Rotta balcanica: i sogni spezzati nella Drina
►https://www.balcanicaucaso.org/aree/Bosnia-Erzegovina/Rotta-balcanica-i-sogni-spezzati-nella-Drina-229948
Nelle acque del fiume Drina, in Bosnia Erzegovina, decine di migranti sono morti nel tentativo di avvicinarsi al sogno di una vita migliore in quell’Europa che li respinge. Volontari del Soccorso alpino di Bijeljina e attivisti sono impegnati nel difficile recupero dei corpi
Rotta balcanica : i sogni spezzati nella Drina
Nelle acque del fiume Drina, in Bosnia Erzegovina, decine di migranti sono morti nel tentativo di avvicinarsi al sogno di una vita migliore in quell’Europa che li respinge. Volontari del Soccorso alpino di Bijeljina e attivisti sono impegnati nel difficile recupero dei corpi.
“Finora non mi è mai capitato di sognare uno dei corpi ritrovati, non ho mai avuto incubi. Proprio mai. Credo sia una questione di approccio. Soltanto chi non ha la coscienza pulita fa incubi”, afferma Nenad Jovanović, 37 anni, membro della squadra del Soccorso alpino di Bijeljina.
Negli ultimi sei anni, Jovanović ha partecipato alle operazioni di recupero di oltre cinquanta corpi di migranti nell’area che si estende dal villaggio di Branjevo alla foce del fiume Drina [nella Bosnia orientale], tutti di età inferiore ai quarant’anni, annegati nel tentativo di entrare in Bosnia Erzegovina dalla Serbia, per poi proseguire il loro viaggio verso altri paesi europei, in cerca di un posto sicuro per sé e per i propri familiari.
“Ogni volta che scoppia un nuovo conflitto in Medio Oriente, in Afghanistan, Iraq o altrove, assistiamo ad un aumento degli arrivi di migranti in cerca di salvezza nei paesi dell’Unione europea. Purtroppo, per alcuni di loro la Drina si rivela un ostacolo insormontabile. Il loro è un destino doloroso che può capitare a chiunque”, spiega Nenad Jovanović.
Durante le operazioni di recupero dei corpi, Jovanović più volte è stato costretto a gettarsi nel fiume in piena, rischiando la propria vita.
“Recentemente abbiamo recuperato il corpo di un uomo proveniente dall’Afghanistan. Era in acqua da circa un anno. I pescatori che per primi lo avevano notato non erano nemmeno sicuri che si trattasse di un corpo umano. Potete immaginare lo stato in cui si trovava”, afferma Jovanović.
Un suo collega, Miroslav Vujanović, si sofferma sull’aspetto umano del lavoro del soccorritore. “A prescindere dallo stato di decomposizione, cerchiamo in tutti in modi possibili di recuperare il corpo nelle condizioni in cui lo troviamo. Nulla deve essere perso, nemmeno i vestiti. Perché siamo tutti esseri umani. Nel momento del recupero di un corpo magari non pensi alla sua identità, cerchi di fare il tuo lavoro in modo professionale e basta. Poi però quando torni a casa e vedi tua moglie e i figli, inizi a chiederti chi fosse quell’uomo e se anche lui avesse una famiglia. È del tutto normale riflettere su queste cose. Sono però pensieri intimi, che tendiamo a tenere dentro”.
I volontari del Soccorso alpino di Bijeljina hanno partecipato anche alle operazioni di ricerca e assistenza alle popolazioni colpite dal terremoto nella regione di Banovina (in Croazia) nel 2020 e alle vittime del terremoto che l’anno scorso ha devastato la Turchia. In tutte queste operazioni sono stati costretti ad utilizzare le attrezzature prese in prestito o noleggiate, perché le autorità locali non rispettano gli accordi di cooperazione stipulati con altri paesi. Del resto, la Bosnia Erzegovina è il paese delle assurdità. Lo confermano anche i nostri interlocutori, aggiungendo che a volte si sentono incompresi anche dai loro familiari.
“Mia moglie spesso si chiede come io possa fare questo lavoro. Oppure invito ospiti a casa per la celebrazione del santo della famiglia, e proprio quando stiamo per tagliare il pane tradizionale, mi chiama la polizia dicendo di aver trovato un cadavere nella Drina. Quindi, mi scuso con gli ospiti, chiedo loro di rimanere e vado a fare il mio lavoro. Non è un lavoro facile, ma per me la più grande soddisfazione è sapere che quel corpo recuperato sarà sepolto degnamente e che la famiglia della vittima, straziata dalla sofferenza, finalmente troverà pace”, spiega Nenad Jovanović.
Recentemente, Jovanović, insieme ai suoi colleghi Miroslav Vujanović e Safet Omerbegić, ha partecipato ad una cerimonia di commemorazione in memoria dei migranti scomparsi e morti ai confini d’Europa. In quell’occasione sono state inaugurate le lapidi delle tombe dei sedici migranti sepolti nel nuovo cimitero di Bijeljina, situato nel quartiere di Hase. Trattandosi di corpi non identificati, ciascuna delle lastre in marmo nero reca incise, a caratteri dorati, la sigla N.N e l’anno della morte.
Nel cimitero è stato piantato anche un filare di alberi in memoria delle vittime e sono state collocate due targhe commemorative con la scritta: “Non dimenticheremo mai voi e i vostri sogni spezzati nella Drina”. L’iniziativa è stata realizzata grazie al sostegno dell’associazione austriaca «SOS Balkanroute» e di Nihad Suljić, attivista di Tuzla, che da anni fornisce assistenza concreta ai rifugiati e partecipa alle procedure di identificazione e sepoltura dei morti.
“Per noi è un grande onore e privilegio sostenere simili progetti. Si tratta di un’iniziativa pionieristica che può fungere da modello per l’intera regione. Per quanto possa sembrare paradossale, siamo contenti che queste persone, a differenza di tante altre, abbiano almeno una tomba. Abbiamo voluto che le loro tombe fossero dignitose e che non venissero lasciate al degrado, come accaduto recentemente a Zvornik”, sottolinea Petar Rosandić dell’associazione SOS Balkanroute.
Rosandić spiega che la sistemazione delle tombe dei migranti nei cimiteri di Bijeljina e Zvornik è frutto di un’iniziativa di cooperazione transfrontaliera a cui hanno partecipato anche le comunità religiose di Vienna. Queste comunità, che durante la Seconda guerra mondiale erano impegnate nel salvataggio degli ebrei, oggi partecipano a diversi progetti a sostegno dei migranti lungo le frontiere esterne dell’UE.
“Sulle lastre c’è scritto che si tratta di persone non identificate, ma noi sappiano che in ogni tomba giace il corpo di un giovane uomo i cui sogni si sono spezzati nella Drina. Ognuno di loro aveva una famiglia, un passato, i propri desideri e le proprie aspirazioni. Il loro unico peccato, secondo gli standard europei, era quello di avere un passaporto sbagliato, quindi sono stati costretti a intraprendere strade pericolose per raggiungere i luoghi dove speravano di trovare serenità e un futuro migliore”, afferma l’attivista Nihad Suljić.
Suljić poi spiega che nel prossimo periodo i ricercatori e gli attivisti si impegneranno al massimo per instaurare una collaborazione con diverse istituzioni e organizzazioni. L’obiettivo è quello di identificare le persone sepolte in modo da restituire loro un’identità e permettere alle loro famiglie di avviare un processo di lutto.
“Questi monumenti neri sono le colonne della vergogna dell’Unione europea – commenta Suljić - non è stata la Drina a uccidere queste persone, bensì la politica delle frontiere chiuse. Se avessero avuto un altro modo per raggiungere un posto sicuro dove costruire una vita migliore, sicuramente non sarebbero andati in cerca di pace attraversando mari, fiumi e fili spinati. Le loro tombe testimonieranno per sempre la vergogna e il regime criminale dell’UE”.
Suljić ha invitato i cittadini dell’UE che hanno partecipato alla cerimonia di commemorazione a Bijeljina a chiamare i governi dei loro paesi ad assumersi la propria responsabilità.
“Non abbiamo bisogno di donazioni né di corone di fiori. Vi invito però a inviare un messaggio ai vostri governi, a tutti i responsabili dell’attuazione di queste politiche, per spiegare loro le conseguenze delle frontiere chiuse, frontiere che uccidono gli esseri umani, ma anche i valori europei”.
Dalla chiusura del corridoio sicuro lungo la rotta balcanica [nel 2015], nell’area di Bijeljina, Zvornik e Bratunac sono stati ritrovati circa sessanta corpi di migranti annegati nel fiume Drina. Stando ai dati raccolti da un gruppo di attivisti e ricercatori, nel periodo compreso tra gennaio 2014 e dicembre 2023 lungo il tratto della rotta balcanica che include sei paesi (Macedonia del Nord, Kosovo, Serbia, Bosnia Erzegovina, Croazia e Slovenia) hanno perso la vita 346 persone in movimento. Trattandosi di dati reperiti da fonti pubbliche, i ricercatori sottolineano che il numero effettivo di vittime con ogni probabilità è molto più alto. In molti casi, la tragica sorte dei migranti è direttamente legata ai respingimenti effettuati dalle autorità locali e dai membri dell’agenzia Frontex.
“La morte alle frontiere è ormai parte integrante di un regime di controllo che alcuni autori definiscono un crimine in tempo di pace, una forma di violenza amministrativa e istituzionale finalizzata a mantenere in vita un determinato ordine sociale. Molte persone morte ai confini restano invisibili, come sono invisibili anche le persone scomparse. I decessi e le sparizioni spesso non vengono denunciati, e alcuni corpi non vengono mai ritrovati”, spiega Marijana Hameršak, ricercatrice dell’Istituto di etnologia e studi sul folklore di Zagabria, responsabile di un progetto sui meccanismi di gestione dei flussi migratori alle periferie dell’UE.
In assenza di un database regionale e di iniziative di cooperazione transfrontaliera, sono i volontari e gli attivisti a portare avanti le azioni di ricerca di persone scomparse e i tentativi di identificazione dei corpi. Al termine della cerimonia di commemorazione, a Bijeljina si è tenuta una conferenza per discutere di questo tema.
“Molte famiglie non sanno a chi rivolgersi, non hanno mai ricevuto indicazioni chiare. Finora le istituzioni non hanno mai voluto impegnarsi su questo fronte. Spero che a breve ognuno si assuma la propria responsabilità e faccia il proprio lavoro, perché non è normale che noi, attivisti e volontari, portiamo avanti questo processo”, denuncia Nihad Suljić.
A dare un contributo fondamentale è anche Vidak Simić, patologo ed esperto forense di Bijeljina. Dal 2016 Simić ha eseguito l’autopsia e prelevato un campione di DNA di circa quaranta corpi di migranti, per la maggior parte rinvenuti nel fiume Drina.
“Questa vicenda mi opprime, non mi sento bene perché non riesco a portare a termine il mio lavoro. Credo profondamente nel giuramento di Ippocrate e lo rispetto. Le leggi e altre norme mi obbligano a conservare i campioni per sei mesi, ho deciso però di conservarli per tutto il tempo necessario, in attesa che il sistema venga cambiato. La mia idea è di raccogliere tutti questi campioni, creare profili genetici individuali, pubblicarli su un sito appositamente creato in modo da aiutare le famiglie – in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Algeria, Marocco e in altri paesi – che cercano i loro cari scomparsi.
Lo auspicano anche il padre, la madre, la sorella e i fratelli di Aziz Alimi, vent’anni, proveniente dall’Afghanistan, che nel settembre dello scorso anno, nel tentativo di raggiungere la Bosnia Erzegovina dalla Serbia, aveva deciso di attraversare la Drina a nuoto con altri tre ragazzi. Poco dopo la sua scomparsa, nello stesso luogo da dove Aziz per l’ultima volta aveva contattato uno dei suoi fratelli, è stato ritrovato un corpo.
Dal momento che non è stato possibile identificare il corpo per via del pessimo stato in cui si trovava, i familiari di Aziz, che nel frattempo hanno trovato rifugio in Iran, hanno inviato un campione del suo DNA in Bosnia Erzegovina. Ripongono fiducia nelle istituzioni e nei cittadini bosniaco-erzegovesi per garantire ad Aziz almeno una sepoltura dignitosa.
Ai presenti alla conferenza di Bijeljina si è rivolta anche la sorella di Aziz, Zahra Alimi, intervenuta con un videomessaggio. “Non abbiamo parenti in Europa che possano aiutarci e davvero non sappiamo cosa fare. Per favore aiutateci, nostro padre è affetto da un tumore e nostra madre ha sofferto molto dopo aver appreso la triste notizia [della scomparsa di Aziz]. Possiamo contare solo su di voi”.
►https://www.balcanicaucaso.org/aree/Bosnia-Erzegovina/Rotta-balcanica-i-sogni-spezzati-nella-Drina-229948
#route_des_Balkans #Balkans #rivière #Bosnie-Hezégovine #migrations #réfugiés #mourir_aux_frontières #morts_aux_frontières #Bijeljina #Branjevo #Nenad_Jovanović #Nenad_Jovanovic #Serbie #frontières #commémoration #mémoire #cimetière #tombes #SOS_Balkanroute #Nihad_Suljić #Nihad_Suljic #dignité #monument #responsabilité
Traduction de cet article :
Modra rijeka migrantske smrti
Samo Nenad Jovanović iz Gorske službe spasavanja Bijeljina u šest godina sudjelovao je u izvlačenju više od 50 tijela migranata iz Drine. Nijedan nije bio stariji od 40 godina, a svi su se utopili u pokušaju prelaska rijeke. Na groblju ih pokapaju kao NN lica
▻https://www.portalnovosti.com/modra-rijeka-migrantske-smrti
#CommemorAction 2024 : on n’oublie pas, on ne pardonne pas !
Le #6_février, c’était la journée mondiale de lutte contre le régime de mort aux frontières et pour exiger la vérité, la justice et la réparation pour les victimes de la migration et leurs familles. Pour la troisième année consécutive, #Douarnenez a répondu à l’appel qui été suivi par 55 villes (dont sept en #Bretagne) de 17 pays d’Afrique, d’Asie et d’Europe.
https://pixelfed.zoo-logique.org/storage/m/_v2/578583396227231930/7c649620b-69b6c5/s0YPCtFDYrlX/K0qtGi8326DHuK4JLwkRQfE3dwaSOB3ShAu9Ei7x.png 
https://pixelfed.zoo-logique.org/storage/m/_v2/578583396227231930/7c649620b-69b6c5/NO0lNCW518O2/MVnjFDP0uYPbvKP9Owot4y2azeZHqh60sVB6jQjl.png ▻https://blogs.mediapart.fr/938539/blog/130224/commemoraction-2024-noublie-pas-ne-pardonne-pas
#commémor'action #commémoration #mourir_aux_frontières #morts_aux_frontières #migrations #réfugiés #mémoire #oubli #pardon #6_février_2024 #France #portfolio #photographies
Identifying dead migrants on Spain’s Canary Islands
The Canary Islands are a first destination for people trying to reach continental Europe. Numbers of those attempting the dangerous Atlantic crossing are soaring. DW’s Jan-Philipp Scholz reports from Las Palmas and Mogán, on Gran Canaria.
▻https://www.dw.com/en/identifying-dead-migrants-on-spains-canary-islands/video-68247230
#mourir_aux_frontières #route_atlantique #Gran_Canaria #cimetière #réfugiés #migrations #identification #îles_Canaries #Canaries #morts_aux_frontières #celleux_qui_restent
Turning Grief into Action: Families of Dead and Disappeared Migrants in Morocco
“Elach Jina Wehtajjina?” Rhetorically asking why they are here to protest. “Wladna li Bghina,” they answer, with a breast-beating shriek for their lost sons. Xeroxed pictures of their missing sons dangle on red ribbons from their necks. They march behind the vinyl-printed banners, making light-footed steps towards the Saidia beach—a seaside bordering Algeria. After rehearsing a suite of slogans, they lower themselves into a crouch and repot the shoreline with flowers in commemoration of dead and disappeared migrants. And yet, in their minds, their sons are never dead.
These are families of dead and disappeared migrants in Morocco. On this Global Day of Commemorating Migrant Death and Disappearance—which marks the Tenth Anniversary of the Tarajal Massacre, they demand truth and justice about the fate of their loved ones. Those attending are mostly from the Oriental region; some had an all-night trip from Beni-Mellal to Oujda to participate in the commemoration in Saidia, organized by the indefatigable borderland militant, Hassan Ammari, and other members of AMSV (Association d’Aide aux Migrants en Situation Vulnérable). Amid efforts to bring solidarity groups down to size, AMSV, created in 2017, started its work with families of missing and dead migrants in 2018. The shift in migratory dynamics, mapped out below, drove its members to shift their focus on the (im)mobilities of West and Central African migrants to Moroccan migrants. Other families are unable to afford transport fares to attend the sit-in, or simply emotionally weary after attending dozens of sit-ins to no avail.
I had countless conversations and stays with these families. Singular as they are, their stories of loss are proof of the EU’s deadly anti-migration policies. They also speak of extended collusion with a national system that has abdicated its responsibility towards the dead, disappeared and their families. Europe’s border regimes offshore not only border control to their southern neighbours; they outsource border violence, migrant death and disappearance, and the management thereof. Fortress Europe seeks not only to keep undesirable populations at bay, but its hands spick and clean from preventable, or rather willful, migrant death and disappearances. Such gory consequences are meant to be a memento mori for prospective migrants.
Trajal Massacre, leaving at least 15 migrants dead and dozens missing and maimed as they waded their way to the shore, staged an obscene spectacle of border violence that, after ten years, let the Spanish Guardia Civil off scot-free. A new lawsuit, however, has recently been filed against Spain by a Cameroonian survivor.
Now let me draw a broad sketch of migrant death and disappearance at the EU-Moroccan borders. In 2018, the Western Mediterranean Route had many twists and turns. After a series of incessant expulsions and deportations in the north of Morocco, West and Central African smugglers relinquished their grip over the “illegality industry”. The growth of such industry has a history of at least two decades, from the late 1990s up to the so-called ‘migration crisis’ in 2015. During this period, North Africa had been (and still is) carrefour migratoire for West and Central African migrants fleeing poverty and warfare in their home countries. After 2018, Moroccans have held the mantle, quickly placing Moroccan migrants atop of the nationalities intercepted. No sooner had the year come to close than this route shut down owing to the run-up in migrant arrivals. And there is the rub. Old routes have reactivated, new ones are activated. New tactics are embraced to outwit the militarization seaming easier routes.
Such geopolitical buildups gave way to a new and complex edge to migrant death, disappearance, and incarceration. In mid-2020, countless fishing boats started to leave Morocco’s southern shorelines, bound to disembark at any of the Canary Islands in sight. Unsurprisingly, death and disappearance tolls have seen an uptick. When common departure points have been militarized, new departure points have been activated in cities such as Sidi Ifni, Agadir and further north on the Rabat and Casablanca coastlines. Such routes have never been sailed by migrant boats to reach the Canary Islands, in the case of Sidi Ifni and Agadir, or mainland Spain, in the case of Rabat and Casablanca. While boats may escape the mandibles of border surveillance, they get lost into the doldrums of the Atlantic Sea before they find their ways to the Spanish archipelago. The ‘count regime’ of the IOM may chronicle some of these fatalities, but their exactitude is always blatantly compromised—counting on media reports to count migrant death and disappearance.
Most families taking part in this commemoration are from the Oriental region. Their sons took riskier routes which have been activated following the striation of the Western Mediterranean Route. They crossed the Moroccan-Algerian border trenches before they could set sail from Algeria, Tunisia, or Libya. Some get lost at sea, while others are incarcerated in Algeria or Libya. These geopolitics are crucial to understand how death and disappearance, the twin technologies of the EU’s border deterrence, are marshalled along these routes. The EU’s security-driven approach, laying financial focus on border management, spares no efforts to engage with migrant death and disappearance.
Families remain clueless about the whereabouts of their loved ones. Loss and unresolved grief trap them in a ghostly vertigo. Amid total disengagement with migrant death and disappearance, their individual, at times collective, efforts to look for their loved ones pale into insomniac waiting and statis. Consequently, families are left embattled with their loss, falling into a spiral of scam, hope and disappointment.
Yet their efforts to mobilize shame against the death juggernaut of the EU’s external borders are tireless. Their efforts to search for their lost ones never cease to haunt the perpetrators. They turn their individual pain into collective grief, and collective grief into collective action to search for their missing sons. They never stop looking for their sons, even in dreams.
▻https://africanarguments.org/2024/02/turning-grief-into-action-families-of-dead-and-disappeared-migrant
#Maroc #disparus #réfugiés #migrations #frontières #mourir_aux_frontières #morts_aux_frontières #décès #commémoraction #commémoration #2024 #deuil #action
L’uomo nel lampo
▻https://www.antiwarsongs.org/canzone.php?id=67686&lang=it
(2024)
con Stefano Massini
Racconta Stefano Massini:
“L’uomo nel lampo” è un dialogo in...
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFoTT0cpzx4
Racconta Stefano Massini:
“L’uomo nel lampo” è un dialogo in musica. C’è un padre morto giovanissimo in un incidente sul lavoro, uno di quelli che funestano le nostre cronache, senza far notizia al punto tale che neppure destano più scandalo perché il lavoro è diventato un far west e i diritti sono un lusso. L’assuefazione alle cosiddette morti bianche è ormai un dato di fatto, e con questo brano di teatro-canzone tentiamo di sollevare il velo della narcosi. La canzone è un piccolo ritratto di vita, drammatica perchè cristallizza un dialogo impossibile: da quella fotografia appesa in salotto, il padre non smette mai di parlare al figlio, che nel frattempo cresce nella leggenda di quel papà “morto dentro un lampo”. È un nuovo capitolo della collaborazione che da anni mi lega a Paolo Jannacci, e che dal 2020 ci ha visti nei teatri di tutta Italia con le repliche di “Storie” del Piccolo Teatro di Milano. Questa collaborazione mi rende ancora più fiero dal momento che si inscrive nella scia di un impegno civile, quello sulle morti cosiddette “bianche”, che tante volte ho denunciato anche per ragioni familiari.
Aggiunge Paolo Jannacci:
“Riuscire a tutelare e tutelarsi nel mondo del lavoro ci sottrae dalla meschinità che spesso ci domina. “L’uomo nel lampo” è un piccolo contributo in chiave poetica, per non dimenticare chi è morto sul lavoro e per mantenersi sempre in guardia, perché ne va della nostra vita. L’Italia è una Repubblica democratica fondata sul lavoro, ma spesso ce ne dimentichiamo. Altro non posso dire perché sono solo un saltimbanco… Ma si sa: i saltimbanchi, da sempre, raccontano amare verità”.
–---
Ehi, ehi Michè,
Sono io Michè, questa voce lontana
Dicono, sai la vita è strana
Ma più che strana è proprio bastarda
Ed io lo so perché mi riguarda
Da quando il mio filo si è rotto
Sono una foto appesa in salotto
E in quella foto oltretutto...
Ma dai Michè son così brutto:
Occhi chiusi, viso scuro...
Che se mi avessero detto giuro
«Questa foto resterà di te»
Accidenti Michè, mi sarei messo in posa
1,2,3, flash, perfetto
Sono io, sì,
sono l’uomo di cui ti hanno detto
Che un lampo mi portò via
E di me non resta, che una fotografia
C’era una volta un uomo che vide come un lampo
sorrise e alzò le mani come per abbracciarlo
L’uomo nel lampo che non è più tornato
Lo videro in quel lampo e lì si è addormentato
Proprio quel lampo che portò via mio padre
e che da quel momento è musica nel vento
Sai Michè,
non è che sono solo in questo posto
C’è più folla che a Rimini ad agosto
Tutti come me finiti fuori pista
Tutti fuori dalla lista
Tutti con il marchio addosso di questo paradosso
Che il lavoro porta sotto terra
e l’operaio muore come in guerra
Ma io Michè, io che ridevo anche dei guai
io, che la battuta non mi mancava mai,
Quando mi dicono: «la fabbrica è una miniera»
Rispondo «No, piuttosto è una galera»
Perché loro si fanno l’ora d’aria
e pure noi, nel senso che saltiamo in aria
E nelle fiamme di sei metri e via..
Passi da uomo a fotografia.
C’era una volta un uomo che vide come un lampo
sorrise e alzò le mani come per fermarlo
L’uomo nel lampo che non è più tornato
Lo videro in quel lampo
Questo lampo non ha odore ne colore
Il lampo uccide ma senza far rumore
Poi ti guardi ad uno specchio
E lì vorresti perdonare
E vabbè, basta dai...
Da questa foto mi guardo intorno
E non ho smesso un solo giorno
in silenzio fotografato e muto di dirti:
«Ciao Michè, sono il padre che non hai conosciuto»
#accidents_de_travail #travail #mourir_au_travail #musique #chanson #musique_et_politique #Stefano_Massini #Paolo_Jannacci #morts_blanches
Personnes migrantes disparues : agir contre l’#oubli !
En cette journée de CommemorAction, EuroMed Rights rejoint les organisations de défense des droits humains qui plaident pour l’adoption de mesures (▻https://commemoraction.net) pour empêcher les décès sur les routes migratoires vers l’Europe.
EuroMed Rights s’inscrit aussi aux côtés des familles des trop nombreuses victimes disparues en mer Méditerranée ou dans le désert nord-africain. A cet effet, nous publions aujourd’hui notre cartographie (►https://euromedrights.org/fr/soutien-de-la-societe-civile-aux-familles-de-personnes-migrantes-dece) des principaux acteurs régionaux de l’#identification des corps des victimes et de recherche des personnes disparues.
Cette cartographie, fondée sur un travail mené en 2023 par #EuroMed_Rights (▻https://euromedrights.org/fr/publication/personnes-migrantes-et-refugiees-loubli-jusque-dans-la-mort) avec l’aide du chercheur indépendant Filippo Furri, est un outil destiné principalement aux familles de victimes qui peinent trop souvent à obtenir des informations sur leurs proches disparus.
Ce sont ainsi plus de 3.000 personnes qui ont disparu en 2023 sur les routes migratoires vers l’Europe (▻https://missingmigrants.iom.int/region/mediterranean?region_incident=All&route=All&year%5B%5D=11681&mo). Silence des autorités, absence de soutien psychologique, les familles de victimes font trop souvent face à un mur dans leurs recherches sur le devenir de ces proches.
EuroMed Rights espère que cette cartographie permettra à ces familles d’obtenir un début de réponse en attendant que les efforts de plaidoyer envers les autorités de la région mettent en place un cadre juridique plus consistant pour venir en aide aux familles de victimes.
▻https://euromedrights.org/fr/publication/personnes-migrantes-disparues-agir-contre-loubli
#commémoration #commémoraction #6_février #mourir_aux_frontières #morts_aux_frontières #asile #migrations #réfugiés #frontières #6_février_2024 #disparus
Soutien de la société civile aux familles de personnes migrantes décédées ou portées disparues
La carte ci-dessous est une représentation visuelle des organisations et institutions travaillant sur les questions liées à la disparition des migrants dans l’espace euro-méditerranéen. La carte ci-dessous est une représentation visuelle géographique des organisations et institutions travaillant sur les thématiques liées à la disparition des personnes migrantes dans la zone euro-méditerranéenne.
La carte présente des informations sur les services disponibles offerts par les différent.e.s acteurs et actrices afin de faciliter la recherche et l’identification des personnes disparues pour les familles, les proches et les acteurs de la société civile. Cette carte a pour vocation de faciliter la coordination et le partage d’expériences entre les différents intervenants et de renforcer les actions de plaidoyer.
La carte est divisée en trois catégories
- Organismes de soutien aux personnes migrantes et/ou aux familles de personnes migrantes décédées ou disparues (en bleu)
– Hôpitaux et/ou cimetières (en jaune)
- Organisations menant un travail de plaidoyer sur cette problématique (en vert).
NB : certaines organisations d’accompagnement réalisent également un travail de plaidoyer. La classification proposée est une lecture simplifiée pour accompagner les familles et/ou toute personne utilisant la carte.
►https://euromedrights.org/fr/soutien-de-la-societe-civile-aux-familles-de-personnes-migrantes-dece
Briançon : un cairn en #hommage aux migrants décédés érigé au petit matin
Ce mardi 6 février, au petit matin, un collectif de « solidaires des personnes exilées » a érigé un cairn en hommage “aux morts aux frontières”, à proximité de la porte du pont d’Asfeld, dans la vieille ville de Briançon.
Il est un peu plus de 7 heures, ce mardi 6 février à Briançon, et le soleil n’a pas encore percé depuis l’Italie, à quelques dizaines de kilomètres. Sur la petite butte, juste après avoir passé la porte de la cité Vauban en direction du pont d’Asfeld, un petit groupe s’affaire à la frontale et à la truelle : un collectif de « solidaires des personnes exilées » érige un cairn.
(#paywall)
▻https://www.ledauphine.com/societe/2024/02/06/briancon-un-cairn-en-hommage-aux-migrants-decedes-erige-au-petit-matin
#mémoire #commémoration #Briançon #migrations #réfugiés #6_février #commémor'action #commémoraction #Hautes-Alepes #France #cairn #monument #mémoriel #morts_aux_frontières #mourir_aux_frontières #frontières #frontière_sud-alpine #mémorial #6_février_2024
À Briançon, un monument en hommage aux mort·es des frontières 🏔
Ce jour du 6 février, journée transnationale d’hommage des mort·es des frontières, des solidaires de Briançon ont érigé un monument en hommage aux personnes décédées, blessées ou traumatisées aux frontières.
https://pixelfed.zoo-logique.org/storage/m/_v2/578583396227231930/7c649620b-69b6c5/4hMqKMIPEsrg/inNEDJTkZ6eSoPNAOXwVTrvVzQa6eDk4CINT5K3s.jpg 
https://pixelfed.zoo-logique.org/storage/m/_v2/578583396227231930/7c649620b-69b6c5/piXU91sYPco0/KqYEFnuKpek5CguqXD9BX5IiidYBFH4F8Zcx3BYT.jpg 
https://pixelfed.zoo-logique.org/storage/m/_v2/578583396227231930/7c649620b-69b6c5/9MRbBKlB5Hrz/VVV1AmYm7Ihl0nVu4lDS6cCzr8o2jPwZfJ8GVEnx.jpg Alors que 12 personnes en situation d’exil ont perdu la vie entre Oulx, Briançon et Modane, autant de personnes victimes des politiques de non accueil et du régime des frontières, ce monument est là pour que la société n’oublient pas leur nom.
Sous forme de cairn, monticule communément dédié à guider les personnes en montagne, ce monument est aussi dédié aux familles des victimes.
📍Proche du pont d’Asfeld en venant de la vieille ville de Briançon (05). N’hésitez pas à venir poser des fleurs ou rajouter une pierre.
▻https://twitter.com/BrianconExil/status/1754795986327634091
Photos de Morgane Dujmovic, 06.02.2024 :
https://pixelfed.zoo-logique.org/storage/m/_v2/578583396227231930/7c649620b-69b6c5/0NVNRcR1xUtu/xA9gTwlC8oCk9NJ9hgyBpAD74AmX4wZaJtIsyJFU.jpg 
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Briançon : un monument en hommage aux mort·es des frontières érigé par des solidaires
Ce mardi 6 février, nous venons d’être informés que quelques heures avant le rassemblement en hommage aux personnes décédées à la frontière dans le cadre de l’appel transnational de la commémoration, à Briançon, à quelques kilomètres de la frontière franco-italienne, des solidaires ont érigé un monument mémorial.
Un mémorial pour ne pas oublier. Pour ne pas oublier que chaque année des milliers de personnes perdent la vie aux frontières partout dans le monde, aux frontières de l’Europe, aux frontières de la France, et ici même à Briançon. Pour ne pas oublier non plus le nom de celles et ceux victimes de décisions politiques faisant de la France et de l’Europe des forteresses meurtrières et excluantes. Ce mémorial est pour les victimes et leurs familles.
Prenant la forme d’un cairn, objet communément érigé pour guider les personnes en montagne, et surplombé de plaques avec le nom des personnes décédées, ce monument est dédié aux victimes, à leur familles, mais aussi à toutes les autres, blessées ou traumatisées par leur parcours d’exil.
Près du pont d’Asfeld à Briançon, dans ce lieu hautement symbolique proche duquel une personne exilée, Mahadi, a perdu la vie le 29 octobre dernier, tous les briançonnais et briançonnaises sont appelé·es aujourd’hui et dans les prochains jours à venir déposer des fleurs pour en faire un lieu de vie, de mémoire et de lien entre les vivants et celles et ceux qui nous ont quittés.
Un rassemblement hommage se tiendra également à 17h30, place Gallice Bey à Briançon.
▻https://briancon-solidaire.org/2024/02/06/briancon-un-monument-en-hommage-aux-morts-des-frontieres-eriges-
Hommage à celles et ceux qui ont eu le courage de fuir : ne laissons pas notre idéal européen mourir aux frontières
Mardi 6 février à Briançon est érigé un monument aux morts des frontières. Un cairn gravé des noms des personnes exilées mortes ou disparues entre Oulx, Briançon et Modane depuis 2018. Nous publions l’appel lancé par de nombreuses personnalités à cette occasion.
Un monument pour ne pas oublier qu’à la frontière avec l’Italie dans les montagnes, à Calais, à Vintimille, en Méditerranée, tout au long des parcours de celles et ceux qui prennent la route de l’exil, meurent chaque année des milliers d’hommes, de femmes et d’enfants. Ils et elles ont un nom et une histoire trop souvent effacés, perdus, gommés par des statistiques déshumanisantes [et des regards froids].
Ne pas oublier. Oui, ce monument aux mort·es des frontières leur est dédié. Pour toujours se rappeler que lorsque nos égoïsmes nationaux nous font ériger des murs, notre humanité se perd et des vies en sortent brisées. C’est un lieu pour les victimes et leurs familles, c’est à elles d’en donner le sens. Ce mémorial est aussi dédié aux personnes blessées, traumatisées par leur parcours d’exil. Nous ne laisserons pas notre société les oublier. Ce cairn (objet communément érigé pour guider les personnes en montagne) est une lanterne pour que la France retrouve le chemin de la fraternité.
Ce qui se joue dans le Briançonnais, c’est aussi l’avenir de l’idéal européen. Nous ne pouvons pas accepter que les frontières des pays de l’Union s’enfoncent dans la militarisation et la surveillance. Face à la surenchère sécuritaire, la solidarité s’est organisée depuis des années. Nous apportons notre plein soutien aux associations, aux montagnard·es ainsi qu’aux bénévoles venu·es de toute la France pour porter assistance aux exilé·es qui tentent, malgré tout, de traverser les Alpes au péril de leurs existences dans un geste désespéré de survie.
Non, les mort·es aux frontières ne sont pas victimes d’accident, de mauvaises conditions météorologiques, de prises de risques inconsidérées : ils et elles sont victimes de nos politiques de construction de barrières toujours plus hautes. Les frontières ne sont pas géographiques mais sociales, culturelles et administratives. La frontière franco-italienne a déjà fait des dizaines de victimes. Nous n’oublions pas non plus les lois d’exclusion telles que la loi asile et immigration et ce marchandage indigne autour de la santé des personnes étrangères protégées, pour l’instant, par l’aide médicale d’État.
Aujourd’hui, l’ensemble du parcours d’une personne étrangère en France est indigne de notre République. Du passage de la frontière avec la négation d’un certain nombre de droits (documentée par de nombreux·euses observateur·trices), aux solutions d’hébergement précaires en passant par la stigmatisation permanente et par le travail sans droit qui engendrent exploitation et marginalisation : l’absence d’une politique d’intégration digne est un facteur de risque sur la santé des personnes, de précarisation et de désordre dans nos sociétés.
Pour que nous arrêtions de compter les mort·es des frontières, il est temps de ne plus céder aux sirènes populistes et réactionnaires dans notre approche des migrations. Regarder la réalité migratoire en face passe par la construction d’une réelle politique d’accueil, d’intégration et de droits pour celles et ceux qui rejoignent notre continent. Un accueil qui permette aux personnes de guérir de leurs blessures et de retrouver du pouvoir d’agir. L’avenir de notre fraternité, le destin de notre idéal européen se joueront aussi dans notre capacité à faire tomber certaines frontières pour ériger des ponts et bâtir un parcours digne.
►https://www.humanite.fr/en-debat/briancon/hommage-a-celles-et-ceux-qui-ont-eu-le-courage-de-fuir-ne-laissons-pas-notr
Photos de Baptiste Soubra:
https://pixelfed.zoo-logique.org/storage/m/_v2/578583396227231930/7c649620b-69b6c5/D4UIdc7DTEje/BX1xa3puIAL4KdasLCh2FD8qGaUlqGyloM4ONf1g.jpg 
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N’oublions pas les victimes des frontières, non à la destruction du mémorial de Briançon
Le 7 mars dernier, le maire de Briançon a fait savoir à l’association Tous Migrants qu’il souhaitait faire retirer le mémorial aux mort·es des frontières érigé près du lieu où la dernière victime est morte noyée après être tombée d’une falaise le 29 octobre dernier. Pour ne pas oublier les victimes de la militarisation des frontières, soutenons ce mémorial.
Blessing, Mamadi, Mohamed, Douala, Tamimou, Mohamed, Mohammed, Fahallah, Ullah, Moussa, Mohamed, Mahadi. Ce sont les prénoms des 12 personnes mortes ou disparues en tentant de rejoindre la France depuis Oulx en Italie entre mai 2018 et octobre 2023. 12 prénoms que nous ne voulons pas oublier. 12 prénoms gravés sur le mémorial que le maire de Briançon souhaite faire retirer des remparts de la vieille ville de Briançon.
Ce mémorial a été érigé le 6 février 2024, à l’occasion de la 10e journée mondiale de commémor’action des mort·es des frontières, par des habitant·es du Briançonnais et des bénévoles solidaires grâce aux contributions de l’artiste embrunaise Alexis Zibolt et de l’association Tous Migrants. Une œuvre collective reprenant le symbole du cairn, amas de pierres qui guide les randonneur·euses et montagnard·es du monde entier. Partout en montagne, nous honorons la mémoire de nos proches et des alpinistes décédé·es en tentant d’atteindre des sommets. Comment ne pas honorer celle de personnes qui ont perdu la vie dans ces mêmes montagnes en tentant de rejoindre des conditions de vie dignes ?
L’installation de ce mémorial a reçu un soutien national dans une tribune signée par des chercheur·ses de renommée mondiale, des parlementaires, des représentant·es d’ONG et des figures publiques reconnues et respectées. Briançonnaises et Briançonnais lui ont aussi apporté leur soutien en le fleurissant et en s’y recueillant. Depuis qu’il a été érigé, il intéresse quotidiennement les personnes passant à proximité. En plus d’avoir été érigé sans aucune dégradation, il s’inscrit aisément dans le paysage du patrimoine exceptionnel que représentent le fort Vauban et le pont d’Asfeld en cultivant son aspect mémoriel. Les décès des personnes exilées à Briançon font aussi partie de l’Histoire.
Dès la mise en place du mémorial, l’association Tous Migrants a établi un dialogue avec le cabinet du Maire de Briançon. Après avoir expressément invité l’association à formuler une demande d’autorisation, le maire de Briançon a subitement refusé la demande, sans même permettre qu’elle puisse être présentée aux services municipaux compétents.
Quel·le montagnard·e ne respecterait pas la mémoire de personnes décédées en montagne ? Quel·le élu·e de la République Française oserait profaner un monument aux mort·es ?
Monsieur le maire de Briançon, au nom du respect de la mémoire des personnes décédées sur les chemins de l’exil sur notre territoire, au nom de la fraternité, au nom des valeurs des Escartons chères à notre territoire, nous vous demandons d’autoriser le maintien du mémorial à son emplacement Porte de Durance. Les forteresses briançonnaises ne doivent pas faire rempart à notre humanité.
Mouvement citoyen Tous Migrants
Collectif Solidaires de Briançon
▻https://www.change.org/p/n-oublions-pas-les-victimes-des-fronti%C3%A8res-non-%C3%A0-la-destruction-du
#pétition
Une pétition pour éviter la démolition du cairn en hommage aux migrants décédés
Dans un communiqué de presse, ce jeudi 14 mars, Tous migrants annonce avoir lancé une pétition pour empêcher la démolition du “mémorial” érigé le 6 février dernier au-dessus du pont d’Asfeld.
Celui-ci comporte 12 plaques comme autant de personnes migrantes décédées ou portées disparues dans le Briançonnais lors de leur tentative de passage de la frontière entre l’Italie et la France.
Changement d’avis de la mairie selon Tous migrants
Si, dans un premier temps, la mairie n’a pas souhaité démolir le cairn, la donne a changé. “Le 7 mars dernier, le maire de Briançon [Arnaud Murgia, NDLR] a fait savoir à l’association tous migrants qu’il souhaitait faire retirer le mémorial”, indique l’association. Celle-ci assure avoir “dès [sa] mise en place”, “établi un dialogue avec le cabinet du maire”.
Et Tous migrants d’ajouter : “Après avoir expressément invité l’association à formuler une demande d’autorisation [pour le cairn, NDLR], le maire de Briançon a subitement refusé la demande, sans même permettre qu’elle puisse être présentée aux services municipaux compétents.” La pétition compte , ce vendredi 15 mars près de 1 350 signatures.
▻https://www.ledauphine.com/politique/2024/03/15/une-petition-pour-eviter-la-demolition-du-cairn-en-hommage-aux-migrants-
26.03.2024
Ce matin, à l’abri des regards, le maire de Briançon a détruit le monument aux morts dédié aux personnes exilées décédées dans la montagne. Même mortes, un élu “républicain” leur interdit d’exister.
▻https://twitter.com/Utopia_56/status/1772643162223255884
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Dans le Flash info de Tous Migrants (26.03.2024) :
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Commentaire de Myriam Houssay-Holzschuch sur l’oiseau bleu :
Je m’intéresse de plus en plus à la production de l’amnésie neo/post-)coloniale (et le travail sans fin pour la contrer, de reparler de Fanon, de reparler de la torture en Algérie, de rappeler l’histoire) et il faut avouer qu’on a là un cas exemplaire.
A Briançon il sindaco fa abbattere il cippo in ricordo dei caduti alle frontiere
Un piccolo memoriale ricordava le persone migranti morte sulle Alpi. Una nuova installazione è già stata collocata
La cattiveria e la grettezza stanno nelle piccole meschinità. Nella storia abbiamo esempi infiniti in tal senso.
Martedì 26 marzo 2024, il sindaco di Briançon Arnaud Murgia ha chiamato i servizi tecnici della cittadina francese, appena al di là del confine con il Piemonte, sulle Alpi. Scortati dalla Polizia per distruggere il monumento ai caduti alla frontiera, eretto alla Porte de Durance, una delle entrate alla splendida città vecchia, la Citè Vauban, dal nome dell’ingegnere del Re Sole che ideò questo imponente complesso di fortificazioni, dal 2008 patrimonio Unesco.
Appaiono non sorpresi i gruppi formali e informali che nell’intera provincia denunciano l’inumanità delle politiche di gestione del fenomeno migratorio e si dicono determinati a difendere la memoria di coloro che su questi sentieri hanno perso la vita, l’ultimo il 29 ottobre scorso.
Secondo i testimoni, intorno alle 7 del mattino, sotto la neve, il monumento, un piccolo cippo sul modello degli omini in pietra, tipiche costruzioni informali che siamo soliti vedere sulle vette dei monti, è stato distrutto con un escavatore dagli agenti del servizio tecnico della cittadina, meta sciistica.
Il giorno seguente una delegazione di cittadini solidali e rappresentanti di associazioni, fra le quali la protestante “Cimade” e “Tous Migrants” (che in queste terre sta compiendo un incredibile lavoro di accoglienza, sostituendosi di fatto alla latitanza completa delle politiche di accoglienza francesi), ha tentato invano di avere un incontro con Murgia.
Appena due giorni prima ero stato sul luogo e ho incontrato donne e uomini, giovani e pensionati, che dandosi il cambio mantenevano un presidio fisso per informare i passanti sul significato di quel mucchietto di pietre, di quei fiori, di quelle scarpe abbandonate e diventate parte del memoriale.
Un mucchietto di pietre che non ostacolano alcun passaggio, non rappresentano alcun pericolo, ma vogliono ricordare che anche qui, fra le piste da sci e le cabinovie di nuova generazione, muoiono persone in cammino, in cerca di un futuro.
Il monumento era stato eretto il 6 febbraio, a dieci anni da quel 6 febbraio 2014 quando più di 200 persone, partendo dalle coste marocchine, tentarono di raggiungere a nuoto la spiaggia di Tarajal, nell’enclave spagnola di Ceuta. Per evitare che arrivassero in “terra spagnola”, la Guardia Civil utilizzò attrezzature antisommossa e anche i soldati marocchini presenti non soccorsero le persone che stavano annegando davanti a loro. Quindici corpi vennero ritrovati sul versante spagnolo, decine di altri scomparvero, i sopravvissuti vennero respinti, alcuni per morire sul versante marocchino.
