Monthly Press Review November 2023

December 6th, 2023 - written by: migration-control.info

OUT NOW: Our Monthly Press Review November 2023 covers topics such as Eurafrican migration control, migration, and displacement in African countries, and news on the European border regime.

In case there is a news item, report, or campaign you would like to flag in next month’s review please write us via contact@migration-control.info or on Twitter @MigControl.

Please find the PDF HERE

Please find it as text here:

NEW ON MIGRATION-CONTROL.INFO

BLOG 16.11.23: Migration Control: Gaza Dossier: Vertreibung und Containment: What could be the function of this blog post? Almost every newspaper now has a blog on the topic. But the involvement of the EU, the most important supporter of containment in Gaza alongside the USA, continues to be underexposed. Our topic is the externalisation of the EU border regime and we have long seen Israel as part of this regime. However, we have not yet commented on the "Palestinian question". We have also only marginally dealt with the connection between the enclosure of populations and mass extermination, although the European Sahel policy and the genocide in Darfur would have given us enough reason to do so. This is a new level of necropolitics.

BLOG 18.11.23: Ibrahim Musa Shamu: I Was a Witness to Your Death, Oh Geneina: Ibrahim lived to witness what happened in El Geneina, and then went with a refugee treck to Adre / Chad. We do hope that Ibrahim, and the people with him, will be able to securely return to El Geneina one day.

HOA Media Office

In this section we will in future publish relevant articles, and links, and also make available translations to Arabic in the form of PDFs. The media office will cooperate with Arkamani for the Sudan anthropological and archaeological translation series.

في هذا القسم سنقوم إبتداء من هذا الشهر بنشر مقالات وروابط ذات صلة بالقرن الأفريقي كما ستكون بعض الترجمات إلى اللغة العربية متاحة على صيغة PDFs بالتعاون مع سلسلة ترجمات أركماني/ دراسات أركماني للانثربولوجيا والاركيولوجيا السودانية التي يسرنا أن نعلن عن بداية تعاون وثيق معها.

POMPES: The Great Game of the UAE and Saudi Arabia in Sudan by Jean-Baptiste Gallopin: This paper relies on interviews with actors and observers of the Sudanese political scene, and on an analysis of public or semi-public documents, including news articles, press releases and statements from political actors.

اللعبة الكبرى للإمارات والسعودية في السودان.

أقرأ الترجمة العربية هنا:

29.06.23: FP: Support Sudan’s Revolution, Not an Elite Peace Deal: While violence escalates and civilians bear the brunt in horrific and targeted ways, failed cease-fires come and go. Courting the belligerents to make peace only legitimizes them as the primary protagonists in deciding Sudan’s future, right when they are brutally destroying it. Worse, every ounce of political capital spent on the generals is an ounce stolen from the Sudanese citizens who are still pursuing their country’s transformation.

إدعموا الثورة وليس صفقة سلام النخب.

أقرأ الترجمة العربية هنا:

14.11.23: CSIS: Avoiding the ‘Libya Scenario’ in Sudan: After seven months of fighting in Sudan, prospects for a clean end to the conflict and the restoration of a transitional government appear nonexistent. Neither warring side has demonstrated the ability to deliver a knockout blow and, in the process, continues to deliver devastating consequences to civilians.

تجنب السيناريو الليبي في السودان.

أقرأ الترجمة العربية هنا:

Follow Up: Gaza

Links up to November 17 to be found in our BLOG entry on Gaza War.

05.12.23 Guardian: Greta Thunberg et al.: We won’t stop speaking out about Gaza’s suffering – there is no climate justice without human rights: Advocating for climate justice fundamentally comes from a place of caring about people and their human rights. That means speaking up when people suffer, are forced to flee their homes or are killed – regardless of the cause. It is the same reason why we have always held strikes in solidarity with marginalised groups – including those in Sápmi, Kurdistan, Ukraine and many other places – and their struggles for justice against imperialism and oppression. Our solidarity with Palestine is no different, and we refuse to let the public focus shift away from the horrifying human suffering that Palestinians are currently facing.

04.12.23 AJE: Netherlands accused of war crimes complicity for Israeli military supplies: A Dutch court is set to hear a case accusing the state of complicity in war crimes in Gaza due to its supply of components for Israeli bombers. Launched by human rights organisations against The Netherlands, the case, which opens on Monday, says that the Dutch state is complicit in the alleged war crimes due to the export of F-35 fighter jet parts.

