Illegal migration towards Spain via small boats from Algeria is growing
2006-11-12
Increased security at Ceuta and Melilla has lead to more illegal migrants travelling from Algeria to Spain via small boats. The problem was worse during Ramadan as couriers sought to take advantage of perceived less vigilance by authorities. Unsafe conditions caused many boats to sink.
By Nazim Fethi for Magharebia in Algiers – 12/11/05
 [Getty Images] Hundreds of African migrants leave for Spain daily seeking a better life |
Illegal migration to Europe has found another route after Spain reinforced security around the North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. According to Algerian newspaper El Watan, fishermen are making fortunes --12,000 euros to 18,000 euros per trip-- using their small boats to bring migrants to Europe.
Touts reportedly comb towns and cities for young unemployed men, for whom they promise safe passage to Spain and a better life in Europe for 100,000 dinars. Candidates are recruited as far as possible from their towns of departure to avoid raising the suspicions of the authorities.
Kamel H, a 25-year-old, embarked on the adventure because he says he has always dreamed of leaving.
"I'd rather risk death to get out than to stay here wasting away," he told Magharebia. He did not talk to his parents about his proposed journey because "I didn't want them to worry. I've caused them quite a few problems until now. Once I arrive ashore in Spain, I'll call them."
Departures are organised from Oran for the ten-hour to 12-hour crossings. Migrants often do not suspect the couriers are painting an excessively rosy picture, while people on the ground easily notice the boats are too small to carry so many people. Most of the boats do not have lifejackets, binoculars, compasses or guns to raise the alarm in an emergency. The excessive weight causes many boats to sink, while patrols intercept others.
Hundreds of dead bodies are fished out of the water daily by Algerian authorities during Ramadan because migrants take advantage of reduced vigilance by the coastguard during the holiday and mild weather.
The two days of Eid al-Fitr were particularly deadly.
Instead of partaking in festivities, some Algerian families spent the holiday searching morgues and hospitals searching for their children who had left without saying goodbye.
Kamel and his band left on the eve of Eid Al-Fitr. His brother eventually informed the family of the plan.
Each time the press announced that the bodies of illegal emigrants had been found, Kamel's mother thought, "My son's bound to be among them."
One week after his departure Kamel called his family from a Red Cross centre in Malaga and said, "They're taking good care of us. But I have to find a way to get out of this centre."
AP reported that 117 have been arrested this month and that 600 were arrested over the summer. Despite the arrests, Algerian security services seem to be overwhelmed by the scale of the problem.
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lyam Posted 2006-11-27
This page is not documented enough. How can I handle my TPE homework? Please give more information. Thank you.
krimo Posted 2007-05-19
I want to get out of Algeria. I've had enough of the government, but not the country itself. Long live Algeria, but [expletive] the Algerian government.
amir Posted 2007-06-06
Thank you for having given us the chance to explain ourselves. We, the youth of Algeria, are motivated by the fact that our leaders have not managed to understand us and that we love our country, but that we also want the borders to be open so we can discover the world.
كمال حمدي Posted 2007-10-05
The problem is that up to now the Maghreb states have not succeded in attracting investments to their countries from the European Union. These investments will contribute to the stability and stop the immigration, moreover there are no opportunities in Maghreb states, lack of stability in all fields. This is what contributed to young people's running away from reality.
farid Posted 2007-10-16
I would like to emigrate to Spain whatever it costs. Otherwise, I am going to return to Haraga. Long Live Barcelona, long live Catalonia, and the Kabyles too!
مراد Posted 2007-10-18
A call to the coast guards, to those who think that they are working for the service of the nation by tracking young people in the sea and saying you have saved them from death: they are already dead in their countries, full of bandit rulers who aren't concerned about saving young people but taking pleasure in killing them! They test on them everything new from Western ideas, like medicines that are tested on rats. Mr judge, have you ever thought one day that the one you try for illegal immigration is your son... I advise you that one day you'll need them one day, you'll be on board the zodiac with your family as a result of the destiny of Algeria one day. I'm used to living from the trash and sleeping on cardboard, but can you be in my place one day and issue an order to expel me from my place, ha ha ha. Today you're not the judge because the judge is God alone, and death is our meeting. So fear God rulers if you're among those who fear God.
mohamed Posted 2007-10-30
Long Live Mostaganem, Spain 1000 times over!!! A big “Hello” to all my friends living in Spain.
mokhtar Posted 2007-11-18
Hi Everyone, I am looking for my brother who attempted this deadly passage. I am heart-broken to think back to that day. I have no idea if he is alive or not. If anyone could help me and give me the telephone number of the holding centres in Spain or the address where the thousands of Algerian illegal immigrants are, I would greatly appreciate it.
zinou Posted 2007-11-23
Long live Spain, my love. I assure you I am coming, my love Spain, even without a visa. I will go, God willing. Long live the young people who have left the country of humiliation.