Dieci anni durante i quali il numero dei morti e dei dispersi ha continuato ad aumentare, nel Mediterraneo e sulla rotta delle Canarie, all’interno delle frontiere interne dell’UE, nella Manica, alle frontiere orientali, lungo la rotta dei Balcani, o nel deserto del Sahara e lungo qualsiasi altra traiettoria di mobilità.
Dieci anni durante i quali le associazioni, le famiglie e tutti coloro che si battono per il diritto alla mobilità per tutte e tutti hanno continuato a chiedere verità e giustizia per queste vittime, a evidenziare le responsabilità dirette e indirette del regime delle frontiere, a lavorare per dimostrare queste responsabilità e sostenere le famiglie e i propri cari nel doloroso viaggio di ricerca dei dispersi e di identificazione delle vittime.
Blessing, Mamadi, Mohamed, Douala, Tamimou, Mohamed, Mohammed, Fahallah, Ullah, Moussa, Mohamed, Mahadi. Questi i nomi delle 12 persone morte o scomparse mentre cercavano di raggiungere la Francia dall’ Italia tra maggio 2018 e ottobre 2023. «12 nomi che non vogliamo dimenticare. 12 nomi incisi sul monumento» mi raccontano.
«Dopo questo nuovo tentativo fallito di scambio, non possiamo che ripeterlo e rammaricarcene: il sindaco di Briançon si chiude nel rifiuto del dialogo. Di fronte a questo attacco al dovere di ricordare, rimaniamo determinati a difendere la memoria delle persone che sono morte sulla via dell’esilio.
«Cosa impedisce al sindaco di consentire il mantenimento di questo memoriale? Perché non ha mai avuto una parola, un omaggio per gli esuli che morirono alle porte della sua città? ».
Un nuovo tumulo di tributo è già stato eretto spontaneamente.
▻https://riforma.it/2024/03/28/a-briancon-il-sindaco-fa-abbattere-il-cippo-in-ricordo-dei-caduti-alle-front
Commémoraction des victimes des politiques migratoires aux frontières Paris, 6 février 2024
Dans le cadre de la Journée mondiale de lutte contre le régime de mort aux frontières et pour exiger la vérité, la justice et la réparation pour les victimes des politiques migratoires, retrouvons-nous à la #CommemorAction.
📅 le 6 février 2024
📍 place Edmont Michelet à #Paris
▻https://piaille.fr/@LDH_Fr/111878731145971123
#commémoration #commémor'action #2024 #mémoire #mourir_aux_frontières #morts_aux_frontières #migrations #frontières #réfugiés #6_février #6_février_2024
Commémor’Action le 6 février #2024 - Dixième anniversaire
Journée mondiale de lutte contre le régime de mort aux frontières et pour exiger la vérité, la justice et la réparation pour les victimes de la migration et leurs familles
Leur vie, notre lumière. Leur destin, notre colère. Ouvrez les frontières !
Le 6 février 2014, plus de 200 personnes, parties des côtes marocaines, ont tenté d’accéder à la nage à la plage du Tarajal, dans l’enclave espagnole de Ceuta. Pour les empêcher d’arriver en « terre espagnole », la Guardia civil a utilisé du matériel anti-émeute et aussi les militaires marocains présents n’ont porté secours aux personnes qui se noyaient devant eux. Quinze corps ont été retrouvés côté espagnol, des dizaines d’autres ont disparu, les survivants ont été refoulés, certains ont péri côté marocain.
Dix ans ont passé depuis le massacre de Tarajal.
Dix ans pendant lesquels le nombre de morts et de disparus n’a cessé d’augmenter, en Méditerranée et sur la route des Canaries, au sein des frontières internes de l’UE, dans la Manche, aux frontières orientales, le long de la route des Balkans, ou encore dans le désert du Sahara et le long de toute autre trajectoire de mobilité. Le régime de frontière a montré encore en 2023 son visage cynique de manière totalement décomplexé, lors du naufrage de Cutro, quand la nuit du 25 février 94 personnes sont décédées et au moins 11 autres ont disparu à quelques mètres des cotes italiennes, sous les regards immobiles de Frontex et des autorités italiennes, encore le 14 juin quand plus de 600 personnes ont disparu à jamais au large de Pylos, en Grèce et tout comme le 23 avril 2022, quand un bateau avec 90 personnes à son bord a coulé au large des côtes libanaises.
Dix ans pendant lesquels les associations, les familles, et tous celles et ceux qui luttent pour le droit à la mobilité pour toutes et tous n’ont cessé de réclamer vérité et justice pour ces victimes, de surligner les responsabilités directes et indirectes du régime des frontières, de travailler pour prouver ces responsabilités et pour soutenir les familles et les proches dans les douloureux parcours de recherche des disparus et d’identification des victimes.
À l’occasion du dixième anniversaire du massacre de Tarajal, nous réitérons ici l’appel lancé l’année dernière, avec l’espoir que toujours plus d’organisations, d’associations, de familles, d’activistes s’associent à ce processus de Commémor’Actions décentralisées, réalisées chaque année le 6 février, pour que cette mobilisation transnationale prenne de plus d’ampleur, soit de plus en plus visible dans l’espace public, et arrive à fédérer de plus en plus de personnes.
Nous demandons à toutes les organisations sociales et politiques, laïques et religieuses, aux groupes et collectifs des familles des victimes de la migration, aux citoyens et citoyennes de tous les pays du monde d’organiser des actions de protestation et de sensibilisation à cette situation le 6 février 2024.
Nous vous invitons à utiliser le logo ci-dessus, ainsi que vos propres logos, comme élément pour souligner le lien entre toutes les différentes initiatives. Tous les évènements qui auront lieu peuvent être publiés sur le groupe (►https://www.facebook.com/groups/330380128977418) et sur la page Facebook « Commemor-Action » (▻https://www.facebook.com/people/Commemor-Action/100076223537693).
Migrer pour vivre, pas pour mourir !
Ce sont des personnes, pas des chiffres !
Liberté de circulation pour tous et toutes !
En savoir plus :
- événements et rassemblements qui ont lieu le 6 février (▻https://missingattheborders.org/en/index.php?p=news/2023/commemorazione-eventi)
▻https://www.gisti.org/spip.php?article7173
#commémoration #mourir_aux_frontières #morts_aux_frontières #commémoraction #migrations #frontières #réfugiés #mémoire #6_février
18 aprile
►https://www.antiwarsongs.org/canzone.php?id=67661&lang=it
(2017) Album: Una valle che brucia
18 aprile 2015. Naufragio nel canale di Sicilia di una barca di...
Erano partiti di notte da un porto vicino a Zwara, a ovest di Tripoli, in Libia. Quando alcune ore più tardi la balena aveva cominciato a inabissarsi in un mugghiare di metallo dopo aver urtato per una manovra sbagliata il mercantile portoghese che la Capitaneria di porto di Roma aveva inviato a soccorrerla, quelli rinchiusi nella stiva si erano ammassati gli uni sugli altri, arrampicandosi su quelli che avevano davanti e di fianco per cercare di raggiungere la botola, lassù in alto. In due si erano abbracciati in quell’inferno che era la sala macchine. “Lì dentro si sviluppa un calore tale che neanche il macchinista ci mette spesso piede”, raccontano i Vigili del fuoco che li avevano tirati fuori, un anno dopo. Persino in mezzo ai motori avevano ammassato 65 persone. I mercanti li avevano stipati in ogni interstizio, mille persone pigiate come bestie in 23 metri di barca, e li avevano spediti nel Mediterraneo con due litri d’acqua a testa e senza uno straccio di ancora perché anche il gavone di prua doveva servire per farcene entrare ancora, per aumentare il guadagno. Erano riusciti a metterne 5 per ogni metro quadro.
–-
Settecento chilometri senza mangiare
Bevendo sputi, a farsi bruciare
Da questo sole feroce riflesso dal mare
Da questo vento che di giorno scortica e di notte gela
E rimescola il freddo con la paura
Che quest’acqua buia, infinita e cattiva
È più salata dei conti che ci han fatto saldare
Non cura la sete, marcisce le ossa
E questa Italia non vuole arrivare
Questa terra che non ci vuole non si fa trovare
E questo sarcofago sul mare è un cimitero per ottocento
Sulla tavola fredda e muta che non finisce di violentare
A perdita d’occhio e di cuore
Amore mio, che ti ho lasciata a patire
Tra la fame, la sete e l’orrore
Tra gli arti amputati spezzati calpestati
Le bombe esportate
I bambini soldati
Amore mio ascoltami bene: tu non morire che ti vengo a salvare
Appena finisce questo mare io ti vengo a salvare
E a noi ricchi senza pudore
Ce lo spiega la televisione
Un mantenuto ignorante e cafone
Con la felpa e il ghigno arrogante
Ce lo spiega lui cosa dobbiamo pensare
Di questa gente che prende il mare
Per provare a non morire
►https://www.antiwarsongs.org/canzone.php?id=67661&lang=it
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpCkiqp6zNs&t=64s
#commémoration #Libye #Méditerranée #mer_Méditerranée #Zouara
#Je_ne_lâcherai_pas_ta_main, de #Dominique_Cabrera
Le #24_novembre_2021,
une embarcation qui tentait de rejoindre l’Angleterre
a fait #naufrage dans la #Manche.
27 exilés au moins se sont noyés ou ont disparu.
Il n’y a eu que deux survivants.
Ce film,
à partir du témoignage de l’une de ces deux personnes,
leur rend #hommage.
J’ai été comme beaucoup touchée par le naufrage des exilés en route pour l’Angleterre le 24 novembre 2021. 27 personnes au moins ont disparu ou sont mortes noyées dans la Manche. L’entretien qu’un des deux rescapés a donné au média Kurde Rudaw m’a frappée au point de me donner l’élan de faire ce film.
Avec simplicité et sincérité, le jeune homme de vingt ans racontait la nuit où l’eau est entrée dans le canot, où les appels au secours n’ont été entendus ni par les Anglais ni par les Français et où à côté de lui ses compagnons se sont laissé couler. Ils ont pu téléphoner. Ils ont pu donner leur localisation précise. Il n’y a eu que le néant pour les accueillir. Que valent nos mots, nos considérations, nos précautions face à ces faits ?
Il fallait absolument filmer ce récit. Pour qu’il reste. Pour que le scandale de ces morts continue d’être exposé. Je voyais les paroles du rescapé lues par des lectrices et des lecteurs lambdas, par des personnes, pas des « personnalités », des personnes qui porteraient les voix du rescapé et des disparus, comme si les voix des uns et des autres se relayaient, comme si les visages des lecteurs et ceux des noyés se répondaient, dessinant par le cinéma une commune humanité.
J’ai demandé de l’aide autour de moi à Montreuil. Avec Manuela Frésil, Emanuelle Bidou, Galatée Politis, nous avons formé un collectif. Sont venus nous rejoindre Jean-Pierre Méchin, Michael Hädener, Sara Olacirégui, Nicolas Cantin, Victor Sicard, Charlotte
Pouch, Caroline Glorion, Nathalie Raoul, Edmée Doroszlaï, Marc Daquin. Les uns et les autres ont participé à l’élaboration du projet, ont cherché des lecteurs, se sont fait prêter du matériel, ont assuré la logistique et le tournage. Le cinéma Méliès dont le premier étage faisait penser à un hall d’aéroport, à une zone de transit a accepté
de nous accueillir. Un étudiant kurde d’Aix-en-Provence et un de ses amis ont traduit scrupuleusement le récit. Cette chaine de bénévoles, de bonnes volontés doit être rappelée car elle dit l’essentiel peut-être.
Nous avons donné rendez-vous aux volontaires le matin du 3 Janvier. Je ne voulais pas faire de « casting ». On ne refuserait personne. Nous avions envoyé des invitations en privilégiant les liens existants comme par exemple un atelier que Manuela menait avec des femmes de La Boissière, un groupe constitué par Emanuelle, des adhérents de RESF, de la Fédération de parents d’élèves, un syndicaliste ami, des voisins et voisines, les jeunes usagers du LABEC que connaissaient Victor et Sara.
Nous espérions 33 personnes, c’était le nombre de passagers de l’embarcation naufragée.
65 personnes sont arrivées. Tout le monde voulait lire et nous avons partagé le texte. Nous avons tourné principalement en plan séquence, texte en main. Cela a été un grand moment d’émotion et de palpable solidarité.
L’association Périphérie a accueilli le montage. La chercheure Alexandra Galitzine nous a mis en contact avec les associations de Calais et nous a aidés à chercher le nombre des noyés dans la Manche. Ce funeste calcul n’est pas possible et c’est celui des disparus aux frontières de l’Europe que nous avons inscrit.
Ce film dure 8 minutes et demie. Il est destiné à être fourni gratuitement aux cinémas et aux associations qui en feront la demande.
▻https://imagesenbibliotheques.fr/actualites/je-ne-lacherai-pas-ta-main-de-dominique-cabrera
#film #documentaire #film_documentaire #mourir_aux_frontières #morts_aux_frontières #court-métrage
Commémor’ action des Mort·es des frontières
« Migrer pour vivre. Pas pour mourir »
Depuis 2014, le 6 février est, à l’appel des familles de victimes des frontières la journée mondiale de commémor’action des mort·es des frontières. Une journée pour lutter contre les régimes faisant de la migration un périple trop souvent mortel et exiger la vérité, la justice et la réparation. Dans le Briançonnais, la frontière franco-italienne et le non-accueil ont encore fait au moins 3 mort·es en 2023.
Les #affiches refusées dans les rues de Briançon :
https://pixelfed.zoo-logique.org/storage/m/_v2/578583396227231930/7c649620b-69b6c5/XLugXKVykeRd/TBfCNI5vZPgzxrhdc4GJOH8nFgfg5KLrTMMedYaK.png 
https://pixelfed.zoo-logique.org/storage/m/_v2/578583396227231930/7c649620b-69b6c5/IpPFPqOcFCzV/4IbvzFw0jfe5sw8UPAonWmjGugECBCWPLKebuNtE.png 
https://pixelfed.zoo-logique.org/storage/m/_v2/578583396227231930/7c649620b-69b6c5/FABTSMIRpXyN/rZ6J48y6O3EIrsE86cElFSb9m2oc37WfUs9gfR1y.png 
https://pixelfed.zoo-logique.org/storage/m/_v2/578583396227231930/7c649620b-69b6c5/UmATj9kCJ1NX/1gcDGILzFbuWxzeo7015N8xruBfTH8sdGYffADYw.png https://pixelfed.zoo-logique.org/storage/m/_v2/578583396227231930/7c649620b-69b6c5/XLugXKVykeRd/TBfCNI5vZPgzxrhdc4GJOH8nFgfg5KLrTMMedYaK.png ▻https://briancon-solidaire.org
#commémoraction #commémoration #Briançon #morts_aux_frontières #mémoire #mourir_aux_frontières #migrations #asile #réfugiés #6_février #Hautes-Alpes #Briançonnais #lexique #mots #vocabulaire
“Migrer pour vivre, pas pour mourir" : mobilisation au marché de Briançon
Plusieurs associations œuvrant en faveur des migrants dans le Briançonnais ont lancé une campagne de communication “Migrer pour vivre, pas pour mourir”. Celle-ci devait s’afficher sur des panneaux publicitaires de la ville, mais a été refusée, selon elles, par la régie publicitaire.
#UK and France’s small boats pact and doubling in drownings ‘directly linked’
Report says greater police presence on French beaches and more attempts to stop dinghies increases risks to refugees
The most recent illegal migration pact between the UK and France is “directly linked” to a doubling of the number of Channel drownings in the last year, a report has found.
The increased police presence on French beaches – along with more dinghies being stopped from reaching the coast – is leading to more dangerous overcrowding and chaotic attempts to board the boats, the paper said.
The lives lost in 2023 – when the deal was signed – were close to the French shore and to police patrols on the beaches, in contrast to earlier Channel drownings such as the mass drowning on 24 November 2021, where at least 27 people lost their lives after their boat got into difficulty in the middle of the Channel.
“We directly link the recent increase in the number of deadly incidents to the agreement between the British and French governments to Stop The Boats,” the report states.
It adds that the increased police presence and their attacks on some of the migrants trying to cross “create panicked and dangerous situations in which dinghies launch before they are fully inflated”. This scenario can increase the risk of drowning in shallow water.
The paper, named the Deadly Consequences of the New Deal to Stop the Boats, condemns what it describes as increased police violence as the most visible consequence of last year’s deal.
The report compares data in the year before the March 2023 deal with last year’s data after the deal was signed.
The data was analysed by the organisation Alarmphone, which operates an emergency helpline for migrants crossing the seas who get into distress, and passes on location and other information to rescue services.
In 2022, six lives were lost at sea in three separate incidents. In 2023, at least 13 lives were lost in six separate incidents.
The most recent incident was on 14 January this year where five people lost their lives near the beach of Wimereux, north of Boulogne-sur-Mer, as more than 70 people tried to board a dinghy.
The BBC reported that two of those who drowned were Obada Abd Rabbo, 14, and his older brother, Ayser, 24, who lost their lives a few metres from the French coast when people rushed into the sea to try to board the dinghy.
Crossings reduced by a third in 2023 compared with 2022. But there are indications more migrants are turning to lorries and other methods of transport to reach the UK as the clampdown on sea crossings increases.
Incidents last year in which people lost their lives close to the French shore include:
- 12 August 2023: six Afghan men drowned in an overloaded dinghy which got intro trouble close to the French shore
- 26 September 2023: Eritrean woman, 24, died in Blériot-Plage after being asphyxiated in a crush of 80 people trying to board one dinghy
- 22 November 2023: three people drowned close to Équihen-Plage as the dinghy collapsed close to the shore. Fifty-seven survivors returned to the beach.
The report concludes that the UK/French deal has further destabilised an already dangerous situation while police are still unable to prevent most crossings on a busy day. It identifies “victim blaming” of those trying to cross by politicians.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Fatal incidents in the Channel are the result of dangerous, illegal and unnecessary journeys in unseaworthy craft, facilitated by criminals in the pursuit of profit.
“Asylum seekers should seek protection in the first country where it is reasonable for them to do so and we continue to take robust action to crackdown on criminal gangs, deter migrants from making dangerous crossings and intercept vessels.”
The French interior ministry was approached for comment.
►https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/jan/29/uk-france-small-boats-pact-doubling-drownings-directly-linked
#Calais #France #asile #migrations #réfugiés #mourir_aux_frontières #morts_aux_frontières #militarisation_des_frontières #rapport #létalité #risques #Manche #La_Manche #violences_policières #accord #Wimereux #Boulogne-sur-Mer #responsabilité #Angleterre
The deadly consequences of the new deal to ‘#Stop_the_Boats’
There were more deadly incidents in the Channel in 2023 due to the new ’Stop the Boats’ deal. Increased funding for the French has meant more police, more violence on the beaches, and thus more of the dangerously overcrowded and chaotic embarkations in which people loose their lives.
On 14 January 2024, around 2am CET, another five people were killed attempting to cross the Channel to the UK. Survivors report that their dinghy collapsed near the beach of Wimereux, north of Boulogne-sur-Mer, as more than 70 people tried to get onboard during the launch. The Préfecture maritime’s press release states the police forces present first tried rescuing the people returning to the beach, as rescue boats and a helicopter spotted four unconscious people in the sea. Later in the morning, a walker discovered a fifth body washed up on the beach. In addition to the five who died, one person was taken into intensive care in the Boulogne hospital due to severe hypothermia, and another 33 needed additional care ashore after the incident. The identities of those who died have not yet been officially published. Testimonies of survivors identify them as four Syrian nationals; two aged 14 and 16. The fifth person remains unidentified but is thought to be a man from the Middle East.
This incident is the most recent in a disturbing trend we have observed develop over the latter part of 2023: an increase in the loss of life in the Channel very close to the French beaches and often in the presence of police.
The increasing activities of French police since the newest Franco-British declaration in March 2023 have had two main consequences:
- Fewer dinghies are reaching the French coast, causing dangerous overcrowding and chaotic embarkations;
– More police attacks on the dinghies as they launch, provoking panic and further destabilising an already unsafe situation.
The result has been not only more dangerous and deadly embarkations, but further injury and trauma for travellers at the hands of police, as well as the increased separation of families.
In this report we show the evolution in state policy and practices which are responsible for this trend, while drawing attention to those who lost their lives as a result.
More deadly incidents
Since the start of 2023 there has been an alarming increase in the number of deadly incidents in the Channel compared with 2022. Of the 29 people1 known to have died at the Franco-British border last year according to Calais Migrant Solidarity, at least 13 lost their lives in six incidents related to sea crossings. This includes the shipwreck of 12 August in which six Afghan men drowned.2 This is significantly more than the six people known to have lost their lives in three events related to sea crossings in 2022.
There is a common misperception that people most often die in the Channel far out to sea, when the search and rescue response is not properly initiated or help takes too long to arrive. This is understandable considering the shipwreck of 24 November 2021 where the UK and French coastguards refused to assist a group of more than 30 people, passing responsibility back and forth to one another. Only two people survived. The misperception may also have been bolstered by the shipwreck of 14 December, 2022 in which up to four people lost their lives, and more are still missing, despite the authorities being informed of their distress. See our analysis of what really happened here. However, as a result of their previous failures, the Coastguards have since improved their organisation, coordination, and resources for search and rescue missions on both sides of Channel. French boats routinely shadow dinghies as they make their way to the UK to be on hand to rescue if necessary, and the UK Border Force anticipate the arrivals and rescue people as they cross the borderline
What we observed last year, however, is that the deadly incidents all happened despite the presence or near immediate intervention of French rescue boats, for example on 12 August, 15 December 2023 and 14 January 2024. Even more concerning is that they all occurred on or within sight of French shores. The cause in all of the cases seems to be the same; the dinghies being overcrowded and failing shortly after departure, or dangerous situations created by chaotic launches.
2023 Deaths during sea crossing attempts
12 August: 6 Afghan men drown after the sponson of their dinghy of around 65 people collapses off of Sangatte.
36 survivors are taken to the port of Calais by the French coastguard, and 22 or 23 more are taken to Dover by the British coastguard. 2 people remain missing at sea.
Survivors told us their dinghy was moving slowly because of the high number of people (65 or 66). One of the sponsons gave out suddenly and half of the travellers were thrown into the water. Some tried to swim to the shore as they reported they could still see Sangatte. The search and rescue operation included 5 French assets, 2 UK assets, a French helicopter and aeroplane. The search and rescue operation was not able to recover all the travellers because most of them were already in the water when the first vessel arrived on scene. Two survivors are in custody in France, accused of piloting the dinghy.
26 September: A 24-year-old Eritrean woman dies in Blériot-Plage after being asphyxiated in a crush of 80 people trying to board one dinghy.
Witnesses told us a group approached the dinghy at the last moment before it departed and attempted to get onboard too. The dinghy was already overcrowded and this intervention led to mass panic among travellers. We know of at least two Eritrean families who were separated as some were pushed out of the boat and others unable to leave due to physical pressure from the mass of people. Wudase, a 24 year old woman from Eritrea was unable to get out and died from asphyxiation, crushed underneath the other travellers. Her body was lowered from the boat and around 75 people continued their journey to arrive in the UK.
8 October: A 23-year-old Eritrean man is found drowned in Merlimont, after 60 people in dinghy collapsed near the beach.
Around 60 people tried to board a dinghy towards the UK but the craft was unable to take the weight of the people and collapsed. The travellers swam or waded back to the shore but one man, Meron, was unable to swim and drowned at the beach. The emergency services on scene were unable to resuscitate him.
22 November: Three people drown off of Equihen-Plage as the dinghy collapsed in sight of the shore. 57 survivors return to the beach.
Two bodies, one man, Aman and a woman, Mulu were recovered on scene. A third body, of Ezekiel, a man also from Ethiopia was found on the beach of Dannes on the 4th of December.
15 December: One Kurdish man name Rawezh from Iraq drowns 8kms off the coast of Grand-Fort-Philippe after attempting to cross to the UK by sea. 66 other people are rescued.
As a French Navy vessel military approached the dinghy at around 1am, the crew informed CROSS Gris-Nez that one of the dinghy’s tubes had deflated and that some people were in the water. Despite the fast response of the French, it was already too late to recover all of the people alive. Two young men Hiwa and Nima both Kurdish Iranian are still missing after the incident.
15 December: A Sudanese man named Ahmed drowns.
An overloaded boat struggled to leave from Sangatte’s beach amidst a cloud of tear gas launched by the French police. Some people fell into the water as the dinghy turned around due to a non-functioning engine. One young man from Sudan drowned, trapped under the collapsed dinghy, and died later from cardio-respiratory arrest in hospital.
What changed?: dangerous deals
We directly link the recent increase in the number of deadly incidents to agreements between the British and French governments to ‘Stop the Boats’. Since the introduction of juxtaposed border controls in the 1990s there has been intense cooperation between the French and British in attacking and harassing people on the move in Northern France to prevent and deter them from crossing to the UK. The UK gives huge sums of money to France to intensify its policing of the border in the North, and secure its ports. From 2014 to 2022 £319m was handed over according to the House of Commons Library. This included £150m in four deals between 2019 and 2022 focused on stopping boat crossings.
This money paid for an increase of the numbers of gendarmes patrolling the coast under Operation Poseidon; more surveillance tech including night-vision goggles, drones, aeroplanes, and ANPR cameras on the roads; and several all-terrain vehicles for patrolling the beaches and dunes. This equipment has made the French police and gendarmes more effective at detecting stashed dinghies, engines, fuel and life-jackets as well as groups of people while they wait for several hours hidden in the dunes before a crossing. It also marginally increased their ability to disrupt departures on the beach, but they remained unable to prevent most on a busy crossing day. Additionally, the deals increased law enforcement cooperation and intelligence sharing between the French and British to dismantle the networks of those who organise the journeys, as well as disrupt their supply chains.
Despite the vast sums put up by the British, previous deals were criticised for still not providing the French with enough resources to ‘Stop the Boats’. They also took place in a period of cooler relations between France and Britain in the post-Brexit period of Johnson’s premiership when the French may have been less enthusiastic about being Britain’s border police. Last March, however, both governments doubled-down and made a new declaration in which the UK promised £478m to the French over three years for 500 more police, a new detention centre, and more surveillance capacity ‘to enable swifter detection of crossing attempts’ and ‘monitor a larger area of northern France and prevent more crossings’. It is after this deal that we have really noticed an uptick in the numbers of police interventions to stop dinghies being delivered to the coast, violence on the beaches (and sometimes at sea) to stop them launching, and by consequence the number of deadly incidents occurring at or near the shores.
Consequences of the new deal
1: Dangerously overcrowded dinghies
Despite the fewer overall number of people crossing in 2023 compared to 2022, each dinghy making the trip was more crowded than in any previous year.
https://pixelfed.zoo-logique.org/storage/m/_v2/578583396227231930/3b17271c9-2ea36d/Z9BPWTsam8oY/soGUJQ36mUJ9JDeQGC4WuGFF50eBlS0wXeoP34tm.png 
https://pixelfed.zoo-logique.org/storage/m/_v2/578583396227231930/3b17271c9-2ea36d/v0KWQ1OSKq1a/ShpiuTx9I0o9ZAjjcY00ZA8D41YLq3E3nRSpVUCg.png Illustrated in the graphs above, the 47 days with the highest average number of people per dinghy ever all took place in 2023. The highest, 26 September 2023, had an average over 70, and there were 27 days with 56 or more people per dinghy, with all except one being after June. By comparison, the highest average day in 2022 saw not-quite 53 people per dinghy. These averages do not show the actual figures of each dinghy which have recently been stretching to more than 70, and sometimes 80. Meanwhile the number of crossings on any given day has gone down.
A key factor driving this overcrowding are the police operations against the logistical networks to organise the dinghies used for crossings, which stretch as far as Turkey and other European countries like Germany. The vehicles and drivers which do the deliveries to the French coast during periods of good weather are also targeted by police on the coastal roads. The UK government recently boasted that in 2023 246 people were arrested as ‘people smugglers’ and an international operation led to the seizure of 136 dinghies and 46 outboard motors.
These attacks on the supply chain, however, do not reduce the overall demand. They simply mean there are fewer total vessels for the overall number of passengers. It has been observed that, with fewer boats reaching the shores on a crossing day, people who are expecting to travel try to force their way onto any dinghy that has been delivered and inflated. This had led to one person being crushed to death inside a dinghy as well as others being pushed out into the sea. It also means that the extremely overcrowded dinghies are failing close to the French shores, like in the case of 12 August 2023.
2: Increased police violence
Increased police violence on the French beaches is the most visible consequence of the new ‘Stop the Boats’ deal, and exacerbates the dangers of already overcrowded embarkations.
In previous years, the fewer numbers of police patrolling the beaches were unable to deal with the large groups of people who gathered during a dinghy launch, and many times they chose to look on rather than intervene. They also had difficulties to cover the whole stretch of coastline between Belgium and Berck. Now with more aerial support, double the number of officers, and increased resources like dune buggies the police are more able to intervene at the moment of departure. Typically they will fire tear gas at the people to try and disperse them and then use knives to slice the dinghy. We have also been told about policing using ‘less-lethal’ grenades and wading into the sea to cut a dinghy as people try to board it and start the motor.
The police’s presence and their attacks create panicked and dangerous situations in which dinghies launch before they are fully inflated and in which people have to scramble on board whilst in water up to their necks. During these moments people have drowned in the shallow water like on 8 October, and families have been separated like on 26 September 2023. The danger of the police attacks compounds that of overcrowding. It is now common to observe chaotic embarkations where more than 70 or even 80 people all try at once to get on an inflatable of just a few meters length while the police try to stop them. We have also been told that if the police do successfully destroy a dinghy as it launches the would-be travellers will look to get onboard another rather than give up, again increasing the risks of overcrowding.
The British authorities have proudly acknowledged the increased violence, publicising a French police officer’s bodycam video where we see tear gas being used indiscriminately against a group of people which we know included those in a situation of vulnerability. In a statement celebrating the fact that two people shown in the video trying to hold the violence of the police at bay were arrested and jailed in the UK, the Home Office states:
“Tension on French beaches is increasing due to the successful efforts of law enforcement in frustrating this organised criminal enterprise. Incidents like this highlight the complex and brave work of our French colleagues in the face of challenging conditions.”
Despite the increased violence on the shore, for now, it still appears that the policy of the French is to not intervene to stop the boats once they are at sea and underway. This illustrates a clear contradiction between the apparent concern for safety of life while at sea, and creating extremely dangerous situations for people by attacking their dinghies as they launch.
No borders, not ‘Stop the Boats’
The hypocrisy of the French and British governments is that their increased border policing activities, which they sanctimoniously describe as protecting people who have to travel to the UK by boat, have only made their crossings more dangerous. Unfortunately it seems these policies will only continue over the coming years, evidenced by the three year funding agreement from March. We must then expect only more victim blaming and lies for each death in the coming years that will occur as a result. The people who continue to have to make this journey, denied access to the safe ferries and trains the rest of us are able to take, are being sacrificed for the sake of politicians’ electoral ambitions. What those politicians understand, but do not want to admit, is that it is impossible to ‘stop the boats’ so long as the border exists. Further militarisation and police intervention will only increase the number of people who die, as we have been seeing. How far the states will go in pursuing their policies of harm and death in the name of protecting their border remains to be seen. In the meantime we must continue doing all we can to not only present them the account of the consequences for their obstinance, but practically organise against it, together with those who already doing so.
▻https://alarmphone.org/en/2024/01/28/the-deadly-consequences-of-the-new-deal-to-stop-the-boats
#Alarmphone #Alarm_phone #bateaux #statistiques #chiffres
XI #Marcha_po_la_Dignidad - #Tarajal | 3.02.2024 | 10 AÑOS EXIGIENDO VERDAD, JUSTICIA Y REPARACIÓN.
*English version below.
**Traduction en Français ci-dessous.
La XI MARCHA POR LA DIGNIDAD es un acto en memoria de las personas a las que arrebataron la vida la mañana del 6 de febrero de 2014 en la playa del Tarajal en Ceuta, pero también es un acto de denuncia por todas las personas a las que les arrebatan la vida por falta de vías legales y seguras para migrar.
Los colectivos y organizaciones que quieran adherirse a la XI MARCHA POR LA DIGNIDAD deberán completar el siguiente formulario. Ello supondrá el siguiente compromiso:
– Su inclusión como firmante en el manifiesto al que se dará lectura al finalizar el recorrido de la marcha en la Playa de El Tarajal.
– Su inclusión en carteles y publicaciones para difusión del acto.
– Su compromiso en la promoción y difusión de la iniciativa en redes locales, nacionales e internacionales.
– El acceder a la información y materiales relacionados con la Marcha.
– La facilitación de la toma de contacto con cualesquiera otros de los miembros incorporados a la red.
– Asumir las directrices de las personas que conforman la organización de los actos.
Os esperamos el próximo 3 de febrero en Ceuta.
Redes de la Organización de la marcha:
E-mail: marcha.tarajal@gmail.com
Facebook: @marcha.tarajal
Instagram: @marcha.tarajal
Twitter: @marchatarajal
____________________________
«10 YEARS DEMANDING TRUTH, JUSTICE AND REPARATION.»
The XI MARCH FOR DIGNITY is an act in memory of the people whose lives were taken on the morning of February 6, 2014 on the beach of Tarajal, but it is also an act of denunciation for all the people whose lives are taken away from them due to the lack of legal and safe ways to migrate.
Collectives and organizations wishing to join the XI MARCH FOR DIGNITY must complete the following form. This will involve the following commitment:
/ Their inclusion as a signatory organization in the manifesto that will be read at the end of the march.
/ Their inclusion in posters and publications for the dissemination of the event.
/ Your commitment in the promotion and dissemination of the initiative in local, national and international networks.
/ Access to information related to the march.
/ Facilitating contact with any other members of the network.
/ Assuming the guidelines of the Associations organizing the events.
We look forward to seeing you on February 3th.
Social networks of the March Organisation:
E-mail: marcha.tarajal@gmail.com
Facebook: @marcha.tarajal
Instagram: @marcha.tarajal
Twitter: @marchatarajal
____________________________
«10 ANS D’EXIGENCE DE VÉRITÉ, DE JUSTICE ET DE RÉPARATION».
La 11e MARCHE POUR LA DIGNITÉ est un acte en mémoire des personnes dont la vie a été arrachée le matin du 6 février 2014 sur la plage de Tarajal, mais c’est aussi un acte de dénonciation pour toutes les personnes dont la vie leur est enlevée en raison de l’absence de moyens légaux et sûrs de migrer.
Les collectifs et organisations qui souhaitent se joindre à la 11ème MARCHE POUR LA DIGNITÉ doivent remplir le formulaire suivant. Cela implique l’engagement suivant :
/ Leur inclusion en tant que signataire dans le manifeste qui sera lu à la fin de la marche.
/ Leur inclusion sur les affiches et les publications pour faire connaître l’événement.
/ Votre engagement à promouvoir et à diffuser l’initiative dans les réseaux locaux, nationaux et internationaux.
/ Accès aux informations relatives à la marche.
/ Faciliter le contact avec l’un des autres membres du réseau.
/ Assumer les directives des associations qui organisent les événements.
Nous vous attendons le 3 février.
Réseaux sociaux de l’organisation de la mache :
E-mail: marcha.tarajal@gmail.com
Facebook: @marcha.tarajal
Instagram: @marcha.tarajal
Twitter: @marchatarajal
#commémoration #commémoraction #asile #migrations #réfugiés #Ceuta #Maroc #Espagne #mourir_aux_frontières #morts_aux_frontières #2024 #dignité #justice #vérité #mémoire
Ten years after the #Tarajal massacre at the border between Spain (#Ceuta) and Morocco.
Still no justice.
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A 10 anni dalla strage del Tarajal la XI Marcha por la dignidad
Sono passati 10 anni dalla strage del Tarajal a Ceuta, l’enclave spagnola in Marocco. Quella tragica mattina del 6 febbraio del 2014 un gruppo molto numeroso di migranti (circa 300) prova ad entrare a Ceuta a nuoto, attraverso la spiaggia di Tarajal. La Guardia Civil cerca di fermarli, sparando pallottole di gomma e fumogeni molto vicino alle persone che si trovano in acqua. Alcuni testimoni affermano che vengono lanciati proprio sulle persone, molte delle quali galleggiano a fatica. Gli agenti sparano anche quasi duecento colpi a salve. Si diffonde il panico in acqua. Muoiono 15 persone e altri rimangono feriti.
Per ricordare questa strage e la brutalità del regime delle frontiere ogni anno a Ceuta si svolge una manifestazione, la Marcha por la Dignidad, un atto in memoria delle persone che sono state uccise, ma anche di denuncia per tutte le persone che vengono uccise a causa della mancanza di vie legali e sicure per migrare. Quest’anno sarà sabato 3 febbraio.
«Quanto accaduto il 6 febbraio 2014 è un chiaro esempio di razzismo di Stato. È nostro dovere antirazzista sapere cosa sta accadendo al confine meridionale spagnolo, dare eco e denunciare le flagranti violazioni dei diritti umani che vi si verificano» – scrivono dalle pagine della Marcha – «anno dopo anno, manteniamo viva la fiamma della memoria e continuiamo a denunciare le politiche migratorie europee che causano morte».
La giornata di mobilitazione, che ha raccolto oltre 220 adesioni, è organizzata in due momenti. Nel pomeriggio dalle 15.15 inizierà la manifestazione che attraverserà le strade di Ceuta da Plaza de Los Reyes per raggiungere la spiaggia della strage. Nella tarda mattinata, alle 11.30 nella Sala delle Assemblee dell’IES ABYLA di Ceuta, la tavola rotonda in cui interverranno Patuca Fernández, Viviane Ogou e Mouctar Bah (l’incontro sarà trasmesso in diretta qui).
«La logica razziale e coloniale ha determinato le politiche migratorie dell’Europa. I confini di Ceuta e Melilla stabiliscono una divisione tra coloro che sono considerati persone e coloro che non lo sono», spiegava nella tavola rotonda del 2023, Youssef M. Ouled, giornalista specializzato in razzismo istituzionale e sociale.
«Ricordiamo il Tarajal ma parliamo di altre stragi. Quello che è successo nel 2014 non è qualcosa di aneddotico ma sistematico», ha sottolineato.
Sono tante, troppe, le date che rappresentano purtroppo i punti più alti del razzismo e della violenza delle frontiere. Fra meno di un mese sarà passato un anno dal 26 febbraio 2023, giorno in cui 94 persone (34 di loro erano bambine/i) sono morte a soli 150 metri dalla spiaggia di Steccato di Cutro in Calabria: non una fatalità come le istituzioni vogliono far credere, ma un eccidio per omissione di soccorso diventato legge. Anche a Cutro, dopo un anno, si tornerà a manifestare ancora al fianco dei familiari e dei superstiti per non dimenticare e continuare a chiedere verità e giustizia.
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5fGZLGBVSg
En 2023...
Tarajal. Il dovere della memoria per tutte le vittime di frontiera
Fare memoria non riguarda solo il ricordo, ma costituisce un atto politico e uno strumento di lotta per la verità e il riconoscimento delle responsabilità
A Ceuta, enclave spagnolo situato a nord nel continente africano, centinaia di persone, tra attivistə e giovani migranti, continuano la Marcha por la Dignidad che da nove anni percorre l’intera cittadina lungo la linea che divide la Spagna dal Marocco per raggiungere la spiaggia del Tarajal dove, il 6 febbraio 2014 furono assassinate oltre 15 persone di origine sub-sahariana delle 300 che tentavano di attraversare il confine a nuoto.
Quella mattina, all’alba di un’ennesima violenza razzista e coloniale, la Guardia Civil spagnola non solo sparò contro di loro proiettili di gomma per impedire che raggiungessero la costa, provocandone l’annegamento, ma eluse ogni tipo di soccorso delle persone in difficoltà e il recupero dei corpi in mare.
Alla Frontera Sur sono trascorsi nove anni di impunità, nove anni di ingiustizia e violenza perpetrata verso le vittime di quella tragedia e contro tutte coloro che ogni giorno sfidano una delle frontiere più ineguali al mondo. Vigile e repressiva in modo sempre più assiduo sulle persone che da diversi paesi dell’Africa tentano l’attraversamento per mare e per terra della valla di filo spinato che separa i due continenti.
Se è vero che nel Mediterraneo è iniziata l’Europa, altrettanto certo è che nel Mediterraneo stesso si esaurisce, tra le colonne di un mito che non ha più eroi ma esseri umani in cerca di sogni brutalmente lacerati. Uomini e donne disumanizzate affinché il fardello di colpe e responsabilità trainato da secoli di imperialismo e gerarchie di potere – ben oltre la colonialità storica – alleggerisca il suo peso.
«Esistono due morti: quella fisica e quella ermeneutica» ha affermato Patuca Fernandez, l’avvocata di Coordinadora de barrios che prese in carico il caso del Tarajal, nel suo intervento sul dovere della memoria delle vittime di frontiera 1
La prima costituisce quella biologica mentre la seconda riguarda quella inflitta dal processo di normalizzazione e di riduzione o perdita di rilievo del crimine che l’ha provocata. Un criminale non solo uccide la vittima ma impiega ogni sforzo necessario per trovare forme strategiche di ridurre la carica penale che ricadrebbe sui crimini commessi.
È il modus operandi di una più profonda logica razziale che tende a interiorizzare e disumanizzare le persone migranti per normalizzare la violenza e gli abusi a loro inflitti.
Ma queste morti non sono occasionali, né tanto meno naturali. Sono sistematiche e strutturali, legittimate da una necropolitica razzista in quanto applicata esclusivamente sulle persone che provengono da territori direttamente o indirettamente vincolati alle (ex)colonie, mediante accordi in materia di sicurezza e criminalizzazione applicata sulla base della propria origine.
Ad oggi questo crimine resta ancora impunito, sotto la responsabilità di nessuno se non delle vittime stesse, profanate non soltanto in vita ma calpestate nella propria dignità in morte e in quella dei familiari, privati di verità e di giustizia, del diritto al dolore, al lutto, al risarcimento e alla non ripetizione.
Fare memoria non riguarda solo il ricordo, ma costituisce un atto politico e uno strumento di lotta per la verità e il riconoscimento delle responsabilità.
Puntare lo sguardo indietro ha un significato estremamente potente per quanto accade nel presente, e dare contenuto a quel passato che continua sistematicamente a ripetersi. Fare memoria vuol dire far conoscere la realtà di quanto accade ed esigere giustizia per ogni vittima di frontiera.
«Ricordiamo il Tarajal ma parliamo di altre stragi», ha affermato Youssef M.Ouled, giornalista specializzato in razzismo istituzionale e sociale. «Quello che è successo nel 2014 non è qualcosa di aneddotico ma sistematico», ha continuato ricordando quanto accaduto di recente a Melilla2. Se cambiassero il luogo e la data, l’evidenza della violenza delle frontiere, esterne ed interne al Paese, sarebbero esattamente le medesime.
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HayyEDFaSc
Tra le vittime più recenti, Moussa Sylla, espulso dal Ceti (Centro di residenza temporanea per migranti) di Ceuta dove era stato accolto al suo arrivo in territorio spagnolo lo scorso dicembre 2022. Moussa ha dovuto lasciare il centro senza però avere un altro luogo dove andare, allontanato come tanti altri minori che arrivano soli e finiscono abbandonati a sé stessi e alla disperazione. Fino allo scorso 26 gennaio era rimasto davanti alla porta dello stabilimento per chiedere di entrare. Sotto pioggia e freddo supplicava ripetutamente di non esser rilegato al margine ancora una volta. Ma non è stato ascoltato. Espulso dallo Stato che difende le frontiere anziché proteggere le persone, Moussa si è impiccato ad un albero dinanzi le porte dello stabilimento.
Le colonne di Ercole, erette una di fronte all’altra nello stretto di Gibilterra, non sono più elemento di connessione ed unione tra due mondi inesplorati di un Ulisse che dal suo viaggio fa ritorno in patria. Le colonne dello stretto sono una stretta sul popolo in movimento indesiderato, una strategia ulteriore di chiusura all’Altro per cui l’hospes si è risolto in hostis.
In questo incrocio di acque – Atlantico e Mediterraneo – e di terre, l‘Europa dall‘Africa, sorge l’inquietudine di una frontiera in cui i paesi e gli uomini non solo stanno di fronte ma sul fronte, in prima linea di guerra, per fronteggiarsi ed ispezionarsi.