04.12.23 AJE: Telecommunications, internet down in Gaza as Israeli strikes intensify: Cybersecurity watchdog NetBlocks confirmed that the “near-total internet blackout” would be “experienced as a total loss of communications by most residents”.

03.12.23 NYT: Israel’s Military Widens Evacuation Orders in Southern Gaza: “Confusion and fear gripped much of southern Gaza on Sunday as Israel’s military ordered more residents to clear out, sending people into the streets in search of anything that might serve as shelter two days after a cease-fire deal fell apart.”

03.12.23 Guardian: Airstrikes leave no safe place for Palestinians in southern Gaza: Israel has repeatedly warned residents of northern Gaza to move south, forcing the population into an even smaller living space, where food and water shortages have combined with a breakdown of services, including rubbish collection, that threatens a health crisis. Evacuees have had to deal with these living conditions while still facing danger. Airwars, which monitors harm to civilians, said last week that it had documented reports of 127 incidents involving explosive weapons within the “safe zone” in the first week after Israel’s warning on October 14.

01.12.23 Guardian: Israel’s military strategy threatens to make a desperate situation utterly dire: IDF claim to be avoiding blanket bombing the south, where about 2mn people live, but their new approach does not look much different

28.11.23 NYT: Fearful, Humiliated and Desperate: Gazans Heading South Face Horrors: “They walked for hours, raising their hands when they encountered Israeli troops with guns trained on them to display their I.D. cards — or wave white rags. All around them was the sound of gunfire and the incessant buzzing of drones. Bodies littered rubble-filled streets.”

26.11.23: Guardian: Disappointed, disenchanted, defiant: inside the world of the West Bank’s angry armed youths: “A new generation of young Palestinian militants speak about their beliefs and what drives them to take up the fight. [...] In interviews, the militants often repeated the slogans of their respective groups but also referred to their own frustrated ambitions and dreams. Many said they wanted to travel but were unable to move more than a few miles without being blocked by Israeli checkpoints. Some spoke of wanting to become teachers or having other professions but there being no jobs.”

26.11.23: NYT: ‘We Went Back to the Stone Age’: “Life in besieged Gaza revolves around a daily struggle to find food and water. With practically no fuel or coal, families are burning doors and window frames to cook what they can scrounge. (With photos of everyday life).”

26.11.23: AJE: Biden seeks to expand Israeli access to US weapons stockpile: “The White House aims to lift nearly all restrictions on Israel’s access to weapons from a crucial US stockpile, enabling a smoother weapons pipeline to Israel, which has paused weeks of its devastating bombing of the Gaza Strip.The White House asked the United States Senate to scrap the restrictions in its latest supplementary budget request on October 20. If granted, the request would enable Israel to access more high-powered US weapons at a reduced cost, with less congressional oversight.”

26.11.23: AJE: Israeli settlers steal Palestinian farmers’ land in occupied West Bank: “Farmers in the occupied West Bank face near-daily incursions and violence from Israeli settlers, to the point that they live in fear of having their homes and land stolen, they say. Added to that is the violence they witness in nearby urban areas, like Jenin city and refugee camp that the Israeli army stepped up raids on, killing 10 people and wounding 20 in just one week. According to the Ministry of Health, at least 237 Palestinians have been killed and about 2,850 others injured by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank since October 7.”

25.11.23: AJE: Tens of thousands rally in Tel Aviv amid delay in release of Hamas captives: “An estimated 100,000 people demonstrated in Tel Aviv to call for the release of all captives held by Hamas, on the second day of a truce between the Palestinian group and Israel. [...] Demonstrators also gathered in front of one of Netanyahu’s private residences in Jerusalem, calling for his immediate removal from office.”

24.11.23: Foreign Affairs: Washington’s Looming Middle Eastern Quagmire: “That the stakes are high is evident in the rapid flow of additional U.S. military forces into the region over the past month, including aircraft carriers, fighter aircraft, over 1,000 troops, and the deployment of additional air defense systems to Arab partners such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These moves were intended to signal U.S. resolve and deter Iran from seeking to escalate the crisis in Israel by using its network of proxies, such as Hezbollah, to launch attacks on Israel from Lebanon, Syria, and elsewhere. But by expanding its military presence in the Middle East, Washington may aggravate regional tensions and raise the risk and costs of miscalculation.”

