It is well documented that inhumane immigration policies are forcing migrants to take extremely risky routes on their journey to seek asylum in Europe and globally. However, a year-long investigation by the Washington Post, Lighthouse Reports, and a consortium of international media outlets uncovered that migrant lives are not just at risk due to sketchy channel crossings and being packed in the back of refrigerator trucks. To dissuade sub-Saharan migrants from attempting to cross to Europe, at least three North African nations are engaging in draconian practices. Evidence shows migrants, including pregnant women and children, are being systematically rounded-up and dumped in remote areas miles from water, food or shelter, leaving them exposed to the elements and at huge risk to their lives and human trafficking. And it is being clandestinely funded and supplied by Europe.

Europe a silent partner in the “dirty work” of deterrence

The investigation focused on three countries with deep EU partnerships: Tunisia, Morocco, and Mauritania. It revealed their systemic and aggressive operations towards mostly black North African migrants. According to the report, tens of thousands of migrants are detained and dumped in extremely remote areas, often barren deserts, each year. This is done to create such extreme suffering that it acts as a deterrent. The training, trucks, and equipment used in these cruel operations can be traced back to money and shipments from Europe.

Marie-Laure Basilien-Gainche, a human rights and legal expert, said,

“European states do not want to be the ones to have dirty hands. They do not want to be considered responsible for the violation of human rights, so they are subcontracting these violations to third states.”

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