E’ al grido di «Basta violenza alle frontiere» che accompagniamo la marcia di commemor-azione che da nove anni si batte contro l’impunità che vige sul caso: l’inchiesta giudiziaria aperta, che stava per mettere al banco per omicidio colposo 16 guardie civili (scampate applicando la ‘dottrina Loot’), è stata definitivamente archiviata dalla Corte Suprema nel giugno dello scorso anno. La Corte Costituzionale sta ancora studiando se accogliere o meno i ricorsi presentati da diverse organizzazioni non governative e per conto delle famiglie delle vittime (a cui non è stato nemmeno permesso di recarsi in Spagna) per violazione dei loro fondamentali diritti alla vita, protezione giudiziaria effettiva e integrità morale, come indicato nelle dichiarazioni dell’avvocata Fernández.
In memoria di Roger, Yves, Samba, Larios, Daouda, Luc, Youssouf, Armand, Ousmane, Keita, Jeannot, Oumarou, Blasie e le altre persone non identificate, continuiamo ad esigere che si faccia giustizia, che venga riconosciuta la responsabilità dei crimini di frontiera e garantire equi diritti a tutte le persone senza condizione alcuna.
▻https://www.meltingpot.org/2023/02/tarajal-il-dovere-della-memoria-per-tutte-le-vittime-di-frontiera
La tomba 147 e l’instancabile lotta di giustizia per la strage del Tarajal
Ceuta, 10 anni dal 6 febbraio 2014
Nei tranquilli e placidi passaggi del cimitero di Santa Catalina a Ceuta, situato nel cortile di Santa Beatriz de Silva, c’è un corridoio infinito fiancheggiato da due file di lapidi, in cui si può scoprire un enigmatico labirinto di marmo. È adornato da nomi, cognomi e ornamenti che evocano la memoria di coloro che non ci sono più. Oltre questa fila, nel punto più alto, si trovano tombe meticolosamente numerate, sigillate nel freddo abbraccio del cemento. Questi loculi sono privi di nomi o vasi di fiori che ricordano le anime che riposano al loro interno. Guardando dall’altra parte dello stretto, si vedono le tombe dei migranti che sono morti nel tentativo di raggiungere la spiaggia di Tarajal a Ceuta e di altri che hanno subito lo stesso destino. Si tratta di tombe anonime. Qui giacciono cinque delle quindici persone che, il 6 febbraio 2014, hanno cercato di raggiungere a nuoto la spiaggia di Tarajal a Ceuta, situata al confine tra Marocco e Spagna.
Ostacoli all’identificazione dei corpi delle vittime di Tarajal
Solo il corpo di Nana Roger Chimie, un giovane camerunense, è stato identificato; gli altri resti sepolti nel sito rimangono non identificati, nonostante gli sforzi delle famiglie e degli avvocati di Samba, Larios e Ussman Hassan per chiarire l’identità dei corpi trovati dopo il ritrovamento di Nana, che giacciono sepolti lì.
Patricia Fernández Vicent, avvocata della Coordinadora de Barrios, conferma che «Nana è stato identificato perché il suo corpo è stato ritrovato solo due giorni dopo i fatti e grazie agli oggetti personali che portava con sé quando ha cercato di attraversare il mare per raggiungere la Spagna. Inoltre, le sue condizioni hanno permesso di verificare le sue impronte digitali con i database camerunesi. Roger riposa nella tomba numero 147», che si distingue solo per la data e l’iscrizione: “Tarajal 6-2-14“.
L’identità degli altri rimane un mistero. L’avvocata aggiunge: «Abbiamo chiesto al tribunale il test del DNA, ma è stato rifiutato in quanto non necessario per chiarire i fatti, quindi non è mai stato effettuato». C’è anche un quinto corpo la cui identità rimane sconosciuta, poiché non è stato fatto alcun tentativo formale di identificarlo.
A distanza di dieci anni, le famiglie delle vittime sono ancora in cerca di giustizia e lottano senza sosta per ottenere il permesso di recarsi a Ceuta per identificare i loro cari. Tuttavia, il governo spagnolo ha ripetutamente negato i visti necessari per verificare se i resti appartengono a qualcuno dei parenti ancora dispersi.
A tre anni dagli eventi, le famiglie delle vittime del Tarajal erano state ascoltate dal Congresso dei Deputati, in coincidenza con l’anniversario. Una dozzina di padri, madri, fratelli e sorelle di coloro che morirono sulla spiaggia di Ceuta avevano partecipato a un atto commemorativo in videoconferenza. «Vogliamo che sia fatta giustizia, vogliamo che la loro morte non rimanga impunita», aveva esclamato la madre di uno dei giovani morti di Douala, in Camerun, durante il tributo.
Le famiglie dei giovani deceduti continuano a chiedere di conoscere la verità su quanto accaduto, chiedendo giustizia affinché queste morti non rimangano dimenticate e senza responsabilità. «Stavano solo cercando una vita migliore per le loro famiglie», ha detto un membro della famiglia.
Dieci anni senza responsabilità
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https://www.meltingpot.org/app/uploads/2024/02/10_risultato-1536x1025.jpg A dieci anni dalle morti e dopo otto anni di procedimenti giudiziari, il caso non è ancora arrivato al processo, essendo stato archiviato tre volte dal giudice istruttore. La vicenda giudiziaria del caso Tarajal è stata complessa e prolungata. È iniziata nel febbraio 2015 quando il Tribunale di Ceuta ha convocato 16 agenti di polizia, con le Ong CEAR, Coordinadora de Barrios e Observatori DESC che hanno agito come parti civili.
Nelle prime due istanze di archiviazione, nel 2015 e nel 2018, il giudice ha concluso che erano stati compiuti tutti i passi investigativi possibili, senza trovare prove di attività sanzionabile nei confronti dei 16 agenti della Guardia Civil coinvolti negli eventi di quella mattina del febbraio 2014. Tuttavia, il Tribunale Provinciale di Ceuta ha ribaltato entrambe le decisioni nel 2017 e nel 2018, incaricando il giudice di identificare i cinque deceduti e di raccogliere le dichiarazioni dei sopravvissuti. Nell’ottobre 2017, la Corte europea dei diritti umani ha condannato la Spagna per pratiche simili a Melilla.
Il caso è stato nuovamente chiuso nel gennaio 2018, ma dopo i ricorsi, nell’agosto 2018, il Tribunale Provinciale di Cadice ha deciso di riaprire il caso, sottolineando le inadeguatezze dell’indagine. Nel settembre 2019, 16 agenti della Guardia Civil sono stati processati, ma il fascicolo è stato chiuso per la terza volta nell’ottobre 2019, provocando ulteriori ricorsi. Il Tribunale Provinciale di Cadice ha respinto i ricorsi nel luglio 2020.
Le Ong hanno presentato un ricorso in Cassazione alla Corte Suprema, che è stato respinto nel maggio 2022. Nel luglio 2022 è stato presentato un ricorso per amparo alla Corte Costituzionale 1. Infine, nel giugno 2023, la Corte Costituzionale ha ammesso il ricorso per amparo, aprendo la possibilità di stabilire una dottrina costituzionale che protegga i diritti dei migranti alle frontiere.
Nonostante si tratti di uno dei casi più mediatici degli ultimi anni, né i giudici né i pubblici ministeri si sono pronunciati pubblicamente durante il processo, limitandosi a fare riferimento alle ordinanze e ai documenti inviati alle parti. Una fonte giudiziaria ha spiegato a questo corrispondente che “si trattava di un caso insolito, in quanto era la prima volta che si trovavano di fronte a un gruppo di assalto marittimo“. Inoltre, ha sottolineato che le questioni legali sono complicate, in quanto bisogna stabilire “se c’è una responsabilità condivisa per i crimini sconsiderati e qual è stata la partecipazione specifica di ciascuna guardia civile“. Questo perché le sanzioni non possono essere applicate a gruppi, il che solleva questioni di natura strettamente legale.
Cosa è successo nelle prime ore del 6 febbraio 2014 sulla spiaggia di Tarajal a Ceuta
https://www.meltingpot.org/app/uploads/2024/02/15tarajal_risultato-1536x1023.jpg 
https://www.meltingpot.org/app/uploads/2024/02/tarajal3_risultato-1536x1025.jpg Nelle prime ore del 6 febbraio 2014, circa 400 persone hanno tentato di attraversare la barriera di confine che separa il Marocco dall’Europa. La Guardia Civil, dispiegata lungo l’intero perimetro del confine, ha cercato di impedire al gruppo di entrare a Ceuta utilizzando attrezzature antisommossa, proiettili di gomma, gas lacrimogeni e detonazioni acustiche.
Almeno 15 persone sono state uccise e molte altre gravemente ferite. Coloro che sono sopravvissuti e sono riusciti a raggiungere il lato spagnolo della spiaggia di Tarajal sono stati immediatamente rispediti in Marocco. La mattina successiva furono ritrovati 14 corpi, 5 in Spagna e 9 in Marocco. Ufficialmente, 23 persone sono state riportate in Marocco e solo una persona è stata dichiarata dispersa.
Secondo le ONG coinvolte nell’accusa popolare contro le guardie civili, “molte testimonianze di sopravvissuti e testimoni, insieme ai video ufficiali rilasciati dalla Guardia Civil, dimostrano che la delegazione governativa a Ceuta era a conoscenza in ogni momento dell’attivazione del livello massimo di allerta, che prevedeva la mobilitazione di varie unità della Guardia Civil dotate di attrezzature anti-sommossa“. L’allerta è stata attivata per impedire al gruppo di circa 400 persone di entrare in territorio spagnolo. Si trattava di coloro che erano riusciti a eludere i controlli delle forze marocchine nei boschi vicino al confine con Ceuta e a raggiungere la spiaggia, nella zona marocchina, dove si sono gettati in mare. Secondo i testimoni, circa 1.500 persone, per lo più africani subsahariani, hanno cercato di entrare in Europa quella mattina, ma solo 400 sono riusciti ad avvicinarsi.
La Guardia Civil ha affrontato il gruppo in assetto antisommossa mentre nuotava verso la riva, lanciando candelotti fumogeni e palle di gomma dal frangiflutti. Questa azione non è stata inizialmente riconosciuta dal delegato del governo, Francisco Antonio González, e successivamente dal direttore generale della Guardia Civil, Arsenio Fernández de Mesa, che ha negato l’uso di materiale antisommossa in acqua, attribuendo la responsabilità dei morti alle forze marocchine.
Le bugie del Ministero degli Interni
Jorge Fernández Díaz, all’epoca Ministro degli Interni, si presentò una settimana dopo al Congresso ammettendo l’uso di materiale antisommossa come deterrente, ma indicando l’acqua. Queste spiegazioni seguirono la diffusione di immagini che mostravano gli agenti della Guardia Civil utilizzare “145 proiettili di gomma e cinque candelotti fumogeni” per impedire ai migranti di raggiungere la Spagna, sparando verso la posizione in cui stavano nuotando, mentre erano inseguiti da una motovedetta marocchina. Nella stessa occasione, il ministro si è rammaricato per la morte delle 15 persone sulla spiaggia di Tarajal ma, come gli ha chiesto un deputato dell’opposizione, non si è scusato con le famiglie delle vittime in quanto capo della Guardia Civil.
Il Segretario di Stato per la Sicurezza, Francisco Martínez, al Congresso, ha dichiarato che nessuno dei giovani che hanno raggiunto la riva spagnola è rimasto ferito e che la Guardia Civil ha sparato solo mentre erano ancora in acque marocchine, attenuando l’azione dal frangiflutti. Tuttavia, sono sorte delle domande: “Perché nessuno ha cercato di salvare le persone che stavano annegando? Perché non sono stati allertati i soccorsi marittimi e la Croce Rossa?“.
Il governo del PP, attraverso il ministro, ha ufficializzato la sua versione dei fatti e ha respinto la richiesta di aprire una commissione d’inchiesta richiesta dall’opposizione, approfittando della maggioranza assoluta di cui godeva nel 2014. Ma le registrazioni e gli audio forniti delle comunicazioni tra gli agenti e il COS mettono in dubbio la versione di Martínez. In una delle comunicazioni, gli agenti hanno avvertito della presenza di migranti che nuotavano e hanno chiesto istruzioni: “Dobbiamo fermarli?“. Dalla centrale operativa hanno risposto con incertezza: “Non sono sicuro, almeno cerchiamo di fermarli dall’avanzare, si stanno dirigendo verso Ceuta“. La risposta è stata: “Non è possibile, hanno attraversato da dietro e l’unica opzione era catturarli o lasciarli proseguire“. Le contraddizioni del delegato del governo a Ceuta e del direttore della Guardia Civil sono venute alla luce, mettendo a nudo la leadership del Ministero degli Interni. Nessuno si è dimesso.
Persino il presidente del governo della città autonoma, Juan Jesús Vivas, si è spinto a definire “miserabili” sul suo account Facebook le organizzazioni che hanno accusato direttamente le guardie civili di essere responsabili delle morti. L’Ong Caminando Fronteras ha pubblicato un rapporto che includeva i referti delle ferite e le testimonianze dei sopravvissuti, tutti sono concordi nell’affermare che i proiettili di gomma erano diretti contro i migranti. Dopo essere venuto a conoscenza del rapporto, Francisco Antonio González ha consigliato alle guardie civili di sporgere denuncia contro l’organizzazione.
Il vescovo di Tangeri critica l’azione della Guardia Civil
L’arcivescovo emerito di Tangeri, Santiago Agrelo, ha criticato le azioni della Guardia Civil durante gli eventi del 6 febbraio 2014 a il Tarajal. “Quel giorno, quei giovani non si sono gettati in acqua contro nessuno: cercavano solo un futuro migliore, al quale sicuramente avevano diritto almeno quanto me“. Ha sottolineato la responsabilità delle forze dell’ordine, affermando che “le forze dell’ordine del Regno di Spagna hanno fatto tutto ciò che era in loro potere per impedire a quei giovani di raggiungere la spiaggia, un fatto che non solo è stato riconosciuto ma anche rivendicato: hanno fatto ciò che dovevano fare“.
Nessuno si è assunto la responsabilità e nessuno sa chi abbia dato l’ordine di autorizzare gli agenti spagnoli ad agire sulla spiaggia di Tarajal. A distanza di dieci anni, nessuno a nome dello Stato spagnolo si è scusato con le famiglie delle vittime di quella fatidica mattina del febbraio 2014. La tomba 147 nel cimitero di Ceuta rimarrà in silenzio.
La mattina di domenica 4 febbraio, la tomba di Roger Nana è stata resa dignitosa. L’associazione ELIN, la Coordinadora de Barrios e alcuni attivisti hanno dedicato un poster che è stato collocato sulla tomba di Nana. Dopo un breve funerale, Javier Baeza, presidente dell’organizzazione di Madrid, ha dedicato alcune parole di omaggio alle vittime. Le altre tombe sono già segnate come “persona non identificata 6 febbraio 2014“.
▻https://www.meltingpot.org/2024/02/la-tomba-147-e-linstancabile-lotta-di-giustizia-per-la-strage-del-taraja
#Ceuta: di tutte le stragi, una Memoria Mediterranea
A dieci anni dalla strage del Tarajal, in cui furono uccise almeno 14 persone nel tentativo di raggiungere la Spagna a nuoto, Ceuta, l’enclave spagnola in Marocco, continua a essere tra le frontiere più violente del regime necropolitico europeo: il mare da un lato, la valla di concertina tagliente dall’altro, sistematicamente iper vigilati e militarizzati per impedire il transito delle persone verso l’Europa. Luogo di incessante approccio securitario, Ceuta, come Melilla, in territorio nordafricano, è da anni scenario di morte e negazione della vita umana, non solo delle persone che tentano di sfidarlo ma di tutte coloro che restano dall’altro lato in attesa di verità sui propri familiari.
Sono trascorsi 10 anni di silenzio sul massacro del Tarajal, quando, all’alba del 6 febbraio 2014, la Guardia Civil spagnola sparava brutalmente centinaia di proiettili di gomma contro un gruppo di oltre 300 persone migranti di origine sub – sahariana provocandone la morte per annegamento e omettendo il loro soccorso e il recupero dei corpi. Decine di persone sono annegate davanti allo sguardo inerme delle guardie che ad oggi continuano impunemente a perpetrare violenza e repressione contro le persone migranti direttamente coinvolte e contro le famiglie a cui viene negato l’accesso per poter raggiungere l’Europa e cercarli.
Le persone che tentano di varcare il confine al costo della propria vita, vengono sottoposte a ripetute umiliazioni e procedure di controllo, trattenimento e maltrattamento propedeutiche allo smistamento e alla loro espulsione, sorte di cui spesso le famiglie rimangono ignare e lontane dalle possibilità di richiesta per verità e giustizia dai territori di origine.
Dal massacro, il governo spagnolo ha ripetutamente respinto la richiesta dei visti ai familiari delle persone disperse e il prelievo del DNA dai resti recuperati affinché procedessero con l’eventuale identificazione dei corpi, ignorando di fatto la loro richiesta di giustizia e verità.
Infatti, il caso del 6 febbraio fu ripetutamente archiviato dalle responsabilità di una ennesima strage di Stato, riaperto successivamente e in corso di risoluzione, solo lo scorso giugno 2023, grazie alla pressione delle stesse persone sopravvissute e delle famiglie, alle avvocate e attiviste solidali che con loro sostengono la rivendicazione contro la negazione politica della vita e della morte.
In accordo con il Marocco – da Rajoy e i successori fino all’attuale Sanchez – lo Stato spagnolo ribadisce da decenni il proprio compromesso sul controllo bilaterale della frontiera elogiando l’impegno sempre più mirato all’esternalizzazione della frontiera sul territorio marrocchino in un’ottica di governance migratoria, disattendendo i principi democratici e i diritti di libertà e dignità per la vita delle persone migranti, in fuga da altrettante situazioni di violenze ed abuso, spesso dipese dalla onerosa precarizzazione economica.
https://pixelfed.zoo-logique.org/storage/m/_v2/578583396227231930/7c649620b-69b6c5/5XrgIoDhLzOo/DWxqe8JUEJeRPq61Ij4erTRSvC7RZULTyTZpWa8a.jpg 
https://pixelfed.zoo-logique.org/storage/m/_v2/578583396227231930/7c649620b-69b6c5/3f01EAZtfBCN/OrCj2TtwEaGHBNZi9vsGIFET0Oddm8ZiI9LLLEyZ.png In questo senso, la violenza di cui Ceuta si fa testimone, la medesima che interessa Melilla e la rotta canaria in Spagna o i luoghi in cui vige la procedura di frontiera sull’intero suolo europeo – da Lampedusa a Ventimiglia e lungo i Balcani – non è rappresentata da “ assalti” ed “invasioni” illegali come mediaticamente cerca di strumentalizzare la difesa politica, ma insita nella rimozione sistematica del diritto a partire, a circolare ed arrivare liberamente, alla possibilità per tutte e tutti di avere riconosciuta un’identità ante e post mortem, il diritto a sapere e al lutto.
Accordi con paesi terzi come il Marocco, esattamente come accade tra Italia e Libia e Tunisia, ledono ogni diritto umano, in primis quello alla vita, abusata e fatta prigioniera dietro e dentro le mura di cinta, potenziate nel meccanismo di controllo e respingimento in mare, nei dispositivi detentivi e di sorveglianza dei centri per il rimpatrio (In Spagna C.I.E.), luoghi di trattenimento forzato e punitivo senza alcuna condanna, dove però non si spengono manifestazioni per la libertà e la liberazione dalle persone trattenute e recluse, in protesta anche in questi giorni dai vari centri in Italia a seguito del suicidio di Stato di Ousmane Sylla .
La strage di Tarajal è l’espressione di quanto accade ogni giorno da anni in cui impunità, ingiustizia e violenza assumono le sembianze della lotta alla criminalità e alla sicurezza nazionale. Massacri senza giustizia, tombe senza nome, corpi senza volto, morti senza corpo, non sono che l’espressione ultima.
Ma non l’unica.
Alla Frontera Sur, una ‘Marcha por la Dignidad’, organizzata da centinaia di persone migranti, familiari, attivisti e diverse organizzazioni solidali, tra cui @Caravana Abriendo Fronteras e @CarovaneMigranti, continua da 10 anni a reclamare ed esigere verità e giustizia per tutte le persone morte nel massacro di Ceuta e per tutte coloro che muoiono e scompaiono per mano della indifferente violenza sistemica di un regime politico mortifero che vigila e reprime le persone migranti alle frontiere interne ed esternalizzate.
Anche quest’anno la Marcha, partita dalla sede della Delegazione del Governo di Ceuta, ha raggiunto la spiaggia del Tarajal, dove la commemorazione diviene strumento di lotta non solo per ricordare il Tarajal ma per parlare di tutte le ennesime stragi che si ripetono. Quanto accaduto nel 2014 non è qualcosa di aneddotico ma rigorosamente sistematico, lo abbiamo visto a Melilla, a Nador, ad Ouija, in Tunisia, in Sicilia, a Cutro. Tante, troppe e ininterrotte stragi, in altrettante date del calendario, si verificano nel silenzio politico di turno.
Ma la lotta per la Memoria viva è un riscatto mediterraneo che unisce la rabbia per trasformare il dolore in un grido collettivo per ogni Memoria negata e inabissata che vive attraverso chi può raccontare, dalle lotte familiari e collettive.
A dieci anni dalla strage di Ceuta, per tutte le stragi invisibili di cui non si racconta, per ogni persona coinvolta in un massacro rimosso, continuiamo a tessere un’unica Memoria Mediterranea, quella praticata tutti i giorni come strumento di denuncia e di ricerca di giustizia, custode di dignità e resistenza.
Non lasceremo il Mediterraneo agli abissi, ce ne impossessiamo senza timore per combattere dove si combatte, per elevare la voce dove si protesta, per piantare dove si cerca di seppellire.
Tarajal, no olvidamos!
▻https://memoriamediterranea.org/ceuta-di-tutte-le-stragi-una-memoria-mediterranea
#mémoire_méditerranéenne
Mort de Blessing Matthew : la justice européenne ne permet pas de rouvrir le dossier
La CEDH a rendu sa décision jeudi 18 janvier : elle estime irrecevable la requête de la sœur de la Nigériane retrouvée morte noyée dans la Durance, près de Briançon, en mai 2018. Elle souhaitait une réouverture de l’enquête.
C’estC’est la fin d’un long combat en quête de justice et de vérité. Jeudi 18 janvier, la Cour européenne des droits de l’homme (CEDH) a statué dans l’affaire dite « Blessing Matthew », du nom de cette exilée nigériane retrouvée morte noyée dans la Durance, à la frontière franco-italienne, près de Briançon (Hautes-Alpes), le 7 mai 2018.
La Cour a jugé, à l’unanimité, que la requête était « irrecevable », coupant court aux derniers espoirs nourris par Christiana, la sœur de Blessing Matthew, par l’association locale Tous Migrants, mais aussi par Hervé, le seul témoin, dont Mediapart a révélé l’existence. Son témoignage, quatre ans après les faits, pointait le rôle des forces de l’ordre dans la mort de la jeune femme.
À seulement 20 ans, elle tentait d’échapper aux gendarmes qui cherchaient à l’interpeller au petit matin, après qu’elle eut franchi la frontière franco-italienne accompagnée de deux hommes. La justice française avait estimé qu’il n’y avait « aucun témoin ». Hervé avait d’ailleurs disparu un temps après avoir été refoulé en Italie. Une juge d’instruction indépendante avait aussi rendu un non-lieu en 2020, après une plainte déposée par Christiana.
Lorsqu’Hervé est sorti de l’ombre pour donner sa version des faits, après des années d’errance, les avocats de Tous Migrants ont décidé de demander la réouverture du dossier. Ils n’ont pas été entendus. Pour Me Vincent Brengarth, cette décision de la CEDH cause une « déception très claire » chez tous les intervenants qui ont pu participer à ce « combat judiciaire » au cours des dernières années.
« Il y a le sentiment que la décision de la CEDH n’est pas à la hauteur de la mobilisation exceptionnelle qu’il y a eue autour de cette affaire, pour que toute la lumière soit faite sur les circonstances de la mort de Blessing », explique l’avocat, joint par Mediapart. Il ajoute qu’il ne s’agit pas d’une irrecevabilité « classique », qui pourrait laisser entendre qu’il pouvait y avoir des vices de forme ou des irrégularités dans la procédure.
Une décision sur le fond
« Non, un juge a bien regardé le dossier au fond mais a rejeté la requête en considérant que les autorités françaises avaient fait le nécessaire de façon raisonnable dans ce dossier. » Un point de vue que ne partagent pas l’avocat ni l’association Tous Migrants.
« On constate que malgré une analyse de fond, la décision donne crédit à la manière dont les autorités ont agi dans cette affaire, regrette Agnès Antoine, membre de Tous Migrants. Ni les autorités françaises ni la CEDH n’auront répondu à la demande de justice et de vérité pour Blessing depuis 2018. »
Le contraste avec le volume et la qualité du travail produit par la communauté d’acteurs est, selon elle, saisissant. « Il y avait une intensité d’éléments fournis par le témoin, Tous Migrants ou encore Border Forensics [qui regroupe chercheuses et chercheurs, architectes et cartographes et mène des investigations sur les morts aux frontières – ndlr]. Que faut-il de plus aujourd’hui pour espérer que la justice soit rendue à une personne exilée ? », abonde Vincent Brengarth, qui évoque un « rendez-vous raté avec la justice ».
Dans ses motivations, la CEDH justifie sa décision ainsi : « Le témoignage ne contenait pas d’allégation plausible ou crédible qui aurait permis l’identification, la poursuite et éventuellement la condamnation de l’auteur d’un homicide, et n’était de nature à remettre en cause ni le sérieux ni les conclusions de l’enquête initiale. »
Le nouveau témoignage d’Hervé, à la fois « précis et inédit » selon Me Brengarth, aurait pourtant dû mener à de nouvelles investigations. « Il pointait des gendarmes à l’identité connue à travers les éléments de l’investigation. On a l’impression aujourd’hui que tous ces éléments ont été piétinés. » Sans parler des risques pris par Hervé en accusant des gendarmes dans une affaire aussi sensible, et qui a été menacé d’expulsion, peu de temps après avoir livré son témoignage à la presse.
L’avocat tout comme l’association Tous Migrants prennent acte de la décision de la CEDH malgré tout. Mais ils promettent que le combat ne s’arrêtera pas là : d’autres victimes des frontières, ou proches de victimes, « ont besoin d’un espace pour être entendues dans leur quête de vérité et de justice », conclut Agnès Antoine. La mort de la jeune femme avait secoué le tissu associatif local, déjà fortement mobilisé pour venir en aide aux exilé·es en situation de détresse dans la montagne.
▻https://www.mediapart.fr/journal/international/180124/mort-de-blessing-matthew-la-justice-europeenne-ne-permet-pas-de-rouvrir-le
#Blessing_Matthew #CEDH #justice (well...) #cour_européenne_des_droits_de_l'homme #asile #migrations #mourir_aux_frontières #morts_aux_frontières #décès #frontière_sud-alpine #Alpes
Commentaire de Vincent Brengarth sur X :
« En dépit d’un témoignage nouveau accablant, des défaillances de l’enquête, des éléments de @tousmigrants et @BorderForensic, la #CEDH valide la décision de la #justice française de ne pas réouvrir le dossier sur la mort de #BlessingMatthew… »
Communiqué de presse Tous Migrants - Border Forensics, 19.01.2024 :
LA CEDH ne répond pas à la demande de vérité pour Blessing Matthew
[EXTRAIT] Depuis la mort de Blessing Matthew le 7 mai 2018, suite à sa chute dans la Durance alors qu’elle était poursuivie par la police, sa famille ainsi que l’association Tous Migrants ont inlassablement poursuivi leur combat pour que la justice fasse toute la lumière sur ce drame, en ne négligeant aucune voie judiciaire. Des plaintes ont ainsi rapidement été déposées auprès du Procureur de la République en 2018, avant que, en 2019, des plaintes avec constitution de partie civile soient déposées devant le Doyen des juges d’instruction après le classement sans suite de l’affaire. En dépit de l’ensemble des éléments produits au cours de la procédure, une ordonnance de non-lieu était rendue puis confirmée.
–—
Texte complet :
Depuis la mort de Blessing MATIHEW le 7 mai 2018, suite à sa chute dans la Durance alors qu’elle était poursuivie par la police, sa famille ainsi que l’association Tous Migrants ont inlassablement poursuivi leur combat pour que la justice fasse toute la lumière sur ce drame, en ne négligeant aucune voie judiciaire. Des plaintes ont ainsi rapidement été déposées auprès du Procureur de la République en 2018, avant que, en 2019, des plaintes avec constitution de partie civile soient déposées devant le Doyen des juges d’instruction après le classement sans suite de l’affaire. En dépit de l’ensemble des éléments produits au cours de la procédure, une ordonnance de non-lieu était rendue puis confirmée.
Des éléments nouveaux sont par la suite intervenus, dont un témoignage de M. H. S., contredisant formellement les déclarations des gendarmes et faisant état de ce que Blessing MATIHEW s’était débattue avec l’un d’eux, entrainant sa chute dans l’eau, de ce que personne ne lui a porté secours avant qu’elle ne disparaisse dans la rivière et trouve la mort.
La cohérence de ces déclarations a été confirmée par l’analyse minutieuse menée par Border Forensics, après plusieurs mois de travail. ▻https://www.borderforensics.org/fr/enquetes/blessing
C’est dans ces conditions qu’une demande de réouverture de l’information judiciaire a été introduite par les parties civiles le 13 juin 2022.
Malgré les éléments nouvellement communiqués, qui n’avaient, de fait, jamais été étudiés par la justice, et en dépit de la gravité des accusations portées, le Procureur Général n’en a tiré aucune conséquence, se contentant de rejeter la demande de réouverture formulée en adoptant une motivation expéditive.
Compte tenu de cette décision contestable, la famille de Blessing MATTHEW et l’association Tous Migrants ont fait le choix de se tourner vers la CEDH en 2022, en dernier recours.
Par une décision communiquée ce jour, plus d’un an après la requête, la Cour Européenne des Droits de l’Homme a constaté que la demande de réouverture de l’information pour charges nouvelles formulée était bien étayée par un élément nouveau, à savoir le témoignage de M. H.S. livré postérieurement à la clôture de l’instruction, mais que, selon elle, rien ne pouvait permettre de remettre en cause l’appréciation de cet élément par le procureur général.
La CEDH refuse par conséquent d’invalider l’enquête menée par les autorités françaises.
Cette décision n’est absolument pas à la hauteur des enjeux, des éléments produits et du travail fourni par les parties civiles pour palier la défaillance de la justice française, s’agissant d’une affaire qui, doit-on seulement le rappeler, concerne le décès d’une personne exilée et ce consécutivement à l’intervention des gendarmes.
Les soussignés ne vont pas cesser le combat, ni dans cette affaire ni dans d’autres. Ils entendent au contraire tirer tous les enseignements de cette décision de la CEDH, intervenue à l’ issue de l’épuisement des voies de recours internes, afin que, par la suite, les autorités n’aient plus l’occasion de trouver des échappatoires pour ne pas rechercher toutes les responsabilités.
L’impunité qui persiste pour la mort de Blessing MATIHEW perpétue après sa mort le traitement discriminatoire et inhumain dont elle a été l’objet durant sa vie. L’absence de réponse aux demandes de vérité et de justice de la famille de Blessing de la part des institutions judiciaires françaises et maintenant la CEDH rendent le travail de la société civile encore plus essentiel.
Nous nous engageons à continuer à chercher à éclairer les circonstances qui ont mené à la mort de Blessing et les responsabilités impliquées, et à les faire connaître publiquement.
Nous nous engageons à continuer à soutenir d’autres victimes de la violence des frontières Alpines, dont la liste continuera de s’allonger tant que l’impunité pour les morts et les violations est perpétuée, et que les politiques qui y mènent structurellement sont maintenues.
▻https://tousmigrants.weebly.com/communiqueacutes-de-presse.html
Noyade de Blessing Matthew : la Cour européenne des droits de l’homme déclare la « requête irrecevable »
En octobre 2022, la sœur de Blessing Matthew et Tous migrants avaient déposé une requête contre la France devant la Cour européenne des droits de l’homme. La jeune migrante, originaire du Nigeria, était décédée en mai 2018, en tombant dans la Durance.
(#paywall)
▻https://www.ledauphine.com/societe/2024/01/18/noyade-de-blessing-matthew-la-cour-europeenne-des-droits-de-l-homme-decl
Reportages : InfoMigrants à la rencontre des Sénégalais tentés par le rêve européen
InfoMigrants est allé au Sénégal, en banlieue de Dakar, à la rencontre de jeunes - et moins jeunes - tentés par un départ vers l’Europe. En cause : l’inflation, la crise du Covid et de la pêche... Certains sont restés mais ont aussi perdu un proche dans la traversée de l’Atlantique vers les Canaries espagnoles. D’autres encore sont rentrés après l’échec de leur rêve européen. Retrouvez tous nos reportages.
La situation économique du Sénégal pousse de plus en plus d’hommes et de femmes à prendre la mer en direction des îles Canaries, distantes d’environ 1 500 km. Les Sénégalais fuient généralement une vie sans perspective, aggravée par les changements climatiques.
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuLD1UbvL5Y&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.infomigrants.ne
À l’été 2023, les départs se sont notamment succédé vers l’archipel espagnol depuis les côtes sénégalaises. Sur l’ensemble de l’année 2023, plus de 37 000 personnes ont tenté de rejoindre le pays européen, du jamais vu.
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N-_aCjoA-c&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.infomigrants.ne
Beaucoup prennent la mer sans en mesurer les dangers. Selon l’ONG espagnole Caminando fronteras, plus de 6 000 migrants sont morts en mer l’année dernière. Ce chiffre, qui a pratiquement triplé (+177%) par rapport à celui de 2022, est « le plus élevé » comptabilisé par l’ONG depuis le début de ses recensements.
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMMuxSFfSS4&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.infomigrants.ne
Dans le même temps, des Sénégalais, déçus par leur exil, sont aussi rentrés au pays après des années passées en Europe. Souvent, ils reviennent avec l’aide de l’Organisation internationale pour les migrations (OIM) et le soutien financier de l’Union européenne. Mais en rentrant « les mains vides », ils doivent faire face à la déception de leurs proches.
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsbHTBTn3fY&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.infomigrants.ne
À Dakar, on croise aussi des Centrafricains, des Congolais, des Sierra-léonais, des Ivoiriens… Certains sont réfugiés, d’autres sont en transit, d’autres encore sont « bloqués » au Sénégal et attendent de pouvoir rejoindre rentrer chez eux.
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apA6oKCDlOE&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.infomigrants.ne
Enfin, il y a ceux qui refusent de risquer leur vie et s’échinent à demander un visa pour atteindre l’Europe, malgré les refus successifs et le coût de la procédure. Comme partout, des trafiquants profitent de la situation et organisent des trafics de rendez-vous en ambassades. Des mafias prennent ainsi tous les créneaux sur internet et les revendent à prix d’or à des Sénégalais désespérés.
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgyUa9priPY&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.infomigrants.ne
▻https://www.infomigrants.net/fr/post/54517/reportages--infomigrants-a-la-rencontre-des-senegalais-tentes-par-le-r
#Sénégal #asile #migrations #réfugiés #reportage #vidéo #jeunes #jeunesse #Dakar #facteurs_push #push-factors #inflation #pêche #route_atlantique #Canaries #îles_Canaries #perpectives #climat #changement_climatique #décès #morts_aux_frontières #mourir_aux_frontières #Caminando_fronteras #OIM #réintégration #retour #IOM #visas
La #Grèce condamnée par la #Cour_européenne_des_droits_de_l’homme après les tirs de gardes-côtes sur des embarcations de migrants
La CEDH a condamné le pays à verser 80 000 euros aux proches d’un migrant syrien mort après avoir été blessé par balle par les gardes-côtes grecs, en 2014.
Le #22_septembre_2014, à l’aube, non loin des côtes turques et près de l’îlot grec de #Psérimos, un bateau à moteur transportant quatorze migrants est repéré par les #gardes-côtes_grecs. Le commandant du navire militaire demande au conducteur d’arrêter l’embarcation. Ce dernier refuse. Les gardes-côtes tirent alors vingt balles pour immobiliser la vedette – sept coups de semonce et treize tirs ciblés sur le moteur. Deux ressortissants syriens sont blessés. L’un d’eux, Belal Tello est touché à la tête et conduit par hélicoptère à l’hôpital de Rhodes, une île grecque voisine. En août 215, il est transféré en Suède où habitent sa femme et ses enfants (les requérants). Il est pris en charge à l’hôpital universitaire Karolinska, à Stockholm. Mais il meurt quatre mois plus tard.
Les proches de #Belal_Tello ont attendu près de dix ans pour obtenir le verdict de la Cour européenne des droits de l’Homme (CEDH), qui a finalement condamné la Grèce à leur verser 80 000 euros. D’après la cour, Athènes n’a pas prouvé « que l’usage de la force était absolument nécessaire » pour arrêter le bateau qui s’approchait des côtes grecques. « Les treize coups de feu tirés exposaient forcément les passagers de la vedette à un risque », ont estimé les sept juges européens.
« La condamnation concerne également l’enquête inefficace menée par les autorités grecques sur l’incident », souligne, dans un communiqué, l’ONG Refugee Support Aegean (RSA), qui représentait, avec l’association Pro Asyl, la famille de la victime. Le parquet grec avait ouvert une enquête préliminaire sur cet incident, mais la justice avait rapidement classé l’affaire en 2015. D’après la CEDH, l’enquête menée par les autorités nationales comportait « de nombreuses lacunes qui ont conduit notamment à la perte d’éléments de preuve ». « Au cours de la procédure pénale, les deux réfugiés blessés par balle n’ont jamais été appelés à témoigner. Les déclarations des témoins recueillies lors des interrogatoires préliminaires semblent identiques », souligne RSA. La CEDH s’est aussi étonnée que plusieurs mesures pouvant faire avancer l’enquête n’aient pas été prises : une expertise médico-légale sur la blessure à la tête du réfugié syrien ; un rapport balistique établissant les trajectoires des tirs…
« Impunité généralisée »
Ce n’est pas la première fois que les agissements des gardes-côtes grecs sont condamnés ou mis en cause. En juillet 2022, la CEDH avait accordé 330 000 euros à seize requérants dont le bateau avait coulé en mer Egée, près de l’île de Farmakonisi, en janvier 2014. Onze personnes, dont huit enfants, avaient trouvé la mort dans ce naufrage provoqué par un navire garde-côtes grec, qui aurait navigué à grande vitesse à proximité de l’embarcation, entraînant le chavirement de celle-ci.
La CEDH avait déjà noté que les autorités grecques n’avaient pas mené une « enquête approfondie et effective permettant de faire la lumière sur les circonstances du naufrage ». L’une des avocates des requérants, Maria Papamina, du Conseil pour les réfugiés grec, avait déclaré, lors du rendu de cette décision de justice : « Nous avions l’impression que l’intention [des autorités grecques] était de clore rapidement l’affaire. »
Et c’est justement ce que les défenseurs des droits de l’homme souhaitent éviter, que le cas d’un autre naufrage survenu il y a quelques mois, au large du Péloponnèse, à Pylos, ne soit classé, lui aussi, sans suite. Le 14 juin 2023, un chalutier, l’Adriana, parti de Libye, a coulé avec près de 750 migrants à son bord, dans les eaux territoriales grecques. Seules 104 personnes ont survécu et 82 corps ont été retrouvés.
Les témoignages des survivants suggèrent qu’un patrouilleur garde-côtes grec a attaché une corde à l’Adriana et tiré dessus, ce qui aurait conduit à faire chavirer le bateau surchargé de migrants. D’après plusieurs enquêtes journalistiques, les opérations de sauvetage ont été également tardivement mises en place.
Dans un rapport publié en décembre 2023, Amnesty International et Human Rights Watch déploraient, six mois après le drame, le « peu de progrès » dans les investigations menées par les autorités grecques. Selon les deux ONG, « les échecs historiques des enquêtes grecques sur les naufrages (…) et l’impunité généralisée pour les violations systémiques des droits humains à ses frontières suscitent des inquiétudes quant à l’adéquation des enquêtes judiciaires en cours sur la tragédie de Pylos ».
▻https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2024/01/17/la-grece-condamnee-par-la-cour-europeenne-des-droits-de-l-homme-apres-les-ti
#CEDH #justice #condamnation #asile #migrations #réfugiés #gardes-côtes #mourir_aux_frontières #morts_aux_frontières #décès #naufrage #tir
Un mémoriel pour les mort·es aux frontières (région de l’Evros, Grèce) détruit
Thread de Lena K. sur X :
In August 2011, activists of the Welcome to Europe network & solidarians built a memorial for people who died while crossing the #Evros border: a water fountain at the village of Provatonas. The fountain now lies in ruin - visual proof of local hostility to border crossers.
I found out about the fountain online, by chance. Like many aspects of the past of the local border regime and resistance to it, it’s been forgotten. I didn’t have time to investigate when, how and why it was destroyed (next time!) but one source suggests it was by locals:
“Here we had built a fountain, as Greek tradition would have it, for travellers. To drink water, wash and rest before continuing their journey. Today this tap has been destroyed, they don’t even want the refugees to pass through here. On the one hand, I understand them
A lot of people crossed then and never stopped crossing. People are tired. On the other hand, however, with what various people say and do, they have made people lose its humanity. I hope this broken fountain reminds us that we were human."
▻https://www.avgi.gr/politiki/344653_ebros-thraysmata-pliroforisis
The names of people who died crossing the #Evros were inscribed on the fountain. Its destruction erased them, rendering the dead nameless, dehumanising border crossers once again.
▻https://twitter.com/lk2015r/status/1692824778153787769
#monument #mémoriel #mémoire #morts_aux_frontières #mourir_aux_frontières #asile #migrations #réfugiés #Grèce #frontières #destruction #Welcome_to_Europe #Provatonas
Μια βρύση-μνημείο των χαμένων μεταναστών-ριών στον Προβατώνα/Τυχερό Έβρου
Όνομα και Αξιοπρέπεια για τους νεκρούς μετανάστες των συνόρων Μια βρύση-μνημείο των χαμένων μεταναστών-ριών στον Προβατώνα Έβρου
Την Τρίτη 30 Αυγούστου με πρωτοβουλία του πανευρωπαϊκού δικτύου Welcome to Europe και πολλών αλληλέγγυων ανθρώπων, δημιουργήσαμε ένα μνημείο για τους χαμένους μετανάστες στα σύνορα του Έβρου. Για την Τζέιν και τον Μπασίρ που πνίγηκαν τον περασμένο χρόνο στο ποτάμι, αλλά και για τους εκατοντάδες άλλους, ανώνυμους νεκρούς και αγνοούμενους των συνόρων και των ναρκοπεδίων. Θελήσαμε να δώσουμε πίσω το Όνομα και την Αξιοπρέπεια, το σεβασμό που πρέπει σε κάθε νεκρό. Θελήσαμε, σε πείσμα των καιρών, να εκφράσουμε την Φιλοξενία και την αγωνία μας για τις διαστάσεις του εγκλήματος που λαμβάνει χώρα στα ευρωπαϊκά σύνορα. Θελήσαμε να πούμε όχι σε μια Ευρώπη που οχυρώνεται πίσω από το φόβο και χτίζει τείχη, σε μια Ευρώπη που μετατρέπει τους μετανάστες και μετανάστριες σε αποδιοπομπαίους τράγους της κρίσης. Να πούμε όχι σε μια Ευρώπη που μετατρέπει τους χιλιάδες νεκρούς των συνόρων σε αριθμούς και στατιστικές και που εξακολουθεί να τους μεταχειρίζεται ως ανεπιθύμητους ακόμη και μετά θάνατον. Όπως ανακαλύψαμε το 2010, υπάρχει ένας χώρος ταφής στο Σιδηρώ, που σε καμιά περίπτωση δεν μπορεί να χαρακτηριστεί νεκροταφείο, που προσβάλει τους νεκρούς και τους συγγενείς τους που έρχονται να τους αναζητήσουν. Από το 1995 μέχρι και το 2009, 104 άνθρωποι έχασαν τη ζωή τους από νάρκες και 187 ακρωτηριάστηκαν. Μόνο το 2011 έχουν σκοτωθεί στα σύνορα του Έβρου 70 άνθρωποι, 47 από τους οποίους δεν έχουν ταυτοποιηθεί. Λίγες ημέρες πριν, ένας ακόμη μετανάστης έπεφτε νεκρός όταν περιπολία της συνοριοφυλακής και της Frontex άνοιξε πυρ εναντίον ομάδας που διέσχιζε το ποτάμι. Πρόκειται για ένα έγκλημα που μένει ατιμώρητο, για μια βαρβαρότητα που ωστόσο δικαιολογούν και υποθάλπουν κυβερνήσεις και αξιωματούχοι. Στις 30 Αυγούστου βρεθήκαμε μαζί με συγγενείς και αγαπημένους δύο ανθρώπων που έχασαν τη ζωή τους στην περιοχή του Έβρου, με κατοίκους της περιοχής, με αντιρατσιστές-ριες που ήρθαν έπειτα από το Νο Border camp της Βουλγαρίας. Φτιάξαμε μια βρύση και τοποθετήσαμε μια επιγραφή με τα ονόματα των νεκρών, ένα μνημείο για όλους και όλες που έχουν χαθεί άδικα στα σύνορα. Η βρύση βρίσκεται στον Προβατώνα, στο δρόμο για το Τυχερό. Δίκτυο Welcome to Europe
#Basta !