All Africa

30.11.23 African Arguments: Pan-African responses to Europe’s restrictive immigration regime: “As Europe pushes governments to restrict mobility, a new generation of thinkers are advancing new ideas of migration based on Pan-African ideals” – yes, but this argument supported by a person who works with Böll Foundation makes us skeptical. Nevertheless, a series of podcasts on African Internal Migrations and obstacles is very interesting, although we would not like to miss African Immigration to Europe (Editorial team).

26.11.23: NYT: Battle for Influence Rages in Heart of Wagner’s Operations in Africa: “Mr. Prigozhin’s death in August has rattled the mercenary group’s once-cozy relations with the Central African Republic, which is now weighing offers from Russia and Western countries, including the United States, to replace Wagner as its primary security guarantor.”

North Africa

Tunisia 08.11.23 28 AJE: In a Tunisian town, Sudanese refugees wait in fear for UN protection: “Hundreds of Sudanese refugees are cornered in the Zarzis olive groves, fearing local anger and hoping for UN protection. [...] Chief among [their] demands, at least from the Sudanese refugees, is the need to have their status recognised, a card issued and the thin film of international protection extended to them.”

Also see Taz 28.11.23:Gestrandet zwischen Afrika und Europa (Stranded Between Africa and Europe); AJE 03.12.23: Near Sfax, refugees scramble after violent clashes with Tunisia police

Central and Subsaharan Africa

Chad 28.11.23: Military Africa: EU nimmt militärische Unterstützung für Tschad wieder auf (EU resumes Military Aid for Chad): “The EU plans to provide €12 million to support the Chadian Armed Forces (FAT) in the south of the country, where they are facing security problems from rebel groups and cross-border threats.”

East Africa

HOA 23.11.23: taz: Extremwetter trifft Afrikas Ärmste (Extremwetter hits Africa’s Poorest): “The ongoing heavy rains in the Horn of Africa have claimed at least 124 lives so far. This figure was announced by the EU's Humanitarian Coordination department (ECHO) on Tuesday (21 November], citing UN data. According to the data, 50 people have been found dead in Kenya, 41 in Somalia and 33 in Ethiopia.”

See also Der Spiegel 08.11.23: Hunderttausende flüchten vor Überschwemmungen in Somalia (Hundreds of thousands flee from floods in Somalia)

HOA 22.11.23: TNH: From Ethiopia to South Africa: The human cost of a neglected migration route: “The southern route to South Africa is one of three major migration corridors transporting people out of the Horn of Africa. But unlike the two better-known routes – going east to the Gulf states, or north to Europe – it is both sketchily documented and poorly understood. As a result, the dynamics and casualties of this covert business tend to be overlooked by migration experts, aid agencies, and government authorities.”

HOA 07.11.23: AJE: Is landlocked Ethiopia starting another war over ports in Horn of Africa?: “Ethiopia’s tone on access to a seaport is seen as either a distraction from domestic policy failures or the start of another regional war. [...] On October 26, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed denied reports that his government was planning to wage war to gain access to a seaport. It was his second attempt in as many weeks at reassuring neighbouring states in the Horn of Africa that his pursuit of a new import gateway for Ethiopia would stay peaceful.”

Sudan 16.11.23: CNN: ‘They called me a slave’: Witness testimony exposes alleged RSF-led campaign to enslave men and women in Sudan: “A CNN team in the Chadian refugee camp of Adre, across the border from El Geneina, spoke to over a dozen witnesses who described the abduction of people en masse, with women forced to perform sexual acts in exchange for food and water and both men and women being traded by their captors. Their accounts shed further light on the violence in the genocide-scarred western Sudanese region over the past five months.”

Sudan 07.11.23 MEE: Sudan: Almost all of Darfur falls to the RSF in severe blow to the army: “Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has seized the majority of the western Darfur region in a shock collapse of the Sudanese army that has huge implications for the six-month-old war. The development comes as talks between the warring parties in Jeddah, held under the auspices of the United States and Saudi Arabia, failed to achieve any breakthroughs. Leading the charge in Darfur is Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, brother of the RSF leader Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, a man better known as Hemeti. Under Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, the RSF in recent weeks has secured control of four of Darfur’s five states.”

