Brussels, 21/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - Nearly 400,000 migrants were prevented, in 2010, from entering the European Union. The EU continues to step up the outsourcing, if not the privatisation, of its border controls, the last report by Migreurop states, published at the end of last week. “In 2010, more than 393,000 non-EU nationals were refused entrance at outermost borders of the European Union: 336,789 land borders, 50,087 in 6,704 airports as well as nautical borders”, the report explains.
The survey, carried out in 23 ports of six member states (Germany, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands) and Morocco, focused on the fate of migrants at the eastern border of Turkey with Iran and that of illegal stowaways on board merchant shipping. Since the international code for the security of shipping and port installations was set in place in 2004, in the wake of the 11 September 2001 attacks, the number of stowaways declined due to the more stringent controls in ports, the report states. However, this resulted in passengers travelling in conditions that were a danger to their lives. Most countries refuse to allow them to disembark, and stowaways are sometimes forced to continue from port to port, in sealed areas without the possibility of getting out, the association states.
Also, when stowaways are expelled, private security and guardianship agents are frequently employed, in breach of national legislation that entrusts police and gendarmerie with the task of searching for, arresting and expelling migrants found to be in an illegal situation. Migreurop also expresses concern about the situation of Turkey at the border with Iran where, in a militarised zone, migrants are exposed to inhumane treatment not only from the people smugglers but also from the Turkish authorities that arrest them and place them in detention. The border town of Van is, moreover, described as a true trap, an open sky camp in which thousands of asylum seekers, refugees and those refused asylum are blocked for an indeterminate period of time.
In a press release, Migreurop underlines that - in the prevention, capture, detention and return of migrants - the regime applied to passengers remains discreet, opaque and is not in line with human rights. Application of new security rules that are increasingly binding and sophisticated takes the form of transferring responsibility from the states to private firms, not only for controls at sea and on the ground but also for taking charge of passengers once intercepted. Several, not always legal, means are used under the financial threat of very powerful financial insurers. It is necessary to prevent the departure at source of these migrants or, failing that, to create for the different players (shipowners, seafarers, port authorities) the obligation to send them back to their countries of origin, or to the ports from which they come, the association continues. When contacted, the European Commission stated it did not wish to make any comments at this stage. (SP/transl.jl)