#Proche_Orient/#Moyen_Orient, #Histoire_des_prépuces.
Ça serait #rigolo, sans les #morts ...
#religion #politique #taré #fanatique #Israël #islamiste #monde #guignol #religieux #bienveillance #humanité #tolérance #harmonie #seenthis #vangauguin
:-D :-D :-D
Nel Mediterraneo non esistono stragi minori
Mem.Med sul naufragio del 27 ottobre 2023 a #Marinella_di_Selinunte.
Ahmed, Kousay, Bilel, Wael, Oussema, Souhé, Yassine, Sabrin, Fethi, Ridha, Yezin, Bilel, Mahdi questi sono i nomi di alcune delle persone scomparse a seguito del naufragio avvenuto a Marinella Selinunte in Sicilia (TP) il 27 ottobre 2023.
Non numeri: erano circa 60 persone partite con un peschereccio da una spiaggia poco lontana da Mahdia, città costiera della Tunisia nord orientale. Sulla rotta per la Sicilia, verso Mazara, avevano viaggiato per alcuni giorni, uomini, donne e minori, tuttə di nazionalità tunisina. Poi, proprio poco prima di arrivare, il viaggio si è arrestato improvvisamente. Alcune persone sono riuscite a sopravvivere e a nuotare fino alla riva, altre hanno perso la vita, non soccorse in tempo, in una dinamica che ricorda molto quella che ha caratterizzato il massacro avvenuto a Steccato di Cutro il 26 febbraio 2023.
L’indagine è ancora in corso, i fatti non sono chiari ma, da quanto ricostruito, sembrerebbe che a poca distanza dalla riva della spiaggia di Marinella di Selinunte, il peschereccio si sarebbe incagliato in una secca e questo avrebbe provocato il ribaltamento dell’imbarcazione e il successivo annegamento di diverse persone cadute in acqua.
Nei giorni successivi 6 corpi sono stati recuperati dalla capitaneria di Porto, dalla Guardia Costiera e dai Vigili del fuoco: 5 corpi rinvenuti sulla spiaggia di Marinella di Selinunte e 1 sulla spiaggia di Triscina. Le persone disperse sarebbero almeno 10. Perciò il totale delle persone rimaste uccise sono tra le 15 e le 20.
Le persone sopravvissute, minori e adulte, sono le uniche a conoscere le dinamiche dell’evento: hanno visto i corpi dellə loro compagnə galleggiare a pochi metri dalla riva e hanno dichiarato che moltə di loro sono rimastə in acqua mentre i soccorsi hanno tardato ad arrivare.
Nonostante fossero decine le persone disperse, le ricerche dei corpi si sono fermate tre giorni dopo il tragico evento. Le persone sopravvissute sono state ricollocate nei centri siciliani di Porto Empedocle, Milo e Castelvetrano o sono partite in autonomia verso altre mete europee.
La ricerca di verità
La procura di Marsala sta conducendo un’inchiesta sull’accaduto. I 6 corpi, tutti maschili, sono stati inizialmente trasferiti a Palermo e sottoposti ad autopsia, nonché a prelievo del DNA e a raccolta dei dati post mortem per l’eventuale identificazione. Dopodiché sono stati riportati a Castelvetrano, 5 sono stati collocati nell’obitorio dell’ospedale locale e 1 al cimitero.
A pochi giorni dall’accaduto ci siamo recate nel luogo della strage dove, sulla spiaggia deserta e bagnata dalla pioggia, giaceva riverso su un fianco il peschereccio di legno tunisino, semi abbattuto dalla mareggiata.
Sulla battigia, tutto intorno al relitto, giacevano i resti dell’imbarcazione in pezzi e decine di indumenti delle persone che viaggiavano su quel peschereccio, alcuni oggetti personali e cibo. Uno scenario di guerra. Una guerra senza indignazione, senza riflettori. Consumata nel silenzio assoluto rotto solo dalle onde del mare e dalla pioggia.
Sappiamo che capita spesso che gli oggetti delle persone in viaggio finiscono in fondo al mare o restano perduti nella sabbia. Quasi sempre le autorità non predispongono la loro conservazione e spesso le famiglie o le comunità di appartenenza non sono in loco per poterli recuperare per tempo. Così quegli oggetti così preziosi si trasformano in pezzi di una memoria mossa via dalle onde.
Diverse sono le famiglie che nel corso delle settimane passate ci hanno contattato per avere supporto nella ricerca dellə parenti ancora dispersə nella strage del 27.10.2023. Ancora una volta, in mancanza di un efficace sistema di raccolta delle richieste, a livello locale e internazionale, le famiglie sperimentano un non riconoscimento di quella violenza e una delegittimazione delle perdite e del lutto: non se ne parla mediaticamente, le grandi organizzazioni non si attivano, le istituzioni tardano a rispondere, nonostante le famiglie rivendichino con forza verità e giustizia.
Anche in questa circostanza, i tempi necessari all’identificazione delle salme sono lunghi e incerti, proprio in ragione del fatto che non c’è un lavoro coordinato e le procedure sono frammentate tra più attori: Procura, Medicina legale, Polizia giudiziaria, Consolato tunisino.Tra le segnalazioni che ci sono arrivate ci sono quelle delle famiglie di Adem e Kousay, giovani rispettivamente di 20 e 16 anni, originari di Teboulba e Mahdia.
Adem, Kousay e la lotta delle famiglie
Qualche settimana fa, in una giornata di novembre, ci siamo recate a Teboulba nella casa tunisina della famiglia di Adem. Sedute in cerchio nel cortile, mentre calava il tramonto, abbiamo ripercorso i fatti dell’evento e abbiamo aggiornato le famiglie delle informazioni raccolte in Sicilia.
A partecipare all’incontro non c’erano solo la madre, la sorella, il padre e i parenti prossimi di Adem, ma anche tutta la comunità di quartiere, che da settimane vive con angoscia e rabbia questa sparizione.
Omaima, la sorella di Adem, era seduta al centro del cerchio e pronunciava i nomi delle persone disperse, contandole sulla punta delle dita, come in una preghiera ripetuta.
Tante sono state le domande poste: Perché non sono stati soccorsi? Erano arrivati, erano a pochi metri da terra! Le autorità hanno continuato a cercarli? È possibile che ci voglia tanto tempo per sapere se Adem è tra quei corpi? Lo vogliamo indietro, lo vogliamo vedere, vogliamo sapere.
La famiglia ci ha raccontato anche che le autorità tunisine hanno fatto pressione sui genitori dellə giovani accusandoli di essere responsabili del viaggio in mare. Uno dei familiari è stato più volte convocato presso gli uffici di polizia locali per difendersi da queste accuse. Non hanno trovato un colpevole tra i sopravvissuti allora incolpano noi! ha detto il padre di Adem.
Non è la prima volta che questo accade. Il processo di criminalizzazione della migrazione dal sud al nord del Mediterraneo, se non può colpire i cosiddetti presunti scafisti tra coloro che sopravvivono, scarica sulle famiglie delle persone disperse responsabilità da cui queste sono chiamate a difendersi in un momento tanto violento come quello che caratterizza la scomparsa di unə familiare in mare.
Sappiamo bene che il silenzio permea le conseguenze di queste necropolitiche che si muovono verso un indirizzo sempre più securitario nella gestione delle migrazioni: il nuovo Patto UE sulla Migrazione legittima abusi e respingimenti che renderanno ancora più mortali le frontiere. Le morti in aumento sono strumentalizzate ai fini di implementare politiche di maggior chiusura, condannando inoltre chi sopravvive alle frontiere a essere reclusə e detenutə e chi cerca di fare luce sulla violenza ad essere destinatariə di una repressione feroce.
Non è normale morire in frontiera
Il naufragio di Selinunte è uno di quelli che non destano attenzione, che non infiammano i programmi televisivi, che non fanno scalpore. Sono morte “solo” 6 persone e ci sono “solo” una decina di persone disperse. Non si parla di morte violenta o di strage, si è parlato di incidente: è un naufragio “minore”. Avvenuto nello stesso mese in cui si celebra la Giornata nazionale della memoria per non dimenticare le vittime della migrazione, questo evento – come moltissimi altri – non ha però goduto della stessa attenzione dei “grandi” naufragi e la sua visibilità è dipesa solo grazie al lavoro di alcune brave giornaliste.
Eppure questa strage, come le altre, interpella responsabilità politiche e collettive: è avvenuta a poche centinaia di metri dalle coste siciliane, a causa della negazione del diritto a muoversi e per assenza di soccorso di persone in difficoltà che prendono la via del mare. Come è avvenuto anche pochi giorni fa al largo della Libia, dove hanno perso la vita almeno 61 persone.
Come Cutro e Lampedusa, anche questa è una strage da ricordare, una strage che si somma a tante altre sconosciute o rimosse, che insieme fanno migliaia di vite barbaramente spezzate.
La stessa indifferenza ha colpito le morti delle persone i cui corpi nelle ultime settimane hanno raggiunto l’Isola di Lampedusa, come ha raccontato l’associazione Maldusa che opera sull’isola. Tra il 10 e il 17 novembre sono stati almeno 4 i naufragi e almeno 4 le persone che risultano disperse. Il 20 novembre un altro naufragio ha causato la morte di almeno una bimba di 2 anni e altri dispersi. Il 22 novembre un’altra barca di ferro è naufragata provocando la morte di almeno una donna ivoriana di 26 anni.
La lotta dellə sopravvissutə e dellə familiarə ci ricorda che non esistano naufragi o stragi “minori”. Con loro ci opponiamo all’idea di una gerarchia delle vite determinata da privilegi attribuiti arbitrariamente ma accettati e normalizzati dall’opinione pubblica.
Adem, Kousay e le altre 20 persone disperse partite il 26 ottobre da Mahdia non ci sono più e forse non torneranno. Sono ancora in corso gli accertamenti per determinare l’identità delle salme e, attraverso l’esame del DNA, attestare con certezza se Adem e Kousay sono tra i cadaveri recuperati.
Ci sono però i loro nomi, le loro storie e, soprattutto, c’è la lotta delle loro famiglie: la madre di Adem, di cui suo figlio porta inciso il nome nel tatuaggio sul petto. Il padre di Adem che deve difendersi dai tentativi di criminalizzazione.
Voglio sapere se il corpo appartiene a mio fratello. E poi voglio che si faccia giustizia, ha detto la sorella Oumaima guardandoci negli occhi, prima che lasciassimo il cortile della loro casa di Teboulba. Il suo volto infervorato non ci ha lasciato dubbi:
Il loro dolore e la loro rabbia non sono minori a nessuno.
►https://www.meltingpot.org/2023/12/nel-mediterraneo-non-esistono-stragi-minori
#27_octobre_2023 #Italie #naufrage #décès #migrations #réfugiés #mourir_en_mer #morts_en_mer #Sicile #identification #ceux_qui_restent #Selinunte
Le nombre de morts au travail est-il à un niveau « jamais atteint depuis vingt ans » ? – Libération
▻https://www.liberation.fr/checknews/le-nombre-de-morts-au-travail-est-il-a-un-niveau-jamais-atteint-depuis-vi
▻https://www.liberation.fr/resizer/3ffDJ-TLQHTmi9UW1Rd-rfV48ms=/1200x630/filters:format(jpg):quality(70):focal(2700x2189:2710x2199)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/liberation/BLC3E557CRGZLOUN4DXIX2XLW4.jpg
Les 738 décès évoqués pour 2022 (uniquement parmi les salariés du secteur privé) par cet enseignant sont tirés du dernier rapport annuel sur les risques professionnels de la caisse nationale d’assurance maladie (Cnam), publié en décembre 2023. « En 2022, on dénombre 738 décès parmi les [accidents du travail, hors accidents de trajets] reconnus, soit 93 de plus qu’en 2021. Avec 421 cas (contre 361 en 2021), les malaises sont la cause de plus de la moitié d’entre eux », soit 67 %, recense la Cnam. Viennent ensuite les accidents routiers (hors trajet), pour 13 %.
EU’s AI Act Falls Short on Protecting Rights at Borders
Despite years of tireless advocacy by a coalition of civil society and academics (including the author), the European Union’s new law regulating artificial intelligence falls short on protecting the most vulnerable. Late in the night on Friday, Dec. 8, the European Parliament reached a landmark deal on its long-awaited Act to Govern Artificial Intelligence (AI Act). After years of meetings, lobbying, and hearings, the EU member states, Commission, and the Parliament agreed on the provisions of the act, awaiting technical meetings and formal approval before the final text of the legislation is released to the public. A so-called “global first” and racing ahead of the United States, the EU’s bill is the first ever regional attempt to create an omnibus AI legislation. Unfortunately, this bill once again does not sufficiently recognize the vast human rights risks of border technologies and should go much further protecting the rights of people on the move.
From surveillance drones patrolling the Mediterranean to vast databases collecting sensitive biometric information to experimental projects like robo-dogs and AI lie detectors, every step of a person’s migration journey is now impacted by risky and unregulated border technology projects. These technologies are fraught with privacy infringements, discriminatory decision-making, and even impact the life, liberty, and security of person seeking asylum. They also impact procedural rights, muddying responsibility over opaque and discretionary decisions and lacking clarity in mechanisms of redress when something goes wrong.
The EU’s AI Act could have been a landmark global standard for the protection of the rights of the most vulnerable. But once again, it does not provide the necessary safeguards around border technologies. For example, while recognizing that some border technologies could fall under the high-risk category, it is not yet clear what, if any, border tech projects will be included in the final high-risk category of projects that are subject to transparency obligations, human rights impact assessments, and greater scrutiny. The Act also has various carveouts and exemptions in place, for example for matters of national security, which can encapsulate technologies used in migration and border enforcement. And crucial discussions around bans on high-risk technologies in migration never even made it into the Parliament’s final deal terms at all. Even the bans which have been announced, for example around emotion recognition, are only in place in the workplace and education, not at the border. Moreover, what exactly is banned remains to be seen, and outstanding questions to be answered in the final text include the parameters around predictive policing as well as the exceptions to the ban on real-time biometric surveillance, still allowed in instances of a “threat of terrorism,” targeted search for victims, or the prosecution of serious crimes. It is also particularly troubling that the AI Act explicitly leaves room for technologies which are of particular appetite for Frontex, the EU’s border force. Frontex released its AI strategy on Nov. 9, signaling an appetite for predictive tools and situational analysis technology. These tools, which when used without safeguards, can facilitate illegal border interdiction operations, including “pushbacks,” in which the agency has been investigated. The Protect Not Surveil Coalition has been trying to influence European policy makers to ban predictive analytics used for the purposes of border enforcement. Unfortunately, no migration tech bans at all seem to be in the final Act.
The lack of bans and red lines under the high-risk uses of border technologies in the EU’s position is in opposition to years of academic research as well as international guidance, such as by then-U.N. Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, E. Tendayi Achiume. For example, a recently released report by the University of Essex and the UN’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner (OHCHR), which I co-authored with Professor Lorna McGregor, argues for a human rights based approach to digital border technologies, including a moratorium on the most high risk border technologies such as border surveillance, which pushes people on the move into dangerous terrain and can even assist with illegal border enforcement operations such as forced interdictions, or “pushbacks.” The EU did not take even a fraction of this position on border technologies.
While it is promising to see strict regulation of high-risk AI systems such as self-driving cars or medical equipment, why are the risks of unregulated AI technologies at the border allowed to continue unabated? My work over the last six years spans borders from the U.S.-Mexico corridor to the fringes of Europe to East Africa and beyond, and I have witnessed time and again how technological border violence operates in an ecosystem replete with the criminalization of migration, anti-migrant sentiments, overreliance on the private sector in an increasingly lucrative border industrial complex, and deadly practices of border enforcement, leading to thousands of deaths at borders. From vast biometric data collected without consent in refugee camps, to algorithms replacing visa officers and making discriminatory decisions, to AI lie detectors used at borders to discern apparent liars, the roll out of unregulated technologies is ever-growing. The opaque and discretionary world of border enforcement and immigration decision-making is built on societal structures which are underpinned by intersecting systemic racism and historical discrimination against people migrating, allowing for high-risk technological experimentation to thrive at the border.
The EU’s weak governance on border technologies will allow for more and more experimental projects to proliferate, setting a global standard on how governments will approach migration technologies. The United States is no exception, and in an upcoming election year where migration will once again be in the spotlight, there does not seem to be much incentive to regulate technologies at the border. The Biden administration’s recently released Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence does not offer a regulatory framework for these high-risk technologies, nor does it discuss the impacts of border technologies on people migrating, including taking a human rights based approach to the vast impacts of these projects on people migrating. Unfortunately, the EU often sets a precedent for how other countries govern technology. With the weak protections offered by the EU AI act on border technologies, it is no surprise that the U.S. government is emboldened to do as little as possible to protect people on the move from harmful technologies.
But real people already are at the centre of border technologies. People like Mr. Alvarado, a young husband and father from Latin America in his early 30s who perished mere kilometers away from a major highway in Arizona, in search of a better life. I visited his memorial site after hours of trekking through the beautiful yet deadly Sonora desert with a search-and-rescue group. For my upcoming book, The Walls have Eyes: Surviving Migration in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, I was documenting the growing surveillance dragnet of the so-called smart border that pushes people to take increasingly dangerous routes, leading to increasing loss of life at the U.S.-Mexico border. Border technologies as a deterrent simply do not work. People desperate for safety – and exercising their internationally protected right to asylum – will not stop coming. They will instead more circuitous routes, and scholars like Geoffrey Boyce and Samuel Chambers have already documented a threefold increase in deaths at the U.S.-Mexico frontier as the so-called smart border expands. In the not so distant future, will people like Mr. Alvarado be pursued by the Department of Homeland Security’s recently announced robo-dogs, a military grade technology that is sometimes armed?
It is no accident that more robust governance around migration technologies is not forthcoming. Border spaces increasingly serve as testing grounds for new technologies, places where regulation is deliberately limited and where an “anything goes” frontier attitude informs the development and deployment of surveillance at the expense of people’s lives. There is also big money to be made in developing and selling high risk technologies. Why does the private sector get to time and again determine what we innovate on and why, in often problematic public-private partnerships which states are increasingly keen to make in today’s global AI arms race? For example, whose priorities really matter when we choose to create violent sound cannons or AI-powered lie detectors at the border instead of using AI to identify racist border guards? Technology replicates power structures in society. Unfortunately, the viewpoints of those most affected are routinely excluded from the discussion, particularly around areas of no-go-zones or ethically fraught usages of technology.
Seventy-seven border walls and counting are now cutting across the landscape of the world. They are both physical and digital, justifying broader surveillance under the guise of detecting illegal migrants and catching terrorists, creating suitable enemies we can all rally around. The use of military, or quasi-military, autonomous technology bolsters the connection between immigration and national security. None of these technologies, projects, and sets of decisions are neutral. All technological choices – choices about what to count, who counts, and why – have an inherently political dimension and replicate biases that render certain communities at risk of being harmed, communities that are already under-resourced, discriminated against, and vulnerable to the sharpening of borders all around the world.
As is once again clear with the EU’s AI Act and the direction of U.S. policy on AI so far, the impacts on real people seems to have been forgotten. Kowtowing to industry and making concessions for the private sector not to stifle innovation does not protect people, especially those most marginalized. Human rights standards and norms are the bare minimum in the growing panopticon of border technologies. More robust and enforceable governance mechanisms are needed to regulate the high-risk experiments at borders and migration management, including a moratorium on violent technologies and red lines under military-grade technologies, polygraph machines, and predictive analytics used for border interdictions, at the very least. These laws and governance mechanisms must also include efforts at local, regional, and international levels, as well as global co-operation and commitment to a human-rights based approach to the development and deployment of border technologies. However, in order for more robust policy making on border technologies to actually affect change, people with lived experiences of migration must also be in the driver’s seat when interrogating both the negative impacts of technology as well as the creative solutions that innovation can bring to the complex stories of human movement.
▻https://www.justsecurity.org/90763/eus-ai-act-falls-short-on-protecting-rights-at-borders
#droits #frontières #AI #IA #intelligence_artificielle #Artificial_Intelligence_Act #AI_act #UE #EU #drones #Méditerranée #mer_Méditerranée #droits_humains #technologie #risques #surveillance #discrimination #transparence #contrôles_migratoires #Frontex #push-backs #refoulements #privatisation #business #complexe_militaro-industriel #morts_aux_frontières #biométrie #données #racisme #racisme_systémique #expérimentation #smart_borders #frontières_intelligentes #pouvoir #murs #barrières_frontalières #terrorisme
The Walls Have Eyes. Surviving Migration in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
A chilling exposé of the inhumane and lucrative sharpening of borders around the globe through experimental surveillance technology
“Racism, technology, and borders create a cruel intersection . . . more and more people are getting caught in the crosshairs of an unregulated and harmful set of technologies touted to control borders and ‘manage migration,’ bolstering a multibillion-dollar industry.” —from the introduction
In 2022, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced it was training “robot dogs” to help secure the U.S.-Mexico border against migrants. Four-legged machines equipped with cameras and sensors would join a network of drones and automated surveillance towers—nicknamed the “smart wall.” This is part of a worldwide trend: as more people are displaced by war, economic instability, and a warming planet, more countries are turning to A.I.-driven technology to “manage” the influx.
Based on years of researching borderlands across the world, lawyer and anthropologist Petra Molnar’s The Walls Have Eyes is a truly global story—a dystopian vision turned reality, where your body is your passport and matters of life and death are determined by algorithm. Examining how technology is being deployed by governments on the world’s most vulnerable with little regulation, Molnar also shows us how borders are now big business, with defense contractors and tech start-ups alike scrambling to capture this highly profitable market.
With a foreword by former U.N. Special Rapporteur E. Tendayi Achiume, The Walls Have Eyes reveals the profound human stakes, foregrounding the stories of people on the move and the daring forms of resistance that have emerged against the hubris and cruelty of those seeking to use technology to turn human beings into problems to be solved.
▻https://thenewpress.com/books/walls-have-eyes
#livre #Petra_Molnar
Repackaging Imperialism. The EU – IOM border regime in the Balkans
In November 2023, European Commission President #Ursula_von_der_Leyen concluded a Balkan tour, emphasizing EU enlargement’s priority for peace and prosperity. However, scrutiny intensified over EU practices, especially in the Balkans, where border policies, implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), reflect an imperialist approach. This report exposes the consequences – restricted migration, erosion of international norms, and deadly conditions along migrant routes. The EU’s ’carrot and stick’ strategy in the Balkans raises concerns about perpetual pre-accession status and accountability for human rights abuses.
▻https://www.tni.org/en/publication/repackaging-imperialism
#migrations #asile #réfugiés #IOM #OIM #impérialisme #frontières #rapport #tni #paix #prospérité #droits_humains #militarisation_des_frontières #route_des_Balkans #humanitarisme #sécurisation #sécurité #violence #Bosnie #Bosnie-Herzégovine #hotspot #renvois #retours_volontaires #joint_coordination_plateform #mourir_aux_frontières #morts_aux_frontières #décès
Est-ce que quelqu’un a des informations sur cet « Accord franco-Israélien » sur les dons d’organes ???
Article de IsraelValley qui date de 2017 :
▻http://israelvalley.com/2017/06/30/disparition-de-simone-weil-beaucoup-disraeliens-lui-doivent-vie
Cette « info » fait le buzz sur les RS : les israéliens obtiennent les organes qui manquent aux malades français (sous la forme : "Les organes des citoyens français envoyés en Israel ", mais ce n’est qu’un exemple entre mille). Un texte "méconnu" le démontre.
Sans avoir pu vérifier ce qu’il en est du texte évoqué, il doit s’agir d’une disposition permettant à une personne vivant ici de donner ici un organe à destination d’une personne proche se trouvant en Israël.
▻https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F182#:~:text=Don%20au%20sein%20de%20la,Son%20frère%20ou%20sa%20sœur
Occasion de se souvenir que les organes destinés à être transplantés sont prélevés sur des vivants (on lisait ici il y a peu un communiqué s’inquiétant des vols d’organes de cadavres palestiniens commis par les israéliens...)
Depuis le Moyen-âge, on sait que « les juifs volent les enfants pour des meurtres rituels ». À l’heure de la technoscience, il est logique qu’ils volent la nouvelle naissance qu’est la sortie d’une maladie mortelle grâce à une greffe, etc.. Depuis le XIXe, on sait que la nation risque d’être enjuivée à force d’intégrer des citoyens qui n’en sont pas. Il est donc logique qu’à lire le nom de Simone Veil, etc.
edit des éléments que l’on peut espérer mieux établis sur l’utilisation par Israël de cadavres de toute provenance en école de médecine, et sur la gestion israélienne du corps d’une partie des palestiniens tués ou morts en détention
►https://seenthis.net/messages/1029191
More than 1,000 unmarked graves discovered along EU migration routes
Bodies also piling up in morgues across continent as countries accused of failing to meet human rights obligations.
Refugees and migrants are being buried in unmarked graves across the European Union at a scale that is unprecedented outside of war.
The Guardian can reveal that at least 1,015 men, women and children who died at the borders of Europe in the past decade were buried before they were identified.
They lie in stark, often blank graves along the borders – rough white stones overgrown with weeds in Sidiro cemetery in Greece; crude wooden crosses on Lampedusa in Italy; in northern France faceless slabs marked simply “Monsieur X”; in Poland and Croatia plaques reading “NN” for name unknown.
On the Spanish island of Gran Canaria, one grave states: “Migrant boat number 4. 25/09/2022.”
The European parliament passed a resolution in 2021 that called for people who die on migration routes to be identified and recognised the need for a coordinated database to collect details of the bodies.
But across European countries the issue remains a legislative void, with no centralised data, nor any uniform process for dealing with the bodies.
Working with forensic scientists from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and other researchers, NGOs and pathologists, the Guardian and a consortium of reporters pieced together for the first time the number of migrants and refugees who died in the past decade along the EU’s borders whose names remain unknown. At least 2,162 bodies have still not been identified.
Some of these bodies are piling up in morgues, funeral parlours and even shipping containers across the continent. Visiting 24 cemeteries and working with researchers, the team found more than 1,000 nameless graves.
These, however, are the tip of the iceberg. More than 29,000 people died on European migration routes in this period, the majority of whom remain missing.
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What is the border graves project?
Hide
About the investigation
The Guardian teamed up with Süddeutsche Zeitung and eight reporters from the Border Graves Investigation who received funding from Investigative Journalism for Europe and Journalismfund Europe.
We worked with researchers at the International Committee of the Red Cross who shared exclusively their most up-to-date findings on migrant and refugee deaths registered in Spain, Malta, Greece and Italy between 2014 and 2021.
Other partners included Marijana Hameršak of the European Irregularized Migration Regime at the Periphery of the EU (ERIM) project in Croatia, Grupa Granica and Podlaskie Humanitarian Emergency Service (POPH) in Poland and Sienos Grupė in Lithuania. The journalist Maël Galisson provided data for France.
Reporters and researchers also checked death registers, interviewed prosecutors and spoke to local authorities and morgue directors, as well as visiting two dozen cemeteries to track the number of unidentified migrants and refugees who have died trying to cross into the EU in the past decade and find their graves.
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The problem is “utterly neglected”, according to Europe’s commissioner for human rights, Dunja Mijatović, who has said EU countries are failing in their obligations under international human rights law.
“The tools are there. We have the agencies and the forensic experts, but they need to be engaged [by governments],” she said. The rise of the hard right and a lack of political will were likely to further impede the development of a proper system to address “the tragedy of missing migrants”, she added.
Instead, pockets of work happen at a local level. Pathologists, for example, collect DNA samples and the few personal items found on the bodies. The clues to lives lost are meagre: loose change in foreign currency, prayer beads, a Manchester United souvenir badge.
The lack of coordination leaves bewildered families struggling to navigate localised, often foreign bureaucracy in the search for lost relatives.
Supporting them falls to aid organisations such as the ICRC, which has recorded 16,500 requests since 2013 for information to its programme for restoring family links from people looking for relatives who went missing en route to Europe. The largest number of requests have come from Afghans, Iraqis, Somalians, Guineans and people from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea and Syria. Only 285 successful matches have been achieved.
And now even some of this support is about to disappear. As governments cut their aid budgets, the ICRC has been forced to refocus its reduced resources. National Red Cross agencies will continue the family links programme but much of the ICRC’s work training police and local authorities is being cut.
A race against time
The mini set of scissors and comb worn on a chain were unique to 24-year-old Oussama Tayeb, a small talisman that reflected his job as a barber. For his cousin Abdallah, they were the hope that he had been found.
Tayeb set sail last year from the north-west of Algeria just before 8pm on Christmas Day. Onboard with him were 22 neighbours who had clubbed together to pay for the boat they had hoped would take them to Spain.
His family has been searching for him since. Abdallah, who lives in France, fears it is a race against time.
Spanish police introduced a database in 2007 in which data and genetic samples from unidentified remains are meant to be logged. In practice, the system breaks down when it comes to families searching for missing relatives, who have no clear information about how to access it.
The family had provided a DNA sample soon after Tayeb’s disappearance. With no news by February, they travelled to southern Spain for a second time to search for him. At the morgue in Almería, a forensic doctor reacted to Tayeb’s photo, saying he looked familiar. She recalled a necklace, but said the man she was thinking of was believed to have died in a jet ski accident.
“It was a really intense moment because we knew that Oussama was wearing a jet ski lifejacket,” Abdallah said.
Even with the knowledge that Tayeb’s body may have been found, his cousin was unable to see the corpse lying in the morgue without a police officer. Abdallah remembered the shocking callousness with which he was greeted at one of the many police stations he tried. “One policeman told us that if ‘they don’t want to disappear, they shouldn’t have taken a boat to Spain’.”
Looming over Abdallah’s continuing search is a practical pressure mentioned by the Spanish pathologist: bodies in the morgue are usually kept for a year and then buried, whether identified or not. “We only want an answer. If we see the chain, this would be like a death certificate. It’s so heartbreaking. It’s like we’re leaving Oussama in the fridge and we can’t do anything about it,” he said.
‘Here lies a brother who lost his life’
The local authorities that receive the most bodies are often on small islands and are increasingly saying they cannot cope.
They warn that an already inadequate system is going backwards. Spain’s Canary Islands have reported a record 35,410 men, women and children reaching the archipelago by boat this year. In recent months, most of these vessels have sought to land on the tiny, remote island of El Hierro. In the past six weeks alone, seven unidentified people were buried on the island.
The burial vaults of 15 unidentified people who were found dead on a rickety wooden vessel in 2020, in the town of Agüimes on Gran Canaria, bear identical plaques that read simply: “Here lies a brother who lost his life trying to reach our shores.”
In the Muslim section of Lanzarote’s Teguise cemetery, the graves of children are marked with circles of stones. They include the grave of a baby believed to have been stillborn on a deadly crossing from Morocco in 2020. Alhassane Bangoura’s body was separated from his mother during the rescue and was buried in an unmarked grave. His name is only recorded informally, engraved on a bowl by locals moved by his plight.
It is the same story in the other countries at the edge of the EU; unmarked graves dotted along their frontiers standing testament to the crisis. Along the land borders, in Croatia, Poland, Lithuania, the numbers of unmarked graves are fewer but still they are there, blank stones or sometimes an NN marked on plaques.
In France, the anonymous inscription “X” stands out in cemeteries in Calais. The numbers seem low compared with those found along the southern coastal borders: 35 out of 242 migrants and refugees who died on the Franco-British border since 2014 remain unidentified. The high proportion of the dead identified reflects the fact that people spend time waiting before attempting the Channel crossing so there are often contacts still in France able to name those who die.
Fragments of hope
Leaked footage of Polish border guards laughing at a young man hanging upside down, trapped by his foot, stuck in the razor wire on the top of the 180km (110-mile) steel border fence separating Belarus from Poland caused a brief social media storm.
But the moment he is caught in the searchlights, his frightened face briefly frozen, has haunted 50-year-old Kafya Rachid for the past year. She is sure the man is her missing child, Mohammed Sabah, who was 22 when she last saw him alive.
Sabah had flown from his home in Iraqi Kurdistan in the autumn of 2021 to Belarus, for which he had a visa. He was successfully taken across the EU border by smugglers but was detained about 50km (30 miles) into Poland and deported back to Belarus.
Waiting to cross again, his messages suddenly stopped. The family had been coming to terms with the fact he was probably dead. Then the video surfaced. With little else to go on, fragments such as this give families hope.
Sabah’s parents, as so often happens, were unable to get visas to travel to the EU. Instead, Rekaut Rachid, an uncle of Sabah who has lived in London since 1999, has made three trips to Poland to try to find him.
Rachid believes the Polish authorities lied to him when they told him the man in the video was Egyptian, and this keeps him searching. “They are hiding something. Five per cent of me thinks maybe he died. But 95% of me thinks he is in prison somewhere in Poland,” he said, adding: “My sister calls every day to ask if I think he is still alive. I don’t know how to answer.”
Shipping container morgues
In a corner of the hospital car park in the Greek city of Alexandroupolis, two battered refrigerated shipping containers stand next to some rubbish bins. Inside are the bodies of 40 people.
The border from Turkey into Greece over the Evros River nearby is only a 10- to 20-minute crossing, but people cross at night when their small rubber boats can easily hit a tree and capsize. Corpses decompose quickly in the riverbed mud, so that facial characteristics, clothing and any documents that might help identify them are rapidly destroyed.
Twenty of the corpses in the containers are the charred remains of migrants who died in wildfires that consumed this part of Greece during the summer’s heatwave. Identification has proved exceptionally difficult, with only four of the dead named to date.
Prof Pavlos Pavlidis, the forensic pathologist for the area, works to determine the cause of death, to collect DNA samples and to catalogue any personal effects that might help relatives identify their loved ones at a later date.
The temporary container morgues in Alexandroupolis are on loan from the ICRC. The humanitarian agency has loaned another container to the island of Lesbos, another migration hotspot, for the same purpose.
Lampedusa does not have that luxury. “There are no morgues and no refrigerated units,” said Salvatore Vella, the Sicilian head prosecutor who leads investigations into shipwrecks off its coast. “Once placed in body bags, the bodies of migrants are transferred to Sicily. Burial is managed by individual towns. It has happened that migrants have sometimes been buried in sort of mass graves within cemeteries.”
The scale of the problem was becoming so acute, said Filippo Furri, an anthropologist and an associate researcher at Mecmi, a group that examines deaths during migration, that “there have been cases of coffins abandoned in cemetery warehouses due to lack of space, or bodies that remain in hospital morgues”.
‘It’s not only a technical difficulty but also a political one’
“If you count the relatives of those who are missing, hundreds of thousands of people are impacted. They don’t know where their loved ones are. Were they well treated, were they respected when they were buried? That’s what preys on families’ minds,” said Laurel Clegg, the ICRC forensic coordinator for migration in Europe. “We have an obligation to provide the dead with a dignified burial; and [to address] the other side, providing answers to families through identification of the dead.”
She said keeping track of the dead relied on lots of parts working well together: a legal framework that protected the unidentified dead, consistent postmortems, morgues, registries, dignified transport and cemeteries.
The systems are inadequate, however, despite the EU parliament resolution. There are still no common rules about what information should be collected, nor a centralised place to store this information. The political focus is on catching the smugglers rather than finding out who their victims are.
A spokesperson for the European Commission said the rights and dignity of refugees and migrants had to be addressed alongside tackling people smuggling. They said each member state was responsible individually for how it dealt with those who died on its borders, but that the commission was working to improve coordination and protocols and “regrets the loss of every human life” .
In Italy, significant efforts have been made to identify the dead from a couple of well-reported, large-scale disasters. Cristina Cattaneo, the head of the laboratory of forensic anthropology and odontology (Labanof) at the University of Milan, has spent years working to identify the dead from a shipwreck in 2015 in which more than 1,000 people lost their lives.
Raising the wreck to retrieve the bodies has cost €9.5m (£8.1m) already. Organising the 30,000 mixed bones into identifiable remains of 528 bodies has been a herculean task. Only six victims have so far been issued official death certificates.
As political positions on irregular migration have hardened, experts are finding official enthusiasm for their complex work has diminished. “It’s not only a technical difficulty but also a political one,” Cattaneo said.
In Sicily, Vella has been investigating a fishing boat that sank in October 2019. It was carrying 49 people, mostly from Tunisia. Just a few miles off shore, a group onboard filmed themselves celebrating their imminent arrival in Europe before the boat ran out of fuel and capsized. The Italian coastguard rescued 22 people but 27 others lost their lives.
Coastguard divers, using robots, captured images of bodies floating near the vessel, but were unable to recover all of them. The footage circulated around the world. A group of Tunisian women who had been searching for their sons contacted the Italian authorities and were given permits to travel to meet the prosecutor, who showed them more footage.
One mother, Zakia Hamidi, recognised her 18-year-old son, Fheker. It was a searing experience for both her and Vella: “At that moment, I realised the difference between a mother, torn apart by grief, but who at least will return home with her child’s body, and those mothers who will not have a body to mourn. It is something heartbreaking.”
The torture of not knowing
The grief that people feel when they have no certainty about the fate of their missing relatives has a very particular intensity.
Dr Pauline Boss, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Minnesota in the US, was the first to describe this “ambiguous loss”. “You are stuck, immobilised, you feel guilty if you begin again because that would mean accepting the person is dead. Grieving is frozen, your decision-making is frozen, you can’t work out the facts, can’t answer the questions,” she said.
Not knowing often has severe practical consequences too. Spouses may not be able to exercise their parental rights, inherit assets or claim welfare support or pensions without a death certificate. Orphans cannot be adopted by extended family without one either.
Sometimes relatives are left in the dark for years. A decade on from a shipwreck disaster in 2013, bereaved families continue to gather in Lampedusa every year, still searching for answers. Among them this year was a Syrian woman, Sabah al-Joury, whose son Abdulqader was on the boat. She said that not knowing where he ended up was like having “an open wound”.
Sabah’s family said the torture of not being able to find out what happened to him was “like dying everyday”. Abdallah thinks he must make another trip from Paris to southern Spain before the end of the year. “What is difficult is not to have the body, not to be able to bury him,” he said.
Rituals around death were indicative of a deep human need, said Boss. “The most important thing is for the name to be marked somewhere, so the family can visit, and the missing can be remembered. A name means you were on this Earth, not forgotten.”
▻https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2023/dec/08/revealed-more-than-1000-unmarked-graves-discovered-along-eu-migration-r
#migrations #asile #réfugiés #frontières #mourir_aux_frontières #tombes #fosses_communes #Europe #morts_aux_frontières #enterrement #cimetières #morgues #chiffres
The Border Graves Investigation
More than 1,000 migrants who died trying to enter Europe lie buried in nameless graves. EU migration policy has failed the dead and the living.
A cross-border team of eight journalists has confirmed the existence of 1,015 unmarked graves of migrants buried in 65 cemeteries over the past decade across Spain, Italy, Greece, Malta, Poland, Lithuania, France, and Croatia. The reporters visited more than half of them.
Unidentified migrants lay to rest in cemeteries in olive groves, on hilltops, in dense forests, and along remote highways. Each unmarked grave represents a person who lost their life en route to Europe, and a fate that will remain forever unknown to their loved ones.
This months-long investigation underlines that Europe’s migration policies have failed more than a thousand people who have died in transit and the families who survive them.
In 2021, the European Parliament passed a resolution recognsing the need for a “coordinated European approach” for “prompt and effective identification processes” for bodies found on EU borders. Yet in 2022, the Council of Europe called this area a “legislative void”.
These failures mean that the responsibility of memorialising unidentified victims often ends up falling to individual municipalities, cemetery keepers and local good Samaritans, with many victims buried without any attempt at identification.
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In the absence of official data from European and national governments, the Border Graves Investigation collaborated with The Guardian and Suddeutsche Zeitung to count 2,162 unidentified deaths of migrants across eight countries in Europe between 2014 and 2023.
The cross-border team conducted over 60 interviews in six languages. They spoke with families of the missing and deceased, whose loved ones left for Europe from Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iraqi Kurdistan, Algeria and Sri Lanka.
They revealed the institutional and bureaucratic hurdles of searching for bodies and burying the remains of those that are found. One mother compared her unresolved grief to an “open wound,” and an uncle said it was like “dying every day”.
To understand the complex legal, medical and political landscape of death in each country, the journalists spoke with coroners, grave keepers, forensic doctors, international and local humanitarian groups, government officials, a European MEP and the Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner.
The in-depth investigation reveals that the European Union is violating migrants’ last rights. The stories below show how.
The team
The Border Graves Investigation team consists of Barbara Matejčić, Daphne Tolis, Danai Maragoudaki, Eoghan Gilmartin, Gabriela Ramirez, Gabriele Cruciata, Leah Pattem, and is coordinated by Tina Xu. The project was supported by the IJ4EU fund and JournalismFund Europe.
Gabriele Cruciata is a Rome-based award-winning journalist specialising in podcasts and investigative and narrative journalism. He also works as a fixer, producer, journalism consultant, and trainer.
Gabriele Cruciata IG @gab_cruciata
Leah Pattem is a Spain-based journalist and photographer specialising in politics, migration and community stories. Leah is also the founder and editor of the popular local media platform Madrid No Frills.
X @leahpattem
IG @madridnofrills
Eoghan Gilmartin is a Spain-based freelance journalist specialising in news, politics and migration. His work has appeared in Jacobin Magazine, The Guardian, Tribune and Open Democracy.
X @EoghanGilmartin
Muck Rack: Eoghan Gilmartin
Gabriela Ramirez is an award-winning multimedia journalist specialising in migration, human rights, ocean conservation, and climate issues, always through a gender-focused lens. Currently serving as the Multimedia & Engagement Editor at Unbias The News.
X @higabyramirez
Linkedin Gabriela Ramirez
Instagram @higabyramirez
Barbara Matejčić is a Croatian award-winning freelance journalist, non-fiction writer and audio producer focused on social affairs and human rights
Website: ▻http://barbaramatejcic.com
FB: ▻https://www.facebook.com/barbara.matejcic.1
Instagram: @barbaramatejcic
Danai Maragoudaki is a Greek journalist based in Athens. She works for independent media outlet Solomon and is a member of their investigative team. Her reporting focuses on transparency, finance, and digital threats.
FB: ▻https://www.facebook.com/danai.maragoudaki
X: @d_maragoudaki
IG: @danai_maragoudaki
Daphne Tolis is an award-winning documentary producer/filmmaker and multimedia journalist based in Athens. She has produced and hosted timely documentaries for VICE Greece and has directed TV documentaries for the EBU and documentaries for the MSF and IFRC. Since 2014 she has been working as a freelance producer and journalist in Greece for the BBC, Newsnight, VICE News Tonight, ABC News, PBS Newshour, SRF, NPR, Channel 4, The New York Times Magazine, ARTE, DW, ZDF, SVT, VPRO and others. She has reported live for DW News, BBC News, CBC News, ABC Australia, and has been a guest contributor on various BBC radio programs, Times Radio, Morning Ireland, RTE, NPR’s ‘Morning Edition’, and others.
X: ▻https://twitter.com/daphnetoli
Instagram: ▻https://www.instagram.com/daphne_tolis/?hl=en
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/daphne-tolis
Tina Xu is a multimedia journalist and filmmaker working at the intersection of migration, mental health, socially engaged arts, and civil society. Her stories often interrogate the three-way street between people, policy, and power. She received the Excellence in Environmental Reporting Award from Society of Publishers in Asia in 2021, was a laureate of the European Press Prize Innovation Award in 2021 and 2022, and shortlisted for the One World Media Refugee Reporting Award in 2022.
X: @tinayingxu
IG: @tinayingxu
▻https://www.investigativejournalismforeu.net/projects/border-graves
1000 Lives, 0 Names: The Border Graves Investigation. How the EU is failing migrants’ last rights
What happens to those who die in their attempts to reach the European Union? How are their lives marked, how can their families honor them? How do governments recognize their existence and their basic rights as human beings?