Sudan 19.11.23: Guardian: The Guardian view on the war in Sudan: destruction and death are going largely unnoticed: “As civilians are forced from their homes, killed, raped and enslaved, the world is preoccupied by conflict elsewhere. More than 10,000 people are estimated to have been killed so far, and 4.8 million displaced internally, with another 1.2 million fleeing to neighbouring countries. More than 1,000 members of the Masalit community are believed to have been killed in Ardamta, West Darfur, in early November by the RSF and allied Arab militias.”

See also AJE 11.11.23: ‘Like a horror movie’: The men defending their homes in Sudan’s bloody war; AJE 11.11.23: Violence in Sudan ‘verging on pure evil’, UN warns; 02.11.23 UNOCHA: Sudan Humanitarian Update (2 November 2023), with latest map on refugee movements; AK 14.11.23: Selektiver Humanismus (Selective Humanism)

West Africa

Burkina Faso 28.11.23: TNH: Burkina’s Faso jihadist conflict worsens as military junta pursues ‘total war’: “Burkina Faso’s humanitarian and security challenges are worsening as the country’s junta-led government pursues an aggressive military campaign against jihadist armed groups, which have extended their control to around 40% of the national territory.”

Burkina Faso 28.11.23: FAZ: 40 Zivilisten bei dschihadistischem Angriff in Burkina Faso getötet (40 civilians killed in jihadist attack in Burkina Faso): “According to the UN Human Rights Office, a "large number" of fighters from an Al-Qaeda-affiliated jihadist group attacked a military base, houses and camps for internally displaced persons in Djibo. In addition to at least 40 dead, more than 42 people were reported injured. The office described deliberate attacks on civilians as "inexcusable" and a "war crime". The Burkina Faso news agency reported that "more than 400 terrorists were decimated" during the counter-offensive by the Burkinabe armed forces.”

Also see BBC 12.11.23: Burkina Faso crisis: 100 believed killed in Zaongo massacre, says EU: According to ACLED (Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project), nearly 8,000 civilians have been killed due to jihadist violence in Burkina Faso just this year. In comparison, ACLED had previously named last year, with 1,400 deaths, as the country’s most deadly year on record.

Mali 15.11.23: Africanews: In Bamako, Malians celebrate capture of rebel stronghold by army: “Mali's army has recaptured the strategic northern town of Kidal, a stronghold of Tuareg-dominated separatist groups that has long posed a major sovereignty issue for the ruling junta. The capture of Kidal is a significant symbolic success for Mali's military leaders, who seized power in 2020.”

See also 13.10.23: ICG: Northern Mali: A Conflict with No Victors

Niger 28.11.23: taz: Niger öffnet Migrationsroute (Niger Opens Migration Route): “Niger's military government, which came to power in a coup, has repealed an important law against irregular migration to Europe. Local media reported on Sunday that interim President General Abdourahmane Tchiani had justified this step with the EU sanctions against his country.”

See also 23.10.23: European Council: Niger: EU sets up an autonomous framework for restrictive measures; 25.11.23: Mondafrique: Le Niger répond à Bruxelles en abrogeant la loi anti-migratoire (Niger responds to Brussels by repealing its anti-migration law); 27.11.23: GFP: Die ignorierte Hungerblockade (The ignored hunger blockade); 28.11.23: AJE: Niger repeal of anti-migration law applauded as one less ‘colonial fetter’

Niger 14.11.23: Reuters: Niger debt default reaches $304 million due to sanctions- agency: Niger has failed to make payments totalling 187.136 billion CFA francs ($304 million) in interest and capital. Niger has defaulted on an additional interest payment of 2.464 billion CFA francs ($4 million) on its debt. Following a military coup in July, Niger has been suspended from the regional financial market.

Nigeria 21.11.23: AJE: Nigerian workers’ wages diminish as inflation rises and gov’t revenue dips: “Since 2015, Nigeria has experienced two recessions and its economy has been ravaged by the vagaries of global oil prices, the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s continuing war in Ukraine. In June, the country’s Debt Management Office said the government is servicing debts with at least 73.5 percent of its revenue, making it struggle to meet basic responsibilities. As Nigeria’s economy worsens, an increase in the minimum wage has been the core demand of various workers’ unions. According to experts, salary increases cannot materialise because Africa’s biggest economy is broke and can barely fund its expenditure.”

