FLEEING HELL •Again, more Africans seeking greener pastures abroad perish It is a most perilous journey. Those who undertake it do so at great risk to their lives. Thousands have perished by drowning over the years, as they sought to cross the Mediterranean on rickety, unseaworthy and overcrowded vessels. Others have been shot by border guards at their countries of destination. Many of those who try to reach their terminus through the land route die of thirst in the Sahara desert or freeze in the mountains along their way. There is also the strong possibility of their being repatriated home even if they succeed in arriving at their choice destinations. Yet, despite these evident dangers, thousands of migrants seek desperately to flee Africa on a daily basis in search of perceived greener pastures in Europe. They would rather risk the dangers than continue to endure what they obviously perceive as their existential conditions of hell on earth. The dangers faced by illegal migrants from Africa was, once again, vividly demonstrated when a decrepit and fragile trawler, overloaded with about 500 migrants aboard capsized near the Island of Sicily on October 3. The ill- fated 66ft boat had left from Tripoli, Libya, for Lampedusa – an island lying between Tunisia and Sicily. Most of the migrants on board were reportedly from Eritrea, Somalia and Ghana. While 150 of the 500 passengers survived, about 111 died and 250 could not be accounted for. Rosario Crocetta, President of Sicily graphically captured the enormity of this tragedy: “This is a huge tragedy that causes great suffering. I want to go and see the dead to pay homage to our brothers who had a dream, to come to Italy, to Europe, to Sicily, in search of work and freedom but instead are now dead”. The Sicilian leader could not have put it better. These migrants seek to live in countries where they can find work and earn a living as well as enjoy the freedom that guarantees their dignity as human beings. These conditions are largely absent in their home countries. According to statistics by a Non- Governmental Organisation (NGO), Save the Children, about 21,780 migrants reached Italy during the first nine months of the year, including 4,000 children. There is no doubt that illegal migrants, particularly from Africa, will face even more strenuous and life- threatening challenges. For one, the crisis in such countries as Libya and Syria in the Middle East has significantly increased the number of migrants from the area seeking haven in Europe. Again, plagued by their own severe economic crisis, European countries such as Spain and Italy – the target of most migrants – are tightening their immigration laws just like most other countries in Europe. Indeed, it is because of the greater difficulty in entering Europe by land that most immigrants opt for the suicidal sea route. In his first journey outside Rome to Lampedusa, Pope Francis decried the lack of care, love and understanding for those immigrants who “were trying to leave a difficult situation to find a little peace and security…” While we identify with the Pope’s view, we believe that the greater onus rests with African leaders to ensure good governance, accountability and respect for the rule of law. This is an imperative for the economic progress and political stability that can help stem the tide of desperate attempts by their citizens to migrate to Europe. We recall the recent case of the school boy, Ricky Daniel Ohikhena, who hid in the wheel compartment of an Arik aircraft from Benin to Lagos. He took such a risk because he thought the flight was headed for America! Africa is simply too richly endowed for the current pervasive level of poverty across the continent that makes so many of her citizens so desperate to flee.
Posted on: Wed, 16 Oct 2013 10:39:22 +0000