زوزو Posted 2007-11-25
Shame on them to let their country in the hands of the Chinese and foreigners, and they immigrate illegally. By God that's a shame on you. We hope that you will stay and develop your country with your education and make necessary efforts for that. Thank you.
omar Posted 2007-12-08
I love my country, Algeria. I will always be loyal to my country.
mohamed Posted 2007-12-29
I want to go Spain in a Zodiac one day.
fodhil Posted 2007-12-31
I want to go to Spain at any price whether legal or illegal, signed, Fadil Chelfi.
Anonymous Posted 2008-01-22
Long live illegal immigration.
katr nada Posted 2008-02-23
ghania from algeria believe me immigration is not the right way to improuve owr daily life. please do not be stupid we can face every thing in owr country with owr family
zeyam kabylie06 Posted 2008-02-29
I am looking for a way or some to contact to get me out of this government’s control; it is killing children. I know one day that we will have our opportunity, my brothers. As Matub said, “Better to day in battle than to die in my bed.” Certainly, we love Algeria, our families and our friend, but my god I would just like to say wadas beach (Bejaia) this would be a good departure point to the EU.
amine Posted 2008-03-04
I think you are wrong in wanting everyone to leave. If everyone in Morocco wants to leave, then we Arabs will remain in last place forever.
suleiaman Posted 2008-03-15
I want to visit Spain legally, with my family, as a tourist. Can anyone guide me?
redda Posted 2008-03-16
Five years at university, then unemployment and regret for the time spent at university because it is useless. People always ask: has your brother found a job? You answer he found nothing, he says you have no acquaintances, prepare some money for me as bribery. In Algeria, the sons of ancient combatants, their widows and daughters live, let’s not forget of course the supporters of the coloniser, Harkis, in addition to a group of corrupt and political opportunists, the local sick and central robbers, the executives of corruption, and the fat-bellied who stole from the mouths of the poor and needy.
nouno Posted 2008-03-19
Illegal immigration has its causes the main of which are the inability of the ruling regime to find a constructive political policy that will take care of young people namely because we know that half the population of Algeria are graduate young people from universities who have high qualifications. The state has therefore failed in its commitments namely for not guaranteeing good living conditions for the citizen as well as a house and a job. These are appropriate causes justifying the presence of the problem of immigration. If the state had taken care of these files, the problem will no longer exist…Thank you.
ادم Posted 2008-03-21
Clandestine immigration has many causes. Some of these reasons push you to expose your life to danger or, more precisely, cast oneself into perdition. And one of these causes, for example: I got a bachelor's degree in written journalism in 2002 but what? Nothing until now.
فتحي Posted 2008-03-24
I am looking for my cousin Douaji Bouabdellah who was lost in the middle of the sea with his friends 8 of them are from Alarssa in Mostaghanem and 3 from El Harrach. We still don't know anything about them. Some say that they are dead and some say that they are in a prison in Morocco, etc.
tanaka21 Posted 2008-04-04
With all simplicity, long live Algeria and not Algerians, especially officials. I say again that I am the son of the town of Skikda, the industrial zone. I have the degree of application engineer in industrial maintenance, I graduated in the year 2006. I am marginalized in my industrial zone, so how do you tell us that there is the right, justice, democracy and everything. Sometimes I say if only I weren’t born, this is the reality. Finally I say long live Algeria and not Algerians. Long live the poor people. Long live my mother and father, all the people of El Khel and Jeunesse Skikda.
ملياني Posted 2008-04-07
The cause of illegal immigration is lack of confidence in the self, in the country and in the government.
عبد العزيز Posted 2008-04-10
I am from El Kouba, Algiers wilaya. I immigrated illegally one time but they expatriated me with my group when we reached Spain. We didn’t even know where we were. I left because I am unemployed, even though I have an IT degree. I ask our government to provide work opportunities to young people because most young people immigrate for that reason. I know many people from my region who will immigrate this summer and I will accompany them if I don’t get a job. I came to this site to express some of my concerns and thank you for giving us the opportunity to talk.
هاجر السدراتية Posted 2008-04-11
Once you graduate from university and have spent all your life studying, you become as though you never studied. It is true that I love my country but all my life I dream. I am with these people- dead rather than worms.
سفيان اكليل Posted 2008-04-12
I am looking for my friend who told us that he will go to Britain. He left on 15/10/2007 and we heard nothing about him. Thank you for your service.