Senegal 24.11.23: ECRE: Senegal Receives Drones & Guards from Spanish Government to Curb Boat Departures: “Spain sent six new surveillance drones to Senegal, a main country of origin of migrants arriving on Spain’s Canary Islands, in an attempt to stop the boats departing from the West African country. Spain’s acting Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska said during a joint press conference with his Senegalese counterpart, Sidiki Kaba […] The Spanish interior minister additionally declared that his country deployed a civil guard aircraft to help patrol the coasts of Senegal and neighboring Mauritania. 38 personnel equipped with four boats, a helicopter and 13 all-terrain vehicles will carry out joint patrol missions with Senegalese forces.”

Senegal 29.11.23 Africa News:Près de 3 tonnes de cocaïne saisies au large du Sénégal (Nearly 3 tonnes of cocaine seized off the coast of Senegal): Un patrouilleur "a saisi près de 3 tonnes de cocaïne pure à bord d'un navire intercepté à 150 km au large" de Dakar, a annoncé la marine sur X (anciennement Twitter). Long regarded as a simple transit zone for drugs produced in Latin America on their way to Europe, West and Central Africa has also become a region of high drug consumption.

West Asia

Iran 02.12.23: Iran ‘using Gaza conflict as cover’ for execution of 127 people since war began: “The Iranian regime has executed more than 127 people, including women and children, since the Hamas attacks of 7 October, according to human rights groups. [...] According to data collected by Iran Human Rights (IHR) and the Norway-based organisation Hengaw, which have been cross-referenced by the Observer, there has been an alarming rise in executions since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas.”

Pakistan 07.11.23: AJE: As Pakistan deports refugees, tense Afghanistan ties come in sharp focus: “Pakistan’s decision to expel more than 1.5 million allegedly undocumented Afghan refugees and migrants has once again triggered tensions with the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. Since October 31 when a government deadline for the refugees to leave Pakistan or face detention ended, more than 200,000 Afghans have crossed into Afghanistan, officials said, amid stringent criticism by Kabul.”

See also Tagesschau 01.11.23: Abschiebungen angedroht: Zehntausende Afghanen verlassen Pakistan (Deportations threatened: Tens of thousands of Afghans leave Pakistan); AJE 22.11.23: ‘What’s wrong?’: The silence of Pakistanis on expulsion of Afghan refugees

Pakistan 22.11.23: Guardian: Pakistan under fire for ‘shocking’ $830 exit fee for refugees who fled Taliban: “Pakistan’s decision to impose hundreds of dollars in exit fees for every Afghan refugee who fled the persecution by the Taliban has been condemned as “shocking and frustrating” by western diplomats and the UN.

The “unprecedented” move targets refugees who are waiting to leave Pakistan for western countries under resettlement schemes, and charges about $830 (£660) for each person.”

See also Taz 10.11.23: Beute des Militärs (Prey of the military)

Syria 14.11.23: AJE: Russia, al-Assad step up Syria bombing amid world focus on Israel-Gaza war: “Syrian government forces and Russia have stepped up the bombardment of northwest Syria, killing dozens of people, including children, and wounding hundreds of others, opposition leaders and emergency volunteers have said, at a time when Israel’s war on Gaza is holding the world’s attention.”

Europe

Austria/Denmark/Tunisia 17.11.23: Die Presse: Grenzschutz-Trainingszentrum soll Flucht übers Mittelmeer eindämmen (Border guard training centre to stem the flow of refugees across the Mediterranean): “A training centre for Tunisian border guards was opened in the Tunisian city of Nafta, near the Algerian border. The three and a half million euro education and training centre was largely financed by Denmark, with Austria contributing just under one million euros. The project was coordinated by the Vienna-based Centre for Migration Policy (ICMPD).”

Denmark 16.11.23: information: Danmark får »teknisk bistand« fra talebanstyret til afghaneres hjemrejse (Denmark receives "technical assistance" from the Taliban for Afghans repatriation): “It appears that the Danish Home Travel Agency has been in contact with the Taliban regime's consulate in Istanbul in order to organise repatriation documents for [an] Afghan [deportee].[...] This despite the fact that Denmark does not recognise the regime.”

