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Join on Telegram Rabat – The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) has released a report that suggested that the deaths of irregular migrants during the mass migration attempt near Melilla were due to a stampede.
On June 24, over 2,000 irregular migrants attempted to cross to the Spanish enclave of Melilla from Nador, in Morocco’s Oriental region. The incident turned violent, with migrants using sharp objects and stones to counter police efforts to prevent the crossing attempt.
The event marked the death of 23 migrants and caused injuries among over 140 law enforcement officials.
Amid criticism and accusations against Moroccan and Spanish law enforcements, Morocco’s CNDH announced that a delegation will visit the region to investigate and determine the circumstances of the case.
CNDH’s preliminary findings said that 214 people were injured, including 140 law enforcement personnel and 77 migrants.
“Mechanical asphyxia was the main cause of death. The other potential cases of death include massive jostling in a tightly secured and very narrow space at the crossing station and falling as the barbed-wire fence failed,” the CNDH report said — citing the pressure of the “huge” number of migrants who climbed and attempted to breach the fence at the same time.
The report found that an autopsy can determine each individual cause of death.
The fact-finding mission could not establish, however, whether some migrants were injured due to the massive jostling or to a “disproportionate use of force. ”
None of the migrants who died have been buried so far, according to the mission, who checked the number of dead bodies in the mortuary.
The CNDH’s Commission in the Oriental region will review and examine autopsy and DNA testing when available.
CNDH also deplored the sharing and spreading of fake news that claimed the use of lethal weapons and firearms by police forces.
No use of weapons and firearms
NGOs and injured migrants at the hospital, in addition to authorities, denied accusations and claims promoted by Algeria and several Spanish MPs and activists on the use of lethal weapons and firearms by law enforcement during the migration attempt.
However, the CNDH report acknowledged that law enforcement officers used tear gas and truncheons during the clashes.
The findings cited “extreme violence” from migrants during confrontations with security forces.
CNDH said the incident was unprecedented in “nature tactics used, scope, number of migrants attempting a mass crossing, number of victims, and casualties.”
The fact finding commission revealed that migrants held a law enforcement personnel hostage, “seriously putting the life of another at risk and seized law enforcement equipment.”
“All injured migrants and law enforcement officers received necessary medical assistance and care, including medical surgery at the Regional Hospital in Nador and the University Hospital in Oujda,” the report said.
Spain’s delayed assistance
The findings indicated that NGOs who spoke to the fact finding mission reported a lack of assistance from Spanish authorities following the incident.
The report cited that Spanish authorities “hesitated and refrained from providing immediate assistance and medical care.”
The report said that although migrants were jostling in a tightly secured space, the turnstile gates remained firmly closed. The mission does not rule out that the situation could have led to the high death toll and number of injuries.
Recommandations
CNDH has reaffirmed the need for a thorough investigation to determine the nature and circumstances of all confrontations and the use of violence.
The council also called on authorities to reconsider the order maintained at the fence, emphasizing that the safety of migrants must always prevail.
CNDH also deplores “any exclusive and strict security approach to migration across the globe namely regarding migrants from the Middle East and Africa.”
The council also called for the immediate implementation of the Global Compact also known as Marrakech Compact. Adopted by over 16 countries in Marrakech in 2018, the compact seeks to provide nations with policy options to address migration issues.