Our cross-border team confirmed 1,015 unmarked graves of migrants in 65 cemeteries buried over the last 10 years across Spain, Italy, Greece, Malta, Poland, Lithuania, France, and Croatia. We visited over half of them.
Each unmarked grave represents a person who lost their life en route to Europe, and a fate that remains painfully unknown to their loved ones.
In 2021, the European Parliament passed a resolution recognizing the need for a “coordinated European approach” for “prompt and effective identification processes” for bodies found on EU borders. Yet last year, the Council of Europe called this area a “legislative void.”
In the absence of official data from European and national governments, the Border Graves Investigation counted 2,162 unidentified deaths of migrants across eight countries in Europe from 2014-2023.
Our cross-border team conducted over 60 interviews in six languages. We spoke with families of the missing and deceased, whose loved ones left for Europe from Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iraqi Kurdistan, Algeria, and Sri Lanka. They spoke about the institutional and bureaucratic hurdles of searching for, and if found, burying a body.
One mother compared the unresolved grief to an “open wound,” and an uncle said it was like “dying every day.”
Here is how Europe violates the “last rights” of migrants.
Widowed by Europe’s borders
“No water, I think I’ll die, I love you.” This is the last text Sanooja received from her husband, who disappeared after a pushback into the dense forest that stretches between Belarus, Lithuania, and Poland. For families searching for missing loved ones, the EU inflicts a second death of identity and acknowledgment.
Samrin and Sanooja were high school classmates. Both born in 1990, they grew up together in Kalpitiya, a town of 80,000 on the tip of a small peninsula in Sri Lanka. When Samrin first asked Sanooja out in the ninth grade, she said no. But years later, when her roommates snuck through her diary, they asked about the boy in all her stories.
When they turned 20, Sanooja was studying to be a teacher, while Samrin left town for work. After six years of video calls and heart emoji-laden selfies, Samrin returned home in 2017 and they got married, her in a white headscarf and indigo-sleeved dress, him in a matching indigo suit. Their son Haashim was born a year later. They called each other “thangam,” or gold.
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https://unbiasthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/09c7d749-8a1c-4d2b-ae20-87d130895944-650x650.jpeg She hoped the birth of their son meant that Samrin would stay close by from now on. They took their son to the beach, to the zoo. Then the 2019 economic crisis hit, the worst since the country’s independence in 1948. There were daily blackouts, a shortage of fuel, and runaway inflation. In 2022, protests rocked the country, and the government claimed bankruptcy.
Samrin was a difficult person to fall in love with, says Sanooja, because he was so ambitious. Sanooja smiles bitterly over a video call from her home in Kalpitiya. The sun filters through the mango tree in the yard, where the two often sat together and made plans for their future.
But part of loving him, she explains, meant supporting him even in his hardest decisions. One of these decisions was to take a plane to Moscow, then to travel to Europe and send money home. “He went to keep us happy, to make us good.”
Their last day together, Sanooja surprised him with a cake: Sky blue icing, an airplane made of fondant, ascending from an earth made of chocolate sprinkles. In big letters: “Love you and will miss you. Have a safe journey, Thangam.” In their last photos together, Haashim sits laughing on Samrin’s lap as he cuts the cake. That night, Samrin squeezed his son and wept. The next day he put on a pair of blue Converse All-Stars, packed a black backpack, and set out. It was June 26, 2022. He had just turned 32 years old.
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https://unbiasthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/unnamed-1-e1701993313158-650x650.jpg Things did not go according to plan. He boarded a bus from St. Petersburg to Helsinki, but the fake Schengen visa they paid so much for was rejected at the Finnish border. Sanooja told him he could always come home. But in order to finance the journey, they had sold a plot of Samrin’s land and Sanooja’s jewelry, and borrowed money from friends. Samrin decided there was no turning back. He pivoted to plan B: He could go to Belarus, where he didn’t need a visa, and cross the border to Lithuania, in the Schengen zone.
When Samrin checked into the Old Town Trio Hotel in Vilnius on August 16, 2022, the first thing he did was call home: He had survived the forest. Sanooja was relieved to hear his voice. He told her about the eight days crossing the forest between Belarus and Lithuania, the mud up to his knees. Days without food, drinking dirty water. He told her especially about the pains in his stomach as he walked in the forest, due to his recent surgery to remove kidney stones. Sometimes he would urinate blood.
But he was in the European Union. He bought a plane ticket for a departure to Paris in four days, the city where he hoped to make his new life. What happened next is unclear. This is what Sanooja knows:
On the third day, Samrin walked into the hotel lobby, and the manager called security. Plainclothes officers shuttled him into a car and whisked him 50 kilometers back once more to the Belarusian border. In less than 72 hours, Samrin found himself trapped again in the forest he had fought to escape.
It was already dark when Samrin was left alone in the woods. He had no backpack, sleeping bag, or food. His phone was running out of battery. The next morning, Samrin came online briefly to send Sanooja a final message on WhatsApp: “No water, I think I’ll die. Trangam, I love you.”
That was the beginning of a deafening silence that stretched four and a half months. When she gets to this part of the story, Sanooja, ever talkative and articulate, apologizes that she simply cannot describe it. Her eyes glaze and flit upward.
The Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Dunja Mijatović asserts that families have a “right to truth” surrounding the fates of their loved ones who disappear en route to Europe. In 2021, the European Parliament passed a resolution calling for “prompt and effective identification processes” to connect the bodies of those who perished to those searching for them. Two years on, Mijatović tells us not much has been done, and the issue is a “legislative void.”
As part of the Border Graves Investigation, conducted with a cross-border team of eight freelance journalists across Europe in collaboration with Unbias the News, The Guardian and Sueddeutche Zeitung, we followed the stories of those who have disappeared in the forest that covers the borders in Eastern Europe, between Belarus and the EU (Lithuania, Poland, Latvia).
We spoke with their families, as well as over a dozen humanitarian workers, lawyers, and policymakers from organizations in Poland, Lithuania, and Belarus, to piece together the question of what happens after something goes fatally wrong on Europe’s eastern border—and who is responsible.
Who counts the dead?
The forest along the Belarussian border is a dense landscape of underbrush, moss and swamps, and encompasses one of the largest ancient forest areas left in Europe.
Spanning hundreds of square kilometers across the borders with Lithuania and Poland, the forest became an unexpected hotspot when Belarus began issuing visas and opening direct flights to Minsk in the summer of 2021. This power play between Belarussian President Lukashenko and his EU neighbors has been called a “political game” in which migrants are the pawns.
Since 2021, thousands of people, mostly from the Middle East and Africa, have sought to enter the EU from Belarus via its borders in Poland and Lithuania. Hundreds of people have been caught in a one-kilometer no man’s land between Belarusian territory and the EU border fence, chased back and forth by border guards on both sides under threat of violence. Belarusian guards reportedly threatened to release dogs, and photographs emerged of bite wounds.
Since 2021, Poland and Lithuania have ramped up on “pushbacks,” in which border guards deport people immediately without the opportunity to ask for asylum, a process that is growing in popularity across Europe despite violating international law. Poland reports having conducted 78,010 pushbacks since the start of the crisis, and Lithuania 21,857. Samrin was apparently one of these cases.
While these two countries publish precise daily statistics for pushbacks, they do not publish data for deaths at the border, nor people reported missing.
“National states want to do this job secretly,” explains Tomas Tomilinas, a member of the Lithuanian Parliament. “We are on the margins of the law and constitution here, any government pushing people back is trying to avoid publicity on this topic.”
Official data is an intentional void. Both the Polish and Lithuanian Border Guards declined to share any numbers with us. However, there are organizations striving to keep count: Humanitarian groups in Poland, including Grupa Granica (“Border Group” in Polish) and Podlaskie Humanitarian Emergency Service (POPH), have documented 52 deaths on the Poland-Belarus border since 2021, and are tracking 16 unidentified bodies.
In Lithuania, the humanitarian group Sienos Grupė (“Border Group” in Lithuanian) has documented 10 deaths, including three minors who died while in detention centers, and three others who died in car accidents when chased by local authorities after crossing the border region. In Belarus, the NGO Human Constanta reports that 33 have died according to government data shared with them, but it was not recorded whether these bodies have been identified, and whether or where they are buried.
On the borders between Poland, Lithuania and Belarus, humanitarian groups have compiled a list of more than 300 people reported missing. The organizations emphasize that their numbers are incomplete, as they have neither the access nor the capacity to monitor the full extent of the problem.
Where to turn?
It was already past midnight in Sri Lanka when Samrin stopped responding to messages. From 8,000 km away, Sanooja tried to call for help. She found his last known coordinates on Find My iPhone, a blue dot in Trokenikskiy, Grodno region, just across the Belarus side of the border, and tried to report him missing.
The Lithuanian and Belarussian border guards picked up the phone. She begged them to find him, even if it meant arresting or deporting him. They responded that he had to call himself. It was baffling: How can a missing person call to report themselves?
She called the migrant detention camps, where people are often detained without access to a phone for months. Maybe he was locked up somewhere. As soon as she said “hello,” they responded, “no English,” and hung up. She emailed them instead, no response. She emailed UNHCR and the Red Cross Society. Both institutions said they had no information about the case. She emailed the police, who responded a week later that they had no information.
Sanooja had run into the rude reality that there is no authority responsible for nor prepared to respond to such inquiries. Even organizations dedicated to working with migrants, such as the migrant detention camp staff, would or could not respond to basic queries in English.
International humanitarian organizations, too, are almost absent in the region. Compared to the Mediterranean countries of Spain, Italy, and Greece, which have had a decade to organize to respond to mass deaths on their border, the presence of formal aid in Eastern Europe is much smaller.
Weeks passed, and in the terrible silence, every possibility behind her husband’s disappearance invaded Sanooja’s mind. Four-year-old Haashim began to cry out for his father every night, who used to wake him up with kisses. When they lost contact, Haashim often wet the bed and refused to go to school. “He must have had some intuition about his father,” said Sanooja.
Then Sanooja began to wonder if he could be in another country in the region: Latvia? Poland? She broadened her search to all four countries. There was no Sri Lankan Embassy in Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, or Latvia, so she emailed the closest one in Sweden. Then, she went on Facebook. That’s how she found the account of Sienos Grupė, and sent them a message.
Like many local humanitarian groups across the region, Sienos Grupė is a small team of four part-time staff and around 30 volunteers. The group banded together in 2021 to respond to calls for help through WhatsApp and Facebook and drop off vital supplies in the forest, such as food, water, power banks, and dry clothes.
“There is a body, please go”
Local volunteer groups were doing their best to aid the living, but it wasn’t long before they were being contacted to find the missing or the dead.
On the Polish border, everyone has heard of Piotr Czaban. A local journalist and activist, his contact is shared among migrants attempting to cross the border. He is known as the man who can help find the bodies of people left behind in the woods, a reputation he has lived up to many times. The demands of the work have led him to leave his full-time job.
He sits on the edge of a weathered log in a forest near Sokolka, a city near the Poland-Belarus border region where he lives. Navigating the thick undergrowth with ease in jeans and trekking boots, he recounts the first search he coordinated back in February 2022. He received a message on Facebook from a Syrian man in Belarus: “There is a body in the forest, here is the place, please go.”
Piotr was taken off guard. He asked his friends in the police what to do, and they told him the best way was to go himself, take photos, and then call the police. However, the border guards had closed the border region to all non-residents, including journalists and humanitarian workers, so he couldn’t pass the police checkpoints for the area where the body lay.
So Piotr made another call. This time to Rafal Kowalczyk, the 53-year-old director of the Mammal Research Institute, who has worked in the Bialowieza Forest for three decades. (“In my previous TV job, I interviewed him about bison, and thought he was a good man,” said Piotr by way of introduction).
Rafal was up for the task. As a wildlife expert, he had access to the restricted forest area, and now he ventured into the woods not to track bison, but to follow the clues sent by a despairing Syrian man.
In the swamp, Rafal found 26-year-old Ahmed Al-Shawafi from Yemen, barefoot and half-submerged in the water, one shoe in the mud nearby.
It was difficult for Rafal to point his camera at the face of a dead man, but he did, and this image still haunts him. Piotr forwarded the photos Rafal had taken to the police, with a straightforward message: “We know there’s a body there. Now you have to go.”
But what if Ahmed could have been found earlier, even alive?
“The police have no competence”
Until there is a photo of a dead body, police and border guards have often declined to search for missing or dead migrants.
Ahmed’s traveling companions, including the man who contacted Piotr, had personally begged Polish border guards for emergency medical aid for Ahmed. They had left Ahmed by the river in the throes of hypothermia to ask for help. Instead of calling paramedics, or searching for Ahmed at all, the border guards pushed the group back to Belarus, leaving Ahmed to die alone in the forest.
In our investigation, we heard of at least three other deaths that are eerily similar to Ahmed’s: Ethiopian woman Mahlet Kassa, 28; Syrian man Mohammed Yasim, 32; and Yemeni man Dr. Ibrahim Jaber Ahmed Dihiya, 33. In all three cases, traveling companions approached Polish officers for emergency medical attention, but instead got pushed back themselves. Help never arrived.
Each time the activists receive a report of a missing or dead person, they first share this information with the police. Piotr says he has received responses from the police, including, “We’re busy,” or “Not our problem.”
After police were provided with the photos and exact GPS location of Ahmed’s body, they called back to say they still couldn’t find him. When Rafal turned his car around to personally lead the police to his body, he found out why: The police had ventured into the swamp without waterproof boots or even a GPS to navigate in a forest where there is often no cell connection.
“The police are unequipped,” said Rafal, full of disbelief. Two years on from the crisis, the police still do not have the proper basic equipment nor training to conduct searches for people missing or dead in the forest. He recounts that in one trip to retrieve a body with police, they could only walk 300 meters in one hour, and one officer had lost the sole of his shoes in the mud.
The Polish police responded to our email, “The police is not a force with the competence to deal with persons illegally crossing borders.” As a result, eight of 22 bodies found this year on the Polish side of the border were discovered by volunteers like Piotr and Rafal.
On the Lithuanian side, Sienos Grupė says there are no such searches. “We are afraid there are many bodies in Lithuanian forests and the area between the fence and Belarus, but we are not allowed there,” says Aušrinė, a 23-year-old medicine student and Sienos Grupė volunteer in Lithuania. “Nobody is looking for them.”
“In two weeks, there is nothing there”
Rafal sits down in a wooden lodge on the edge of the forest and orders tea for himself while his two young children play on a tablet. It was his turn with the kids, he explains in a deep voice. His wife came home at four in the morning, after spending the whole night volunteering with POPH on a search for a man with diabetes in the forest.
He feared that time was running out. We met with Rafal on Thursday evening. The man was found on Saturday morning, already dead. He is the 51st death recorded in Poland this year.
In the forest, each search is a race against both time and wild animals.
The winter may preserve a body for two months, but in the summer, the time frame is much shorter. A few times, Rafal has come across mere skeletons. He explains, “When there is a smell, the scavengers go immediately. When you’ve got summer and flies, probably in two weeks, it’s done, there’s nothing there.”
In such advanced stages of decomposition, the body is exponentially more difficult to identify. However, DNA can be collected from bone fragments, in case families come searching. If they’re lucky, there are objects found close by: glasses, clothes, or jewelry. In one case, a family portrait found near the body was the key to identification.
However, the Suwałki Prosecutor’s Office in Poland explained to us that the Prosecutor’s Offices keep no central register of data on deceased migrants, such as DNA, personal belongings, or photographs.
“As a wife, I know his eyes”
Four and a half months after Samrin disappeared, Sanooja’s phone rang. It was January 5, 2023. She will never forget the voice of the man that spoke. He was calling from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sri Lanka, and informed her that her husband’s DNA had been matched to a body found in the Lithuanian forest. Interpol had drawn Samrin’s biometric data from the UK.
She considers it fate that the dots came together this way. When they were 20 years old, Samrin’s father passed away, and Samrin left for London on a student visa. Instead of studying, he washed dishes at McDonald’s and KFC, and stocked shelves at Aldi, Lidl, and Iceland. When his visa expired, he lived a clandestine existence, evading the authorities. At age 26, the Home Office arrested him, took his DNA, and deported him. This infraction turned out to be an unexpected lifeline for his identification.
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https://unbiasthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/WhatsApp-Image-2023-11-23-at-16.25.01_3874e9db-650x650.jpg “Getting the message that my husband was no more, that was nothing compared to those four and a half months,” said Sanooja. She had begun to fear that she would have to live with “lifelong doubt” around Samrin’s fate. Now she knew that four days after Samrin sent his goodbye message, his body was pulled from a river on the Lithuanian side of the border.
Sanooja has read the police report countless times now: On August 21, 2022, witness Saulius Zakarevičius went for a morning swim in the Neris River. After bathing, he saw something floating. Through binoculars, he was able to decipher human clothes. The river bank is covered with tall grass. At the end of the patch there was a male corpse lying face down. The surface of the skin was swollen, pale, chaotically covered with pink lines, resembling the surface of marble. The skin was peeling from the palms of the corpse…
She was asked to identify the corpse.
“As a wife, I know him. I know his eyes. To see them on a dead body, that was terrible.”
Sanooja
In photos of his personal items, she instantly recognized Samrin’s shoes: a muddy pair of blue Converse All-Stars, with the laces looped just the way he always did.
To be able to transport a dead body from Europe to any other part of the world, families must face the financial challenge of costs up to 10,000 euros. But the decision was not only about money for Sanooja. It was about time and dreams.
For one, she believed that he had suffered enough. “As Muslims, we believe that even dead bodies can feel pain,” she says softly. “I felt broken that he was in the mortuary, feeling the cold for four and a half months.”
And perhaps most of all, she recites what Samrin had told her before he left: “If I go, this time I’m not coming back.” In the end, Sanooja relied on her husband’s last will. “His dream was to be in Europe. So, at least his body will rest in Europe.”
“Graves without a plate”
Samrin’s death was the first border death publicly recognized by the Lithuanian government. Despite being the first, he did not receive any distinctive attention, and his resting place remained an unmarked mound of earth for more than eight months.
On a hot summer day in July, co-founder of Sienos Grupė, Mantautas Šulskus brings a green watering can and measuring tape to our visit to the Vilnius cemetery where Samrin was buried in February. Green grass is sprouting all over Samrin’s grave. But it is not the only one.
There are three smaller graves lined in a row. Among them, an eleven-year-old, a five-year-old, and a newborn baby rest side by side, their lives cut short in 2021. “These are three minors who died in detention centers in Lithuania,” Mantautas points out somberly.
These cases have not been officially acknowledged by Lithuanian authorities, and none of the graves of the minors bear a name, even though their identities were also known to authorities. This lack of recognition paints a haunting picture, suggesting a second, silent death—a death of identity and acknowledgment.
Bodies are sent to municipal or village governments to bury, and if they do not receive explicit instructions to create a plate, they often opt not to. As a result, the nameless graves of migrants are scattered across cemeteries in the region.
Yet Mantautas is here in the scorching heat to measure a stone plate nearby in the Muslim corner of the cemetery. Sanooja saw it during a video call with Sienos Grupė volunteers, so that she could pray virtually at her husband’s grave. She asked for a plate with Samrin’s name on it—“just exactly like that one there,” she pointed.
After some months, Sienos Grupė crowdfunded around 1,500 euros to buy and place stone plates for all four graves. The graves of Samrin and the three children now have names: Yusof Ibrahim Ali, Asma Jawadi, and Fatima Manazarova.
Resting at the feet of the grave is a plate made of stone bearing the inscription “M.S.M.M. Samrin, 1990-2022, Sri Lanka,” precisely as Sanooja has requested. She explains that, according to Islamic beliefs, this will ensure that her husband will rise when the last days come.
Hidden graves, unknown bodies
The chilling thing, Mantautas explains, is nobody knows how many graves of migrants there might be, except for the government, which buries them quietly, often in remote villages.
Organizations like Sienos Grupė find themselves grasping in the dark for leads. Last month, volunteers came across the grave of Lakshmisundar Sukumaran, an Indian man reported dead in April “quite by accident,” says Mantautas. The revelation came on the Eve of All Saint’s Day, when activists preparing for a control ran into a local returning from a visit to his mother’s grave: “There is a migrant buried in town.”
Indeed, Sukumaran’s grave stands alone in an isolated corner of a small cemetery in Rameikos, a village of 25 people on the Lithuanian-Belarus border. Set apart from crosses of various sizes, a vertical piece of wood bears the inscription: “Lakshmisundar Sukumaran 1983.06.05 – 2023.04.04.” The border fence is visible from his grave. The earth is decorated by the colorful leaves of Lithuanian autumn.
Sienos Grupė maintains a list of at least 40 people reported missing on the Lithuania-Belarus border, information the government does not record. When bodies are found, they strive to connect the dots: Location, gender, age, ethnicity, possessions, birthmarks, anything. But if authorities do not report when a body is found, the chances of locating anybody on this list are small.
Emiljia Śvobaitė, a lawyer and volunteer from Sienos Grupė, explains that the Lithuanian government will only confirm whether something they already know is correct. “It seems like they are hiding these kinds of stories and information unless somebody exposes it. They would only confirm the deaths after activists have said something about it.”
“No political will”
The Lithuanian Parliament building, known as the Seimas Palace, is an imposing glass-and-concrete building in downtown Vilnius. It is where the Lithuanians declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. From an office with a view over the square, Member of Parliament Tomas Tomilinas wryly explains that their government has legalized pushbacks essentially because Europe has not established that it’s illegal.
“I would say Europe has no political will to make pushbacks illegal. If there were a European law, the European Commission would put a ban on it. It would put a fine on Lithuania. But nobody’s doing that.”
Member of Lithuanian Parliament, Tomas Tomilinas
The Polish parliament legalized pushbacks in October 2021, and the Lithuanian parliament followed suit by legalizing pushbacks in April this year.
Emiljia raises concerns about the violence of pushbacks her clients have seen. “The government keeps telling us they do everything really nicely. They give people food, and even wave goodbye to them, in the daytime. But when we look at specific cases, where people end up without their limbs on them, those pushbacks are performed at night.”
She also raises concerns about legalized pushbacks in Lithuania, and whether border guards should be given the right to assess and deny asylum claims on the spot. “It’s funny because border guards should decide right away on the border whether a person is running from persecution, meaning a border guard should identify the conflict in the country of origin, and do all the work that the migration department is doing.”
“It’s naive to believe that the system would work.”
Fighting back in court
With the help of Sienos Grupė’s support for legal expenses, Sanooja took the case to court. If the Lithuanian officials wouldn’t speak with her, perhaps they would speak to lawyers.
Yet last month, Sanooja’s case was closed for the final time by the Vilnius Regional Prosecutor’s Office after seven appeals. The case never made it to trial.
The Vilnius court claims there is no basis for a criminal investigation. Emiljia, who was on the team representing Sanooja in the case, responds that the pre-trial investigation didn’t investigate the cause of death properly, nor how the acts of the border police might have caused or contributed to the death of the applicant’s husband.
Rytis Satkauskas, law professor, managing partner of ReLex law firm, and the lead attorney on Sanooja’s case, questions whether the Lithuanian courts are trying to hide something greater: he points to a series of inconsistencies in Samrin’s autopsy report.
Autopsies should be conducted immediately to determine the cause of death. However, Samrin’s autopsy report claims that the cause of death cannot be established because the body was in an advanced state of decomposition of up to five months.
Five months after Samrin’s death is the same time around which Sanooja got in touch to pursue the truth of the matter. Satkauskas does not think this is a coincidence: “I believe they left the body in the repository, then when they established the identity of the person, they had to do this autopsy.”
The autopsy report explains the advanced state of decomposition by referencing the marshy area in which it was found, claiming the heat of the marsh had accelerated decomposition by up to five months within a matter of days.
Satkauskas asks further: If Samrin simply drowned, then why do other measurements not add up? He references a table of measurements in the autopsy report, in which the weight and algae content of the lungs are normal. However, Satkauskas says, in cases of drowning, both weight and algae content should be much higher. “I’m convinced they have invented all those measurements,” Satkauskas puts simply.
As Sanooja’s case has exhausted all legal avenues in Lithuania, it is now eligible for appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.
Emilija points to a promising parallel: in Alhowais v. Hungary, the European Court of Human Rights ruled this February that a Hungarian border guard’s violent pushback ending in the drowning of a Syrian man violated Articles 2 and 3 of the European Convention of Human Rights, which protects the “right to life” and against “torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”
The decision came in February this year, seven years after the death of the defendant’s brother. Yet for Sanooja and her team, the case provides hope that there is a growing legal precedent for victims of pushbacks.
A battle in court for Sanooja could be a long and expensive one. The case in Vilnius courts had cost 600 euros for each of the seven appeals, and after Sanooja ran out of funds after the first case, Sienos Grupė stepped in to shoulder the costs of the appeals.
For the ECHR, it will cost 1500 euros to submit the proposal. Sanooja is exploring the possibility of raising money through NGOs or other means to continue the long quest for truth.
The window of eligibility to appeal will close in February 2024.
“Wherever I go, I have memories”
Day by day, Sanooja’s son grows to look more like Samrin.
She has tried not to cry in front of him. “It makes him upset. I am the only person now for my son, so I should be strong enough to face these things,” says the 32-year-old widow. “But wherever I go, I have memories. And everything my son does reminds me of him.”
Before Samrin’s body was found, she told her son “false stories,” but with his body now interred, she has opened up to her son about her father’s death. He understands it the way a child might—he runs around telling neighbors his father is in heaven, and it’s a great place. It will be years before he can point to where Lithuania is on a map.
Thanks to the cooperation of the Sri Lankan embassy in Sweden, Sanooja is one of the few families who have been able to receive a death certificate. She notes this will be crucial when her son enrolls for school and if they decide to sell or expand their property. However, to correct the misspelling on the document, she needs to travel to Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, which takes ten hours and nearly 10,000 rupees.
Meanwhile, Samrin’s death has ruptured the family into those who can accept the reality of his death, and those who cannot. Sanooja’s mother-in-law has ceased contact with her, unable to wrap her head around the fact that her boy is gone. When Samrin had left, he promised his mother to send money so that she would no longer have to wake up early to make pastries to sell in the morning. On the day of Samrin’s funeral, she told the family, “That is not my son.”
“What difference does it make, finding the body and burying it?” asks Pauline Boss, the Psychology Professor emeritus at the University of Minnesota who coined the term “ambiguous loss,” which encompasses the unique stress of not knowing whether someone you love is alive or dead.
Professor Boss states that burying someone is a distinct human need—not just for the dead, but for the living. “In all cases, a human being has to see their loved one transform from breathing to not breathing, and have the power and control to deal with the remains in their particular cultural way. It’s a human need, and it has been for eons.”
Yet few families are able to attend the funerals of their loved ones in Europe, for the same reason their loved ones tried to travel to Europe on such a dangerous road in the first place: inability to obtain a visa, or lack of funds.
“I hope one day I will visit, and I will show our son his father’s grave,” Sanooja declares.
When Samrin was interred into the snow-covered February earth of Liepynės cemetery in Vilnius on Valentine’s Day this year, a volunteer present at the burial offered to video call Sanooja through FaceTime.
In the grainy constellation of pixels of the phone screen in her palm, from 8,000 kilometers away, she watched her husband disappear forever into the cold European soil.
Missing data, missing souls in Italy
How Italy’s failing system makes it almost impossible for families to identify their relatives who passed away while reaching the EU.
Before the Syrian civil war erupted, Refaat Hazima was a barber in Damascus. His father, grandfather, and great-grandfather had also been barbers. Thanks to his craftsmanship, flair, and a reputation built over four generations, Refaat was a wealthy man. Together with his wife – a doctor for the national service – he could afford to have his three children study instead of sending them to work at a young age.
“They were always the top of the class,” he recalls in a nostalgic voice as he sits alone in a seaside restaurant on Lampedusa, a small Sicilian island halfway between Malta and the eastern coast of Tunisia. The rocky shores along which he now slowly enjoys eggplant served with fresh tuna were the scene of the most traumatic episode of his life.
“President Bashar al-Assad had centralized all power in his hands, and our daily life in Syria had become complicated.” Refaat was also temporarily imprisoned for political reasons. But the point of no return for him and his wife was the outbreak of civil war in 2011. It became clear that not only their children’s educational future was in jeopardy, but even the survival of their entire family.
So they decided to leave.
The couple paid smugglers more than fifty thousand dollars to attempt to reach Germany, where their children could continue their education. But amid rejections, hurdles, and hesitations that forced the family into months-long stages in different countries, Refaat and his family had to wait until 2013 to finally set sail to the European shores of Lampedusa.
Although it was autumn, the sea was calm that night. Initial concerns related to the sea conditions and the wooden boat that was all too heavily laden with humans now dissipated. In the darkness of the night sea, the shorelines and the flickering lights of street lamps and restaurants were in sight. But suddenly the boat in which they were traveling capsized.
“Everyone was screaming as we ended up in the sea,” Rafaat recalls. “I grabbed one of my children, my wife grabbed another child. But in the commotion and screaming of the nighttime shipwreck, two of my children disappeared.”
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The couple were rescued by Italian authorities and brought to the mainland along with one of their children. The other two, however, disappeared. “One of them told me Dad, give me a kiss on the forehead, and then I never saw him ever again.”
From 2013 to the present, Refaat has searched everywhere for their children. For 10 years he has been traveling, asking, and searching. He has even appeared on TV hoping one day to be reunited with them. But to this day he still does not know if his children were saved or if they are two of the 268 victims of the October 11, 2013 shipwreck, one of the worst Mediterranean disasters in the last three decades.
https://unbiasthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Italy_Lampedusa_Anniversary-Refaat-768x446.jpg 
https://unbiasthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Italy_Lampedusa_Anniversary-Refaat-phone-768x430.jpg Uncertain and partial numbers
For more than two decades, Italy has been one of the main gateways for migrants wanting to reach the European Union. Between thirty and forty thousand people have died trying to reach Italy since 2000. But despite this strategic location, authorities have never created a comprehensive register to census the dead returned from the sea, and thus sources are confusing and approximate.
In any case, the figure of bodies found is only a percentage of the people who lost their lives while attempting to cross over to Europe. In fact, the bodies of those who die at sea are rarely recovered. When this happens, they are even more rarely identified by Italian authorities.
A study conducted by the International Committee of the Red Cross tried to map the anonymous graves of migrants in various European countries and count the number of deaths recovered at sea. According to the report, between 2014 and 2019, 964 bodies of people – presumed migrants – were found in Italy, of which only 27 percent were identified. In most of the cases analyzed, identification occurred through immediate visual recognition by their fellow travelers, while those traveling without friends or relatives almost always remained anonymous.
Overall, 73 percent of the bodies recovered in Italy between 2014 and 2019 remain unknown.
A DNA test for everyone
“The vast majority of bodies end up at the bottom of the sea and are never recovered, becoming fish food,” explains Tareke Bhrane, founder of the October 3 Committee, an NGO established to protect the rights of those who die trying to reach Europe. “The Committee was born in the aftermath of the two disastrous shipwrecks on October 3 and 11, 2013 to make Italy understand that even those who die have dignity and that respecting that dignity is important not only for those who die, but also for those who survive,” Bhrane recounts.
On October 3, 2023, the Committee organized a large event on the island of Lampedusa to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the shipwreck. Dozens of families of people who died or disappeared gathered on the island, traveling from many European and Middle Eastern countries.
On the island were also forensic geneticists from Labanof, a leading forensic medicine laboratory at the University of Milan that has been working with prosecutors and law enforcement agencies for decades now to solve cases and identify unnamed bodies. Relatives of missing persons were thus able to undergo a free DNA test to find out more about their loved ones.
One of the committee’s main activities in recent years has been to lobby Sicilian municipalities for better management of anonymous graves. Thanks in part to the NGO, today almost all Sicilian provinces now house some victims of migration, often anonymous, in their cemeteries.
“Among the essential points of our mission,” Bhrane explains, “is to create a European DNA database for the recognition of victims, so that anyone who wants to can take a DNA test anywhere in Europe and find out if a loved one has lost their life trying to get here.”
Resigned and hopeful
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RhbqUACTv8&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Funbiasthenews.org%2
While Refaat has not yet resigned himself to the idea that his children may have died at sea, other relatives have become more aware and would like to know where Italy buried their loved ones. But this is often impossible because the graves are anonymous and there is a lack of national records that they can consult to find their loved ones.
This is the case for Asmeret Amanuel and Desbele Asfaha, two Eritrean nationals who are respectively the nephew and brother of one of the people aboard the boat that capsized in 2013.
“We heard from the radio that the boat he was traveling on had sunk. We never heard from him again,” Asmeret says. The two traveled all the way to Lampedusa to undergo DNA testing, hoping to match their loved one’s name for the first time with one of the many acronyms that have appeared on migrants’ anonymous graves and find out where he rests.
“I remember as children we used to play together,” says Desbele. “And instead today I don’t even know where to mourn him. Yet it would take so little.”
An organizational failure
Many Italian cemeteries hold anonymous graves of people who died while migrating, especially in the South. It is difficult to map them all and provide an exact number, just as it is nearly impossible to quantify the number of anonymous graves. Again, there is no centralized, national database, and even at the municipal level information is scarce and partial.
But thanks to an international investigation project called the “The Border Graves Investigation” and promoted by IJ4EU and Journalism Fund of which Unbias the News is one of the partners, it is now possible to shed light on what resembles a large European mass grave.
From the Italian side of the investigation, large gaps emerge on Italy’s part in the construction of a national cemetery archive. According to protocol, data on anonymous graves are supposed to be sent every three months from individual cemeteries and work their way up a long bureaucratic chain until they reach the desk of the government’s Special Commissioner for Missing Persons, an office created by the Italian government in 2007 precisely to create a single national database.
But sources from the Special Commissioner told the Border Graves Investigation team that unidentified bodies are not within their jurisdiction because in cases where there is an alleged crime (e.g., illegal immigration) the jurisdiction passes to the local magistrate. Thus, the source confirmed that no office systematically collects this data and that figures areeverything is scattered in individual prosecutors’ offices.
However, the documentary traces of migrants’ anonymous graves are often already lost in the records of the cemeteries themselves or municipal records, that is, at the first step in the chain. For example, in Agrigento, it is possible to visit the graves of men and women who died at sea marked by numbers, but in the paper registers consulted by our team of journalists there is no trace of them.
Yet the records are deposited a few meters from the graves themselves.
In Sciacca, Agrigento province, the municipal administration moved some anonymous graves of migrants inside a mass grave to make room for new burials. However, it did not follow the prescribed regulations and did not notify the relatives of the few victims who had been identified and whose names were listed on the grave. The matter was discovered at the time when a woman went to the cemetery to pray at her sister’s grave and did not find her in her usual place.
In other cases, anonymous graves have been moved from one cemetery to another due to the need for space, but without alerting the population.
The bureaucratic snag
Finding out the fate of a loved one is so complicated for several reasons. First, the identification of the body, which the Italian authorities do not generally consider a priority. Then there is the difficulty of recognition itself, especially when relatives are abroad or have difficulty contacting Italian authorities.
In addition, there is the problem of traceability of the bodies, which often remain on the seabed and, in the few cases where they are found, enter a bureaucratic machine in which it is arduous to recover their traces. Researcher and anthropologist Giorgia Mirto explained this to our investigative team: “The corpses should be registered in the registrar’s office where the body is found. But then the body is often moved within the same cemetery, from one cemetery to another or from one municipality to another, and so there is documentation that travels along with the body. Moves that are difficult to track.”
“Moreover,” Mirto adds, “adding to the difficulty is the absence of unified procedures. “With the Human Cost of Border Control project, we have seen that the only way to count these people and their graves is to do a blanket search of all the municipalities, all the cemetery offices, all the registrars’ offices and all the cemeteries, possibly adding the funeral homes as well.”
Thus, there is a problem with centralization and transparency of data that is often also linked to the huge austerity cuts that have forced municipalities to work understaffed. Emblematic is the Commissioner’s Office for Missing Persons, which would be responsible for compiling a list of unidentified bodies found on Italian soil, but has been left without a portfolio.
“As anthropologist Didier Fassin says,” the researcher concludes, “missing data is not the result of carelessness but is an administrative and political choice. It should be understood how much this choice is conscious and how much is the result of disinterest in the good work of municipal archives (an essential resource for historical memory and for the peace of victims’ families) or in understanding the cost of borders in terms of human lives.”
EU responsibilities
Forensic scientist Cristina Cattaneo – a professor at the University of Milan and director of the Labanof forensic laboratory – explained to our team that from a forensic point of view, the most important procedure for identifying a body is to collect both post-mortem (from tattoos to DNA, through cadaveric inspections and autopsies) and antemortem medical forensic information, that is, that which comes from family members regarding the missing person.
However, in many countries, including Italy, no law makes this procedure mandatory. In the case of people who die while migrating, this is done only in egregious cases, such as large shipwrecks that become news. “These cases have shown that a broad and widespread effort to identify the bodies of those who die at sea is possible,” says Cattaneo. “However, most people lose their lives in very small shipwrecks that don’t make too much news. And because there is no protocol to make data collection systematic, many family members are left in doubt as to whether their loved ones are alive or dead.”
All this happens despite the great efforts made over the years by the government’s Extraordinary Commissioner for Missing Persons, which, despite being the only national institution of its kind at the European level, has to manage a huge amount of data from all Italian municipalities. Data that are often disorganized, reported late, and collected without adhering to common and strict procedures.
This is why Cattaneo is among the signatories of an appeal calling for the enactment of a European law that would once and for all oblige member states to identify the bodies of migrants.
“Yet a European solution would exist and from a technical point of view it is already feasible,” Cattaneo adds. It involves data exchange systems such as Interpol, which at the European level already collects, organizes, and can share information and organically to member countries.
“It would be enough to expand the analysis to include missing migrants and thus make it possible to search and identify them on a European scale. But this is not being done because of a lack of political will on the part of Brussels,” Cattaneo concludes.
“The art of patience”
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlDtBRg02aU&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Funbiasthenews.org%2
Identifying the bodies of people who lose their lives coming to Europe is an important issue on several levels.
First and foremost, international humanitarian law protects the right to identity for both those who are alive and those who have died. But identifying is also an essential issue for those who remain alive. Indeed, without a death certificate, it is almost impossible for a spouse to marry again or to access survivor’s pensions, just as it is impossible for a minor relative to leave their country with an adult without running into a blockade by the authorities, who cannot rule out the possibility of child abduction.
Then there is the issue of suspended grief, namely the condition of those who do not know whether to search for a loved one or mourn his or her death.
This is the case for Asmeret and Desbele, but also for many relatives interviewed by our team.
Sabah and Ahmed, for example, are a Syrian couple. One of their sons disappeared in 2013 after a shipwreck in Italian waters. For 10 years, Ahmed retraced the same land and sea route followed by his son, hoping to find his body or at least get more information. But the efforts were in vain and to this day the family still does not know what happened to him.
“His children are still with us and often ask, ‘where is Dad? Where is Dad?’ but without a grave and a body, we still don’t know what to answer.”
Both Sabah and Ahmed are very religious and today rely on Allah to give them the comfort they have not found in the work of institutions. “The greatest gift from Allah,” they recount, “was the patience with which to be able to move forward in the face of such unnatural grief for a parent.”
A similar lesson was learned by Refaat, who like Ahmed and Sabah has been living in ignorance for ten years. Today he has opened a barber store in Hamburg and realized his dream of having his surviving son study in Germany.
“I have been searching for my children for ten years, and Allah knows I will search for them until the end of my days, should I find their dead bodies, or should I find them alive who knows where in the world. But I want to die knowing that I did everything I could to find them.”
Refaat Hazima
Sometimes his voice trembles. “I often talk to them in my sleep, I feel that they are still alive. But even if I were to find out they are dead, in all these years I would still have learned how to deal with frustration and pain, how to live with emptiness. And most importantly,” he concludes, “I would have learned the art of patience.”
#Italie #Tareke_Brhane #comitato_3_ottobre #3_octobre_2013 #Lampedusa
Unmarked monuments of EU’s shame in Croatia and Bosnia
Amid pushbacks and torture, many of the victims of the treacherous Balkan route are laid to an anonymous final resting place in Croatian and Bosnian cemetaries.
In the village of Siče in eastern Croatia, there are more inhabitants in the cemetery than among the living. The village has 230 living residents, and 250 dead. To be more precise, the cemetery is home to 247 locals and three unknown persons. There would be more people six feet under if Siče hadn’t gotten its own cemetery only in the 1970s. There would also be even more of the living if they hadn’t, like many from that region, gone to bigger cities in search of a better life. Abroad as well, mainly to Germany.
The graves of Siče’s inhabitants briefly tell the visitor who these people were, where they belong, and whether their loved ones care for them. That’s the thing with graves, they summarise the basic information of our life.
If the grave bears only the inscription “NN”, that summarises a tragedy.
Who are these three people whose names are unknown? How come their last resting place is a plain grave in Siče?
Even if you didn’t know, it’s clear that those three people don’t belong there.
They have been buried completely separated from the rest of the cemetery. Three wooden crosses with NN inscriptions, stuck in the ground at the edge of the cemetery. NN, an abbreviation of the Latin nomen nescio, literally means, “I do not know the name.” The official explanation from the public burial ground operator is that space has been left for more possible burials of those whose names are not known. However, the explanation that springs to mind when you get there is that they were buried separately so they wouldn’t mix with the locals. Or as the mayor of another town, where NN migrants have also been buried at the edge of the cemetery, let slip in a telephone conversation, “So that they’re not in the way.”
At the cemetery in Siče, these are the only three graves that no one takes care of. In about five years, all trace of them could disappear. The public burial ground operator is obliged to bury unidentified bodies, but not to maintain graves unless the grave belongs to a person of “special historical and social significance.”
NN1, NN2 and NN3 are of special significance only to their loved ones, who probably don’t even know where they are. Maybe they are waiting to finally hear from them from Western Europe. Maybe they’re looking for them. Maybe they mourn them.
Identities known but buried as unknown
If you do dig a little deeper, you will learn a thing or two about those who rest here nameless.
In the early, cold morning of December 23, 2022, the police found two bodies on the banks of the Sava, the river that separates Croatia from Bosnia and Herzegovina. It separates the European Union from the rest of Europe. According to the police report, they also found a group of twenty foreign citizens who illegally entered Croatia via the river. The group was missing one more person. After an extensive search, a third body was found in the afternoon. The pathologist of the General Hospital in the town of Nova Gradiška established the time of death for all three people as 2:45 A.M. Two died of hypothermia, one drowned.
Identity cards from a refugee camp in Bosnia and Herzegovina were found on them. We learned that, according to their IDs, all three were from Afghanistan: Ahmedi Abozari was 17 years old, Basir Naseri was 21 years old and Shakir Atoin was 25 years old. NN1, NN2 and NN3.
Other migrants from the group also confirmed the identity of two of them, as the Brodsko-Posavska County police administration told us. Then why were they buried as NN? If it was known that they were from Afghanistan, why were they buried under crosses? If families are looking for them, how will they find them?
The cemetery management was kind and said that they perform burials according to what is written in the burial permit signed by the pathologist – and it said NN.
The pathologist said that he enters the data based on the information he receives from the police.
The competent police department told us that the person is buried according to the rules of the local municipality.
Siče cemetery belongs to the municipality of Nova Kapela, whose mayor, Ivan Šmit, discontentedly listed all the costs that his municipality incurred for those burials and said that whoever is willing to pay for it can change the NN inscription into names.
We came across a series of similar administrative ambiguities while investigating how authorities deal with the deceased people they recover at EU borders as a part of the Border Graves Investigation carried out by a team of eight freelancers from across Europe together with Unbias the News, The Guardian and Süddeutsche Zeitung.
There is no centralised European database on the number of migrants’ graves in Europe.
But the team managed to confirm the existence of at least 1,931 migrants’ graves in Greece, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Malta, Poland and France, dating from 2014 to 2023. Of these, 1,015 were unidentified. More than half of the unidentified graves are in Greece, 551, in Italy 248, and in Spain 109. The data were obtained based on the databases of international organizations, non-governmental organizations, scientists, local authorities and cemeteries, and field visits.
The team visited 24 cemeteries in Greece, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Poland and Lithuania, where there are a total of 555 graves of unidentified migrants in the last decade, from 2014 to 2023.
These are only those whose bodies have been found. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) estimates that more than 93% of those who go missing on Europe’s borders are never found.
Families lost in bureaucracy
December 2022, when the three young Afghans died, was rainier than usual and the Sava River swelled. It is big and fast to begin with.
In that area, just three days earlier, five Turkish citizens went missing after their boat overturned on the Sava. Among them were a two-year-old girl, a twelve-year-old boy and their parents. The brother of the missing father came from Germany to Croatia to find out what happened to the family. From the documentation, which we have in our possession, it is evident that with the help of translator Nina Rajković, he tried to get information about his missing relatives from several police stations. Even months later, he hasn’t received any updates.