Finland 24.11.23: taz: Finnland/Russland: Frontex an der Grenze (Frontex at the Border): “50 border guards from the EU border protection agency Frontex and other personnel as well as equipment such as patrol vehicles are to reinforce Finland's border protection measures with Russia. In recent months, the Finnish authorities on the eastern border with Russia have registered an increase in the number of migrants from the Middle East and Africa - primarily from Iraq, Yemen and Somalia.”

France 07.11.23: Taz: Verschärftes Immigrationsgesetz (Stricter immigration law): “The Minister of the Interior regrets on television that he was unable to "remove" around 4,000 undesirables from France due to the current legal regulations. His bill is now intended to make it easier to deport foreign nationals if they have committed criminal offences or simply do not respect the "principles of the Republic". Without saying so explicitly, Darmanin is thinking of the rules of French secularism, which prohibit the wearing of a veil or burqa in public service, for example, as well as radical Islamists who want to put Sharia law before the authority of the Republic in their families or neighbourhoods.”

Germany 13.11.23: Guardian: Germany is a good place to be Jewish. Unless, like me, you’re a Jew who criticises Israel [Opinion]: I’ve lived in Germany for nearly a decade now, but the only people with whom I’ve ever been able to discuss the conflict in the Middle East are Israelis and Palestinians. Germans tend to cut off any attempt at constructive conversation with the much-favoured phrase that topic is much too complicated. As a result, the understandings I’ve reached about the geopolitical developments of the past three decades are the result of private conversations, safely tucked away from the judgmental eyes of a German society eager to lecture us on how any criticism of Israel is antisemitic [by Deborah Feldman].

Greece 27.11.23: InfoMigrants: Greece and Turkey crack down on human traffickers: “Greek police have arrested six people who they say are members of a large human trafficking gang that violently extorted money from migrants to assist them in crossing into neighboring Albania and travel to northern EU countries. [...] The Turkish paper Hürriyet Daily News reported that police in Istanbul apprehended 262 irregular migrants who were being held at various addresses by human traffickers in preparation for their journey to Europe.”

Ireland 24.11.23: NYT: ‘It Snowballed’: How a Knife Attack in Dublin Led to a Riot: “What started as online chatter ended with the worst unrest to hit Ireland in decades, as rioters clashed with the police, set vehicles alight and looted stores. Some demonstrators carried banners reading “Irish Lives Matter.” Others vandalized hotels and hostels thought to be housing migrants.”

Italy 11.11.23: Taz: Sie wollen die Verzweifelten irgendwo abladen (They want to dump the desperate somewhere): “Italy's right-wing government wants to detain people seeking protection in third countries until a decision has been made on their asylum applications. Is the German government taking this as a model? The "protocol" that Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama and Italy's head of government Giorgia Meloni signed in Rome on Monday is 39 pages long. In addition to the registration centre in the port, Italy will be allowed to set up another camp with just under 3,000 places on an old military site a little further north by spring 2024. In the future, Italy wants to take people rescued on the high seas there instead of to its own mainland. Up to 36,000 people per year will be guarded by Italian police while awaiting the outcome of their Italian asylum procedure. At the end of the process, they will be allowed to enter Italy or, more frequently, deported.”

See also Taz 07.11.23: Memorandum zwischen Italien und Albanien: Migrationsdeal alla Meloni (Memorandum between Italy and Albania: Migration deal alla Meloni); SZ 07.11.23: Ruanda an der Adria (Rwanda at the Adriatic); Euractiv 07.11.23: Italy, Albania migration deal divides both sides of Adriatic, caution from; Politico 07.11.23: Italy announces deal to build migrant centers in Albania; Guardian 07.11.23: EU asks for more information on Meloni’s move to send asylum seekers to Albania after ‘practically zero notice’ of deal – as it happened; Taz 08.11.23: Melonis Asylverfahrenslager in Albanien (Meloni's asylum processing camp in Albania); SZ 21.11.23: Scholz und Meloni wollen Zusammenarbeit vertiefen (Scholz and Meloni want to intensify their collaboration); GFP 21.11.23: „Die europäische Familie“ (The European Family)

Spain 24.11.23: ECRE: Increase of Arrivals to Canary Islands Amid Ongoing Deaths and Distress: “The Western African Route, connecting Western African countries and regions to the Canary Islands, has seen a sharp rise in irregular crossings, which nearly doubled so far this year to over 27.700 mainly from Morocco, Guinea and Senegal, according to the European Border Agency, Frontex.”