انا بو قناشة خالد Posted 2008-04-12
I am looking for an illegal immigration opportunity in the summer. I want to go with my friends. I have a baccalaureate level. I left school in 2006 but have no job yet. Algeria is not a country for work. The presidency, municipality and wilayas have eaten away this nation.
خالد Posted 2008-04-13
Salam alikoum. I am Khalid from Algeria, specifically from the town of Tiaret. It is a town known for illegal immigration.
عزيز شاطوناف Posted 2008-04-16
The nation is the dearest thing we have. We won’t leave our wealth and go to Europe. I ask my brothers the disillusioned young people to think back of the past and study history to know the features of our countries and the feelings of the West towards us. Let’s recall what the colonization did to our parents and grandparents. I ask you the following question, did the late president Houari Boumediene go to France and why? I know many people who went in the past; they were friends, neighbours and even family members. They lived in Europe and were longing for the bounty of the country, the flavour of the holy Ramadan, sitting with relatives…The best conclusion is oh traveller where are you going, no matter how long you stay, you will come back.
سهام Posted 2008-04-22
My dear brother, I hope that you will forget the idea of illegal immigration, "meaning Harga". If you don’t find a job in your country, do you think that you will do in the countries of people. How many young people have wasted their lives and now say (if only I had stayed in my country). Get rid of this idea from your mind. Look for any job, if you don’t, submit 100 applications and with the will of God one of them will come with good results.
nora Posted 2008-05-29
My name is Nora. I am from Algiers. I am in a relationship with someone who lives in Spain. Honestly, he is not in a good situation. He doesn’t have a stable job, but he refuses to return to Algeria. What do you think?
ahmed bouzaki amari Posted 2008-06-01
I am an Algerian and I was an illegal immigrant to Spain. We spent ten years as slaves to Spanish farmers. My 14 Algerian and Moroccan friends wanted to get registration papers so we asked our boss to get them for us. One night he came with the police to the camphouse we were living in. Our ten years of money and goods ended up being split between our boss and the police. They then insulted us and put us in a truck like animals. We spent three months in prison before being expelled to our country. We tried to get back our goods, but got nothing. Thus, I spent 10 years away for nothing. So, I am staying in my country: Going abroad without registration is worthless!
djamel Posted 2008-06-01
It is not the country of rights, it is the country of humiliation, marginalisation and the theft of billions.
رامي بوروبي Posted 2008-06-17
I am one of the people who encourage everyone who wants to immigrate to Europe. I hope that God, the Almighty, makes things easy. Long live Harga, long live Harga. Evasion is calling.
ahmed Posted 2008-06-22
God willing, Algeria will always remain upright!
gol Posted 2008-06-25
If there is one quality we can recognise the Algerian president Bouteflika for, it is his cleverness to be able to put the Algerian people to sleep with the magic of words!!! He is stuffing his pockets and even thinking about scheming for a third term. Things are indeed getting hot!!! On the other hand, the unfortunate Algerian people see no hope for a life of dignity except on the other side of the Mediterranean. Everyone heard Bouteflika say, “the Algerian people are a lazy people”, but the reality of it is that wages are miserable— so miserable that he called the Chinese to work in the construction sites. They are the only ones that can accept this hidden slavery.
Anonymous Posted 2008-06-27
To Gol: You forget that all the Moroccans coming to Algeria are treated better than the Chinese and are indeed earning their living. If they had remained in Morocco, they would be starving to death, and they are the ones saying this. Bouteflika is far more intelligent that you and your likes.
slim16 Posted 2008-06-29
To Gol: I alert you that there are 45,000 Moroccans working in Algeria and that 1,500 Moroccans just asked for the support of the national workers union (UGTA) in order to have an exemption made so they can become Algerians. It is quite something to know that there are Moroccans who love Algeria!!! I would like to tell them: “Welcome my dear new Algerian brothers!” So, do not think that you are in the right when you talk about low salaries; your Moroccan brothers who are working in Algeria are living better than they would at home and they want to stay here. The Chinese are paid by the Chinese companies, not by Algeria. There is no slavery in Algeria; the unemployed young people simply refuse to work hard while being underpaid. That is why the president said they were lazy. And, he was right!!! A lot of unemployed people are unemployed because they want to earn easy money, without getting tired. I think you must already know that there are a lot more Moroccan illegal immigrants than Algerian ones, but your bitter disposition overrides any logic such that you find pleasure in ceaselessly criticising Algeria. I hope that you will get over this sickness. Personally, I would like to have a discussion without animosity and with valid arguments that have figures to support them, not just wafty talk. From Algiers, Bye
gol Posted 2008-07-01
To Slim 16: I will thank you to not dodge the subject, which is “Illegal migration towards Spain via small boats from Algeria is growing”. It is just the same as if your were dealing with a philosophical subject: if you respond off-topic, then you get a zero.
