Casablanca: The wide circulation of accounts encouraging attempts to cross into the cities of Ceuta and Melilla, as well as erroneous information about the possibility of regularization, are among the main factors behind the recent events that occurred in the two cities, the Moroccan Organization for Human Rights (OMDH) said, noting that the Moroccan authorities thwarted several such attempts.
According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, in its report on the recent attempts to cross into Ceuta and Melilla, the OMDH stated that the large number of people who attempted to cross into the two cities can be explained by several factors. Notably, the wide circulation, on social media, news websites, and instant messaging applications, of videos documenting the arrival of numerous migrants in the city of Ceuta, as well as the proliferation of accounts encouraging such attempts.
Another factor, according to the report, is the dissemination of erroneous information claiming that people arriving in Spain by sea could regularize their legal status and would not be immediately returned, based, according to what was circulated, on a decision by the Spanish Supreme Court.
The report also mentions other economic, social, psychological, and cultural factors, in addition to aspirations for “a better future,” fueled by the attraction effect linked to the circulation of content in the digital space.
The OMDH said that all these complex and closely intertwined factors fuel irregular migration in a context marked by restrictive European policies that limit opportunities for regular migration and strengthen border security. Europe also exerts pressure on countries on the southern shores of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic to ensure the surveillance and control of their borders, the same source added.
The report also highlights the disengagement of European states from their international obligations regarding the management of migration-related challenges, respect for human rights at borders, the prohibition of collective expulsions and forced returns of all migrants, and the development and diversification of pathways for safe, orderly, and regular migration, taking into account the specific needs of migrants living in vulnerable conditions.
After reporting several attempts to cross into Ceuta during the current year, the report notes that the Moroccan authorities present at the scene thwarted several crossing attempts and proceeded to move hundreds of would-be migrants away from areas surrounding the city.
The OMDH considered that the management of the crisis related to the collective crossing into Ceuta and Melilla should be based on the principles enshrined in international human rights law.
In this regard, the organization called for all necessary measures to be taken to prevent loss of life during crossing operations or interventions in the field, while respecting the principles of necessity and proportionality in the use of force and during interventions, and to urgently establish effective mechanisms to respond to emergency rescue, relief and humanitarian intervention needs, notably by updating and diversifying humanitarian intervention points near crossing points.
Regarding the protection of children and unaccompanied minors, the Organization recommends providing them with immediate protection and ensuring, without delay, their right to healthcare as well as psychological and social support.
The report also notes that part of the current crisis, which has fueled collective crossing operations, particularly among minors and young people, is directly linked to the way information was disseminated, especially misleading information, as well as certain digital content that fueled the idea of crossing.
To this end, the OMDH calls for awareness campaigns based on accurate and clear information to be organized, digital literacy among young people to be strengthened, and civil society, digital institutions, and national media to be involved in awareness-raising and prevention efforts.
The report further reiterated that strengthening cooperation between the Moroccan and Spanish sides, as well as addressing all outstanding issues related to migration and the factors fueling them, will constitute an essential avenue for reducing attempts at illegal crossings.
Migration is a historical phenomenon that has accompanied humanity throughout its history, the same source concluded. It cannot be curbed through restrictive security-based approaches or retaliatory measures, but rather through the adoption of approaches that make migration a component of development policies in relations between the North and the South.