UK 13.11.23: Calais.Bordermonitoring: Baldige Entscheidung im Ruanda-Verfahren (Decision on Rwanda soon): The UK Supreme Court's decision on the legality of the deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda could also point the way forward for similar projects in German migration policy.

European Union

EU 27.11.23: taz: Tausende für das Recht auf Asyl (Demonstrations for Right to Asylum): “Around 1,000 people came to the demonstration at Oranienplatz in Berlin-Kreuzberg on Sunday afternoon to march from there to the SPD party headquarters. Demonstrations and actions also took place at the same time in Kiel, Bremen, Bielefeld, Dresden, Marburg, Cologne, Mainz, Nuremberg and Würzburg. According to the "Initative Stop GEAS", thousands of people are demonstrating nationwide on Sunday for the right to asylum. They want the German government to align its migration policy with human rights and the European Parliament to oppose the reform of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS). The CEAS sets out minimum standards for asylum procedures.”

See also 15.11.23: Meltingpot: Podcast on GEAS (in German)

EU/Egypt 21.11.23: nd: Migration: EU-Kommission plant eiligen Deal mit Kairo (Migration: EU Commission plans urgent deal with Cairo): “The EU Commission wants to agree an "operational partnership to combat migrant smuggling" with the government in Cairo this year. This can be seen in the annex to a letter published by the British civil rights organisation Statewatch. In the letter, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen explains the details of the planned agreement to the member states.”

See also 23.11.23: InfoMigrants: France to deliver ships to Egyptian coast guard as part of EU-Egypt migration deal: “France will deliver three search and rescue vessels to the Egyptian coast guard, along with training for its agents, as part of the EU-Egypt migration agreement signed in October 2022 to stem migration to Europe.”

EU 16.11.23: Statewatch:EU planning new anti-migration deals with Egypt and Tunisia, unrepentant in support for Libya: “The European Commission wants to agree “new anti-smuggling operational partnerships” with Tunisia and Egypt before the end of the year, despite longstanding reports of abuse against migrants and refugees in Egypt and recent racist violence endorsed by the Tunisian state. Material and financial support is already being stepped up to the two North African countries, along with support for Libya.”

Reports and Long Reads

Balkans 24.11.23: ECRE: Balkan Route: “The latest report produced by Border Violence Monitoring Network (BVMN) notes an increase in arrivals in Serbia amid ongoing evictions, raids and inhumane conditions in asylum centres. Croatia introduces temporary internal border checks to curb migration as migrants report being treated like animals. Slovenia extends its border checks with Hungary and Croatia while calling Austria’s border checks as ´ineffective`.”

30.11.23 Echoes: Interview with Romdhane Ben Amor, Activist from the FTDES (Forum Tunisien Des Droits Economiques Et Sociaux): “[...] after 2020, we started hearing about violent behavior from the Tunisian Coast Guard. The Tunisian Coast Guard started to develop a new narrative which was more present and dominant in the media, stating that they get attacked by migrants when they try to rescue them. Through testimonies collected from people on the move, certain NGOs and activists broke the silence around this violence, providing evidence of such attacks. However, it is still very hard to collect evidence since the Tunisian Coast Guards officers steal all phones that have recorded any video or taken any picture. They also threaten people on the move with deportation and detention if they speak up about this violence to journalists or NGOs.”

11/23 CivilMRCC: Echoes Issue 9: Never forget, never forgive: “On 11th of October 2023 an impressive commemorAction took place near the port of Lampedusa to remember the victims of the big shipwrecks ten years ago and at the same time to point out the responsibility of the European border regime in the ongoing death at sea that continues to this day. According to IOM figures, in 2023 another 2480 people died adding to the 17,000 deaths and disappearances recorded by MMP since 2014. As safe passage was denied to people on the move, they were killed by a racist policy of migration control, determent, and externalization.”

11/23 Cairo52/Nora Noralla: Your Kind Is Not Welcome Here. A Study on the Treatment of Queer Foreigners by the Egyptian Authorities: “The report analyses how Egypt treats queer foreigners once they are identified as queer. The information is based on an analysis of Egypt’s immigration laws and case law related to queer people under this law. The report is also based on the analysis of 12 incidents that happened from 2018 to 2022, which involved queer foreigners’ interactions with the authorities. While the treatment of queer foreigners can be arbitrary and highly dependent on the officer or civil servant the queer person is dealing with, some patterns can be identifiable.”

