A conversation with Frederico Barroela, the head of the Buros of the "Arzte without Borders" in Tangier, about the situation of the escape in Morocco
For two years, the aid organization has been working without boundaries in various regions of Morocco with lively with immigrants from countries of the Sahara. In addition to the Central Buro in the capital of Rabat, projects in Nador, near the Spanish enclave Melilla, in Oujda on the Algerian border and finally entertained in Tangier. Recently, the organization published a report on violence and immigration, which provided for rough attention. A major part of the medical treatments of immigrants was caused by violence, committed by the Moroccan (52%) and Spanish Police (15%). A conversation with Frederico Barroela, the head of the Buros of the "Arzte without limits" in Tangier.
Last weekend they were in the south of Morocco to check the living conditions of immigrants, which are interned in a militar bases.
Frederico Barroela: Three days we have waited in vain before the Kasernentor. It’s just unbelievable, we did not get access to the approximately 1.500 escape strings that were in buses for three days. We only wanted to check the health status and accommodation. We are known as a professional organization, have been checking for these people for two years and have a right to see them. But objective observers do not want the authorities. Morocco probably has enough after all the negative reports of inhuman treatment and violence against immigrants.
Frederico Barroela: That can be well possible, but in the end they only make everything worse. Where did the immigrants come from in this internment camp?
Frederico Barroela: These were immigrants, which Spain deported to Morocco Backup and then all who had arrested Morocco in the last weeks at the border and around Ceuta and Melilla. There was a kind of collecting transport, which one intermediate in the militar bases. What does the immigrants do there?
Frederico Barroela: They were flown out in the home standards. What could not be so easy because you have to find out all the nationalities.
Frederico Barroela: Needed are FUF or six different nationalities. But there were diplomatic representatives of the affected countries and assorted their nationality. Then it obviously went by aircraft to Mali, Nigeria, Senegal or Guinea. Anyway, people were continuously brought away in buses. I suppose the embassy representatives are necessary because many immigrants like to lose their passe to avoid being reduced.
Frederico Barroela: Do you know, we do not ask for the pass. We treat our patients and it has it. We offer the immigrants from the countries sahara medical care as they have no access to the Moroccan healthcare system as illegal. The rest is no matter us. There are so many escape in the room tangier that a treatment center is required here?
Frederico Barroela: It was possible between 1.000 and 1.500 people. That fluctuates and is seasonal. In summer it is more than in winter, where the sea is stormy and only very, very few boats the crossing to Spain car. But last year it became more and more. Through the stronger controls on both sides, it is increasingly difficult to overcome the strait. The immigrants are fixed and become more and more. The numbers also depart from the police raids, how many arrested and deported to Oujda and how many when they are back to Tangier. Working "Arzte without limits" also on the Algerian side? There is now also camps with around 3,000 immigrants, which, unmolested by the Moroccan police, wait for the situation to calm down.
Frederico Barroela: No, so far we did not work on Algerian side. The problems were made out of Morocco. In medical practice you can usually make first aid. What do you do with harder traps?
Frederico Barroela: The patients we can not treat, we bring in Moroccan hospitals. Succeeds without problems? Moroccans often have very gross difficulties without getting the appropriate treatment.
Frederico Barroela: First, this is a matter of medical ethics. Every doctor must treat a patient who is wounded. In addition, we deliver the drugs and the material.
"That’s a European problem now"
You also looked after the immigrants who have hidden in the woods in the near Cuta.
Frederico Barroela: These were catastrophic. People house there under human unwurred conditions. Without enough water and food. Main food is rice and many are therefore bad naught. In the middle of the forest, many children are getting to the world. In my time, the around 40 babies were allowed to have been. What influence have the events in Ceuta and Melilla, where 11 people were tested on the border at the storm?
Frederico Barroela: That has changed a lot. As soon as the immigrants stood in the limelight and then everything went on. Now it’s about it. Nobody can hide more and wait for the situation to calm down again. Has something to do with the improved relationship between Morocco and Spain? As soon as the Moroccan police could simply look away.
Frederico Barroela: Certainly right, but now it is no longer a problem of Spain and Morocco. That’s a European problem now. Ceuta and Melilla are a Schengen territory. Why did the immigrants have now discovered these two Spanish enclaves as an escape?
Frederico Barroela: The prere has increased. There are fewer chances with the boat Ruber to come and at the same time increased police checks in Morocco. The escape lines have not come to rest for months, victims of violence and police willing cure, which is shown in our latest report. The violence against immigrants rose significantly last year. The main component of all medical consultations resulted from violence.
"People do not see a future in their country"
A sign of the ignition of violence is the dead on the limit of the last weeks.
Frederico Barroela: Four were completely shot dead from the Moroccan police. In an act of self-defense, one said. What do you demand that the Moroccanians should do? Morocco is not a rich industrial country so that the recording of thousands of escape stress is a rough load.
Frederico Barroela: I can not say what the Moroccan government has to do or not. But you have to treat the escapeons as human beings, with everything respect. We have to do here with a human drama. The fewest of the escape are politically persecuted or come from war zones. Most have used their homeland jobs, apartment and family and decided to put their lives on the long way to Europe. Many are supported by home, often with more money, as a normal Moroccan worker can earn a month. You can distinguish between economic and political escape lures?
Frederico Barroela: Neither she nor I can notic us to judge these people. We only have to pay attention to the facts. People sit here, are victims of violence and drove a miserable life. You have to have that in mind. You will see no future in your country, so you are here. That’s just the significant immigration, people go to other countries to have a better life. One week ago, a team has found around 500 escape of their organization in the Waste, which were exposed to the Moroccan police.
Frederico Barroela: Yes, you have locked them in Oujda in buses and simply exposed after nine hours drive to the Waste in the near the Algerian border. So is unacceptable. Among them were many injured from the storm to the border fence in Ceuta or Melilla, and also women, children. That will not do. If you deport these people, then at least in their homeland. (Alfred HackensbergerTo)