The two had wanted to file a missing person’s report, but the police told them that there was no point in doing so if the person had not previously been registered in the territory of Croatia or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
We encountered a number of similar examples. A young man had come to Croatia and reported to the police in both Croatia and Slovenia that his brother had drowned in the Kupa River that separates the two countries. However, his brother’s disappearance was not recorded in the Croatian national database of missing persons, which is publicly available. The police did not contact him after several unidentified bodies were found in the Kupa in the following days.
In another example, an Afghan man waited six months for the body of his brother, who drowned when they tried to cross the Sava together, also in December 2022, to be transferred from Croatia to Bosnia and Herzegovina so that he could bury him. Although he had confirmed that it was his brother, the identification process was lengthy and complicated.
There are numerous families who tried from afar to track down their loved ones who had disappeared in the territory of Croatia, only to finally give up in discouragement.
There are many questions and few clear answers when it comes to the issue of missing and dead migrants on the so-called Balkan Route, of which Croatia is a part. There are no clear protocols and procedures defining to whom and how to report a missing person. It is not known whether missing migrants are actively searched for, as tourists are when they disappear in the summer. It is not clear how much and which information is needed for identification.
“The circulation of information between institutions and individual departments seems almost non-existent to me."
“In one case, it took me more than two months and dozens of phone calls and emails to different addresses, police stations, police departments, hospitals, and the state attorney’s office, just to prompt the initiation of identification, which to this day, more than a year later, has not been completed,” says Marijana Hameršak, activist and head of the project “European Regime of Irregular Migration on the Periphery of the EU” of the Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Research in Zagreb, which collects knowledge and data on missing and dead migrants.
Searches for missing migrants and attempts to identify the dead in Croatia, as well as in neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina, most often rely on the efforts of volunteers and activists, who, like Marijana, untiringly search for information in the chaotic administration because families who do not know the language find this task practically insurmountable.
“Die or make your dream come true”
The Facebook group “Dead and Missing in the Balkans” became the central place to exchange photos and information about the missing and the dead between families and activists.
The competent Ministry of the Interior does not have a website in English with an address where one can write from Afghanistan or Syria and inquire about the fate of loved ones, leave information about them, and report them missing. There is also no regional database on missing and dead migrants on which the police administrations would cooperate, not even the ones from the countries where the most crossings are recorded – from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Croatia.
In an interview with our team, Dunja Mijatović, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, emphasised that the creation of a centralised European database of missing and dead migrants is extremely important. If such a database combined ante-mortem and post-mortem data on the deceased, the chances of identification would greatly increase.
“Families have a right to know the truth about the fate of their loved ones.”
Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
Yet, police cooperation in keeping the EU’s external border impervious is effective.
Previously, people attempting to migrate did not try to cross the Sava so often. They knew it was too dangerous. They share information with each other and do not venture across such a river in children’s inflatable boats or inner tubes. Unless they are utterly desperate. With pushbacks and the use of force, which many organisations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have been warning about for years, the Croatian police made it difficult to cross at other, less dangerous points along the Croatian border, which is the longest external land border in the European Union. As a young Moroccan in Bosnia and Herzegovina who tried to cross the border to Croatia 11 times but was pushed back by the Croatian police each time told us, “You have two choices: die or make your dream come true.”
It is difficult to determine how many died on the Balkan Route in an attempt to fulfil their dream. The most comprehensive data for ex-Yugoslav countries is collected by the researchers of the “European Regime of Irregular Migration on the Periphery of the EU (ERIM)” project. It records 346 victims from 2014 to 2023 in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Slovenia, North Macedonia and Kosovo. Each entry in ERIM’s database is individual and contains as much data as the researchers managed to collect, and they use all available sources – media reports, witnesses, official statistics, activist channels. But the figure is certainly significantly higher. Some who went missing were never even registered anywhere.
Many bodies were never found. For example, another common border crossing, the Stara Planina mountain range between Bulgaria and Serbia, is a rough and inaccessible terrain. Only those who have been driven to this route by the same fate will come across the bodies, and they will not risk encountering authorities to report it.
If people die in the minefields remaining from the wars in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, there will not be much left of their bodies. Most bodies were found drowned in rivers, but there is no estimate of how many who drowned were never reported missing, or were never found.
The Croatian Ministry of the Interior provided us with data on migrants who have died in Croatia since 2015, when records began to be kept, until the end of November 2023: according to the data, a total of 87 migrants died on the territory of the Republic of Croatia. To put it more precisely: that’s how many bodies were found in Croatia. Not a single official body in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia keeps records of migrants buried in that territory.
However, we managed to obtain data for Croatia, thanks to inquiries sent to over 500 addresses of cities, municipalities and municipal companies that manage cemeteries. According to the data obtained, there are 59 graves of migrants in 32 cemeteries in Croatia who were buried in the last decade, namely from 2014 until September 2023. Of these, 45 have not been identified. The Ministry of the Interior says that since 2001, DNA samples have been taken from all unidentified bodies. We asked the Ministry to allow us to talk with experts who work on the identification of migrants, but we were not approved.
Some of the buried were exhumed and returned to their families in their country of origin, although this is a demanding and extremely expensive process for the families.
The burden of not knowing
Among the NN graves is a stillborn baby from Syria buried in 2015 in the town of Slavonski Brod. A five-year-old girl who drowned in the Danube was buried in Dalje in 2021. Last summer, a young man died of exhaustion in the highlands in the Dubrovnik area. Some were hit by a train. Many died of hypothermia. Some die because they were not provided medical help early enough. Some don’t believe anything can help them, so they committed suicide.
According to the law, they are buried closest to the place of death, which are mostly small cemeteries, such as the one in Siče. Often, just like in that village, their graves are separated from the rest of the cemetery. In some places, like in Otok, one of the tender-hearted local women has given herself the task of taking care of the NN grave. In others, like the cemetery in Prilišće, the NN wooden cross from 2019 has already rotted.
Each of these NN graves leaves behind loved ones who bear the burden of not knowing what happened. In psychology, this is called ambiguous loss, which means that as long as relatives do not have confirmation that their loved ones are dead, and as long as they do not know where their bodies are, they cannot mourn them.
If they go on with their lives, they feel guilty. And so they remain frozen in a state between despair and hope. American psychologist Dr. Pauline Boss is the author of the concept and theory of “ambiguous loss.”
“A grave is so important because it helps to say goodbye,“ she said in an interview for our investigation.
There are also practical consequences of this frozen state: succession rights cannot be carried out, bank accounts cannot be accessed, family pensions cannot be obtained, the partner cannot remarry, and custody of children is complicated.
Many families in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina know ambiguous loss very well. Both countries went through war in the 1990s that left thousands of people missing.
Both countries have special laws on the missing in those wars and well-developed mechanisms of search, identification, data storage and mutual cooperation. But this does not apply to migrants who vanish and die among the thousands who are on the move along the Balkan Route.
Croatia responsible for death of a child
Croatia became an important point of entry into the European Union after Hungary closed its borders in September 2015. From then until March 2016, it is estimated that around 660,000 refugees passed through the Croatian section of the Balkan corridor – the interstate, organised route. This corridor allowed them to get from Greece to Western Europe in two or three days. Most importantly, their journey was safe.
Of these hundreds of thousands of people on the move, the Croatian Ministry of the Interior did not record a single death in 2015 and 2016.
The corridor was established to prevent casualties after a large number of refugees died on the railway in Macedonia in the spring of 2015. However, with the conclusion of the EU-Turkey refugee agreement in March 2016, the corridor closed. The EU committed to generously funding Turkey to keep refugees on its territory, so that they do not come to the European Union. And so the perilous, informal Balkan Route remained the only option. Many take it. In the first ten months of 2023 alone, the Croatian police recorded 62,452 actions related to illegal border crossings.
Both the Croatian Ombudswoman Tena Šimonović Einwalter and Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Dunja Mijatović warn of the same thing: border and migration policies have a clear impact on the risk of migrants going missing or die. It is necessary to establish legal and safe migration routes in the EU.
However, the EU expects Croatia to protect its external border, and Croatia is doing so wholeheartedly. Croatian Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović calls such practices “techniques of discouragement” and says they are fully in line with the EU Schengen Border Code.
The result of such practices is, for example, the death of Madina Hussiny. The six-year-old girl from Afghanistan was struck by a train and killed after Croatian police “discouraged” her and her family away from the Croatian border and told them to follow train tracks back to Serbia in the middle of the night in 2017. The European Court of Human Rights ruled in November 2021 that Croatia was responsible for Madina’s death.
In a typical “discouragement,” Croatian police transport people to points along the border and order them to cross. In the testimonies we heard, as well as in many reports of non-governmental organisations, people described having to wade or swim across rivers, climb over rocks or make their way through dense forest. They often cross at night, sometimes stripped naked, and without knowing the way because the police usually take away their mobile phones.
Up to 80% of all pushbacks by Croatian police may be impacted by one or more forms of torture, indicates data collected by Border Violence Monitoring Network in 2019. That means that thousands were victims of border torture.
According to data collected by the Danish Refugee Council, in the two-year period from the beginning of 2020 to the end of 2022, at least 30,000 people were pushed back to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“While trying to reach Europe”
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=112&v=SFLYVVtsjGc&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fu
Among them is Arat Semiullah from Afghanistan. In November 2022, he intended to cross the Sava River and enter Croatia from Bosnia. He was 20 years old. He drowned and was buried at the Orthodox cemetery in Banja Luka. His family in Afghanistan did not know what happened to him. He had sent his mom a selfie with a fresh haircut for entering the European Union and then he stopped answering.
The mother begged her nephew Payman Sediqi, who lives in Germany, to try to find him. Payman got in touch with the activist Nihad Suljić, who voluntarily helps families find out what happened to their loved ones in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They spent weeks trying to get information. Payman travelled to Bosnia and managed to find his relative thanks to the helpfulness of a policewoman who showed him forensic photographs. Arat’s mom confirmed by phone that it was her son.
Arat’s obituary published in Bosnia and Herzegovina said that “Croatian police sank the boat using firearms, and he tragically drowned.” With the help of the Muslim community, and at the request of the family, his body was transferred to the Muslim cemetery in the village of Kamičani. The family wanted to bury him in Afghanistan, but it was too expensive and bureaucratically complicated.
In September 2023, we met with Nihad and Payman when a large tombstone was erected for Arat. It says, “Drowned in the Sava River while trying to reach Europe.” Payman told us that Arat was crossing the Sava with a group of others trying to enter Europe. Some of them managed to cross over to the Croatian side, but then the Croatian police shot at the rubber boat Arat was in. The boat sank and Arat drowned. That’s what a survivor who crossed over to the Croatian bank of the Sava told Payman. Payman says that Arat’s family is in great pain, but at least they know where their son is and that he was buried according to their religious customs. It is important to Payman that his relative’s grave says he died as a migrant.
“People die every day in Europe, fleeing countries where there is no life for them. Their dreams are buried in Europe. No one cares about them, not even when European policemen shoot at them,” Payman says.
Payman knows what kind of dreams he’s talking about. He himself came to Germany illegally at the age of 16. He says he was lucky.
Nihad advocates that other graves of migrants in Bosnia and Herzegovina also be permanently marked as such. He takes us to the cemetery in the town of Zvornik, where 17 NN migrants are buried. Nihad says he was informed that some of them had their passport on them when they were found. From the cemetery, you can see the river Drina, which separates Serbia from Bosnia and where many lives have been lost during crossing attempts. About 30 bodies were found in the Drina this year alone. Nihad says that they are lucky if they wash up on the Bosnian riverbanks, because in Serbia the authorities often do not perform autopsies nor take DNA samples. This was confirmed to us by activists from Serbia. In those cases, they are forever and completely lost to their families.
The earthen NN graves in Zvornik are overgrown and not demarcated, so you wouldn’t know if you are stepping on them. Nihad managed to convince the Town of Zvornik to replace the wooden signs with black stone. It is important to him that they are buried with dignity, but he also finds it important that they stand there as a memorial.
“My wish is that even 100 years from now these graves stand as monuments of the EU’s shame. Because it was not the river that killed these people, but the EU border regime,” Nihad says.
▻https://unbiasthenews.org/unmarked-monuments-of-eus-shame-croatia-bosnia
Counting the invisible victims of Spain’s EU borders
Investigation finds hundreds of victims of migration to the EU lie in unmarked graves along Spain’s borders, with government taking no coordinated action to guarantee “last rights.”
In January 2020, Alhassane Bangoura was buried in an unmarked grave in the Muslim area of Teguise municipal cemetery in Lanzarote as city officials and members of the local Muslim community watched on. He had been born only a couple of weeks earlier onboard a cramped patera migrant boat on which his mother, who is from Guinea, and 42 others were trying to reach the Spanish Canary Islands. Their boat was adrift on the Atlantic ocean after its motor had failed two days earlier, and Alhassane’s mother had gone into labour at sea. Her child only lived for a few hours before dying just off the coast of Lanzarote.
Alhassane’s case shocked the island and made national news. Yet as mourners paid their respects, his mother was 200 kilometres away in a migrant reception centre on the neighbouring island of Gran Canaria, having been unable to get permission from authorities to remain on Lanzarote for the funeral.
“She’d been allowed to see the body of her son one more time before being transferred, and I accompanied her to the funeral home,” says Mamadou Sy, a representative of the local Muslim community. “It was very emotional as she was leaving. All we could do was promise her that her son would not be alone; that like any Muslim, he’d be brought to the Mosque where his body would be washed by other mothers; that we would pray for him and that afterwards we’d send her a video of the burial.”
Nearly four years later, Alhassane’s final resting place remains without a formal headstone. It lies next to more than three dozen graves of unidentified migrants – whose names are completely unknown but who, like Alhassane, are also victims of Europe’s brutal border regime.
Border Graves
Such a scene is no anomaly along Spain’s vast coastline. Border graves like these can be found in cemeteries stretching from Alicante on the country’s eastern Mediterranean coast to Cádiz on the Atlantic seaboard and south to the Canaries. Some have names but, more often than not, the inscription reads some variation of “unidentified migrant,” “unknown Moroccan,” or “victim of the Strait [of Gibraltar],” or there is simply a hand-painted cross.
In Barbate cemetery in Cádiz, where the deceased are sealed into niches in traditional brick-walled stacks around two metres in height, groundskeeper Germán points out over 30 different migrant graves, the earliest of which date from 2002 and the most recent are from a shipwreck in 2019.
"No one ever comes to visit, but on days when there are funerals here and flowers are about to be thrown out, I place them on the tombs containing the unknown migrants,” he explains. “In some of the older graves, you have the remains of up to five or six migrants together, each placed in separate sacks within the same niche to save space.”
Along the coast, in Tarifa, Spain’s earliest mass grave of unidentified migrants, containing 11 victims from a 1988 shipwreck, overlooks the northern reaches of the African continent, which can be seen on a clear day. Meanwhile, around 400 kilometres west of the African coast, on the remote Canarian island of El Hierro, seven unidentified migrants have been buried in the last two months, along with the remains of 30-year old Mamadou Marea. “Locals joined us to accompany the remains of each of these people to their last resting place,” explains Amado Carballo, a councillor on El Hierro. “What upset all of us was not being able to put a name on the tombstone and simply having to leave the person identified by a police code.”
Such concern was less evident in Arrecife, Lanzarote where two unidentified graves from February this year have been left sealed with a covering that still bears a corporate logo.
There is no comprehensive data on how many identified and unidentified migrant graves exist in Spain, and the country’s Interior Ministry has never released figures for the total number of bodies recovered across the various maritime migration routes. But in exclusive data from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Unbias The News can reveal that the bodies of an estimated 530 people who died at Spain’s borders were recovered between 2014 and 2021 – of which 292 remain unidentified.
In the six month Europe-wide Border Graves Investigation, undertaken in conjunction with Unbias the News, The Guardian and Süddeutsche Zeitung, 109 unidentified migrant graves from 2014-21 were confirmed in Spain across 18 locations. According to a study by the University of Amsterdam, a further 434 unidentified graves stem from 2000-2013 in at least 65 cemeteries.
These graves are symbols of a much wider humanitarian tragedy. The ICRC estimates that just 6.89% of those who go missing on Europe’s borders are found, while the Spanish NGO Walking Borders gives an even lower figure for the West African Atlantic route to the Canaries, estimating that only 4.2 percent of the bodies of those who die are ever recovered.
Guaranteeing “last rights”
The unvisited and anonymous graves are also a reflection of the fact that the rights to both identification and a dignified burial for those who have died on migration routes have been consistently neglected by national authorities in Spain. As in other European countries, successive Spanish governments have failed to develop legal mechanisms and state protocols to guarantee these “last rights” of victims, as well as their families’ corresponding “right to know” and to mourn their loved ones.
The problem is “utterly neglected,” says Dunja Mijatović, the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, who insists that EU countries are failing in their obligations under international human rights law to secure families’ “right to truth”. In 2021, the European Parliament passed a resolution calling for “prompt and effective identification processes” to inform families about the fate of their loved ones. Yet last year, the Council of Europe called the area a “legislative void.”
“People are always calling the office and asking us how to search for a family member, but you have to be honest and say there’s no clear official channel they can turn to,” explains Juan Carlos Lorenzo, director of the Spanish Refugee Council (CEAR) on the Canary Islands. “You can put them in touch with the Red Cross, but there’s no government-led programme of identification. Nor is there the type of dedicated office needed to coordinate with families and centralise information and data on missing migrants.”
This year alone we are working with over 600 families whose loved ones have disappeared. These families, who are from Morocco, Algeria, Senegal, Guinea and as far afield as Sri Lanka are very much alone and are poorly protected by public administrations. In turn, this means that there are criminal networks and fraudsters seeking to extract money from them.”
Helena Maleno, director of Walking Borders
Even in the case of a victim’s identification, a recent report from the Human Rights Association of Andalucia lays out the legal and financial barriers families face in terms of repatriating their loved ones. In 2020/21, ICRC figures show that 284 bodies were recovered but that, of the 116 identified, only 53 were repatriated. The Andalusian Association for Human Rights (APDHA) report also notes, with respect to border graves, that “many people end up buried in a manner contrary to their beliefs.” Just half of Spain’s 50 provinces have Muslim cemeteries, not all of which are on the Spanish coast.
For Maleno, these state failures are no accident: “Spain and other European states have a policy of making the victims, as well as the border itself, invisible. You have policies of denying the number of dead and of concealing data, but for the families this means obstacles in terms of accessing information and burial rights, as well as endless bureaucratic hurdles.”
“I dream of Oussama”
Abdallah Tayeb has gained first-hand experience of the dysfunctionality of the Spanish system in his attempts to confirm whether a body recovered almost a year ago is that of his cousin Oussama, a young barber from Algeria who dreamed of joining Tayeb in France.
The unnamed corpse, which Tayeb strongly believes is his cousin, is currently in a morgue in Almería and looks set to be buried in an unmarked grave in the new year – unless he can achieve a last minute breakthrough.
“The feeling is one of powerlessness,” he admits. “Nothing is transparent.”
Abdallah Tayeb was born in Paris to Algerian parents but spends every summer in Algeria with his family. “As Oussama and I were pretty much the same age, we were really close. He was obsessed with the idea of coming to Europe, as two of his brothers were already living in France. But I didn’t know he had actually arranged to leave on a patera last December.”
Oussama was among 23 people (including seven children) who vanished after setting out from Mostaganem, Algeria, on a motor boat on Christmas Day 2022. Soon after the patera went missing, his brother Sofiane travelled from France to Cartagena in southern Spain – the destination the vessel had hoped to reach. With the help of the Red Cross, Sofiane was able to file a missing persons report with the Spanish authorities and submit a DNA sample, which he hopes will result in a match with a body held in a morgue. However, so far, he has been unable to piece together any concrete information regarding his brother’s fate.
A second trip to Spain in February did lead to a breakthrough, however. After driving down the Mediterranean coast together, Tayeb and his cousin Sofiane managed to speak to a forensic pathologist working in the Almería morgue, who seemed to recognise a photo of Oussama. “She kept saying ‘This face looks familiar’ and also mentioned a necklace – something he’d been wearing when he left.” According to the pathologist, there was a potential match with an unidentified body recovered by the coastguard on 27 December 2022.
Feeling that they were finally close to getting some answers, they were informed at the police headquarters in Almería that, in order to view the body for a visual identification, they would need permission from the police station where the corpse had initially been registered. “This was when the real nightmare began,” Tayeb remembers. Handed a list of five police stations from across the wider region where the corpse could have been registered, they spent the next two days driving from station to station along the Murcian coast.
“The first police station we visited wouldn’t even let us in the door when we told them we were asking about a missing migrant, and after that it was always the same script: this is not the right place; we don’t have a body; you have to go there instead.” When the pair returned to the first station in Huércal de Almeria after being repeatedly told it was the right place to ask, impatient officers refused to engage, citing privacy laws, and even told them to warn other families searching for missing migrants not to keep coming to inquire.
“In the end,” Tayeb explains, “we came to the reality that they will never let us have any information. It was very heartbreaking, especially going back to France. It felt like we were leaving him [there] in the fridge.”
As the subsequent months passed, the frustration and anxiety built for the family. “In May we were told that the DNA sample we gave five months earlier had only just arrived in Madrid and had still not been processed and sent to the database.” No further information has been forthcoming, and Spanish authorities have a policy of only getting in touch with families when there is a positive match and not if the test comes back negative.
Tayeb is contemplating one final visit to Spain to try and retrieve his cousin Oussama, partly to be certain for his own sake that he’s done everything in his power to find him, but he’s worried that the journey could reopen his trauma of ambiguous loss. “The effort of going is not painful, but what is painful is coming back with nothing,” he says. “This lack of information is the worst thing.”
“All the people on board were from the same neighbourhood in Mostaganem. I have had a chance to talk to many of their families, and they are destroyed. There is such grief but also no answers. There are only rumours, and some of the mothers believe their sons are in prisons in Morocco and Spain. We all have dreams [about the missing]. In the end, you trust what you will see in your dreams, like cosmic reality telling you he is coming. I dream of Oussama.”
Dr Pauline Boss, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Minnesota, USA, explains the concept of ambiguous loss: “It looks like complicated grief, intrusive thoughts,” she says. “There’s nothing else on your mind but the fact that your loved one is missing. You can’t grieve because that would mean the person is dead, and you don’t know for sure.”
A defective system
Of all the families of those who went missing on Oussama’s patera, only Tayeb and four other families have been able to file a missing persons report with the Spanish authorities, and only two have been able to give a DNA sample. According to a 2021 study from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), one of the major complications families face in their searches is that in order to register someone as a missing person in Spain, you have to file a report with police in the country itself, which for many families is “a virtually impossible feat” as there are no visas to travel for this purpose.
The IOM report also notes that, while many families file missing person reports in their home countries, they are “aware of the almost symbolic nature of their efforts” and that “it will never result in any kind of investigation being launched in Spain.”
Along with the IOM, there have been efforts by domestic NGOs, including APDHA and more than a hundred grassroots organisations, to call out Spain’s failure to adapt existing missing person procedures to the transnational challenges of cases of people who disappeared while migrating. These organisations have repeatedly argued that the country’s legal framework regarding missing persons must be adapted to ensure families can file missing person cases from abroad.
They have also pushed for the development of specific protocols for police handling cases of disappeared migrants, as well as the creation of a missing-migrant database so as to centralise information and allow it to be exchanged with authorities in other countries. The latter would include a full range of both post-mortem data (from tattoos to DNA, through cadaveric inspections and autopsies) and antemortem medical forensic information, that is, that which comes from family members regarding the missing person.
“The reality is that the situation across Europe is consistently poor,” explains Julia Black, an analyst with IOM’s Missing Migrant Project. “Despite our research showing these pressing needs of families, neither Spain nor any other European country has significantly changed policy or practice to help this neglected group [in recent years]. Support for families is available only on a very ad hoc basis, mostly in response to mass casualty events that are in the public eye, which leaves many thousands of people without meaningful support.”
Non-state actors such as the Red Cross and Walking Borders, as well as a network of independent activists, try to fill this void. “It’s a terrible job that we shouldn’t be doing, because states should be responding to families and guaranteeing the rights of victims across borders,” Maleno explains. In the case of the Mostaganem patera, Walking Borders is now planning to visit Algeria next year to take DNA samples from family members and bring them back to Spain. But Maleno also acknowledges that her NGO often has to then “apply a lot of pressure” to get authorities to accept these samples.
This is something left-wing MP Jon Iñarritu from the Basque EH Bildu party also confirms: “As I sit on the Spanish parliament’s Interior Committee, I’ve had to intervene on a number of occasions to help families seeking to register DNA samples, talking with the foreign ministry or the interior ministry to get them to accept the samples. But it shouldn’t require action from an MP to get this to happen. The whole process needs to be standardised with clear and automatic protocols [for submission]. Right now, there’s no one clear way to do it.”
Even when IOM recommendations have become the subject of parliamentary debate in Spain, they have tended not to translate into government action. In 2021, for example, a resolution was passed by the Spanish Congress calling on the government to establish a dedicated state office for the families of disappeared migrants. “It’s clear we need to ease the administrative and bureaucratic ordeal for families by offering them a single point of contact [with state authorities],” explains Iñarritu, who sponsored the motion.
Yet while even government parties voted in favour of the resolution, the countries’ current centre-left administration has failed to act on it in the 18 months since. “From my point of view, the government has no intention of implementing the proposal,” Iñarritu argues. “They were only offering symbolic support.”
When the above points were put to Spain’s Interior ministry, the reply was that: “The treatment of unidentified corpses arriving on the Spanish coast is identical to that of any other corpse. In Spain, for the identification of corpses, the law enforcement agencies apply the INTERPOL Disaster Victim Identification Guide. Although this guide is especially indicated for events with multiple victims, it is also used as a reference for the identification of an isolated corpse.”
NGOs and campaigners insist, however, that the application of the INTERPOL guide is no substitute for a specific protocol tailored to the demands of missing migrant cases or for the creation of particular mechanisms to allow for the exchange of information with families and authorities in other jurisdictions.
Close connections with the people they have helped compensate for strained social interactions and online hate. “They call me brother, sister, and even father,” Rybak shares.
Burial rights
APDHA migration director Carlos Arce argues that, within a European framework that views irregular migration predominantly “through the prism of serious crime and border security, […] not even death or disappearance puts an end to the repeated assault on the dignity of migrant people.” Iñarritu also points to the EU’s wider border regime: “Many issues that don’t fit into this dominant policy framework, such as the right to identification, are simply left unmanaged on a day-to-day basis. They are simply not a priority.”
This is also clear with respect to the Spanish government’s inaction on guaranteeing a dignified burial to those whose bodies are recovered. As noted by a 2023 report from APDHA, “while repatriation is the most desired option for families […,] the cost is very high (thousands of euros) and very few of their [home countries’] embassies help [to cover it].” The NGO recommends that Spain establish repatriation agreements with the countries where migrants come from so as to create “mortuary safe passages” guaranteeing their return at a reduced cost.
Furthermore, Spain’s central government has also failed to put in place mechanisms to ensure the right of unidentified migrants to a dignified burial within the country, instead maintaining that local councils are responsible for all charitable burials. This has meant that very specific municipalities where coastguard rescue boats are stationed are left legally responsible for the bulk of the interments – and most of these municipalities lack local cemeteries able to cater for traditional Muslim burials.
The potential for this issue to become a flashpoint for anti-immigration sentiment was made clear this September when the mayor of Mogán in Gran Canaria, Onalia Bueno, insisted that her municipality would no longer pay for such burials, as she did not want to “detract the costs from the taxes of my neighbours.”
CEAR’s Juan Carlos Lorenzo condemns such “divisive language, which frames the issue in terms of wasting my ‘neighbours’ money’ on someone who is not a neighbour,” and points instead to the actions of municipalities in El Hierro as a positive counterexample.
Carballo notes that “over 10,000 people have arrived in El Hierro since September, the same as the island’s population. These are quite long trips, between six and nine days at sea, and right now people are arriving in a terrible state of health. With those who have died in recent months, we’ve tried to offer them a dignified burial within the means at our disposal. We’ve had an imam present, with Islamic prayers said before the remains were laid to rest.”
Currently, the responsibility of memorialising unidentified victims comes down to individual municipalities and even cemetery keepers. Like Gérman at the cemetery in Barbate, who tries to dignify the unmarked tombs by placing flowers on top of them, the cemetery of Motril has adorned tombs with poems. In Teguise, the council has an initiative encouraging locals to leave flowers on the migrant graves when they come to visit the remains of their own families.
In another memorial, a collection of around 50 discarded fishing boats has become a distinctive feature of Barbate port. These small wooden boats with Arabic script on their hulls were used by migrants attempting to cross the Strait of Gibraltar. Instead of the boats’ being scrapped, APDHA was able to convert the scrapyard into a memorial site and to place plaques on boats stating how many migrants were travelling on them and where and when they were found.
In the case of little Alhassane Bangoura, residents routinely come to leave fresh flowers and tokens of affection, among which is a small granite bowl with his first name inscribed on it. But many victims are buried without any attempt at identification – and as countless NGOs, politicians and activists demand, it should not be simply left to good-willed residents, grave keepers or local councillors to ensure the last rights of the victims of Fortress Europe.
▻https://unbiasthenews.org/counting-the-invisible-victims-of-spains-eu-borders
#Espagne #Lanzarote #îles_Canaries #route_Atlantique #Teguise #Barbate #Cádiz #Tarifa #Arrecife
The unidentified: Unmarked refugee graves on the Greek borders
Graves marked only with a stick, graves covered with weeds: a cross-border investigation documents official indifference surrounding the dignified burial of refugees who lose their lives at the Greek border.
The phone rang on a morning in October 2022 at work, in Finland, where 35-year-old Mohamed Samim has been living for the last ten years or so.
His nephew did not have good news: his brother Samim, Tarin Mohamad, along with his son and two daughters, was on a boat that sank near a Greek island, having sailed from the Turkish coast to Italy.
When Samim arrived in Kythera the next day, he learned that – although weak after not eating for three days – his brother had managed to save his family before a wave took him away. He immediately went to the site of the wreck. In the water he saw bodies floating – he couldn’t see his brother’s face, but he recognized his back.
The Coast Guard said that the bad weather had to pass before they could pull the dead from the sea. The first day passed, the second day passed, until on the third day it was finally possible. The coastguard confirmed that 8 Beaufort winds and the morphology of the area made it impossible to retrieve the bodies. Samim will never forget the sight of his brother at sea.
In Kalamata, it took four days of shifting responsibility between the hospital and the Coast Guard, and the help of a local lawyer who “came and yelled at them” to allow him to follow the identification process of his brother.
He was warned that it would be a soul-crushing procedure, and that he would have to wear a triple mask because of the smell. Samim says that due to a lack of space in the morgue’s refrigerators, some of the wreck victims were kept in the chamber outside the refrigerator.
“The stress and the smell. Our knees were shaking”, recalls Samim when we meet him in Kythera a year later.
They started showing him decomposing bodies. First the ones outside the refrigerator. He didn’t recognize him among them. They went out and changed the masks they wore, returned, opened the refrigerators in turn, reaching the last one.
“He was lying there, calm. The man you love. We were kind of happy that, after days, we could see him,” Samim said.
Unclaimed dead
The number of people dying at Europe’s borders is growing. In addition to the difficulty of recording the deaths, there is also the challenge of identifying the bodies, a traumatic process for the relatives. In some cases, however, there are bodies that remain unidentified, hundreds of men, women and children buried in unidentified graves.
In July 2023, the European Parliament adopted a resolution recognising the right to identification of people who lose their lives trying to reach Europe, but to date there is no centralised registration system at a pan-European level. Nor is there a single procedure for the handling of bodies that end up in mortuaries, funeral homes – even refrigerated containers.
The problem is “utterly neglected”, European Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic told Solomon, and added that EU countries are failing in their obligations under international human rights law”. The tragedy of the missing migrants has reached horrifying proportions. The issue requires immediate action,” she added.
The International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Missing Migrants platform, which acknowledges that its data is not a comprehensive record, reports more than 1,090 missing refugees and migrants in Europe since 2014.
As part of the Border Graves investigation, eight European journalists, together with Unbias the News, the Guardian, Süddeutsche Zeitung, and Solomon, have spent seven months investigating what happens to the thousands of unidentified bodies of those who die at European borders, and for the first time they have recorded almost double that number: according to the data collected, more than 2,162 people died between 2014 and 2023.
We studied documents and interviewed state coroners, prosecutors and funeral home workers; residents and relatives of the deceased and missing; and gained exclusive access to unpublished data from the International Committee of the Red Cross.
In 65 cemeteries along the European border - Greece, Spain, Italy, Malta, Poland, Lithuania, France, Spain, Italy, Malta, Lithuania, France and Croatia - we have recorded more than 1,000 unidentified graves from the last decade.
The investigation documents how state indifference to the dignified burial of people who die at the border is pervasive in European countries.
In Greece, we recorded more than 540 unidentified refugee graves, 54% of the total recorded by the European survey. We travelled to the Aegean islands and Evros, and found graves in fields sometimes covered by weeds, and marble slabs with dates of death erased, while in other cases a piece of wood with a number is the only marking.
The data from our survey, combined with the data from the International Committee of the Red Cross, is not an exhaustive account of the issue. However, they do capture for the first time the gaps and difficulties of a system that leads to thousands of families not knowing where their relatives are buried.
Lesvos: 167 unidentified refugee graves
A long dirt road surrounded by olive trees leads to the gate of the cemetery of Kato Tritos, which is usually locked with a padlock.
The “graveyard of refugees,” as they call it on the island, is located about 15 kilometers west of Mytilene. It is the only burial site exclusively for refugees and migrants in Greece.
During one of our visits, the funeral of four children was taking place. They lost their lives on August 28, 2023, when the boat they were on with 18 other people sank southeast of Lesvos.
The grieving mother and several women, including family members, sat under a tree, while the men prayed near the shed used for the burial process, according to Islamic tradition.
In Kato Tritos and Agios Panteleimonas, the cemetery on Mytilene where people who died while migrating had been buried until then, we counted a total of 167 unidentified graves from between 2014-2023.
Local journalist and former member of the North Aegean Regional Council Nikos Manavis explains that the cemetery was created in 2015 in an olive grove belonging to the municipality of Mytilene due to an emergency: a deadly shipwreck in the north of the island on October 28 of that year resulted in at least 60 dead, for whom the island’s cemeteries were not sufficient.
Many shipwreck victims remain buried in unidentified graves. Gravestones are marked with the estimated age of the deceased and the date of burial, sometimes only a number. Other times, a piece of wood and surrounding stones mark the grave.
“What we see is a field, not a graveyard. It shows no respect for the people who were buried here.”
Nikos Manavis
This lack of respect for the Lower Third Cemetery mobilized the Earth Medicine organization. As Dimitris Patounis, a member of the NGO, explains, in January 2022 they made a proposal to the municipality of Mytilene for the restoration of the cemetery. Their plan is to create a place of rest with respect and dignity, where refugees and asylum seekers can satisfy the most sacred human need, mourning for their loved ones.
Although the city council approved the proposal in the spring of 2023, the October municipal elections delayed the project. Patounis says he is positive that the graves will soon be inventoried and the area fenced.
Christos Mavrachilis, an undertaker at the Agios Panteleimon cemetery, recalls that in 2015 Muslim refugees were buried in a specific area of the cemetery.
“If someone was unidentified, I would write ‘Unknown’ on their grave,” he says. If there were no relatives who could cover the cost, Mavrachilis would cut a marble himself and write as much information as he could on the death certificate. “They were people too,” he says, “I did what I could.”
For his part, Thomas Vanavakis, a former owner of a funeral parlour that offered services in Lesvos until 2020, also says that they often had to cover burials without receiving payment. “Do you know how many times we went into the sea and paid workers out of our own pockets to pull out the bodies and didn’t get a penny?” he says.
Efi Latsoudi, who lives in Lesvos and works for Refugee Support Aegean (RSA), says that in 2015 there were burials that the municipality of Mytilene could not cover, and sometimes “the people who participated in the ceremony paid for them. We were trying to give a dignity to the process. But it was not enough,” she says.
Latsoudi recalls something a refugee had mentioned to her in 2015: ’The worst thing that can happen to us is to die somewhere far away and have no one at our funeral’.
The municipality of Mytilene did not answer our questions regarding the dignified burial of refugees in the cemeteries under its responsibility.
Chios and Samos: graves covered by weeds
According to Greek legislation, the local government (and in case of its inability, the region) covers the cost of the burial of both unidentified people who die at the border and those who are in financial difficulty.
For its part, the Municipal Authority of Chios stated that funding is provided for the relevant costs, and that “within the framework of its responsibilities for the cemeteries, it maintains and cares for all the sites, without discrimination and with the required respect for all the dead.”
But during our visit in August to the cemetery in Mersinidi, a few kilometers north of Chios town, where refugees are buried next to the graves of the locals, it was not difficult to spot the separation: the five unidentified graves of refugees were marked simply by a marble, usually covered by vegetation.
Natasha Strachini, an RSA lawyer living in Chios, has taken part in several funerals of refugees both in Chios and Lesvos. For her, the importance of the local community and presence at such a difficult human moment is very important.
Regarding burials, he explains that “only a good registration system could help relatives to locate the grave of a person they have lost, as usually in cemeteries after three to five years exhumations take place.” He says that sometimes a grave remains unidentified even though the body has been identified, either because the identification process was delayed or because the relatives could not afford to change the grave.
In Heraion of Samos, next to the municipal cemetery, on a plot of land owned by the Metropolis and used as a burial site for refugees, we recorded dozens of graves dating between 2014-2023. The plaques – some broken – placed on the ground, hidden by branches, pine needles and pine cones, simply inscribe a number and the date of burial.
Lawyer Dimitris Choulis, who lives in Samos and handles cases related to the refugee issue, commented: ‘It is a shameful image to see such graves. It is unjustifiable for a modern society like Greece.”
Searching for data
The International Committee of the Red Cross is one of the few international organisations working to identify the dead refugees. Among other things, they have conducted several training sessions in Greece for members of the Coast Guard and the Greek Police.
“We have an obligation to provide the dead with a dignified burial; and the other side, providing answers to families through identification of the dead. If you count the relatives of those who are missing, hundreds of thousands of people are impacted. They don’t know where their loved ones are. Were they well treated, were they respected when they were buried? That’s what preys on families’ minds,” says Laurel Clegg, ICRC forensic Coordinator for Migration to Europe.
She explains that keeping track of the dead “consists of lots of parts working well together – a legal framework that protects the unidentified dead, consistent post-mortems, morgues, registries, dignified transport, cemeteries”
However, countries’ “medical and legal systems are proving inadequate to deal with the scale of the problem,” she says.
Since 2013, as part of its programme to restore family links, the Red Cross has registered 16,500 requests in Europe from people looking for their missing relatives. According to the international organisation, only 285 successful matches (1.7%) have been made.
These matches are made by the local forensic experts.
“We always collect DNA samples from unidentified bodies. It is standard practice and may be the only feasible means of identification,” says Panagiotis Kotretsos, a forensic pathologist in Rhodes. The samples are sent to the DNA laboratory of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Greek Police, according to an INTERPOL protocol.
According to the Red Cross, difficulties usually arise when families are outside the EU, and are due to a number of factors, such as differences in the legal framework or medical systems of the countries. For example, some EU countries cannot ‘open’ a case and take DNA samples from families without a mandate from the authorities of the country where the body of the relative being sought has been recovered.
The most difficult part of the DNA identification process is that there needs to be a second sample to be compared with the one collected by the forensic experts, which has to be sent by the families of the missing persons. “For a refugee who started his journey from a country in central Africa, travelled for months, and died in Greece, there will be genetic material in the morgue. But it will remain unmatched until a first-degree relative sends a DNA sample,” says Kotretsos.
He explains that this is not always possible. “We have received calls from relatives who were in Syria, looking for missing family members, and could not send samples precisely because they were in Syria.”
Outside the university hospital of Alexandroupolis, two refrigerated containers provided by the Red Cross as temporary mortuaries house the bodies of 40 refugees.
Pavlos Pavlidis, Professor of Forensic Medicine at the Democritus University of Thrace, has since 2000 performed autopsies on at least 800 bodies of people on the move, with the main causes of death being drowning in the waters of Evros and hypothermia.
The forensic scientist goes beyond the necessary DNA collection: he or she records data such as birthmarks or tattoos and objects (like wallets, rings, glasses), which could be the missing link for a relative looking for a loved one.
He says a total of 313 bodies found in Evros since 2014 remain unidentified. Those that cannot be identified are buried in a special cemetery in Sidiro, which is managed by the municipality of Soufli, while 15-20 unidentified bodies were buried in Orestiada while the Sidiro cemetery was being expanded.
The bodies of Muslim refugees who are identified are buried in the Muslim cemetery in Messouni Komotini or repatriated when relatives can cover the cost of repatriation.
“This is not decent”
In response to questions, the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum said that the issue of identification and burial procedures for refugees does not fall within its competence. A Commission spokesman said that no funds were foreseen for Greece, but that such expenditure “could be supported under the National Programme of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund”, which is managed by the Migration Ministry.
Theodoros Nousias is the chief forensic pathologist of the North Aegean Forensic Service, responsible for the islands of Lesvos, Samos, Chios and Lemnos. According to the coroner, the DNA identification procedure has improved a lot compared to a few years ago.
Nusias says he was always available when asked to identify someone. “You have to serve people, that’s why you’re there. To serve people so they can find their family,” he adds.
The coroner lives in Lesvos, but says he has never been to the cemetery in Kato Tritos. “I don’t want to go. It will be difficult for me because most of these people have passed through my hands.”
In October 2022, 32-year-old Suja Ahmadi and his sister Marina also travelled to Kythera and then to Kalamata to identify the body of their father, Abdul Ghasi.
The 65-year-old had started the journey to Italy with his wife Hatige – she survived. The two brothers visited the hospital, where they were shown all eight bodies, male and female, although they had explained from the start that the man they were looking for was a man.
Their father’s body was among those outside the freezer.
“My sister was crying and screaming at them to get our father out of the refrigerator container because he smelled,” Suja recalls. “It was not a decent place for a man.”
▻https://unbiasthenews.org/the-unidentified-unmarked-refugee-graves-in-the-greek-borders
#Grèce #Chios #Evros #Samos #Alexandroupolis #Lesbos #Kato_Tritos #Sidiro #Mersinidi #Mersinidi #Pavlos_Pavlidis
Enterrar a más de mil personas sin nombre: las trabas de la UE y España para identificar los cuerpos de migrantes
Cientos de personas fallecidas en la última década yacen en tumbas sin nombre en España, sin que el Gobierno tome medidas coordinadas para garantizar su identificación
En enero de 2020, Alhassane Bangoura fue enterrado en una tumba sin nombre en la zona musulmana del cementerio municipal de Teguise, en Lanzarote, ante la presencia de funcionarios municipales y miembros de la comunidad musulmana local. El pequeño había nacido apenas un par de semanas antes a bordo de una patera abarrotada en la que su madre, originaria de Guinea, y otras 42 personas intentaban llegar a las Islas Canarias. La embarcación llevaba dos días a la deriva en el océano Atlántico, tras averiarse el motor, y la madre de Alhassane se puso de parto en el mar. Su hijo sólo alcanzó a vivir unas pocas horas antes de morir frente a la costa de Lanzarote.
El caso de Alhassane conmocionó a la isla y saltó a las noticias de todo el país. Sin embargo, mientras los asistentes al entierro ofrecían sus condolencias, la madre del bebé fallecido se encontraba a 200 kilómetros de distancia, en un centro de acogida de migrantes de la vecina isla de Gran Canaria, al no haber podido obtener permiso de las autoridades para permanecer en Lanzarote durante el funeral.
“Le habían permitido ver el cuerpo de su hijo una vez más antes de ser trasladada, y yo la acompañé a la funeraria”, cuenta Mamadou Sy, representante de la comunidad musulmana local. “Fue muy emotivo cuando se tuvo que marchar. Lo único que pudimos hacer fue prometerle que su hijo no estaría solo; que, como cualquier musulmán, sería llevado a la mezquita, donde su cuerpo sería lavado por otras madres; que rezaríamos por él y que después le enviaríamos un vídeo del entierro”.
Casi cuatro años después, el lugar donde reposan los restos de Alhassane sigue sin tener una lápida formal. La tumba se encuentra junto a los restos de más de tres docenas de personas migrantes no identificadas, cuyos nombres se desconocen por completo pero que, como Alhassane, también son víctimas del brutal régimen fronterizo de Europa.
Las tumbas de la frontera
A lo largo de las fronteras de la Unión Europea, miles de personas están siendo enterradas de forma precipitada en tumbas sin nombre. El equipo de investigación de Border Graves (Las Tumbas de la Frontera) ha contabilizado que, en los últimos 10 años, al menos 2.162 cadáveres de migrantes han sido encontrados en las fronteras europeas sin identificar.
