land and sea routes leading to the Mediterranean coast of the continent, a maritime authority warned on Friday. report set of three specialized agencies.
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Joint Migration Center (MMC) highlighted the threats faced by people during their displacement by land.
The study reveals that these migrants and refugees are highly vulnerable and often poorly informed about the risks involved in the journey they will make.
UNHCR’s special envoy for the Central and Western Mediterranean explained that regardless of their status, migrants and refugees “face serious human rights violations and abuses along the route.”
“We cannot lose our ability to be indignant “for this level of violence,” said Vincent Cochetel.
More deaths in the Sahara than in the Mediterranean
According to the report, based on three years of data, there are more people crossing the Sahara than the Mediterranean and the number of deaths of refugees and migrants in the desert are twice as high as those at sea.
The publication also warns that more and more people are attempting these dangerous journeys by land, and calls on border authorities in countries through which the routes pass to take measures to protect them.
The agencies said the Mediterranean migration route is one of the deadliest in the world.
Laurence Hart, director of IOM’s Mediterranean Coordination Office, said a very large number of people were still at risk of undertaking highly dangerous journeys.
A vehicle assists a group of migrants lost in Djibouti.
Factors of uprooting
“Obviously, there are many people who They would not like to move, but they are pushed due to political conflict or instability,” Hart added.
Factors forcing people to uproot include deteriorating conditions in countries of origin and host countries – such as new conflicts in the Sahel and Sudan – the devastating impact of climate change and disasters in new and protracted emergencies in the East and Horn of Africa, as well as racism and xenophobia towards refugees and migrants.
The report highlights the enormous Shortcomings in protection and assistance along the central Mediterranean route.
“Last week we learned that 5,000 people died on the Atlantic route to the Canary Islands in the first five months of this year, which is an increase of 700% “compared to the same period last year,” said Bram Frouws, director of the Joint Migration Centre.
He added that while there were no exact figures, many more people died on land routes to the Mediterranean coast, possibly more than at sea.
There is no accountability
Despite commitments by the international community to save lives and address the vulnerabilities of people on the move, the report argues that There is no accountability from those responsible of the abuses and dangers suffered by migrants and refugees.
Criminal groups and traffickers often commit terrible abuses, but the state officials, such as the police, the military And border guards also have their share of abuses.
“Whoever they are, whatever their category, must be held accountable. However, for the moment, much of this is happening in a situation of almost total impunity,” Frouws said.
Agencies say smuggling routes are shifting to more remote areas to avoid areas of active conflict or border controls by state and non-state actors, subjecting people on the move to even greater risks.
Torture and sexual exploitation
The reported abuses include: torture, physical violence, arbitrary detention, deathkidnapping for ransom, sexual violence and exploitation, slavery, human trafficking, forced labour, organ harvesting, theft, collective expulsions and refoulement.
The support and the Access to justice for survivors of various forms of abuse is rarely available anywhere along the routes, the report notes, citing inadequate funding and restrictions on humanitarian access. This is particularly the case in key locations such as informal and formal detention centres.
Despite the challenges, UNHCR, IOM and their partners, including NGOs and several governments, have intensified protection services life-saving mechanisms and assistance, identification and referral mechanisms along the routes.
But Humanitarian action is not enoughthe agencies insist.
“It is important to analyze How to regularize or legalize migrants in transit countries if necessary, but also beyond that, in European countries that require talent and labour,” Hart emphasised, arguing that while the opening of regular channels is not a panacea, it is “a facilitator, a pillar on which migration governance depends”.
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