- Title: SENEGAL/SPAIN: Spain releases TV spots to discourage illegal African migrants
- Date: 3rd October 2007
- Summary: (AD1) DAKAR, SENEGAL (RECENT) (REUTERS) COURTYARD WITH CHILDREN PLAYING FORMER MIGRANT WORKER, OMAR N'GALA SY, HOLDING A BABY OLD WOMAN CROSSING COURTYARD
- Embargoed: 18th October 2007 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA844P5ECAU1OG1RA0L0K93KTFF
- Story Text: Spain releases TV adverts to dissuade African migrants from crossing the Mediterranean in search of better jobs in Europe The Spanish government has launched an anti-migration campaign in an attempt to discourage illegal migrants from trying to make the perilous sea crossing from west Africa to Europe.
"The basic idea is to prevent illegal migration from west Africa to Europe and it has a double end. Number one is to prevent illegal migration because we think it is not only in defence of our area, but it puts the migrant in a very bad situation, but mostly to prevent the loss of lives of people embark on those boats to get to the Canary Islands," said Manuel Pombo Bravo, of the International Organisation for Migration (OIM).
The nine-week campaign includes television spots showing migrants and their families telling the stories of losing their loved ones. They also feature Senegalese singer, Youssou N'dour saying, "Don't risk your life for nothing. You are the future of Africa."
The television spots are also being shown in Senegal, from where OIM says most of the migrants depart. Pape Biram Sanghare, who works with the Senegalese Ministry of Health, watched the adverts with his family in Dakar: "It's not through an advert that we can solve this problem. I was saying that they should have found an adequate response. An appropriate response, concrete action to deal with the phenomenon. What is that action? It's creating jobs for the young people, give them space to grow and fulfil themselves. But if we don't do this, people will continue to emigrate,"
he said.
Given that more than 30,000 people from various parts of west Africa arrived on boats illegally in the Canaries last year, the authorities are willing to try a variety of solutions. Many people die during the crossings.
Omar N'gala Sy is one of the lucky few. He may not have realised his dreams of finding fortune in Europe, but at least he is alive and back with his family in Dakar.
"This decision they have taken is good because it will calm people. They won't leave in haste. They won't take chances and leave without thinking. But for people to stay here, our leaders need to sort out the infrastructure, then people will stay here and not take the pirogues to Spain, because there are big risks," he said in response to the TV campaign.
Illegal immigration has become one of Spain's biggest political issues, although arrivals have more than halved this year following increased controls and a government promise to deport all illegal arrivals.
"It's a phenomenon which is subsiding, because as time progresses we are seeing fewer departures by boat. In the past we caught pirogues even during the day because there were lots of people who wanted to leave. Now it's more a cat and mouse game, it's more complicated," said Omar Sagna, a Senegalese boat captain responsible for apprehending illegal migrants as they leave the coast.
Some observers warn that the illegal crossings are just a symptom of a deeper economic crisis in the country's the migrants depart from. Until those conditions improve, scores of people will continue to risk their lives every year in order to give their families a better future. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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