Morocco is reportedly planning to erect a five-metre barbed wire fence in an effort to stem the tide of migrants heading to Europe via its border with Melilla.
The government of Morocco have refused to confirm the plans, but Chekib el-Khayri, who heads the Rif Association for Human Rights, told reporters that construction work started three weeks ago. Adil Akidm of the Moroccan Human Rights Association has also asserted that work on the barrier’s foundations began ‘some time ago’.
The European Union and Africa share only two land borders: one of them in Ceuta, a western Spanish territory, the other Melilla. Both endure most of the illegal migrant crossings from Africa by those seeking a new life in Europe. Others risk altogether more hazardous sea crossings, either taking to the water by boat or by attempting to swim. The latest of several casualties include fifteen swimmers who perished en route to Cueta in February while being shot at by Spanish rubber bullets.
Mass raids by land have met with some limited success. Some 500 of an estimated 1,000 migrants managed to scale the Spanish-built existing triple-span fence at Melilla to enter Spain in March. While around a quarter of a 500-strong vault for freedom made it through earlier this month. The tenacious will be buoyed by the ‘law of averages’ seeing them escape into Europe by the third or fourth attempt. There is little doubt that the success rate of the migrants’ ‘scatter-gun’ tactic has led to the planned fortification of the enclave’s border.
According to official data, up to 3,000 illegal migrants entered Spain in the first half of last year, double the figure for the same period in 2012. Organisations like Human Rights Watch believe they have a solid reason. A 79-page report details the harsh treatment of sub-Saharan African migrants in Morocco, stating that the Moroccan security forces “commonly beat, otherwise abuse, and sometimes steal from sub-Saharan migrants in the north-eastern part of the country.”
