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Rabat – Tunisia, a country claimed to have a diverse culture, has been facing significant challenges regarding migration, having recently become a transit point for many migrants seeking a better life in Europe.
A recent report from the New York Times revealed troubling instances of ill-treatment of migrants in Tunisia.
For nearly three weeks, over 1,000 men, women, and children from Africa have been trapped in the barren no-man’s land at Tunisia’s borders, clinging to survival with little hope for help, the outlet detailed.
Abandoned and discriminated
The migrants were abandoned by Tunisian authorities after being rounded up in the Mediterranean port of Sfax. Reports indicate that some may have died in the desert while others faced violence at the hands of the Tunisian police officers.
Investigations from rights groups and migrant testimonies have revealed horrifying conditions faced by those stranded at the border, with little access to food, water, or medical care, the NYT report detailed.
Despite some migrants being moved to shelters and receiving aid, hundreds still remain exposed to the harsh elements, facing an uncertain future.
“Please help us. We are dying,” The newspaper quoted one migrant as texting them on Saturday.
“We don’t have any food and water. We are stranded. If there’s any way you can help us …” another text read, according to the NYT, who noted that messages had stopped coming by Sunday.
Back in February, Tunisian Kais Saied was quoted in a statement saying that the arrival of sub-Saharan migrants was part of a plot to weaken the country’s Arab Islamic identity.
“There is a criminal plan to change the composition of the demographic landscape in Tunisia and some individuals have received large sums of money to give residence to sub-Saharan migrants,” he was quoted as saying in a statement from the Presidency.
Read also: African Migrants Struggle with Discrimination, Limited Support in Tunisia
Europe’s role
Amid the surge in migration to Europe via North Africa, the New York Times’ reporting has also brought attention to geopolitical factors that may be exacerbating the situation.
A recent deal signed on Sunday between Italy, The Netherlands, the European Commission, and Tunisia, promising more than $1 billion in EU aid and investment to stabilize the country’s economy and strengthen border controls, has raised concerns among critics.
They argue that the deal indirectly supports the rise of Saied, who has a track record of vilifying migrants and undermining the country’s democracy.
The situation in Tunisia is emblematic of Europe’s approach to managing migration, which has drawn criticism from human rights advocates. European nations’ eagerness to curb migration has led to controversial tactics, including reports of coast guards leaving migrants adrift or leaving hundreds drowning.
By seeking to contain the problem in launchpad countries like Tunisia, European leaders have been accused of outsourcing the responsibility and ignoring the human rights violations occurring on their doorstep.
“We all heard that the prime minister of Italy paid the Tunisian president a lot of money to keep the Blacks away from the country,” Kelvin, a 32-year-old Nigerian migrant, told NYT on Saturday from Tunisia’s border with Libya.
Critics argue that Europe’s willingness to support leaders like Saied, despite his questionable human rights record and authoritarian tendencies, is undermining the values of democracy and human rights that the West once championed in Tunisia after the Arab Spring protests.
The fear of migration destabilizing Europe has influenced decisions to support questionable regimes, raising concerns about the long-term consequences.
As European leaders claim to combat abuses against migrants by working with Tunisian authorities, some experts and lawmakers are also questioning the efficacy of the approach. Instead of solving the issue, they claim that Europe is exacerbating the situation and inadvertently driving more people toward Europe rather than containing them in Tunisia.
Furthermore, critics also contend that Saied’s policies and economic mismanagement have contributed to the rise in illegal migration from Tunisia to Europe. The economic hardships and lack of opportunities have pushed many Tunisians to risk dangerous journeys in search of a better future in other countries.
