“Death is no longer scary”: in Senegal, the exodus by the ocean | The migrant crisis

“It was a disaster. It was extremely difficult to live with,” remembers Bakary Diémé.

The young man, head of an association for preventing the dangers of illegal migration, recalls that in September, his town of Mbour, about a hundred kilometers south of Dakar, was the scene of a deadly shipwreck. At least 39 people died in the accident of their wooden canoe.

As thousands of young Senegalese do every year, but also young people from other African countries, they wanted to reach the Canary Islands, a territory belonging to Spain which is 1500 km from the Senegalese coast.

Even in the aftermath of this shipwreck, which was a disaster, there were young people who took over canoes. Today, death is no longer scary. It is the desire to succeed that takes over this feeling of death.

Mbour is not the only Senegalese city in mourning after such a shipwreck. Last year, more than 60 people died off the coast of Cape Verde after leaving the village of Fass Boye, north of Dakar.

Their loved ones had not heard from them for weeks, remembers Pape Diop Wallo, whose 22-year-old son died in the tragedy.

Not only did this former fisherman know about his son’s migration plan, but he also gave him his blessing. I was excited that he was leaving so he could help me, because there’s nothing herehe explains.

This community of fishermen struggles to compete with foreign competition and illegal fishing practiced along the coasts of Senegal.

You buy fuel, you go to sea and you come back empty-handed, without being able to pay for your gasolinedeplores Alé, aged 31. Like many others here, he would like to go to Europe, although he says he does not have enough courage to undertake this long journey of several days on the open sea.

Confronting the myth of the European El Dorado

Alé is not alone in dreaming of Europe. On Fass Boye beach, many young people have already tried to reach the mainland on a few occasions. While some succeeded, others were intercepted or turned back.

The Senegalese army has several ships, some of which were recently acquired, which patrol the sea to intercept canoes or rescue migrants in need. Last year, more than 9,500 people from Senegal or other African countries were brought back to dry land. More than 5,500 have been intercepted so far this year.

During our visit to the navy command center in Dakar, an operation was being prepared, since a canoe was detected off the southern coast of the country.

The canoe is not a safe means of transport to the Canary Islands, that is obvious. Even if migrants voluntarily put themselves in this situation, it is the responsibility of the State to get them out of it.

In addition to significant investments from the government, Senegal can count on the support of European countries. In October, Brussels announced an envelope of 30 million euros (44.5 million Canadian dollars) to fight against illegal migration.

Souleymane Diallo, president of the Otra Africa organization and expert on migration issues, doubts that the security policies advocated by Europe are really able to stem the influx of young Africans ready to do anything to reach the continent.

Even if we inject billions into security and defense systems, we cannot stop the sea with our arms, he says. We will find other ways of migration, anyway, people will leave.

This man, who himself has already lived regularly in Spain, denounces the difficulty that the Senegalese face in entering Europe legally, which, according to him, pushes many young people towards clandestine routes.

A European dream which often clashes with a completely different reality. They will arrive there in extremely difficult conditions, in the streetsdeplores Souleymane Diallo. In Senegal, where the unemployment rate among young people exceeds 34%, he believes that they must be allowed to have a good life by remaining in their country.

The new government of President Bassirou Diomalye Faye, elected in March, ensures that it is not only fighting against smugglers, but also tackling the roots of the problem.

In an interview with -, the Secretary of State for Senegalese Abroad, Amadou Chérif Diouf, gives the example of the fishing industry, on which 50,000 Senegalese directly depend, and which faces significant difficulties. This country has been exploited, our resources have been exploitedhe said, promising that his government would soon renegotiate treaties with European countries.

A people who respect each other, a people who love each other, should not let their children die like this. And these young people need to regain their dignity.

In an apartment in Thiaroye-sur-Mer, a suburb of Dakar, Yayou Bayam hopes that these promises will come true. Her son Alioune died at sea in 2006. Since then, she has become president of the Women’s Collective for the fight against illegal immigration.

With her group, she is increasing commercial initiatives, such as the sale of dried fish, to show young people that opportunities are possible in the country.

Nearly 20 years after the death of her son, whose body she was never able to see, this activist notes with regret that the problem is far from being resolved. The young people have hope, but the canoes always leavelets down the bereaved mother.

Anti-illegal migration activists like her know they still face an immense task.

In front of the building where we meet, children are playing soccer. When asked, some, aged under 10, confirm that they would like to go to Europe one day. It’s to help my mothersaid one of them.