11/23 MMC: Mixed Migration Review 2023: Highlights • Interviews • Essays • Data: Each of the essays zoom in on specific regional or, primarily, country contexts.

From its first edition, the MMR has provided a platform for different voices and opinions, as this is the only way to advance migration debates and policy. Equally important is to include writers who hail from the regions and countries they are writing about.

11/23 MSF: “NO ONE CAME TO OUR RESCUE”: “The Human Costs of European Migration Policies in the Central Mediterranean”: This report draws on medical and operational data as well as testimonies of rescued people collected on board the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) rescue ship Geo Barents, mainly between January and September 2023.

24.11.23: NYT: USA: Growing Numbers of Chinese Migrants Are Crossing the Southern Border: More than 24,000 Chinese citizens have been apprehended crossing into the United States from Mexico in the past year. That is more than in the preceding 10 years combined.

11/23 The Greens/EFA in the European Parliament: Beyond borders, beyond boundaries. A Critical Analysis of EU Financial Support for Border Control in Tunisia and Libya: “The report “provides an overview of EU-supported border management initiatives in Tunisia and Libya from 2018 to 2023. It brings to the forefront the distressing prevalence of abuse against migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees, often involving Tunisian and Libyan authorities, who are beneficiaries of EU funding.”

01.12.23 Der Spiegel (Paywall): Vermisste Flüchtlinge auf der Balkanroute: Sie erfrieren in Wäldern, ertrinken in Flüssen [They freeze to death in forests, drown in rivers]: “Europe's nameless dead: many refugees who die on the Balkan route are never identified. Relatives desperately search for certainty - some have to buy access to mortuaries.”

Campaigns

Stop GEAS: At the beginning of December, the EU Parliament will discuss a tightening of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) and will vote on a whole raft of regulations that are intended to fundamentally tighten the European asylum system. This will result in systematic violations of human rights. The de facto abolition of the fundamental right to asylum is imminent.

Petition El Hiblu 3 face terrorism charges – after almost five years of legal and emotional limbo: After almost five years of uncertainty, Maltas Attorney General filed a harsh and ill-thought indictment against the El Hiblu 3 on 8 of November 2023. Abdalla, Amara and Kader have been charged with terrorist activities, hijacking a ship, threatening a crew and several other offences. Sign the petition to the Attorney General demanding to Drop the Charges once and for all here! Resisting illegal push-backs to Libya is not a crime. Free the El Hiblu 3. We demand now more than ever: Drop the charges!
Please find statement here.

30.10.23: Recommandations de Contre-Sommet qui s’est tenu du 12 au 15 octobre 2023 à Marrakech (Recommendations of the Counter-Summit held from 12 to 15 October 2023 in Marrakech):

Renforcer les liens entre les résistances du nord et celles du Sud et leur collaboration.
Se battre pour la régularisation des sans-papiers.
Définir des objectifs et indicateurs de résultats concrets et vérifiables.
Abolir FRONTEX (renforcer la campagne anti-FRONTEX déjà existante).
Ouvrir des frontières et lutter contre le trafic des êtres humains (les marchand·es de sommeil, les exploitations esclavagistes, la prostitution, etc.)
Sensibiliser contre le racisme, la xénophobie et les partis d’extrême droite, en montrant bien que chaque population est à la fois migrante et accueillante d’autres migrant·es. (Ex : les Marocain·es font face à la discrimination en France et les africain·es subsaharien·nes sont traqués par les autorités marocaines, libyennes, algériennes… ; les Dominicain·es sont discriminé·es à Puerto Rico et d’un autre côté, les autorités dominicaines maltraitent les haïtien·nes). [...]

Events

Abolish Frontex: Frontex out of Africa! Join our International Action Day on 18/12/2023

“This 18 December, International Migrants Day, we will draw attention to the havoc wreaked on African countries by the EU’s obsession with stopping migration. And we want to advocate for a different vision, one that has long been practiced by many communities on the African continent: freedom of movement, solidarity, the idea that mobility and migration are natural, that they are a solution and not a problem.

For our next International Action Day we invite you and your local groups to organise against Frontex and the EU’s murderous border regime on or around the 18th of December. You are also invited to integrate our demand to #AbolishFrontex into actions you are already planning.”

Posted in All Entries, Monthly Reviews