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Date Published: 14/08/2020
ARCHIVED - Irregular migrants escape again as Spain uses diplomatic tools to fight the problem at source
A chain of activity this week has linked the problem of irregular migration from Algeria to Murcia as Covid positives increase
As of Friday afternoon there had been no new arrivals of irregular migrants in small boats on the Murcian coastline, but early in the evening reports came in that four more boats had been sighted in Cartagena waters, with the propect of favourable weather conditions bringing fears of a second major wave of small boats over the weekend. Even before this news, the topic continues to maintain a presence in the media due to the ongoing dissatisfaction with the current situation.
The most direct manifestation of this took place on Thursday when 17 Algerian migrants escaped from the Cabezo Beaza sports pavilion in Escombreras, Cartagena, and disappeared off into the surrounding countryside.
This is the fourth escape in Cartagena since the 25th July.
The migrants are reported to have forced the same rear door to the building through which a larger group formerly escaped, hurling bottles and abuse at the security guards who attempted to prevent their flight.
The Guardia Civíl was called in to try and retrieve the missing migrants who ran off into the countryside.
The migrants were in the sports pavilion in preventative quarantine as they had arrived on the Murcian coastline in boats containing other migrants who tested positive for Covid-19. Anyone actually testing positive with a PCR test is hospitalised to ensure they receive adequate treatment, and any other migrants sharing a boat, who have logically maintained close contact with them, must observe a 14 day quarantine.
As the migrant transit centres are closed due to the ongoing closure of the Moroccan and Algerian frontiers because of the Covid-19 pandemic, making it impossible to repatriate these individuals, the regional government has provided various locations including the Hotel Cenajo in Moratalla, the El Valle albergue on the outskirts of Murcia city and the sports centre of Cabezo Beaza in Cartagena as accommodation.
This escape occurred after the migrants, who have already been in the centre for nearly two weeks, were told that they must observe a further period of quarantine as one of their number had tested positive in a repeat test and been taken to hospital. Fearful that this was just a ploy to keep them locked up and that they would be repatriated back to Algeria, they broke out of the pavilion and escaped.
Red Cross translator accused of complicity
A 20 year old Moroccan translator working for Cruz Roja was arrested by the Guardia Civil following an altercation after the escape.
He has been accused of being unhelpful to the officers and of physically pushing the leading officer during the argument.
Allegedly, he refused to supply details relating to the identities of the men who had escaped (only 17 of the 24 migrants in the sports centre escaped) although he maintains that he didn´t have the information he was being asked to give available at that particular moment as the escape had been “quick and violent” and he hadn´t had time to gather the details, and alleges that the officers were brusque and aggressive in their attitude towards him.
After a preliminary court appearance he will be asked to give evidence in a formal investigation.
The Cruz Roja denies any impropriety in his behaviour and maintains that he played no part in the escape.
The Guardia Civíl want to see the pavilion closed and the migrants moved elsewhere for the duration of their quarantine saying that the facilities are inadequate.
The union representing the Guardia Civíl, the Asociación Unificada de Guardias Civiles (AUGC) has requested the closure of the pavilion "for its alarming lack of security and the lack of civil guards to provide protection." The union will officially request "the immediate closure of the so-called temporary center for immigrants in quarantine, which is actually an improvised sports hall.”
They complain that the facility has inadequate security, say that their own resources are already stretched and they cannot maintain a constant guard over the installations; this should be done by the Policia Nacional which has competence for irregular migrants.
Only 8 of the 17 escapees were recaptured.
Regional government engaged in a battle with the national government
Although competence for irregular migrants lies with the national government, the latter has recently issued a protocol insisting that the regional governments themselves provide accommodation in which migrants can be quarantined.
This has caused significant offense within the regional governments affected, including Murcia which has sent a formal letter of complaint to the Minister for Inclusion, Social security and Migration, José Luis Escrivá, complaining that the new measure was imposed without prior consultation with the affected regions and without providing practical means with which to fulfil this obligation.
Murcia has been forced to PCR test more than 500 migrants since July, 38 of whom have been treated in hospital after testing positive, and a further 180 have been put up in various locations for 14 days in quarantine.
The regional Government had requested that military installations be supplied for this purpose, but this request was denied.
Ombudsman investigating the government ruling
The Ombudsman has been asked by the affected regional governments to examine the situation, following complaints from Andalucía and the Canary Islands.
Andalucía, The Canary and Balearic Islands, the Comunidad Valenciana and Murcia are all equally unhappy about the situation and question the legality of the recent order from the national Government compelling them to care for, and quarantine, Covid-positive and possible positive migrants, at their own expense.
Spanish Interior Minister travels to Algeria to discuss the situation with his Algerian counterpart
This week Spanish Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, travelled to Algeria to meet with the Algerian president, interior and exterior ministers and other officials.
The official reason given for the journey was to “strengthen co-operation between the two countries in the management of migratory flows and the fight against terrorism and organized crime, as well as in collaboration in areas such as civil protection, police training or security.”
In the area of migration, Grande-Marlaska highlighted the "good co-operation in the fight against irregular immigration and against human trafficking networks" between Spain and Algeria.
"We share the same challenges and also concern for the human dimension of the migratory phenomenon. We are convinced that to properly manage migratory flows in the Mediterranean it is necessary to adopt preventive measures", the Spanish minister pointed out.
Both countries maintain a “fluid relationship” in their fight against irregular immigration. Algeria deals not only with the emigration of its nationals, but it is also a transit country for thousands of migrants of sub-Saharan origin who later move to Morocco. "Algeria suffers from this problem and is seeking significant financial and human potential to combat this phenomenon," said its Interior Minister, Kamel Beldjoud.
So far this year, 10,077 people have arrived irregularly on the Spanish coastline, according to data from the Ministry of the Interior, and approximately a quarter are Algerians. Although the number of migrants arriving in Spain has fallen by 35% compared to 2019, the percentage of Algerians has been increasing steadily since last year.
Street protests and general dissatisfaction with the Algerian regime, along with “restrictions on mobility, the liquidity crisis and the lack of opportunities have been added to the old evils,”says a senior analyst at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime think tank in an interview this week.
"Added to this are the violations of freedoms, judicial harassment against activists and citizens and the authoritarianism of a regime which is dying, but is reluctant to embrace any idea of democratic change". Furthermore, the social crisis is compounded by the prolonged economic deterioration derived from the collapse of oil prices, in a country extremely dependent on hydrocarbons, and the marked youth unemployment.
This dependence on hydrocarbons is part of the reason for the cordial relations between Spain and Algeria, due to the dependence of Spain on Algerian gas. Up until the last few months 50% of Spain’s gas reached the country via direct pipelines between the two countries; this dependence however, is gradually lessening as Spain widens its portfolio of providers.
The rise in organised crime is also contributing to an increased interest in young Algerians crossing to Spain, with organised criminal gangs running over boatloads in high-speed boats rather than the method traditionally used by Algerians, which was the purchase of a boat amongst friends and a less organised structure.
Whether the gentle diplomatic nudge given this week will help to alleviate the number of arrivals here in Murcia, remains to be seen.
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