slim16 Posted 2008-07-03
To Gol: It is not my habit to dodge the subject, and you must certainly acknowledge this. In response to you, you spoke of the Chinese, low wages and slavery. I think that I indeed responded to you. What bothers you is that I spoke of Moroccan workers. Do not be bothered, my brother, because it is the truth! Moreover, these are the future Algerians! Thus, you have lost nothing; everything is fine for both countries. Ever since the smuggling network was organised, the situation with the illegal migrants has taken a professional turn. Thus, the illegal candidates are larger in number. This is the case for all the countries of the Maghreb. The causes are well known, but the politicians will have nothing to do with this discussion, which we want to be both healthy and enriching. Did I speak about the king? It is indecent to mix things up. You know, we are on the Internet, so we pass on philosophy and say whatever we want… but we do so with tact. From Algiers, Bye
gol Posted 2008-07-06
To Slim 16: It is more like you are the one who is getting annoyed. The subject, once again, is: “migration of Algerian’s towards Spain is growing.” But, you are talking about Moroccan who are working in Algeria, which has nothing to do with this. If this is not dodging the subject, then what is it? Morover, with regards to your other comments, I notices that they were full of errors. For example, you explain that Martin Luther King said “I dreamt…” (“J’ai rêvé”). But, as we say here, it is “I have a dream”, not “I dreamt”—something which is not the same!!!
مسعودي Posted 2008-08-01
I wanted to tell you something. My country is dear to me. There is nothing nicer than it. Truly, it was very hard on us. I haven’t found myself definitely. It is over, I can’t. I am 26 and can’t find a job or what to eat. It is too much for me and for all the people. There is no solution. We did jobs of workers. You work from morning to night. It is not enough. Even if I am by God a university graduate since 2002. What can we do? I have thought so much but found only harga. It is better to be eaten by fish in the sea rather than be eaten by worms in my country. Long live France, Spain and Italy. Long live double canon if it targeted us. My brothers, by God, my cousin is 16. Every holiday he spends 70 millions a month while I have never 4 millions in one set. Go, people in such conditions can even think of suicide. Honestly, we love life, life is there. My next comment will be, God willing, from there while I will be in France. By God, God willing, pray for me. Anyone who reads this comment, pray for me.
sousou Posted 2008-09-15
Power to the immigrants. They are the kings!
racim grenoble Posted 2008-10-12
Long live Algeria. Unfortunately there are some **** (officials) but one day will come. Life isn’t eternal. Hell is waiting for them. The day will come. A day like today. Good luck to all illegal immigrants. Fish is for us and worms for them. Long live freedom for everyone. Bye.
رامي بوروبي Posted 2008-11-29
Long live Italy! Long live Italy! Long live Italy!
حمزه Posted 2008-12-17
When I am humiliated in Europe, I say to myself, no problem I am away from my country. But when I am humiliated in Algeria, what can I say? I am one of the Haragas from Annaba to Sardinia. If I were having a good life in my country, I wouldn’t have gone to other peoples’ countries.
salma Posted 2008-12-25
By God, I am a student. I was assigned to make a research about illegal immigration and provide statistics that are close to reality. Can you please help me by providing these statistics or guide me to an original site which publishes these statistics? May God reward you.
عمار Posted 2009-01-01
I want to participate in the bikes race in Spain. I want to immigrate illegally to Spain to realize my dream. You don’t know the flame which is lighting my heart to achieve my dream. I want a reply.
issam Posted 2009-01-02
I am Issam. I want to immigrate illegally.
TAHAR Posted 2009-01-21
My brother immigrants, I ask you not to do this again.
Masz Yebbus Posted 2009-02-15
I'm trying to get into contact with anyone who has really made the journey from Mali throught the Sahara to Zouerate , Nouadhibou, El Aayun. In particular, I want to read about your experience, hardships, funny and scary moments and disappointments. How was your experience arriving in Europe (Spain/Italy), from the boat to land? I'm trying to understand what people go through. I know they don't do it for fun. Best regards, Masz.
رامي بوروبي Posted 2009-02-21
Rami Bourobi. The cardboard of Rome is better than staying in the neighbourhood. Darling we are fed up with living in the country of poverty. Running away to Rome or Barcelona.
زاكي Posted 2009-05-07
Illegal immigration offers decent life.
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