DeepSummary
The episode discusses a new investigation that documents systemic police abuse against Black migrants from sub-Saharan Africa in North African countries like Tunisia, Morocco, and Mauritania. It reveals that these migrants, including those legally residing in these countries, are routinely racially profiled, rounded up, and abandoned in remote desert areas, often without food, water, or belongings. These operations, known as 'desert dumps,' are conducted with vehicles and funding provided by European Union countries.
The EU has been aware of these abuses for years, according to internal documents obtained by the investigators. Despite denials, the EU's border externalization policies and funding for migration management in North Africa enable and perpetuate these human rights violations. The investigation shows the presence of Spanish police officers collaborating with Mauritanian authorities in detaining and expelling migrants to the Malian border, an active war zone.
The episode highlights the experiences of migrants like Francois, a Cameroonian man who survived being abandoned in the desert for nine days with his family, and Idiyatu, a young woman from Niger who was expelled to the Mali border and feared sexual violence. The abuses are leaving Black nationals and migrants in constant fear and insecurity, even those legally residing in these North African countries.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- North African authorities are engaged in systemic racial profiling and abuse of sub-Saharan African migrants.
- Migrants, including legal residents, are routinely rounded up and abandoned in remote desert areas without food, water or belongings.
- These 'desert dump' operations are conducted with vehicles and funding from the European Union.
- The EU has been aware of these human rights abuses for years through internal documentation.
- The operations appear aimed at creating a constant state of fear and insecurity to deter migration to Europe.
- Personal accounts reveal the violence, suffering and trauma inflicted on abandoned migrants.
- The presence of Spanish police collaborating with Mauritanian authorities elevates the level of EU complicity.
- The abuses are fueling racism, xenophobia and lack of accountability in border externalization policies.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “The whole point is that they make people live in a constant state of discomfort and fear.“ by Beatrice Khamar de Silva
- “You have to make migrants' lives difficult, complicate their lives. If you leave a migrant from Guinea in the Sahara twice, the third time he will ask you to voluntarily bring him back home.“ by EU staffer
- “We started praying to find someone to give us water. That's when it gets difficult, when you start hallucinating about things you should have, naturally.“ by Idiyatu
- “If I had known that this was going to happen, I would not have tried to go to Europe.“ by Bella
- “People are left in areas that are of risk to their own lives. So, yeah, it's quite violent.“ by Beatrice Khamar de Silva
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Episode Information
The Take
Al Jazeera
6/20/24
A sprawling new investigation documents systemic police abuse against Black people migrating to Europe - all with the backing of a not-so-silent partner, the European Union.
In this episode:
- Beatriz Ramalho da Silva (@bearamalhosilva), Investigative journalist
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé, Duha Mossad, and Kevin Hirten, in for Malika Bilal. This episode was edited by Alexandra Locke.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Aya Elmileik and Adam Abou-Gad is our engagement producer.
Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio.
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