El equipo de investigación también ha confirmado la existencia de 1.015 tumbas de inmigrantes sin identificar entre 2014 y 2021 en 103 cementerios, todas ellas pertenecientes a personas que intentaban emigrar a Europa.
El problema está “absolutamente abandonado”, afirma Dunja Mijatović, Comisaria de Derechos Humanos del Consejo de Europa, que insiste en que los países de la UE incumplen sus obligaciones en virtud de la legislación internacional sobre derechos humanos. “La tragedia de los migrantes desaparecidos ha alcanzado una magnitud espantosa. El asunto exige una actuación inmediata”.
Las condiciones de sepultura de estos migrantes varían en todo el continente. En la última década, en la isla griega de Lesbos, un olivar se ha convertido en un cementerio informal para refugiados. Al menos 147 tumbas sin identificar se pueden encontrar en el pequeño pueblo de Kato Tritos, que según explica el periodista Nikos Manavis brotaron tras la gran oleada de refugiados de 2015. “Los otros cementerios de la isla eran inapropiados y no podían cubrir el número de muertos que había que enterrar en Lesbos”, afirma. “Pero no es un cementerio. Es sólo un campo. No se muestra ningún respeto por la gente enterrada aquí”.
En Siče, una población al este de Croacia, se hallan las tumbas de tres refugiados afganos al borde del cementerio del pueblo, separadas de las de los residentes locales. Los tres hombres no identificados, que se ahogaron intentando cruzar el río Sava desde Bosnia a Croacia, están enterrados bajo sencillas cruces de madera en las que se lee “NN” (desconocido).
En la frontera entre Lituania y Bielorrusia, un pequeño cementerio de la tranquila localidad de Rameikos alberga la tumba de un emigrante indio. El lugar está marcado por un trozo de madera vertical, a pocos metros de la valla fronteriza. En el cementerio de Piano Gatta, en Agrigento (Sicilia), están enterrados decenas de cadáveres sin identificar del naufragio de Lampedusa en 2013, en el que perdieron la vida 368 personas de Eritrea y Somalia al hundirse el pesquero en el que viajaban.
En cuanto a la extensa costa española, pueden encontrarse tumbas de inmigrantes desde Alicante hasta Cádiz, y hacia el sur hasta las Canarias. Algunas tienen nombre, pero lo más frecuente es que las inscripciones sean del estilo de “inmigrante no identificado”, “marroquí desconocido” o “víctima del Estrecho [de Gibraltar]”. O, simplemente, una cruz pintada a mano.
En el cementerio de Barbate, en Cádiz, donde los difuntos están sepultados en nichos, el jardinero Germán señala más de 30 tumbas de inmigrantes: las más antiguas datan de 2002 y las más recientes son de un naufragio de 2019. “Nunca viene nadie a visitarlos, pero los días que hay funerales aquí y se van a tirar las flores antiguas, las coloco en las tumbas de los migrantes desconocidos”, explica. “En algunas de las más antiguas hay restos de hasta cinco o seis emigrantes juntos, cada uno colocado en bolsas separadas dentro del mismo nicho para ahorrar espacio”.
Tal preocupación era menos evidente en Arrecife, Lanzarote, donde dos tumbas no identificadas de febrero de este año se han dejado selladas con una cubierta que aún lleva el logotipo de una empresa.
No existen datos exhaustivos sobre cuántas fosas de inmigrantes identificadas y no identificadas existen en España, y el Ministerio del Interior nunca ha dado a conocer cifras sobre el número total de cadáveres recuperados en las distintas rutas migratorias marítimas. Pero los datos del Comité Internacional de la Cruz Roja (CICR) revelan que entre 2014 y 2021 se recuperaron los cuerpos de alrededor de 530 personas fallecidas en las fronteras españolas, de las cuales 292 permanecen sin identificar.
En los diez meses que ha durado la investigación europea Border Graves, llevada a cabo de manera conjunta entre un grupo de periodistas independientes y los medios Unbias the News, The Guardian y Süddeutsche Zeitung y publicada en exclusiva en España por elDiario.es, se ha confirmado la existencia de 109 tumbas de migrantes no identificados entre 2014 y 2021 en 18 lugares de España. Según un estudio de la Universidad de Ámsterdam, otras 434 tumbas sin identificar se remontan al periodo 2000-2013 en al menos 65 cementerios del territorio nacional.
Estas tumbas son símbolos de una tragedia humanitaria mucho mayor. El CICR calcula que sólo el 6,89% de los restos mortales de las personas que desaparecen a lo largo de las fronteras europeas son recuperados, mientras que la ONG española Caminando Fronteras da una cifra aún más baja para la ruta atlántica de África Occidental a Canarias, estimando que sólo se recupera el 4,2% de los cuerpos de los fallecidos.
Garantizar los “últimos derechos”
Las tumbas anónimas y sin visitar reflejan también el hecho de que el derecho a la identificación y a un entierro digno de los fallecidos en las rutas migratorias ha sido sistemáticamente desatendido por las autoridades nacionales españolas. En 2021, el Parlamento Europeo aprobó una resolución que reconoce el derecho a la identificación de los fallecidos en las rutas migratorias, y la necesidad de una base de datos coordinada que recoja los datos de la frontera. Pero, al igual que en otros países europeos, los sucesivos gobiernos han sido incapaces de desarrollar mecanismos legales y protocolos estatales para garantizar estos “últimos derechos” de las víctimas, así como el “derecho a saber” y a llorar a sus seres queridos que corresponde a las familias.
“La gente siempre llama a la oficina y nos pregunta cómo buscar a un familiar, pero hay que ser sincero y decir que no hay un canal oficial claro al que puedan dirigirse”, explica Juan Carlos Lorenzo, coordinador del Consejo Español para los Refugiados (CEAR) en Canarias. “Se les puede poner en contacto con la Cruz Roja, pero no hay un programa de identificación liderado por el Gobierno. Tampoco existe el tipo de recurso especializado necesario para coordinarse con las familias y centralizar la información y los datos sobre los migrantes desaparecidos”.
Helena Maleno, directora de Caminando Fronteras, afirma: “Sólo este año estamos trabajando con más de 600 familias cuyos seres queridos han desaparecido. Estas familias, procedentes de Marruecos, Argelia, Senegal, Guinea y países tan lejanos como Sri Lanka, están muy solas y poco protegidas por las administraciones públicas. A su vez, esto significa que hay redes criminales y estafadores que buscan sacarles dinero”.
Incluso en el caso de la identificación de una víctima, un reciente informe de la Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos de Andalucía (APDHA) expone las barreras legales y financieras a las que se enfrentan las familias para repatriar a sus seres queridos. En 2020/21, las cifras del CICR muestran que se recuperaron 284 cuerpos pero que, de los 116 identificados, sólo 53 fueron repatriados. El informe de la APDHA también señala, respecto a las tumbas fronterizas, que “muchas personas acaban enterradas de manera contraria a sus creencias”. Apenas la mitad de las 50 provincias españolas cuentan con cementerios musulmanes, y no todos están en la costa española.
Para Maleno, estos fallos del Estado no son casualidad: “España y otros Estados europeos mantienen una política de invisibilización de las víctimas y de la propia frontera. Tienen políticas de negación del número de muertos y de ocultación de datos, pero para las familias esto significa obstáculos en cuanto al acceso a la información y a los derechos de sepultura, así como interminables trabas burocráticas”.
“Sueño con Oussama”
Abdallah Tayeb ha sufrido en primera persona las deficiencias del sistema español en sus intentos por confirmar si un cadáver recuperado en diciembre de 2022 es el de su primo Oussama, un joven barbero argelino que soñaba con reunirse con Tayeb en Francia.
Tayeb está convencido de que el cuerpo sin identificar, que se cree que está en un depósito de cadáveres de Almería, es el de su primo. Está previsto que los restos sean enterrados a comienzos del próximo año en una tumba sin nombre, a menos que se consiga algún avance de última hora. “La sensación es de impotencia”, admite. “No hay nada de transparencia”.
Tayeb nació en París, de padres argelinos, pero pasa todos los veranos en Argelia con su familia. “Como Oussama y yo teníamos más o menos la misma edad, estábamos muy unidos. Le obsesionaba la idea de venir a Europa, pues dos de sus hermanos ya vivían en Francia. Pero yo no sabía que en realidad ya había organizado su viaje en una patera a finales del año pasado”.
Oussama formaba parte de un grupo de 23 personas (entre ellas siete niños) que desaparecieron tras zarpar de Mostaganem, Argelia, en una lancha motora el día de Navidad de 2022. Poco después de la desaparición de la patera, su hermano Sofiane viajó de Francia a Cartagena, el destino al que esperaba llegar la embarcación. Con la ayuda de la Cruz Roja, Sofiane pudo presentar una denuncia por desaparición y dar una muestra de ADN, pero no pudo reunir ninguna información concreta sobre la suerte de su hermano.
Sin embargo, un segundo viaje a España en febrero condujo a un gran avance. Tras recorrer juntos la costa mediterránea, Tayeb y su primo Sofiane consiguieron hablar con una patóloga forense que trabaja en la morgue de Almería, quien pareció reconocer una foto de Oussama. “No paraba de decir ’esta cara me suena’ y también mencionó un collar, algo que llevaba cuando se fue”. Según la forense, había una posible coincidencia con un cuerpo sin identificar recuperado por los guardacostas el 27 de diciembre de 2022.
El laberinto burocrático
Con la sensación de que por fin estaban cerca de obtener alguna respuesta, en la comisaría de Almería les informaron de que, para poder ver el cadáver –o incluso las pertenencias– y proceder a su identificación visual, necesitarían el permiso de la comisaría donde se había registrado inicialmente el cadáver. “Fue entonces cuando empezó la verdadera pesadilla”, recuerda Tayeb. Les entregaron una lista de cinco comisarías de toda la región en las que se podría haber registrado el cadáver, y se pasaron los dos días siguientes conduciendo de comisaría en comisaría a lo largo de la costa murciana.
“En la primera comisaría que visitamos ni siquiera nos dejaron entrar cuando les dijimos que estábamos buscando a un inmigrante desaparecido, y después siempre fue la misma consigna: éste no es el lugar adecuado; no tenemos ningún cadáver; tenéis que ir a este otro lugar…”, continúa. Cuando ambos regresaron a la primera comisaría de Huércal de Almería, después de que les dijeran repetidamente que era el lugar adecuado para preguntar, los agentes, impacientes, se negaron a atenderlos, alegando leyes de protección de la intimidad, e incluso les dijeron que advirtieran a otras familias que buscaban a migrantes desaparecidos que no siguieran viniendo a preguntar.
“Al final”, explica Tayeb, “nos dimos cuenta de que nunca nos darían ninguna información. Fue muy desgarrador, sobre todo volver a Francia. Fue como si le dejáramos [allí] en la nevera”.
Incertidumbre
A medida que pasaban los meses, la frustración y la ansiedad aumentaban para la familia. “En mayo nos dijeron que la muestra de ADN que habíamos dado cinco meses antes acababa de llegar a Madrid y aún no había sido procesada ni enviada a la base de datos”. No se les ha facilitado más información, y las autoridades españolas tienen la política de ponerse en contacto con las familias sólo cuando hay una coincidencia positiva, pero no si la prueba da negativo.
Tayeb se plantea una última visita a España para intentar recuperar a su primo Oussama, en parte para estar seguro de que ha hecho todo lo posible por encontrarlo, pero le preocupa que el viaje pueda reabrir su trauma de “pérdida ambigua”. “El esfuerzo de ir no es doloroso, lo doloroso es volver sin nada”, dice. “Esta falta de información es lo peor”.
La Dra. Pauline Boss, catedrática emérita de Psicología de la Universidad de Minnesota (EE.UU.), explica el concepto de pérdida ambigua: “Se parece a un duelo complejo, con pensamientos intrusivos”, dice. “No tienes otra cosa en la cabeza más que el hecho de que tu ser querido ha desaparecido. No puedes afrontar el duelo, porque eso significaría que la persona está muerta, y no lo sabes con certeza”.
Tayeb lo explica con sus propias palabras: “Todas las personas que iban a bordo eran del mismo barrio de Mostaganem. He podido hablar con muchas de sus familias y están destrozadas. Hay mucho dolor, pero tampoco hay respuestas. Sólo hay rumores, y algunas de las madres creen que sus hijos están en cárceles de Marruecos y España. Todos tenemos sueños [sobre los desaparecidos]. Al final, confías en lo que ves en tus sueños, como si la realidad cósmica te dijera que va a venir. Sueño con Oussama”.
Un sistema defectuoso
De todas las familias de los desaparecidos en la patera de Oussama, sólo Tayeb y otras tres familias han podido presentar denuncias de desaparición ante las autoridades españolas, y únicamente en dos casos se han podido entregar muestras de ADN. Según un informe de 2021 de la Organización Internacional para las Migraciones (OIM), una de las mayores complicaciones a las que se enfrentan las familias en sus búsquedas es que, para registrar a alguien como desaparecido en España, hay que presentar una denuncia ante la policía del propio país, lo que para muchas familias es “una hazaña prácticamente imposible”, ya que no existen visados para viajar con este fin.
El informe de la OIM también señala que, aunque muchas familias presentan denuncias de personas desaparecidas en sus países de origen, son “conscientes del carácter casi simbólico de sus esfuerzos” y de que “nunca darán lugar a que se inicie ningún tipo de investigación en España.”
Junto con la OIM, algunas ONG nacionales, como la APDHA y más de un centenar de organizaciones comunitarias, han denunciado la incapacidad de España para adaptar los procedimientos vigentes en materia de personas desaparecidas a los retos transnacionales que plantean los casos de migrantes desaparecidos. Estas organizaciones han defendido en repetidas ocasiones que el marco jurídico del país en materia de personas desaparecidas debe adaptarse para garantizar que las familias puedan presentar denuncias desde el extranjero por casos de personas desaparecidas.
También han presionado para que se elaboren protocolos específicos para la policía al tratar casos de migrantes desaparecidos, así como para que se cree una base de datos de migrantes desaparecidos que permita centralizar la información y haga posible el intercambio con autoridades de otros países. Esta incluiría todos los datos disponibles post mortem (desde tatuajes hasta ADN, pasando por inspecciones de cadáveres y autopsias) como de información médica forense ante mortem, es decir, la que procede de los familiares en relación con la persona desaparecida.
“La realidad es que la situación en toda Europa es sistemáticamente deficiente”, explica Julia Black, analista del Proyecto Migrantes Desaparecidos de la OIM. “A pesar de que nuestras investigaciones muestran estas necesidades acuciantes de las familias, ni España ni ningún otro país europeo ha cambiado [en los últimos años] de forma significativa sus políticas, ni tampoco han mejorado las prácticas para ayudar a este grupo desatendido. El apoyo a las familias sólo está disponible de forma muy puntual, sobre todo en respuesta a sucesos con víctimas masivas que están en el punto de mira de la opinión pública, lo que deja a muchos miles de personas sin un apoyo adecuado”.
Actores no estatales como la Cruz Roja y Caminando Fronteras, así como una red de activistas independientes, intentan llenar este vacío. “Es un trabajo terrible que no deberíamos estar haciendo, porque los Estados deberían responder a las familias y garantizar los derechos de las víctimas más allá de las fronteras”, explica Maleno. En el caso de la patera de Mostaganem, Caminando Fronteras tiene previsto viajar a Argelia el año que viene para tomar muestras de ADN de los familiares y traerlas a España. Pero Maleno también reconoce que su ONG a menudo tiene que “ejercer mucha presión” para que las autoridades acepten estas muestras.
Es algo que también confirma Jon Iñarritu, diputado de EH Bildu: “Como miembro de la Comisión de Interior del Congreso de los Diputados, he tenido que intervenir en varias ocasiones para ayudar a las familias que querían registrar muestras de ADN, hablando con el Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores o con el Ministerio del Interior para que aceptaran las muestras. Pero no debería ser necesaria la intervención de un diputado para conseguirlo. Es necesario normalizar todo el proceso con protocolos claros y automáticos [para la presentación de las muestras]. Ahora mismo, no hay una forma clara de hacerlo”.
Incluso cuando las recomendaciones de la OIM han sido objeto de debate parlamentario en España, no han tendido a traducirse en medidas gubernamentales. En 2021, por ejemplo, el Congreso de los Diputados aprobó una Proposición no de Ley en la que se instaba al Gobierno a crear una oficina estatal específica para las familias de migrantes desaparecidos. “Está claro que necesitamos aliviar el calvario administrativo y burocrático para las familias ofreciéndoles un único punto de contacto [con las autoridades estatales]”, explica Iñárritu, impulsor de la moción.
Sin embargo, aunque los partidos en el gobierno votaron a favor de la resolución, no se ha tomado ninguna medida al respecto en los 18 meses transcurridos desde la aprobación de la resolución. “Desde mi punto de vista, el Gobierno no tiene ninguna intención de aplicar la propuesta”, argumenta Iñárritu. “Sólo ofrecían un apoyo simbólico”.
Cuando se expusieron las cuestiones anteriores al Ministerio del Interior, la respuesta fue la siguiente: “El tratamiento de los cadáveres sin identificar que llegan a las costas de España es idéntico al hallazgo de cualquier otro cadáver. En España, para la identificación de cadáveres, las Fuerzas y Cuerpos de Seguridad del Estado aplican la Guía de INTERPOL para la Identificación de Víctimas de Catástrofes. Esta Guía, aunque está especialmente indicada para los sucesos con víctimas múltiples, también es aplicada como referencia para la identificación de un cadáver aislado”.
Derechos de sepultura
El director de migraciones de APDHA, Carlos Arce, escribe que, en un marco europeo que contempla la migración irregular predominantemente a través del prisma de la criminalidad grave y la seguridad fronteriza, “ni siquiera la muerte o desaparición de las personas migrantes pone freno a la concatenación de ataques a su dignidad”. Por su parte, Iñárritu también apunta al régimen fronterizo más amplio de la UE: “Muchas cuestiones que no encajan en este marco político dominante, como el derecho de identificación, simplemente se dejan sin gestionar en el día a día. Sencillamente, no son una prioridad”.
Esto también queda claro en lo que respecta a la inacción del gobierno español a la hora de garantizar un entierro digno a las personas cuyos cuerpos son recuperados. Como señala un informe de 2023 de APDHA, “aunque la repatriación es la opción más deseada por las familias [...] el coste es muy elevado (miles de euros) y muy pocas de sus embajadas ayudan [a sufragarlo]”. La ONG recomienda a España que establezca acuerdos de repatriación con los países de procedencia de los inmigrantes para crear “salvoconductos mortuorios” que garanticen su retorno a un coste reducido.
A esto se suma que el gobierno central tampoco ha establecido mecanismos para garantizar el derecho de los inmigrantes no identificados a un entierro digno dentro del territorio español, sino que sostiene que los ayuntamientos son responsables de todos los entierros de carácter benéfico. Esto ha supuesto que municipios muy concretos, en los que están estacionadas las embarcaciones de salvamento marítimo, sean legalmente responsables de la mayor parte de los entierros, y la mayoría de estos municipios carecen de cementerios locales capaces de acoger entierros musulmanes tradicionales.
La posibilidad de que este asunto se convierta en un caldo de cultivo para el rechazo a la inmigración quedó patente el pasado mes de septiembre, cuando la alcaldesa de Mogán (Gran Canaria), Onalia Bueno, insistió en que su municipio dejaría de sufragar estos entierros, ya que no quería “detraer los costes de los impuestos de mis vecinos”. Juan Carlos Lorenzo, de CEAR, condena ese “lenguaje divisivo, que enmarca la cuestión en términos de malgastar el dinero de mis ’vecinos’ en alguien que no es un vecino”, y señala en cambio la actuación de los municipios de El Hierro como contraejemplo positivo.
En esta isla poco poblada, en los últimos dos meses han sido enterrados siete inmigrantes no identificados, junto con los restos de Mamadou Marea, de 30 años. “Los habitantes de la isla se unieron a nosotros para acompañar los restos de cada una de estas personas hasta su lugar de descanso”, explica Amado Carballo, concejal de El Hierro. “Lo que nos entristeció a todos fue no poder poner un nombre en la lápida y simplemente tener que dejar a las personas identificadas con un código policial”.
Carballo señala que “más de 10.000 personas han llegado a El Hierro desde septiembre, lo mismo que la población de la isla. Son viajes muy largos, de entre seis y nueve días en el mar, y ahora mismo la gente llega en un pésimo estado de salud. A los que han muerto en los últimos meses hemos intentado ofrecerles un entierro digno dentro de los medios de que disponemos. Hemos contado con la presencia de un imán, que ha rezado oraciones del Islam antes de depositar los restos”.
En la actualidad, la responsabilidad de conmemorar a las víctimas no identificadas recae en los municipios e incluso en los responsables de los cementerios. Al igual que Germán en el cementerio de Barbate, que intenta dignificar las tumbas sin nombre colocando flores sobre ellas, el cementerio de Motril ha adornado las tumbas con poemas. En Teguise, el Ayuntamiento ha puesto en marcha una iniciativa que anima a los vecinos a dejar flores en las tumbas de los inmigrantes cuando vienen a visitar los restos de sus familiares.
En otro gesto conmemorativo, una colección de unas 50 barcas de pesca desechadas se ha convertido en un rasgo distintivo del puerto de Barbate. Estas pequeñas embarcaciones de madera con escritura árabe en el casco eran utilizadas por los emigrantes que intentaban cruzar el Estrecho de Gibraltar. En lugar de ser desguazadas, APDHA pudo convertir el astillero en un lugar conmemorativo y colocar placas en las embarcaciones en las que se indicaba cuántas personas viajaban en ellas y dónde y cuándo fueron encontradas.
En el caso del pequeño Alhassane Bangoura, los vecinos acuden habitualmente a dejar flores frescas y otras muestras de afecto, entre ellas un pequeño cuenco de granito con su nombre de pila inscrito. Pero muchas víctimas son enterradas sin ningún intento de identificación y, tal y como exigen innumerables ONG, políticos y activistas, no debería dejarse en manos de la buena voluntad de residentes, trabajadores de cementerios o concejales el garantizar los últimos derechos de las víctimas de la Fortaleza Europa.
▻https://www.eldiario.es/desalambre/enterrar-mil-personas-nombre-trabas-ue-espana-identificar-cuerpos-migrantes
« Αγνώστων στοιχείων » : Πάνω από 1.000 αταυτοποίητοι τάφοι στα ευρωπαϊκά σύνορα
Τάφοι με μόνη σήμανση ένα ξύλο, μνήματα που καλύπτονται από αγριόχορτα : μια διασυνοριακή έρευνα οκτώ δημοσιογράφων σε συνεργασία με Solomon, Guardian και Süddeutsche Zeitung καταγράφει την αδιαφορία γύρω από την αξιοπρεπή ταφή των προσφύγων που χάνουν τη ζωή τους στα ευρωπαϊκά σύνορα.
Το τηλέφωνο χτύπησε ένα πρωινό του Οκτωβρίου 2022 στη δουλειά, στη Φινλανδία όπου ο 35χρονος Μοχάμεντ Σαμίμ ζει τα τελευταία δέκα περίπου χρόνια.
Ο ανιψιός του δεν είχε καλά νέα : ο αδερφός του Σαμίμ, Ταρίν Μοχαμάντ, μαζί με τον γιο και τις δύο κόρες του, βρισκόταν σε ένα σκάφος που βυθίστηκε κοντά σε ένα ελληνικό νησί, έχοντας αποπλεύσει από τα τουρκικά παράλια για την Ιταλία.
Όταν ο Σαμίμ έφτασε την επομένη στα Κύθηρα, έμαθε πως —παρότι αδύναμος αφού δεν είχε φάει επί τρεις μέρες— ο αδερφός του είχε καταφέρει να σώσει την οικογένειά του πριν ένα κύμα τον πάρει μακριά. Πήγε αμέσως στο σημείο του ναυαγίου. Μέσα στο νερό είδε σώματα να επιπλέουν — δεν μπορούσε να δει το πρόσωπο του αδερφού του, αλλά αναγνώρισε την πλάτη του.
Το Λιμενικό είπε πως έπρεπε να περάσει η κακοκαιρία για να μπορέσουν να βγάλουν τους νεκρούς από τη θάλασσα. Πέρασε η πρώτη μέρα, πέρασε και δεύτερη, ώσπου την τρίτη ημέρα κατέστη τελικά δυνατό. Το Λιμενικό επιβεβαίωσε στο Solomon πως άνεμοι έντασης 8 μποφόρ και η μορφολογία της περιοχής καθιστούσαν την ανάσυρση των σορών αδύνατη. Ο Σαμίμ δεν θα ξεχάσει ποτέ την εικόνα του αδερφού του στη θάλασσα.
Στην Καλαμάτα, χρειάστηκε να περάσουν τέσσερις ημέρες μετακύλισης της ευθύνης μεταξύ νοσοκομείου και Λιμενικού, και η βοήθεια μιας ντόπιας δικηγόρου που « ήρθε και τους έβαλε τις φωνές », προκειμένου να του επιτραπεί να ακολουθήσει τη διαδικασία ταυτοποίησης του αδερφού του.
Τον προειδοποίησαν πως θα ήταν μια ψυχοφθόρα διαδικασία, και πως θα έπρεπε να φορέσει τριπλή μάσκα λόγω της μυρωδιάς. Ο Σαμίμ λέει πως, λόγω έλλειψης χώρου στα ψυγεία του νεκροτομείου, ορισμένα από τα θύματα του ναυαγίου βρίσκονταν στον θάλαμο εκτός ψυγείου.
« Το άγχος και η μυρωδιά. Τα γόνατά μας έτρεμαν », θυμάται ο Σαμίμ όταν τον συναντάμε στα Κύθηρα ένα χρόνο μετά.
Ξεκίνησαν να του δείχνουν σώματα σε αποσύνθεση. Πρώτα αυτά εκτός ψυγείου. Δεν τον αναγνώρισε ανάμεσά τους. Βγήκαν έξω και άλλαξαν τις μάσκες που φορούσαν, επέστρεψαν, άνοιξαν με τη σειρά τα ψυγεία φτάνοντας στο τελευταίο.
« Βρισκόταν εκεί, ήρεμος. Ο άνθρωπος που αγαπάς. Ήμασταν κάπως χαρούμενοι που, μετά από μέρες, μπορούσαμε να τον δούμε », είπε ο Σαμίμ.
Νεκροί πρόσφυγες στα αζήτητα
Ο αριθμός των προσφύγων που πεθαίνουν στα σύνορα της Ευρώπης ολοένα και μεγαλώνει. Πέρα από τη δυσκολία καταγραφής των θανάτων, υπάρχει και η πρόκληση της ταυτοποίησης των σορών, μια διαδικασία ψυχοφθόρα για τους συγγενείς. Σε κάποιες περιπτώσεις, ωστόσο, υπάρχουν σοροί που μένουν αταυτοποίητες, εκατοντάδες άνδρες, γυναίκες και παιδιά που θάβονται σε τάφους αγνώστων στοιχείων.
Τον Ιούλιο του 2023, το Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο υιοθέτησε ψήφισμα που αναγνωρίζει το δικαίωμα στην ταυτοποίηση των ανθρώπων που χάνουν τη ζωή τους στην προσπάθεια να φτάσουν στην Ευρώπη, έως σήμερα ωστόσο δεν υπάρχει κεντρικό σύστημα καταγραφής σε πανευρωπαϊκό επίπεδο. Ούτε ενιαία διαδικασία για τη διαχείριση των σορών που καταλήγουν σε νεκροτομεία, γραφεία κηδειών — ακόμη και κοντέινερ ψύξης.
Το πρόβλημα είναι « εντελώς παραμελημένο », είπε στο Solomon η Ευρωπαία Επίτροπος Ανθρωπίνων Δικαιωμάτων, Dunja Mijatović, η οποία αναφέρει ότι οι χώρες της ΕΕ δεν εκπληρώνουν τις υποχρεώσεις τους βάσει του διεθνούς δικαίου των ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων. « Η τραγωδία των αγνοούμενων μεταναστών έχει λάβει τρομακτικές διαστάσεις. Το ζήτημα απαιτεί άμεση δράση », πρόσθεσε.
Η πλατφόρμα Missing Migrants του Διεθνούς Οργανισμού Μετανάστευσης (ΔΟΜ), που αναγνωρίζει πως τα στοιχεία της δεν αποτελούν ολοκληρωμένη καταγραφή, κάνει λόγο για πάνω από 1.090 αγνοούμενους πρόσφυγες και μετανάστες στην Ευρώπη από το 2014.
Στο πλαίσιο της έρευνας Border Graves, οκτώ Ευρωπαίοι δημοσιογράφοι, από κοινού με την βρετανική εφημερίδα Guardian, την γερμανική εφημερίδα Süddeutsche Zeitung, και το Solomon για την Ελλάδα, ερεύνησαν επί επτά μήνες τι συμβαίνει με τις χιλιάδες αταυτοποίητες σορούς όσων χάνουν τη ζωή τους στα ευρωπαϊκά σύνορα, και καταγράφουν για πρώτη φορά έναν σχεδόν διπλάσιο αριθμό : σύμφωνα με τα στοιχεία που συγκεντρώθηκαν, περισσότεροι από 2.162 άνθρωποι πέθαναν την περίοδο 2014-2023.
Μελετήσαμε έγγραφα και πήραμε συνεντεύξεις από κρατικούς ιατροδικαστές, εισαγγελείς και εργαζομένους σε γραφεία τελετών· από κατοίκους και συγγενείς θανόντων και αγνοουμένων· και αποκτήσαμε αποκλειστική πρόσβαση σε αδημοσίευτα στοιχεία της Διεθνούς Επιτροπής του Ερυθρού Σταυρού.
Σε 65 νεκροταφεία κατά μήκος των ευρωπαϊκών συνόρων –Ελλάδα, Ισπανία, Ιταλία, Μάλτα, Πολωνία, Λιθουανία, Γαλλία και Κροατία– καταγράψαμε περισσότερους από 1.000 τάφους αγνώστων στοιχείων κατά την τελευταία δεκαετία.
https://wearesolomon.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/graves-Croatia_Sice-1536x878.jpg 
https://wearesolomon.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Lampedusa_Graves-solomon-1536x862.jpg 
https://wearesolomon.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Greece-soufli-graves-1536x1024.jpg Η έρευνα καταγράφει τον τρόπο με τον οποίο η κρατική αδιαφορία γύρω από την αξιοπρεπή ταφή των ανθρώπων που χάνουν τη ζωή τους στα σύνορα διαπερνά τις ευρωπαϊκές χώρες. Στην Ιταλία, συναντήσαμε ξύλινους σταυρούς. Στην Κροατία και τη Βοσνία, συναντήσαμε δεκάδες τάφους με την ένδειξη « ΝΝ » (αγνώστων στοιχείων), στη Γαλλία απλώς με ένα « Χ ».
Στα ισπανικά Γκραν Κανάρια, εντοπίσαμε πλάκες που δεν αναφέρουν την ταυτότητα των θανόντων, αλλά σε ποιο ναυάγιο πέθαναν : « Βάρκα μεταναστών νούμερο 4. 25/09/2022 ».
Στην Ελλάδα, καταγράψαμε περισσότερους από 540 αταυτοποίητους τάφους προσφύγων, το 54% όσων συνολικά κατέγραψε η ευρωπαϊκή έρευνα. Ταξιδέψαμε στα νησιά του Αιγαίου και τον Έβρο, και εντοπίσαμε τάφους σε χωράφια που ενίοτε καλύπτονται από αγριόχορτα, και μαρμάρινες πλάκες με ημερομηνίες θανάτου που έχουν σβηστεί, ενώ σε άλλες περιπτώσεις ένα κομμάτι ξύλο μαζί με έναν αριθμό αποτελεί τη μόνη σήμανσή τους.
Τα στοιχεία της έρευνάς μας, σε συνδυασμό με τα στοιχεία της Διεθνούς Επιτροπής του Ερυθρού Σταυρού, δεν αποτελούν εξαντλητική καταγραφή του ζητήματος. Ωστόσο, αποτυπώνουν για πρώτη φορά τα κενά και τις δυσκολίες ενός συστήματος, που οδηγεί χιλιάδες οικογένειες να μην γνωρίζουν πού είναι θαμμένοι οι συγγενείς τους.
Λέσβος : 167 αταυτοποίητοι τάφοι προσφύγων
Ένας μακρύς χωματόδρομος, που τριγυρίζεται από ελαιόδεντρα, οδηγεί στην πύλη του νεκροταφείου του Κάτω Τρίτου, που συνήθως παραμένει κλειδωμένη με λουκέτο.
Το « νεκροταφείο των προσφύγων », όπως το αποκαλούν στο νησί, βρίσκεται περίπου 15χλμ δυτικά της Μυτιλήνης. Αποτελεί τον μοναδικό χώρο ταφής αποκλειστικά για πρόσφυγες και μετανάστες στην Ελλάδα.
Κατά τη διάρκεια μίας από τις επισκέψεις μας, λάμβανε χώρα η κηδεία τεσσάρων παιδιών. Έχασαν τη ζωή τους στις 28 Αυγούστου 2023, όταν η βάρκα στην οποία επέβαιναν μαζί με 18 ακόμη ανθρώπους βυθίστηκε νοτιοανατολικά της Λέσβου.
Η πενθούσα μητέρα και αρκετές γυναίκες, μεταξύ των οποίων μέλη της οικογένειας, κάθονταν κάτω από ένα δέντρο, ενώ οι άνδρες προσεύχονταν κοντά στο υπόστεγο που χρησιμοποιείται για τη διαδικασία της ταφής σύμφωνα με την ισλαμική παράδοση.
Στον Κάτω Τρίτο και τον Άγιο Παντελεήμονα, το νεκροταφείο της Μυτιλήνης όπου θάβονταν οι πρόσφυγες έως τότε, μετρήσαμε συνολικά 167 τάφους αγνώστων στοιχείων μεταξύ 2014-2023.
Ο τοπικός δημοσιογράφος, και πρώην μέλος του Περιφερειακού Συμβουλίου Βορείου Αιγαίου Νίκος Μανάβης, εξηγεί πως το νεκροταφείο δημιουργήθηκε το 2015 σε έναν ελαιώνα που ανήκει στο δήμο Μυτιλήνης λόγω ανάγκης : ένα πολύνεκρο ναυάγιο στα βόρεια του νησιού, στις 28 Οκτωβρίου του έτους, είχε ως αποτέλεσμα τουλάχιστον 60 νεκρούς, για τους οποίους τα νεκροταφεία του νησιού δεν επαρκούσαν.
Πολλά θύματα ναυαγίων παραμένουν θαμμένα σε τάφους αγνώστων στοιχείων. Στις ταφόπλακες αναγράφεται η εκτιμώμενη ηλικία των θανόντων και η ημερομηνία ταφής, ενίοτε μόνο ένας αριθμός. Άλλες φορές, ένα κομμάτι ξύλο και περιμετρικά τοποθετημένες πέτρες σηματοδοτούν τον τάφο.
« Αυτό που βλέπουμε είναι ένα χωράφι, όχι ένα νεκροταφείο. Δεν δείχνει σεβασμό στους ανθρώπους που τάφηκαν εδώ », λέει ο Μανάβης.
Αυτή η έλλειψη σεβασμού στο νεκροταφείο του Κάτω Τρίτου κινητοποίησε την οργάνωση Earth Medicine. Όπως εξηγεί ο Δημήτρης Πατούνης, μέλος της ΜΚΟ, τον Ιανουάριο του 2022 έκαναν πρόταση στο δήμο Μυτιλήνης για την αποκατάσταση του νεκροταφείου. Το σχέδιό τους είναι να δημιουργήσουν ένα χώρο ανάπαυσης με σεβασμό και αξιοπρέπεια, όπου οι πρόσφυγες και οι αιτούντες άσυλο θα μπορούν να ικανοποιήσουν την πιο ιερή ανθρώπινη ανάγκη, το πένθος για τους αγαπημένους τους.
Παρόλο που το δημοτικό συμβούλιο ενέκρινε την πρόταση την άνοιξη του 2023, οι δημοτικές εκλογές του Οκτωβρίου καθυστέρησαν το έργο. Ο Πατούνης δηλώνει θετικός ότι σύντομα θα γίνει καταγραφή των τάφων και περίφραξη της περιοχής.
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https://wearesolomon.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Greece_Lesvos_Funeral-home-1536x862.png Ο Χρήστος Μαυραχείλης, νεκροθάφτης στο νεκροταφείο του Αγίου Παντελεήμονα, θυμάται ότι το 2015 οι μουσουλμάνοι πρόσφυγες θάβονταν σε συγκεκριμένη περιοχή του νεκροταφείου.
« Αν κάποιος ήταν αγνώστου ταυτότητας έγραφα στον τάφο του “Άγνωστος” », λέει. Εάν δεν υπήρχαν συγγενείς, που θα μπορούσαν να καλύψουν το κόστος, ο Μαυραχείλης έκοβε ο ίδιος ένα μάρμαρο και έγραφε όσα στοιχεία μπορούσε από το πιστοποιητικό θανάτου. « Άνθρωποι ήταν κι αυτοί », λέει, « έκανα ό,τι μπορούσα ».
Από την πλευρά του, ο Θωμάς Βαναβάκης, πρώην ιδιοκτήτης γραφείου τελετών που πρόσφερε υπηρεσίες στη Λέσβο έως το 2020, λέει επίσης πως συχνά χρειάστηκε να καλύψουν ταφές δίχως να λάβουν αμοιβή. « Ξέρετε πόσες φορές μπήκαμε στη θάλασσα και πληρώσαμε εργάτες από την τσέπη μας για να τραβήξουμε τα πτώματα και δεν παίρναμε φράγκο ; », λέει.
« Το να βλέπεις τόσα μωρά, να τα μαζεύεις και να τα πετάς σε ένα κουτί… Πώς μπορείς να πας σπίτι και να κοιμηθείς μετά από αυτό ; », λέει ο Βαναβάκης.
Η Έφη Λατσούδη, που ζει στη Λέσβο και εργάζεται στην οργάνωση Refugee Support Aegean (RSA), λέει πως το 2015 υπήρχαν ταφές που δεν μπορούσε να καλύψει ο δήμος Μυτιλήνης, και ορισμένες φορές τις « πληρώναν οι άνθρωποι που συμμετείχαν στην τελετή. Προσπαθούσαμε να δώσουμε μια αξιοπρέπεια στη διαδικασία. Αλλά δεν ήταν αρκετό », λέει.
Η Λατσούδη θυμάται κάτι που της είχε αναφέρει μια προσφύγισσα το 2015 : « Το χειρότερο που μπορεί να μας συμβεί είναι να πεθάνουμε κάπου μακριά και να μην είναι κανείς στην κηδεία μας ».
Ο δήμος Μυτιλήνης δεν απάντησε στα ερωτήματά μας σχετικά με την αξιοπρεπή ταφή των προσφύγων στα νεκροταφεία ευθύνης του.
Χίος και Σάμος : τάφοι καλύπτονται από αγριόχορτα
Σύμφωνα με την ελληνική νομοθεσία, η τοπική αυτοδιοίκηση (και σε περίπτωση αδυναμίας της η περιφέρεια) καλύπτει το κόστος για την ταφή τόσο των αταυτοποίητων προσφύγων που πεθαίνουν στα σύνορα, όσο και εκείνων που βρίσκονται σε οικονομική αδυναμία.
Από πλευράς της, η δημοτική Αρχή Χίου δήλωσε πως προβλέπεται χρηματοδότηση για τις σχετικές δαπάνες, καθώς και ότι « στο πλαίσιο των αρμοδιοτήτων της για τα νεκροταφεία, συντηρεί και φροντίζει όλους τους χώρους, χωρίς διακρίσεις και με τον απαιτούμενο σεβασμό, για όλους τους νεκρούς ».
Αλλά κατά την επίσκεψή μας τον Αύγουστο στο νεκροταφείο του Μερσινιδίου, λίγα χιλιόμετρα βόρεια της πόλης της Χίου, όπου πρόσφυγες βρίσκονται θαμμένοι πλάι στα μνήματα των ντόπιων, δεν ήταν δύσκολο να εντοπίσει κανείς τον διαχωρισμό : οι πέντε τάφοι αταυτοποίητων προσφύγων σηματοδοτούνταν απλώς από ένα μάρμαρο, το οποίο έτεινε να υπερκαλύψει η βλάστηση.
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https://wearesolomon.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/chios-eu-graves-1152x1536.jpg Η Νατάσα Στραχίνη, δικηγόρος του RSA που ζει στη Χίο, έχει λάβει μέρος σε αρκετές κηδείες προσφύγων τόσο στη Χίο όσο και στη Λέσβο. Για εκείνη, είναι πολύ μεγάλη η σημασία της τοπικής κοινότητας και η παρουσία σε μια τόσο δύσκολη ανθρώπινη στιγμή.
Σχετικά με τις ταφές, εξηγεί πως « μόνο ένα καλό σύστημα καταγραφής θα μπορούσε να βοηθήσει τους συγγενείς να εντοπίσουν τον τάφο ενός ανθρώπου που έχασαν, καθώς συνήθως στα νεκροταφεία μετά από 3-5 χρόνια γίνονται εκταφές ». Αναφέρει πως ενίοτε ένας τάφος παραμένει αγνώστων στοιχείων παρότι η σορός έχει ταυτοποιηθεί, είτε γιατί καθυστέρησε η διαδικασία ταυτοποίησης, είτε γιατί οι συγγενείς δεν είχαν την οικονομική δυνατότητα να αλλάξουν το μνήμα.
Στο Ηραίο Σάμου, δίπλα στο δημοτικό νεκροταφείο, σε ένα οικόπεδο που ανήκει στη Μητρόπολη και χρησιμοποιείται ως χώρος ταφής προσφύγων, καταγράψαμε δεκάδες μνήματα που χρονολογούνται μεταξύ 2014-2023. Οι πλάκες –ορισμένες σπασμένες– που έχουν τοποθετηθεί στο έδαφος, « κρυμμένες » από κλαδιά, πευκοβελόνες και κουκουνάρια, αναγράφουν απλώς έναν αριθμό και τη χρονολογία της ταφής.
Ο δικηγόρος Δημήτρης Χούλης, που ζει στη Σάμο και χειρίζεται υποθέσεις γύρω από το προσφυγικό, σχολίασε σχετικά : « Είναι ντροπιαστική εικόνα να βλέπεις τέτοιους τάφους. Είναι αδικαιολόγητο για μια σύγχρονη κοινωνία όπως η Ελλάδα ».
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https://wearesolomon.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/samos-graves-eu-solomon-1536x1152.jpg Αναζητώντας στοιχεία
Η Διεθνής Επιτροπή του Ερυθρού Σταυρού είναι από τις λίγες διεθνείς οργανώσεις που εργάζονται για την ταυτοποίηση των νεκρών πρσοφύγων. Μεταξύ άλλων, και στην Ελλάδα έχουν πραγματοποιήσει αρκετές σχετικές εκπαιδεύσεις σε στελέχη του Λιμενικού και της Ελληνικής Αστυνομίας.
« Είναι υποχρέωσή μας να παρέχουμε στους νεκρούς μια αξιοπρεπή ταφή. Παράλληλα, οφείλουμε να δίνουμε απαντήσεις στις οικογένειες μέσω της ταυτοποίησης των νεκρών. Αν υπολογίσουμε τους συγγενείς των αγνοουμένων, αυτή η διαδικασία επηρεάζει εκατοντάδες χιλιάδες ανθρώπους. Δεν γνωρίζουν πού βρίσκονται οι αγαπημένοι τους. Τους φέρθηκαν καλά ; Τους σεβάστηκαν όταν τους έθαψαν ; », αναφέρει η Laurel Clegg, συντονίστρια ιατροδικαστής για τη μετανάστευση στην Ευρώπη.
Εξηγεί πως η καταγραφή των νεκρών αποτελεί διαδικασία που « απαιτεί την καλή συνεργασία μεταξύ πολλών μερών : ένα νομικό πλαίσιο που να προστατεύει τους αταυτοποίητους νεκρούς, συστηματικές νεκροψίες (consistent post-mortems), νεκροτομεία, ληξιαρχεία, αξιοπρεπή μεταφορά, νεκροταφεία ».
Ωστόσο, τα ιατρικά και νομικά συστήματα των χωρών αποδεικνύονται ανεπαρκή για να αντιμετωπίσουν τη διάσταση του προβλήματος, προσθέτει.
