Metro

Report attributes Moroccan migrant border deaths to stampede, asphyxiation

Published

2 years ago

July 14, 2022

A report by a Moroccan-based human rights group, the National Council on Human Rights (CNDH), on Wednesday, said those who lost their lives last month during an attempt by hundreds of migrants to storm the border between the North African kingdom and the Spanish enclave of Melilla, died as a result of asphyxiation following a stampede of an “unprecedented nature, followed by tactics used and scope.”

The incident had led to the deaths of 23 migrants, mostly from Sudan and Chad, which the CNDH said would have been prevented if the border security had handled the attempt differently.

In addition to the deaths, 200 Moroccan and Spanish law enforcement officers and more than 70 civilians were injured in the melee.

The 30-page preliminary report on the events of the June 24 incident, following a fact-finding mission the group sent to the shared border between Morocco and Spain and the surrounding areas.

The report noted that about 2,000 migrants had attempted a massive crossing to Melilla, and when they reached the crossing station, the migrants jostled in a very narrow and tightly secured space.

It said the mission gathered from authorities, NGOs, and injured migrants at the hospital that Moroccan law enforcement officers did not use lethal weapons but used tear gas and truncheons to block the storming.

“Reports from the NGOs showed videos of Moroccan policemen poking migrants lying on the ground with batons, and was told by authorities they were isolated and individual cases,” the CNDH said.

The CNDH concluded that asphyxiation was the main cause in the deaths, but said the report was not conclusive as “only an autopsy can accurately determine the exact individual causes of death.”

Related Topics:Asphyxiation Featured Melilla migrants Morocco Spain Stampede

Click to comment

Metro

‘Cyber Act fails to protect the vulnerable,’ Student demands media inclusivity for persons with disabilities

Published

2 hours ago

April 26, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Peter Libila, a student at Icof University’s Chipata campus, highlights the lack of awareness among individuals with disabilities and those residing in rural areas about their digital rights, resulting in limited access to media platforms for free expression.

Libila underscored the marginalization of people with disabilities in discussions on community development, leading to their exclusion from voicing their perspectives.

In an interview with Zambia Monitor in Eastern Province, Libila discussed the discrimination and stigma faced by individuals with disabilities in the media landscape.

Read More: Differently-abled person speaks on challenges impacting freedom of expression in rural areas

“Persons with disabilities are often overlooked when it comes to community developments,” he emphasized.

Moreover, as someone with a physical disability, Libala pointed out shortcomings in the Cybersecurity Act which failed to adequately address online barriers to freedom of expression.

“The act fails to ensure online safety for all; it only offers protection to certain groups while neglecting others,” he asserted.

He stressed the importance of bridging these gaps to foster inclusivity within the media.

“There’s a lack of sign language interpreters in most media outlets, which poses challenges for the deaf community,” he observed.

Libila also emphasized the necessity of providing braille reading materials and writing tools for individuals who are blind.

“Even basic resources like braille books are often unavailable for the blind,” he lamented.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.

Metro

All my tough policy decisions are in Nigerians’ interest— Tinubu

Published

6 hours ago

April 26, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has insisted that all his tough policy decisions and reforms have been taken with the interest of Nigerians at heart.

Tinubu, who made the assertion in Hague, The Netherlands, during the business session of the bilateral meeting with the Dutch team led by Prime Minister Mark Rutte, insisted that though some of the policies had brought hardship on Nigerian masses, he was not afraid to implement more of such policies as they would yield positive results in the end.

“I am a determined leader of my people. I am ever ready to take tough decisions in the best interest of the people, even if with initial pains,” Tinubu said.

“I have and will continue to take the difficult decisions that will benefit our people, even if there is short-term pain.

“We have gone through the worst of the storms. I am unafraid of the consequences once I know that my actions are in the best long-term interests of all Nigerians.

“The Nigerian naira is one of the world’s best-performing currencies today.

“We took the necessary risk, and all resilient Nigerians kept faith with us.

“They will be rewarded, and the reward will only be greater as we partner effectively with you on new opportunities for development.

“As leaders, we must make decisions for the benefit of our nations, and we cannot shy away from that.”

The President also noted that symbiotic economic ties remain the best long-term path to sustainable and mutual prosperity rather than one-sided relationships in which bilateral trade is skewed too much in one direction.