Many things have been said about migration and migrants, and much has been said about Eritrean migrants. Since long, the numbers of Eritreans diverge to all direction hypothetically increased. From Eritrea, the majority cross westward to Sudan and the rest southward to Ethiopia. Small proportion of the immigrant population cross the red sea and arrive the Arabian Peninsula. Out of the population that moved south, majority continue west ward and converge to their brethren in Shegerab Camp of Eastern Sudan. The rest resides in Ethiopian camps under the surveillance of UNHCR and ARRA, and small proportion migrates to south or southeast. Now, the target will be those who face many difficulties before they reached their destination… the Sudan-Libya-Italy route.
Eritreans who decide to take risk to reach Italy for an asylum claim must therefore be smuggled to Khartoum from shegreab with about $150. The rout is very risky and it took the life of many youth. Many died crossing the dam near the camp with manual boats. The lucky once that arrive Khartoum under great security fear and desperately fall under the mercy of Eritrean intermediates (delalo) that have got hotels to sleep in. Thus, the intermediates without letting the new arrivals to see the situation and by threatening them of detention, they send many Eritreans to the Sahara desert in a matter of weeks or days. Any one is much concerned not return back to Eritrea and nobody seems to fear about the risks that will be faced when crossing the Sahara and the Mediterranean Sea. Thus, the lucky once who managed to accumulate around $1000 on average have to leave and start the most terrific and life threatening journey. Ohh God receive the soul of those we leave them in the open Sahara, every trip was at the expense of innocents. Very expensive journey, just paying lives. They get the informal funeral if and only if the cruel smugglers allow and friends onboard can step down and do their mandate of funeral. At this point, it is not fair to speak about the violation of rights in the mid of Sahara, as many of us are not lucky to be with us until Tripoli.
To be captured by Libyan police in the mid Sahara is blessing like what we are looking in the photo, because you at least think you will not die for hunger and dehydration. But, your fate is to be dumped to endless and inhuman detention all the way. Libya is a country which has got private detention centers owned by the smugglers, off course they are the military/police officials at the same time. You are sold and resold before you arrive Tripoli.
With all these difficulties, you arrive Tripoli City, very energetic and hopeful to reach Italy. Even though it is not more than 400km on average, Italy seems much further than all the way accomplished so far. People get detained and face too much abuse than ever in their way. The way you have to arrange to cross the Mediterranean is very dangerous and less than half of the trials win. Many others are captured when setting from the sea shore and many others manage to depart, but very unfortunately they sunk in the deep seas.
Now, after Tripoli and Rome did their deal at the expense of the rights of asylum, Italy is allowed to dump any intercepted immigrant back to Libya. The most surprising thing is, Italy managed to convince its people that the pushed back are welcomed when they return back to Libya. Yes, they are welcomed but they are detained inhumanly for undetermined time and always in risk of going back to their countries. Yes welcomed to be detained!!!
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