The Solidarity Network with Migrant People in Lanzarote has released a letter to the media this Thursday morning, February 6, which coincides with the anniversary of the Tarajal massacre and, since then, the World Day of Struggle Against the Death Regime at Borders. In this text, the collective points out "the cost of irregular immigration" and states that in 2024, "9,757 people died or disappeared on the Canary route, already confirmed as the deadliest migratory route in the world".
"28 people every day, murdered by racist immigration policies that forced them to undertake a dangerous journey to exercise their right to migrate," it says in a statement. "It happens on the other side of the horizon, while you watch the sunset having a drink. Men, women, girls and boys die of hunger and dehydration, lifeless bodies are thrown into the sea, entire boats sink without a trace," it continues.
The rest of the writing invites us to reflect that the deaths on the Canary route occur "at the dock from where you take the boat to go on vacation to another island. You see the orange boat of Maritime Rescue arrive, and for a moment your mind wonders what these inert masses are among the survivors, before you realize that they are body bags".
It continues by pointing out that "it happens next to your house, suddenly, you hear screams. There are people drowning on the shore. You rush into the water to save as many lives as you can. 28 people every day".
Thus, it asks: "How long would a tribute last if we observed a minute of silence for each of these people? How long would this text be if we could name them all? From what number does the pain become unbearable? We repeat: 28 deaths every day".
Thus, "the dances of figures in the media intend to make us immune, indifferent to the horror. Political statements want us to grieve 40,000 arrivals, but not 10,000 deaths. Well, we refuse. We refuse indifference. We refuse oblivion. Each of these deaths hurts us".
Deaths on the coast of Lanzarote
The Solidarity Network with Migrant People states that "we know the names of some victims of the borders, who died in Lanzarote". Thus, it continues that "today, February 6, the eleventh anniversary of the Tarajal massacre, since then World Day against the policies of death at the borders and to demand truth, justice and reparation for the victims of migration and their families, we want to name them all".
It adds that "naming them to tell all the people who miss them that on this side of the shore we also remember and honor them. That we will not stop fighting against the policies responsible for these avoidable and unjust deaths. Naming them so that we all remember here in the Canary Islands that the true cost of irregular immigration is these human lives".
November 6, 2019, Caleta Caballo, 10 young people drowned when the boat that was transporting them from Morocco capsized: Said Kharbouchi, Mostafa El Khomeri, Tariq Lakhal, Youssef Tamar, Abdelbaset Bensaid, Abdeljalil Fardi, Boujemaa Elaami, Abdelouahed Machi, Oussama Darouch and Abdelhafid Chaoui.
January 8, 2020, the baby Alhassane Bangoura was born in an inflatable boat that was transporting his mother and 47 other people from Tan Tan. He did not arrive alive on land.
November 24, 2020, Órzola, eight young people drowned in the shipwreck of the boat in which they crossed the ocean from the coasts of the continent: Mbarek Ahachhach; Karim Haloui; Ahoucine Ouchlih; Tarik Chamouaa; Youssef Amzahou; Mbarek Ouizir; Abdelfattah Essafi and Abdelkrim Tinghi.
February 12, 2021, the lifeless body of Ali Elhardni, 20 years old, was found floating in the Charco de San Ginés, Arrecife. He had arrived by boat four months earlier. No one ever knew, neither his family, nor the citizens of Lanzarote, why he had died and in what circumstances.
June 17, 2021, at least four people died when the inflatable boat that was transporting them from the Saharawi coast capsized upon arrival on the rocky coast of Órzola. Nabintou Diaby, an 8-year-old boy named Namory Bamba, a woman and a man who could not be identified.
August 25, 2021, shipwreck, many missing, including Salah El Mahbouby. His sister still writes, 4 years later, asking if her brother has appeared.
July 13, 2022, a 4-year-old girl named Mariam Soumahoro, and Tatiana Nzopa were found dead at the bottom of an inflatable boat that Maritime Rescue rescued in waters near Lanzarote.
Borders kill
The Solidarity Network with Migrant People in Lanzarote address the Canary political representatives at the end of the text. "We want to tell them that migration by sea only has one solution and it is very simple: it is called freedom of movement and it should not be reserved for those who have a European passport," it indicates.
Thus, it asks the regional government to join "the demands of the families, the friends of these people, the human rights organizations and demand legal and safe migration routes".
In addition, it urges the central government and the EU to "stop denying visas in their embassies, to stop preventing people from Africa from arriving in Europe by plane and having rights upon arrival". The collective recalls that "it is not that difficult, it was done with six million victims of the war in Ukraine. Only then will people stop arriving here exhausted or dead. They will not stay at the bottom of the sea. The only political demand respectful of rights, equality, dignity and human lives is that. Any other position is a contribution to the policies of death".
