Spain expels African illegals

2006-03-27 12:20

Madrid - Spain has begun expelling African would-be immigrants to Mauritania, from where they had travelled to the Canary Islands, said reports on Monday.

According to reports, instead of being taken to a Spanish-built camp in the port of Nouadhibou, from where most of them had left for the Canaries, the first group comprising 50 Senegalese and Malians were taken to Nouakchott in order to send them straight back to their countries.

The immigrants arrived on Sunday in Nouadhibou, where the Spanish army had built a reception centre for about 200 Africans who were to be expelled from the Canaries after Mauritania agreed to take back people who had transited through its territory to make the 800km sea crossing to the Spanish archipelago.

Security forces criticise camp

The migrants were to have decent living conditions, food and health care at the camp before being repatriated.

The reports said that instead of taking the immigrants to the camp, Mauritania started transporting them to the Malian and Senegalese borders.

Mauritanian security forces had criticised the camp, saying immigrants could easily leave it and embark on new boats for the Canaries.

But, a Spanish representative of the camp said immigrants would be lodged there as soon as a few "extra tasks" had been completed.

Some immigrants told the daily El Pais that they had not even known they were being taken back to Mauritania, but thought their plane was flying to Madrid.

Spain increasing cooperation with Mauritania

More than 3 000 illegals had traveled this year from Mauritania or Western Sahara to the Canary Islands, which were unable to cope with the influx.

Illegals were increasingly leaving from Mauritania after Morocco stepped up surveillance following massive attempts by migrants to enter the Spanish enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta in the autumn.

Spain was increasing cooperation with Mauritania, such as joint patrols and training of security forces, to help it patrol its coast.

As a consequence, boats carrying illegals had now begun leaving from Senegal further down south for an even longer and more dangerous sea voyage to the Canary Islands.

More than 1 000 immigrants were estimated to have drowned after setting sail from Mauritania in just a few months.

- SAPA