Από το 2013, στο πλαίσιο του προγράμματος για την αποκατάσταση οικογενειακών δεσμών, ο Ερυθρός Σταυρός έχει καταγράψει στην Ευρώπη 16.500 αιτήματα από ανθρώπους που αναζητούν αγνοούμενους συγγενείς τους. Σύμφωνα με τον διεθνή οργανισμό έχουν επιτευχθεί μόλις 285 επιτυχείς αντιστοιχίσεις (1,7%).
Τις αντιστοιχίσεις αυτές αναλαμβάνουν οι κατά τόπους ιατροδικαστές.
« Συλλέγουμε πάντα δείγματα DNA από τις σορούς αγνώστων στοιχείων. Είναι συνήθης πρακτική και μπορεί να είναι το μόνο εφικτό μέσο ταυτοποίησης », αναφέρει ο Παναγιώτης Κοτρέτσος, ιατροδικαστής στη Ρόδο. Τα δείγματα αποστέλλονται στο εργαστήριο DNA της Διεύθυνσης Εγκληματολογικών Ερευνών της Ελληνικής Αστυνομίας, σύμφωνα με πρωτόκολλο της INTERPOL.
Σύμφωνα με τον Ερυθρό Σταυρό, οι δυσκολίες συνήθως προκύπτουν όταν οι οικογένειες βρίσκονται εκτός ΕΕ, και οφείλονται σε διάφορους παράγοντες, όπως τυχόν διαφορές στο νομικό πλαίσιο ή στα ιατρικά συστήματα των χωρών. Για παράδειγμα, ορισμένες χώρες της ΕΕ δεν μπορούν να « ανοίξουν » υπόθεση και να πάρουν δείγματα DNA από οικογένειες, χωρίς εντολή από τις Aρχές της χώρας στην οποία έχει ανασυρθεί η σορός του συγγενή που αναζητάται.
Το πιο δύσκολο μέρος στη διαδικασία ταυτοποίησης μέσω DNA είναι ότι χρειάζεται να υπάρχει κι ένα δεύτερο δείγμα που θα συγκριθεί με εκείνο που συνέλεξαν οι ιατροδικαστές, το οποίο πρέπει να σταλεί από τις οικογένειες των αγνοουμένων. « Για έναν πρόσφυγα που ξεκίνησε το ταξίδι του από μια χώρα της κεντρικής Αφρικής, ταξίδεψε για μήνες, και πέθανε στην Ελλάδα, θα υπάρχει το γενετικό υλικό στο νεκροτομείο. Αλλά θα παραμείνει αταίριαστο μέχρι κάποιος συγγενής πρώτου βαθμού να στείλει δείγμα DNA », λέει ο Κοτρέτσος.
Εξηγεί πως αυτό δεν είναι πάντα εφικτό. « Έχουμε δεχτεί τηλεφωνήματα από συγγενείς που βρίσκονταν στη στη Συρία, και αναζητούσαν αγνοούμενα μέλη της οικογένειάς τους, και δεν μπορούσαν να στείλουν δείγματα ακριβώς επειδή βρίσκονταν στη Συρία ».
Έξω από το πανεπιστημιακό νοσοκομείο της Αλεξανδρούπολης, δύο κοντέινερ ψυγεία που έχουν παραχωρηθεί από τον Ερυθρό Σταυρό ως προσωρινοί νεκροθάλαμοι φιλοξενούν τα σώματα 40 προσφύγων.
Ο καθηγητής Ιατροδικαστικής στο Δημοκρίτειο Πανεπιστήμιο Θράκης, Παύλος Παυλίδης, έχει από το 2000 πραγματοποιήσει αυτοψίες σε τουλάχιστον 800 σώματα ανθρώπων σε κίνηση, με βασικές αιτίες θανάτου τον πνιγμό στα νερά του Έβρου και την υποθερμία.
Ο ιατροδικαστής δεν αρκείται στην απαραίτητη συλλογή DNA : καταγράφει δεδομένα όπως σημάδια γέννησης ή τατουάζ και αντικείμενα (π.χ. πορτοφόλια, δαχτυλίδια, γυαλιά), τα οποία θα μπορούσαν να αποτελέσουν τον συνδετικό κρίκο για έναν συγγενή που αναζητά το αγαπημένο του πρόσωπο.
Λέει πως συνολικά 313 σοροί που βρέθηκαν στον Έβρο από το 2014 παραμένουν αγνώστων στοιχείων. Όσες δεν μπορούν να ταυτοποιηθούν θάβονται σε ειδικό νεκροταφείο στο Σιδηρώ, το οποίο διαχειρίζεται ο δήμος Σουφλίου, ενώ 15-20 αταυτοποίητες σοροί τάφηκαν στην Ορεστιάδα όσο γινόταν η επέκταση του νεκροταφείου Σιδηρού.
Οι σοροί των μουσουλμάνων προσφύγων που ταυτοποιούνται ενταφιάζονται στο μουσουλμανικό νεκροταφείο στη Μεσσούνη Κομοτηνής ή επαναπατρίζονται, όταν οι συγγενείς μπορούν να καλύψουν το κόστος επαναπατρισμού.
https://wearesolomon.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/alexandroupoli-graves-eu-1536x1024.jpg 
https://wearesolomon.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/alexandroupoli-graves-eu-solomon-1536x1024.jpg 
https://wearesolomon.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/alexandroupoli-eu-graves-items-1536x1024.jpg « Αυτό δεν είναι αξιοπρεπές »
Απαντώντας σε σχετικά ερωτήματα, το υπουργείο Μετανάστευσης και Ασύλου είπε πως το ζήτημα των διαδικασιών ταυτοποίησης και ταφής προσφύγων δεν εμπίπτει στις αρμοδιότητές του. Εκπρόσωπος της Κομισιόν δήλωσε πως σχετικά κονδύλια προς την Ελλάδα δεν προβλέπονται, ωστόσο εν λόγω δαπάνες « θα μπορούσαν να υποστηριχθούν στο πλαίσιο του Εθνικού Προγράμματος του Ταμείου Ασύλου, Μετανάστευσης και Ένταξης », το οποίο διαχειρίζεται το υπουργείο Μετανάστευσης.
Ο Θεόδωρος Νούσιας είναι επικεφαλής ιατροδικαστής της Ιατροδικαστικής Υπηρεσίας Βορείου Αιγαίου, δηλαδή υπεύθυνος για τα νησιά Λέσβο, Σάμο, Χίο, και Λήμνο. Σύμφωνα με τον ιατροδικαστή, η διαδικασία ταυτοποίησης μέσω DNA έχει βελτιωθεί πολύ σε σχέση με πριν από μερικά χρόνια.
Ο Νούσιας λέει ότι πάντα ήταν διαθέσιμος, όταν του ζητήθηκε να αναγνωρίσει κάποιον. « Πρέπει να εξυπηρετείς τους ανθρώπους, γι’ αυτό βρίσκεσαι εκεί. Να εξυπηρετείς τους ανθρώπους για να μπορούν να βρουν την οικογένειά τους », προσθέτει.
Ο ιατροδικαστής ζει στη Λέσβο, αλλά λέει πως δεν έχει πάει ποτέ στο νεκροταφείο στον Κάτω Τρίτο. « Δεν θέλω να πάω. Θα είναι δύσκολο για μένα γιατί οι περισσότεροι από αυτούς τους ανθρώπους έχουν περάσει από τα χέρια μου ».
Τον Οκτώβριο του 2022, ο 32χρονος Σουτζά Αχμαντί και η αδελφή του Μαρίνα ταξίδεψαν επίσης στα Κύθηρα και, στη συνέχεια, στην Καλαμάτα προκειμένου να αναγνωρίσουν τη σορό του πατέρα τους, Αμπντούλ Γασί.
Ο 65χρονος είχε ξεκινήσει το ταξίδι για την Ιταλία μαζί με τη γυναίκα του Χατίτζε — εκείνη επέζησε. Τα δύο αδέλφια επισκέφθηκαν το νοσοκομείο, όπου τους έδειξαν και τα οκτώ πτώματα, άνδρες και γυναίκες, παρότι είχαν εξαρχής εξηγήσει πως ο άνθρωπος που αναζητούσαν ήταν άνδρας.
Το σώμα του πατέρα τους ήταν μεταξύ εκείνων που βρίσκονταν εκτός ψυγείου.
« Η αδελφή μου έκλαιγε και τους φώναζε να πάρουν τον πατέρα μας από το κοντέινερ ψυγείο γιατί μύριζε », θυμάται ο Σουτζά. « Δεν ήταν αξιοπρεπές μέρος για έναν άνθρωπο ».
Για την έρευνα συνεργάστηκαν οι : Gabriele Cruciata, Eoghan Gilmartin, Danai Maragoudaki, Barbara Matejčić, Leah Pattem, Gabriela Ramírez, Daphne Tolis and Tina Xu (συντονίστρια).
Η έρευνα υποστηρίχθηκε από το Investigative Journalism for Europe (IJ4EU) και Journalismfund Europe.
▻https://wearesolomon.com/el/mag/format-el/erevnes/agnoston-stoixeion-pano-apo-1000-ataftopoihtoi-tafoi-sta-evropaika-syn
U Hrvatskoj pronađeno 45 neimenovanih grobova migranata, među njima je bila i 5-godišnja curica: ‘Policija ih često tjera u rijeku’
Telegram ekskluzivno donosi veliku priču Barbare Matejčić koja je, kao jedina novinarka iz Hrvatske, sudjelovala u međunarodnoj novinarskoj istrazi s kolegama iz uglednih medija poput britanskog Guardiana i njemačkog Süddeutsche Zeitunga. Otkrili su kako završavaju tijela onih koji su stradali pokušavajući ući u Europsku uniju
U selu Siče u istočnoj Hrvatskoj više je Sičana na groblju nego među živima: živih je 230, a umrlih 250. Točnije, na groblju je 247 Sičana i tri nepoznate osobe. Bilo bi ih još više pod zemljom da Siče svoje groblje nema tek od 1970-ih. Bilo bi još više i živih da nisu, kao mnogi iz tog kraja, odlazili u veće gradove ili u inozemstvo u potrazi za boljim životom. Grobovi Sičana, ukratko, posjetitelju kažu tko su ti ljudi bili, gdje pripadaju i posjećuju li ih bližnji. Tako to biva s grobovima, sažimaju osnovne informacije naših života. Ako na grobu stoji samo NN, to sažima tragediju.
Tko su te tri osobe kojima se ne zna ime? Kako im je posljednja adresa skromni humak u Siču? Migranti, utopili su se u obližnjoj rijeci, reći će vam mještani. Malo je mjesto, malo je groblje, sve se zna. I da ne znate ništa, jasno vam je da te tri osobe tu ne pripadaju. Ukopani su sasvim izdvojeno od ostatka groblja. Tri drvena križa s NN natpisima, zabodena u zemlju na rubu groblja. NN, kao skraćenica od latinskog nomen nescio, doslovno znači: ne znam ime.
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQAGqiWBB78&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegram.hr%2F&
Službeno objašnjenje komunalnog poduzeća koje upravlja grobljem je da je ostavljeno mjesta za još mogućih ukopa onih kojima se ne zna ime. A objašnjenje na koje pomislite kad tamo dođete jest da su ukopani izdvojeno kako se ne bi miješali s mještanima. Ili, kako nam se u telefonskom razgovoru izlanuo načelnik jednog drugog mjesta gdje su također na margini groblja NN migrantski grobovi: “Da nam ne smetaju.”
Afganistanci pod križem
Na groblju u Sičama to su jedina tri groba o kojima nitko ne vodi računa. Za nekih pet godina mogao bi im nestati svaki trag. Komunalna poduzeća su dužna ukopati neidentificirana tijela, ali ne i održavati grobove osim ako grob nije od “osobe od posebnog povijesnog i društvenog značaja”, kako zakon nalaže. NN1, NN2 i NN3 su od posebnog značaja samo svojim bližnjima, koji vjerojatno ni ne znaju gdje su. Možda čekaju da im se konačno jave iz zapadne Europe. Možda ih traže. Možda ih oplakuju. No, ako zakopate malo dublje, saznat ćete ponešto o onima koji tu počivaju bez imena.
U rano i hladno jutro 23. prosinca 2022. policija je pronašla dva tijela na obali Save, koja je u tom području odvaja Hrvatsku od Bosne i Hercegovine. Odvaja Europsku uniju od ostatka Europe. Prema policijskom izvještaju, pronašli su i skupinu od dvadeset stranih državljana koji su tim putem nezakonito ušli u Hrvatsku. Skupini je nedostajala još jedna osoba. Nakon opsežne potrage u popodnevnim satima je pronađeno i treće tijelo. Patolog Opće bolnice u Novoj Gradiški ustanovio je da je smrt za sve troje nastupila u 2.45 u noći. Dvojica su umrla od pothlađenosti, jedan se utopio.
Kod njih su pronađene iskaznice iz izbjegličkog kampa u Bosni i Hercegovini. Saznali smo da su, prema iskaznicama, sva trojica bila iz Afganistana: Ahmedi Abozari imao je 17 godina, Basir Naseri imao je 21 godinu i Shakir Atoin je imao 25 godina. NN1, NN2 i NN3. Za dvojicu od njih su i drugi iz skupine migranata potvrdili identitet, rekli su nam iz Policijske uprave brodsko-posavske. Zašto su onda pokopani kao NN? Ako se znalo da su iz Afganistana, zašto su pokopani pod križem? Ako ih traže obitelji, kako će ih naći?
‘Neka plate za ime na grobu’
U upravi groblja su bili ljubazni i rekli da pokapaju prema tome kako stoji u dozvoli za ukop koju potpisuje patolog. A stajalo je NN. Patolog je rekao da podatke ispisuje na temelju informacija dobivenih od policije i mrtvozornika. Iz nadležne policije su nam rekli da se osoba sahranjuje po pravilima lokalne uprave. Groblje Siče pripada Općini Nova Kapela, čiji nam je načelnik Ivan Šmit nezadovoljno nabrojao sve troškove koje je njegova općina snosila za te ukope i poručio da ako će netko za to platiti, onda može promijeniti oznaku NN u imena.
Na niz smo takvih administrativnih nejasnoća naišli istražujući kako nadležna tijela postupaju s tijelima onih koji su stradali pokušavajući ući u Europsku uniju, kao dio Border Graves Investigation koje je proveo tim od osam slobodnih novinara u zemljama na migrantskim rutama, zajedno s britanskim Guardianom i njemačkim Süddeutsche Zeitungom.
Nema jedinstvene europske baze podataka o broju migranata koji su pokopani u Europi. No tim je uspio potvrditi najmanje 1.931 takav grob u Grčkoj, Italiji, Španjolskoj, Hrvatskoj, Malti, Poljskoj i Francuskoj u zadnjem desetljeću, dakle od 2014. do 2023. Od toga je 1.015 NN grobova. Više od polovice neidentificiranih grobova je, očekivano, u Grčkoj – 551, u Italiji 248 i u Španjolskoj 109. U Hrvatskoj smo utvrdili 59 grobova migranata koji su ukopani posljednjeg desetljeća, od čega ih 45 nije identificirano. Podaci su temeljeni na različitim bazama podataka koje u pojedinačnim zemljama prikupljaju međunarodne organizacije, nevladine udruge, znanstvenici i istraživači, kao i od lokalnih vlasti te terenskim radom.
Tim novinara je posjetio 24 groblja u Grčkoj, Italiji, Španjolskoj, Hrvatskoj, Poljskoj i Litvi, gdje je ukupno 555 grobova neidentificiranih migranata od 2014. do 2023. To su oni čija su tijela pronađena i pokopana. Međunarodni odbor Crvenog križa procjenjuje da se 87 posto onih koji nestanu na europskim južnim granicama nikad ne pronađe. Za kopnene migrantske rute nema procjena.
Traže li migrante kao što traže turiste?
Prosinac 2022. kad su umrla trojica mladih Afganistanaca je bio kišniji nego inače i Sava je nabujala. No ionako je velika i brza. Na tom je području samo tri dana ranije nestalo petero turskih državljana nakon što im se na Savi prevrnuo čamac. Među njima su bili dvogodišnja curica, dvanaestogodišnji dečko i njihovi roditelji. Brat nestalog oca je došao iz Njemačke u Hrvatsku kako bi saznao što se dogodilo s obitelji. Iz dokumentacije koju posjedujemo, vidljivo je da je uz pomoć turkologinje Nine Rajković pokušavao od više policijskih postaja doći do informacija u vezi nestalih. Nije ih dobio ni mjesecima kasnije. Htjeli su prijaviti nestanak, no u policiji im je rečeno da prijavu nema smisla pisati ako osobe nisu prethodno registrirane na području Hrvatske ili Bosne i Hercegovine.
Na niz smo sličnih primjera naišli baveći se ovom temom. Mladić je došao u Hrvatsku i prijavio policiji i u Hrvatskoj i u Sloveniji da mu se brat utopio u Kupi. No njegov nestanak nije evidentiran u hrvatskoj nacionalnoj bazi nestalih osoba koja je javno dostupna. Policija brata nije kontaktirala nakon što je u narednim danima u Kupi nađeno više neidentificiranih tijela. Afganistanac je šest mjeseci čekao da se tijelo njegova brata, koji se utopio kad su zajedno pokušali prijeći Savu također u prosincu 2022., prebaci iz Hrvatske u Bosnu i Hercegovinu da ga može pokopati. Iako je potvrdio da je riječ o njegovu bratu, proces identifikacije je bio spor i kompliciran.
Naišli smo i na primjere obitelji koje nemaju nekoga u Europi tko može doputovati i uporno tragati za informacijama, već izdaleka pokušavaju ući u trag bližnjima koji se gube na području Hrvatske i na kraju su obeshrabreno odustali. Puno je pitanja i malo jasnih odgovora na temu nestalih i umrlih migranata na tzv. Balkanskoj ruti, čiji je Hrvatska dio. Ne postoje jasni protokoli i procedure oko toga kome i kako se prijavljuje nestanak. Ne zna se traži li se nestale migrante aktivno, kao što se ljeti traži nestale turiste. Nije jasno koliko je informacija, i kojih, potrebno za identifikaciju.
Obitelji se nemaju kome javiti
“Kruženje informacije između institucija i pojedinih odjela mi se čini gotovo nepostojeća. U jednom slučaju mi je trebalo više od dva mjeseca i deseci telefonskih poziva i mailova upućenih na različite adrese, policijske postaje, policijske uprave, bolnice, državno odvjetništvo, samo da potaknem pokretanje identifikacije koja do danas, više od godinu dana kasnije, još nije završena”, kaže Marijana Hameršak s Instituta za etnologiju i folkloristiku u Zagrebu. Ona vodi znanstveni projekt “Europski režim iregulariziranih migracija na periferiji EU” u kojem se prikuplja znanje i podaci o nestalim i umrlim migrantima. Na kraju sve ovisi o susretljivim i posvećenim pojedincima u institucijama, kaže Hamrešak, no oni ne mogu nositi cijeli teret disfunkcionalnog sustava.
Potrage za nestalim i pokušaji identifikacije umrlih migranata u Hrvatskoj, kao i susjednoj Bosni i Hercegovini, najčešće počivaju na trudu volontera i aktivista, koji poput Marijane tragaju za informacijama u kaotičnoj administraciji jer je obiteljima koje ne poznaju jezik taj zadatak praktički nesavladiv. Tako je Facebook grupa Dead and Missing in the Balkans postala glavno mjesto razmjene fotografija i podataka o nestalima i umrlima između obitelji i aktivista. Ne postoj internetska stranica na engleskom nadležnog Ministarstva unutarnjih poslova na koju se mogu javiti iz Afganistana ili Sirije i raspitati se za sudbinu svojih bližnjih, ostaviti podatke o njima i prijaviti nestanak.
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PldA9Pa3LJc&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegram.hr%2F&
Nema ni regionalne baze podataka o nestalim i umrlim migrantima na kojoj bi surađivale policije makar iz zemalja među kojima se bilježi najviše prelazaka – iz Bosne i Hercegovine u Hrvatsku. Povjerenica Vijeća Europe za ljudska prava Dunja Mijatović je u razgovoru s našim timom naglasila da je iznimno važno uspostaviti centraliziranu europsku bazu podataka o nestalim i umrlim migrantima. Kad bi takva baza podataka objedinjavala ante-mortem (podaci o osobi koji se prikupljaju od rodbine i poznanika, poput fizičkih karakteristika i opisa odjeće koju je nosila posljednji put, koje je predmete imala uz sebe itd.) i post-mortem (kao DNK uzorak i fotografije) podatke o umrlima, uvelike bi se povećale šanse za identifikaciju.
Poginuti ili ostvariti san
“Obitelji imaju pravo znati istinu o tome što se dogodilo njihovim najbližima”, kaže Mijatović. No suradnja policija susjednih zemalja u održavanju vanjske granice EU nepropusnom je učinkovita. Ranije migranti nisu tako često pokušavali prijeći Savu. Znali su da je previše opasna. Dijele informacije jedni s drugima i ne upuštaju se u prelazak takve rijeke u dječjim čamcima na napuhavanje ili u zračnicama kotača. Ako nisu sasvim očajni.
Hrvatska policija je push-backovima i upotrebom sile – na što već godinama upozoravaju Amnesty International i Human Rights Watch – otežala prelazak drugim, manje opasnim prijelazima duž zelene granice s Bosnom i Hercegovinom. Kako nam je rekao mladi Marokanac u Bosni i Hercegovini, koji je 11 puta pokušao preći u Hrvatsku ali ga je hrvatska policija svaki put vratila: “Imaš dva izbora: poginuti ili ostvariti san.” Koliko ih je poginulo na Balkanskoj ruti u pokušaju ostvarenja sna, teško je utvrditi. Najsveobuhvatniji podaci za zemlje bivše Jugoslavije su oni koje prikupljaju istraživači projekta “Europski režim iregulariziranih migracija na periferiji EU”, i broje 346 stradalih od 2014. do 2023. u Hrvatskoj, Bosni i Hercegovini, Srbiji, Sloveniji, Sjevernoj Makedoniji i na Kosovu.
ERIM-ova baza pojedinačno navodi svakog stradalog i sadrži onoliko podataka koliko su istraživači mogli prikupiti iz raznih izvora – medija, svjedoka stradanja, od institucija, iz aktivističkih kanala. No brojka je zasigurno bitno veća. Nestanak nekih nije ni evidentiran. Tijela mnogih nikad nisu pronađena. Stara planina između Bugarske i Srbije težak je i nedostupan teren. Tu će na preminule naići samo oni koji su istom sudbinom nagnani na taj put i neće riskirati prijavu. Ako stradaju u minskim poljima zaostalim iza ratova u Hrvatskoj i Bosni i Hercegovini, od tijela im neće ostati mnogo. Najviše je pronađeno tijela utopljenih u rijekama, no nema procjena koliko utopljenih nije nikad pronađeno.
U Hrvatskoj 45 neidentificiranih
Hrvatsko Ministarstvo unutarnjih poslova nam je dostavilo podatke o stradalim migrantima od 2015., otkad vode evidenciju, do kraja studenog 2023.: ukupno 87 stradalih migranata na području Republike Hrvatske. Ni jedno službeno tijelo u Hrvatskoj, Bosni i Hercegovini i Srbiji ne vodi evidenciju o pokopanim migrantima na tom teritoriju. No za Hrvatsku smo uspjeli doći do podataka, zahvaljujući upitima poslanima na preko 500 adresa gradova, općina i komunalnih poduzeća koja upravljaju grobljima. Prema dobivenim podacima, u Hrvatskoj se na 32 groblja nalazi 59 grobova migranata, koji su ukopani posljednjeg desetljeća, dakle od 2014. do danas. Od toga ih 45 nije identificirano.
Neki pokopani migranti su ekshumirani i vraćeni obiteljima u zemlju porijekla, premda je to za obitelji zahtjevan i iznimno skup proces. U MUP-u navode da se od 2001. DNK uzorci uzimaju od svih neidentificiranih tijela, a obradu provodi Centar za forenzična ispitivanja, istraživanja i vještačenja Ivan Vučetić. Tražili smo od MUP-a razgovor sa stručnjacima koji rade na identifikaciji migranata, ali nam nije udovoljeno.
Među NN grobovima u Hrvatskoj je mrtvorođena beba iz Sirije pokopana 2015. u Slavonskom Brodu. Petogodišnja djevojčica koja se utopila u Dunavu i pokopana je 2021. u Dalju. Prošlo ljeto je mladić u brdovitom predjelu na dubrovačkom području umro od iscrpljenosti. Neke je udario vlak. Mnogi su umrli od pothlađenosti. Neki umru jer im nije na vrijeme pružena pomoć. Neki ne vjeruju da im išta više može pomoći pa se ubiju.
Nerazriješeni gubitak
Prema zakonu, sahranjuju se najbliže mjestu stradavanja tako da su uglavnom na malim grobljima poput onog u Sičama. Često su, baš kao tamo, njihovi grobovi izdvojeni od ostatka groblja. Ponegdje je, kao u Otoku, netko od mještanki mekog srca dao sebi u zadatak da brine o NN grobu. Negdje je, kao na groblju u Prilišću, NN drveni križ iz 2019. već istrunuo.
Iza svakog tog NN groba ostaju bližnji koji se nose s teretom neznanja što se dogodilo. Psiholozi to zovu nerazriješenim gubitkom, jer toliko dugo koliko bližnji nemaju potvrdu da su njihovi voljeni mrtvi i ne znaju gdje su im tijela, ne mogu žalovati za njima. Ako nastave sa životom, osjećaju krivnju. I tako su zamrznuti u stanju između očaja i nade. Američka psihologinja dr. Pauline Boss autorica je termina i teorije o nerazriješenom gubitku. “Znati gdje je grob bližnje osobe je jako važno jer pomaže da se oprostite”, rekla je dr. Boss u razgovoru za naš tim.
Postoji i praktična strana te zamrznutosti: ako osoba nije proglašena mrtvom, ne može se provesti nasljeđivanje, ne može se pristupiti bankovnom računu, ne može se dobiti obiteljska mirovina, partner ili partnerica se ne mogu ponovno vjenčati, komplicira se skrbništvo nad djecom. Mnoge obitelj i u Hrvatskoj i u Bosni i Hercegovini dobro poznaju nerazriješeni gubitak; ratovi u devedesetima ostavili su tisuće nestalih. Obje zemlje imaju posebne zakone o nestalima u tim ratovima i dobro razrađene mehanizme potrage, identifikacije, pohranjivanja podataka i međusobne suradnje. No to se ne primjenjuje na migrante koji se gube i pogibaju među tisućama koji se kreću Balkanskom rutom.
Uređeni koridor – nula mrtvih
Hrvatska je postala važna točka ulaska u Europsku uniju nakon što je Mađarska zatvorila granice u rujnu 2015. Od tada pa do ožujka 2016. preko hrvatske dionice Balkanskog koridora – dakle, međudržavnog, organiziranog puta – prema procjenama, prošlo je oko 660.000 izbjeglica. Taj koridor im je omogućio da od Grčke pa do zapadne Europe dođu u dva ili tri dana. I dolazili su sigurno. Od tih stotina tisuća ljudi u pokretu, hrvatski MUP ne bilježi niti jednu smrt 2015. i 2016. Koridor je i uspostavljen da bi se spriječila stradavanja nakon što je veći broj izbjeglica u proljeće 2015. poginuo na željezničkoj pruzi u Makedoniji.
No sa sklapanjem europsko-turskog sporazuma o izbjeglicama u ožujku 2016. godine, koridor je zatvoren. EU se obavezala izdašno financirati Tursku da izbjeglice drži na svom teritoriju kako ne bi dolazili u Europsku uniju. I tako je migrantima ostala pogibeljna Balkanska ruta. Mnogi njom idu. Samo u deset mjeseci 2023. hrvatska je policija evidentirala 62.452 postupanja vezano za nezakonite prelaske granice.
I Ured pučke pravobraniteljice u Hrvatskoj i povjerenica Vijeća Europe za ljudska prava upozoravaju na isto: granične i migracijske politike utječu na povećanje rizika od nestajanja migranata. I da je potrebno da se u EU uspostave legalni i sigurni putevi migracija. No, EU očekuje od Hrvatske da štiti zajedničku vanjsku granicu. I Hrvatska to zdušno radi. Takvu praksu ministar Davor Božinović naziva “obeshrabrivanjem” migranata da uđu u Hrvatsku.
‘Obeshrabreni’ pod vlak
Rezultat takve prakse je, primjerice, smrt Madine Hussiny. Šestogodišnju afganistansku djevojčicu je ubio vlak nakon što je njenu obitelj hrvatska policija “obeshrabrila” i usred noći 2017. potjerala nazad u Srbiju uz uputu da prate tračnice. Europski sud za ljudska prava u studenom 2021. je presudio da je Hrvatska odgovorna za Madininu smrt. U svjedočanstvima koja smo čuli, kao i u mnogim izvještajima nevladinih organizacija, migranti opisuju da im je hrvatska policija na granici naredila da pregaze ili preplivaju rijeku kako bi se vratili u Bosnu ili Srbiju, da se penju preko stijena, idu kroz šumu, nekad i svučeni dogola i ne znajući put jer im policija u pravilu oduzme mobitele.
Prema podacima koje prikuplja Dansko vijeće za izbjeglice, od početka 2020. do kraja 2022. najmanje je 30.000 ljudi prisilno vraćeno iz Hrvatske u Bosnu i Hercegovinu. Među njima je bio i Afganistanac Arat Semiullah. U studenom 2022. je namjeravao prijeći Savu i ući iz Bosne u Hrvatsku. Utopio se. Imao je 20 godina. Pokopan je na pravoslavnom groblju u Banja Luci. Njegova obitelj u Afganistanu nije znala što mu se dogodilo. Dan ranije je poslao mami fotografiju na kojoj je svježe ošišan za ulazak u Europsku uniju. I onda se prestao javljati.
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2nVP5AL1x0&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegram.hr%2F&
Majka je molila nećaka Paymana Sediqija, koji živi u Njemačkoj, da ga pokuša pronaći. Payman je stupio u kontakt s aktivistom Nihadom Suljićem, koji u Bosni i Hercegovini samostalno pomaže obiteljima da doznaju što je s njihovim bližnjima. Tjednima su pokušavali doći do informacija. Payman je otputovao u Bosnu i uspio pronaći tijelo rođaka zahvaljujući susretljivosti policajke koja mu je pokazala forenzičke fotografije. Aratova mama je telefonski potvrdila da je to njezin sin.
U Europi sahranili snove
Na Aratovoj osmrtnici objavljenoj u Bosni i Hercegovini piše da je “hrvatska policija vatrenim oružjem potopila čamac te se on tragično utopio”. Uz pomoć muslimanske zajednice, a na želju obitelji, uspjeli su tijelo prebaciti iz Banja Luke na muslimansko groblje u Kamičanima. Htjeli su ga pokopati u Afganistanu, ali im je bilo previše skupo i birokratski komplicirano. U rujnu 2023. susreli smo se s Nihadom i Paymanom kad je Aratu postavljen velik kameni nadgrobni spomenik. Na njemu piše: “U pokušaju dolaska do Europe utopio se u rijeci Savi.”
Payman nam je ispričao da je Arat prelazio Savu u skupini migranata. Dio njih je uspio doći do hrvatske obale, no onda je hrvatska policija pucala u gumeni čamac u kojem je bio Arat. Čamac se potopio i Arat se utopio. Tako je Paymanu ispričao preživjeli koji je prešao na hrvatsku obalu Save. Payman kaže da je Aratova obitelj u velikoj boli, ali da makar znaju gdje im je sin i da je pokopan po religijskim običajima. Paymanu je važno da na grobu piše da je Arat stradao kao migrant.
“Svakodnevno u Europi umiru ljudi koji bježe iz zemalja u kojima im nema života. U Europi se sahranjuju njihovi snovi. Nikoga nije briga za njih, čak ni kad europski policajci pucaju na njih”, kaže Payman. Zna o kakvim snovima govori; i sam je ilegalno došao u Njemačku sa 16 godina. Kaže da je imao sreće. Nihad se zalaže da se i drugi grobovi migranata u Bosni i Hercegovini trajno obilježe. Vodi nas na groblje u Zvorniku gdje je pokopano 17 NN migranata. Kaže kako za neke od njih ima informaciju da su imali pasoš sa sobom kad su pronađeni.
‘Ove ljude nije ubila rijeka’
S groblja se vidi Drina, koja dijeli Srbiju od Bosne i u kojoj mnogi izgube život pokušavajući je preći. Samo je ove godine u Drini pronađeno tridesetak tijela. Nihad kaže da imaju sreće ako ih rijeka izbaci na bosansku stranu jer se u Srbiji često ne radi ni obdukcija niti uzimaju DNK uzorci. To su nam potvrdili i aktivisti iz Srbije. U tom slučaju su i u smrti sasvim izgubljeni za svoje obitelji. Zemljani NN grobovi u Zvorniku su zarasli i nisu omeđeni, tako da ne znate gazite li po njima.
Nihad je uspio uvjeriti Grad Zvornik da drvena obilježja zamijene crnim kamenom. Važno mu je da su pokopani dostojanstveno, ali mu je još važnije da ostanu svjedočiti. “Želja mi je da i za sto godina ovi grobovi budu spomenici srama EU. Jer, nije ove ljude ubila rijeka, nego granični režim EU”, kaže Nihad.
▻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJkS3qHfA54&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegram.hr%2F&
An obscure island grave: fate of deadly EU migration route’s youngest victim
Case of #Alhassane_Bangoura in #Lanzarote highlights Europe-wide failure as authorities struggle to cope with scale of deaths
Stretching less than a metre in length and covered in the ochre-coloured soil that dots the Canary island of Lanzarote, large stones encircle the tiny mound. There is no tombstone or plaque; nothing official to signal that this is the final resting site of the infant believed to be the youngest victim of one of the world’s deadliest migration routes.
Instead, two bouquets of plastic daisies adorn the grave, along with a granite bowl engraved with his name, Alhassane Bangoura, hinting at the impact his story had on many across the island.
His mother, originally from Guinea, was among three pregnant women who joined 40 others in an inflatable raft that left Morocco in early January 2020. After running out of fuel, the flimsy raft was left to the mercy of Atlantic currents for three days.
“They were driven by desperation,” said Mamadou Sy, a municipal councillor for the Socialist party in Lanzarote. “Nobody would get into one of these vessels if they had even a little bit of hope in their own country. Nobody would do it.”
So far this year, a record 35,410 migrants and refugees have arrived on the shores of the Canary Islands – a 135% increase over last year. More than 11,000 of them landed at the tiny island of El Hierro, home to just 9,000 people.
The surge in those risking the perilous route has transformed the archipelago into a microcosm of the wider strain playing out across the EU as authorities struggle to deal with the bodies of those that die on their way. A Guardian investigation in collaboration with a consortium of reporters has found that refugees and migrants are being buried in unmarked graves across the EU at a scale that is unprecedented outside of war.
In September, the mayor of Mogán, a municipality on the island of Gran Canaria, gave voice to the tensions that have at times surfaced as officials across the EU confront this issue, announcing she would no longer use her budget to cover the cost of burying refugees and migrants who are found along the shores that buttress the municipality.
“When they die on the high seas, it is the responsibility of the state,” Onalia Bueno told reporters, in rejection of a Spanish law that requires municipalities to foot the bills for people who die within their jurisdiction and who are either unidentified or whose families cannot cover the costs.
At the Teguise municipal cemetery on the island of Lanzarote, more than 25 unmarked graves sit among a plot containing about 60 graves in total. It was here that baby Alhassane was buried. His mother had delivered him as the rickety vessel pitched against the fierce Atlantic swells; those onboard later told media they never heard the baby cry.
His body was cold when the vessel was rescued, an emergency services spokesperson said. He was taken to the nearest hospital but was declared dead on arrival. His body was taken to judicial authorities as is the standard practice in Spain for migrants and refugees who perish at sea or on arrival.
Alhassane’s mother, who was unconscious when she was rescued, was later sent to Gran Canaria, about 200km (125 miles) away, where an NGO had agreed to take her into its care. But the Spanish judicial system had yet to release her son’s body – a process that can take up to eight months in Lanzarote.
The funeral took place on 25 January. “She wasn’t able to attend the funeral,” said Laetitia Marthe, who was among those who unsuccessfully battled for Alhassane’s mother to be allowed to attend. “Basically they’re treated like numbers.”
Instead, Marthe was among the handful of people who attended the funeral in her name.
Judicial officials had liaised with the mother to check the baby’s name, said Eugenio Robayna Díaz, the municipal councillor responsible for cemeteries in the city of Teguise. But he did not know why the name had not made it on to the grave.
Julie Campagne, an anthropologist based in Lanzarote, called for the baby’s grave to be marked with a plaque. “We’re witnessing the process of forgetting in real time. And this loss of memory comes with a shirking of our responsibility for what is happening.”
Generally speaking, all over the world, there is always a small fraction of people who die and are never identified, she added. “But that is not what is happening here. This is happening for specific reasons. This is happening because of the policy decisions of our governments.”
While Alhassane’s mother was not able to attend the funeral, what did eventually make it to his gravesite was a smooth stone, painted by her in yellow and red and brought there by those travelling from Gran Canaria shortly after the burial. Written on the stone was a message for her son.
More than three years of rain has washed away much of what was there but Marthe copied down the message, hoping to one day add it to a formal marker of the site. “I will miss you a lot my baby,” it reads. “I love you.”
▻https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/08/an-obscure-island-grave-fate-of-deadly-eu-migration-routes-youngest-vic
Dead refugees in the Balkans: bribes to find missing relatives
In comparison to 2015, today more asylum seekers are dying on the Balkan route. While relatives are forced to overcome state indifference to identify their loved ones, they are also forced to bribe authorities, even border guards, in the hope of finding them.
He had hoped to find his son in a refugee camp. And after spending three weeks looking for him, he had prepared himself for the possibility of finding him in a hospital.
But he didn’t expect to find him in the graveyard.
When the policeman with Bulgarian insignia on his uniform showed him the picture of his son lying lifeless in the grass, he lost the ground under his feet. “I wish I could at least have been able to see Majd one last time. My mind still can’t believe that the person in this grave is my son,” says Husam Adin Bibars.
The 56-year-old Syrian refugee, a father of four other children, had spent 22 days searching for his son from afar when he decided to spend his meager savings to travel from Denmark to Bulgaria to look for him – but it was too late.
In Bulgaria, he learned that 27-year-old Majd’s body had been buried within just four days of its discovery. Majd had been buried as an unidentified person; there was nothing to indicate that the person buried under that pile of dirt, which Bibars later visited, was his son.
“We hear that Europe is the land of freedom, democracy, and human rights,” says Bibars soberly. “Where are human rights if I am not able to see my son before his burial?”
Dead without identification
Majd had crossed from Turkey to Bulgaria with a group of about 20 other people, hoping to reunite with his parents and siblings in Europe. Once he arrived, his pregnant wife and their daughter, Hannah, would follow.
Toward the end of September, he stopped returning calls and texts. The smuggler told Bibars that Majd had fallen ill and they needed to leave him behind. Authorities told Bibars his son died of thirst, exhaustion, and exposure.
In recent years, with the support of EU funds and the increased involvement of the European border agency Frontex, Balkan countries have stepped up border controls, constructing fences, deploying drones and surveillance mechanisms. But this doesn’t deter asylum seekers – it causes them to take longer and more dangerous routes to avoid authorities.
An investigation by Solomon in collaboration with investigative newsroom Lighthouse Reports, the German magazine Der Spiegel and German public television ARD, the British newspaper i, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, found that the hostility people face at the borders of Europe in life continues even in death.
We found that since the start of 2022, the lifeless bodies of 155 people presumed to be migrants have ended up in morgues close to borders along a route that includes Serbia, Bulgaria, and Bosnia.
According to the data, for 2023 there is already a 46% increase in deaths compared to the whole of 2022.
In the Balkans, people making the journey have to cope with harsh weather conditions, but also with pushbacks, increased brutality by border guards and smugglers, theft by border forces – even detention in secret prisons.
For their part, the families of those who go missing or die in the region have to search for their loved ones in morgues, hospitals, and special Facebook and WhatsApp groups, and to cope with an equally arduous effort facing the indifference of the authorities.
In Bulgaria, this investigation reveals, they often also need to pay bribes in the hope of learning more about their missing loved ones.
The 10 key findings of the investigation:
- In 2022, the number of people travelling irregularly through the Balkans to Western Europe reached its highest point since 2015, with Frontex recording 144,118 irregular border crossings.
– The corresponding figure for 2023 is lower (79,609 by September), but remains a multiple of 2019 (15,127) and 2018 (5,844).
– The Balkan route is more dangerous than ever: in the absence of a centralised relevant registration system, the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Missing Migrants platform suggests that more people died or went missing in 2022 than in 2015.
- According to data gathered for this investigation, at least 155 unidentified bodies ended up in six selected morgues along a section of the Balkan route that includes Bulgaria, Serbia, and Bosnia. The majority of the bodies (92) were found this year.
- For 2023, the number is already showing a 46% increase compared to 2022, and is exploding in some morgues.
– Some morgues in Bulgaria (Burgas, Yambol) are having difficulty finding space for the bodies of refugees. Others in Serbia (Loznina) have no space at all.
- This contributes to unidentified bodies being buried within days, in ‘No Name’ graves. This means that families are left without the opportunity to search for their loved ones.
- In Bulgaria, families told us that they had to bribe staff at hospitals and morgues, but border guards too, when searching for their loved ones. Sources in the field confirm the practice, which is also recorded in an audio file in our possession.
– In Bosnia, at least 28 people presumed to be asylum seekers have already died in the Drina River this year, compared to just five in 2022 and three in 2021.
- Bureaucracy and lack of state interest are recorded as hampering efforts to identify dead asylum seekers.
Dead but cause of death unknown
What do you do when your little brother is missing, and because of your status in the country you live in, you can’t travel to look for him?
Asmatullah Sediqi, a 29-year-old asylum seeker, was in his asylum accommodation in Warrington, UK, when his brother’s travel companions informed him that 22-year-old Rahmatullah was likely dead.
Due to his status as an asylum seeker, the UK Home Office did not allow Asmatullah to return to Bulgaria, which he had also crossed on his journey, to look for his brother.
When a friend was able to go on his behalf, the Bulgarian police refused to give any information. And the morgue staff asked for 300 euros to let him see some bodies, Sediqi said in this investigation.
“In such a situation, a person should help a person,” he added. “They only know money. They are not interested in human life.”
He managed to borrow the amount they asked for. In July 2022, 55 days after his brother’s disappearance, the Burgas hospital confirmed that one of the bodies in the morgue belonged to Rahmatullah. With another 3,000 euros borrowed, a company repatriated the remains to their parents in Afghanistan.
But to this day, Sediqi is consumed by one thought: he doesn’t know how, he hasn’t been told why, his brother died.
The Bulgarian authorities have not given him the results of the autopsy “because I don’t have a visa to travel there,” he says. “I’m sure that when the police found him in the forest, they must have taken some photos. It’s very painful not knowing what happened to my brother. It’s devastating.”
“Not a single complaint”
As part of this investigation by Solomon, Lighthouse Reports, RFE/RL, inews, ARD και Der Spiegel, several relatives told us they had also been forced to bribe workers at the Burgas hospital’s morgue to find out if their family members were among the dead.
When we asked the hospital administration whether they were aware of such practices, Galina Mileva, head of the forensic medicine department at Burgas hospital, said that they had not received “a single report or complaint about such a case. The identification of the bodies is done only in the presence of a police officer conducting the investigation and a forensic expert.”
The administration also replied that there is no legal provision under which employees could claim money from relatives for this procedure.
“We appeal to these complaints to be addressed through official channels to us and to the investigating authorities. If such practices are found to exist, the workers will be held accountable,” they added.
“Money is requested at every step of the process”
Another relative, whose family also travelled to Bulgaria in late 2022 to search for a family member, told us that after they paid staff at the morgue 300 euros to be allowed to look at the dead bodies, they also had to pay border guards.
It was the only way they could be taken seriously, the relative explained.
When they asked the border guards to show them photos of people who had been found dead, the border guards said they didn’t have time, but when the family agreed to pay 20 euros for each photo shown to them, time was found.
Georgi Voynov, a lawyer for the Bulgarian Committee Helsinki Refugee and Migrant Programme, confirmed that families of deceased persons have approached the Committee about cases in which hospitals asked for large sums of money to confirm that the bodies of their loved ones were there.
“They complain that they are being asked for money at every step of the process,” he said.
International organisations, including the Bulgarian Red Cross, confirmed that they had such experiences from persons they had supported, who said they had been forced to pay money to hospitals and morgues.
A Bulgarian Red Cross official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, commented:
“We understand that these people are very overwhelmed and have to be paid extra for all the extra work they do. But this should be done in a legal way.”
▻https://wearesolomon.com/mag/focus-area/migration/dead-refugees-in-the-balkans
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