7/31/2019 CFC In Focus: Tunisia's Irregular Migration, 09 October 2012.

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C I V I L - M I L I T A R Y F U S I O N C E N T R E

M E D I T E R R A N E A N B A S I N T E A M P R E S E N T S

I N F O C U S

Tunisias Irregular Migration

This document provides the In Focus excerpt from the MB Weekly 09 October 2012. The In Focus section of the weekly gives our readership amore detailed reporting of an event or topic of particular relevance in the Mediterranean Basin and other regions of interest. In Focus

pieces provide hyperlinks to source material highlighted and underlined in the text. For more information on the topics below or other issues per-

taining to the region, please contact the members of the Med Basin Team, or visit our website at www.cimicweb.org.

Comprehensive Information on Complex Crises

In Focus: Tunisias Irregular MigrationBy Maya Moseley

In early 2011, Europe experienced a surge in irregular migration,1 reports the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

(UNHCR). Of the 56,000 migrants and asylum seekers that arrived in Italy by sea, 28,000 were Tunisians fleeing the internal up-

heaval of revolution. During the same year, over 1,500 people drowned or went missing while attempting to cross the Mediterranean,

a voyage fraught with extreme riskdue to unseaworthy vessels, inexperienced seafarers, adverse weather, as well as insufficient on

board food and water, informs Human Rights Watch (HRW). Following an accelerated repatriationagreement between Italy andTunisia on 05 April, migration dropped 75% in the second quarter of 2011, according to Frontex. 2

During the Tunisian revolution, the Italian island ofLampedusaexperienced an influx of Tunisian asylum seekers and migrants that

overwhelmed its detention centres. In September 2011, Tunisians at the Contrada Imbriacola detention centrein Lampedusa revolt-

ed, burning down one of the facilitys wings, allowing for the escape of an estimated 1,247 migrants. The migrants slept outdoors

overnight and clashed with local residents the following day. While Italian officials cited the rapid repatriation agreement with the

Tunisian government as the motive behind the revolt, many others believe the inhumane conditions of detention centres are the real

impetus3.

The Lampedusa revolt led to the repatriation of the migrants, as well as the implementation of new practices, including the utilisation

of floating collection points three vessels off the port of Palermo which held 700 men awaiting repatriation. The migrants were

reportedly handcuffed, barred from outside communication, and denied access to legal counsel or medical attention in violation ofUNHCR Detention Guidelines. While detention itself is not illegal, conditions of detentionmust include basic necessities, as well as

access to medical treatment, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and international organisations. Amnesty International called

into question the conditions of detention centres, as well as asylum proceduresin Lampedusa in March 2012. Mdecins Sans Fron-

tires(MSF, also known as Doctors Without Borders) has documented how difficult the situation can be for those fleeing to Italy.

In response to the migration influx from North Africa, the European Union (EU) launched the Hermes operation, a joint EU sea bor-

der patrol led by Frontex. The operation initially focused on patrols between Tunisia and Italy but was later extended to cover the

area between Southern Europe, Libya, and Egypt. Italy and Tunisia have cooperatedon immigration issues since 1998, when the

countries agreed on the repatriation of Tunisian immigrants, as well as the provision of Italian funding for detention centres within

Tunisia, according to the Global Detention Project. The Tunisian government does not release details of detention practices, and sta-

Excerpted from 09 OCT 2012

The Civil-Military Fusion Centre (CFC) is an information and knowledge management organisation focused on improving civil-military interaction,

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http://www.cimicweb.org/http://www.cimicweb.org/http://www.unhcr.org/4f27e01f9.htmlhttp://www.unhcr.org/4f27e01f9.htmlhttp://www.hrw.org/news/2012/08/16/hidden-emergency#_ftn3http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/08/16/hidden-emergency#_ftn3http://www.frontex.europa.eu/assets/Attachment_Featured/Annual_Risk_Analysis_2012.pdfhttp://www.frontex.europa.eu/assets/Attachment_Featured/Annual_Risk_Analysis_2012.pdfhttp://www.fmreview.org/north-africa/garlick-vanselm.htmlhttp://www.fmreview.org/north-africa/garlick-vanselm.htmlhttp://www.statewatch.org/analyses/no-154-lampedusa.pdfhttp://www.statewatch.org/analyses/no-154-lampedusa.pdfhttp://www.unhcr.org/505b10ee9.htmlhttp://www.unhcr.org/505b10ee9.htmlhttp://www.amnesty.eu/en/press-releases/fight-discrimination-campaign/eu-must-call-on-italy-to-stop-human-rights-violations-of-migrants-and-asylum-seekers-in-lampedu-0393/http://www.amnesty.eu/en/press-releases/fight-discrimination-campaign/eu-must-call-on-italy-to-stop-human-rights-violations-of-migrants-and-asylum-seekers-in-lampedu-0393/http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=existence%20of%20detention%20centres%20in%20tunisia&source=web&cd=10&ved=0CFEQFjAJ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.msf.org.au%2Fuploads%2Fmedia%2FBriefing_paper_Italy-Tunisia.doc&ei=Z7NtUIWiNs6u0AGy24CYCg&usg=AFQjCNGW5kav_VqItYqE1-bhttp://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=existence%20of%20detention%20centres%20in%20tunisia&source=web&cd=10&ved=0CFEQFjAJ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.msf.org.au%2Fuploads%2Fmedia%2FBriefing_paper_Italy-Tunisia.doc&ei=Z7NtUIWiNs6u0AGy24CYCg&usg=AFQjCNGW5kav_VqItYqE1-bhttp://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=existence%20of%20detention%20centres%20in%20tunisia&source=web&cd=10&ved=0CFEQFjAJ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.msf.org.au%2Fuploads%2Fmedia%2FBriefing_paper_Italy-Tunisia.doc&ei=Z7NtUIWiNs6u0AGy24CYCg&usg=AFQjCNGW5kav_VqItYqE1-bhttp://www.fmreview.org/north-africa/garlick-vanselm.htmlhttp://www.fmreview.org/north-africa/garlick-vanselm.htmlhttp://www.globaldetentionproject.org/countries/africa/tunisia/introduction.htmlhttp://www.globaldetentionproject.org/countries/africa/tunisia/introduction.htmlhttps://www.cimicweb.org/cmo/medbasin/Holder/Documents/n068%20CFC%20Weekly%20Sector%20Review-Med%20Basin%20(09-OCT-12).pdfhttps://www.cimicweb.org/https://www.cimicweb.org/https://www.cimicweb.org/https://www.cimicweb.org/cmo/medbasin/Holder/Documents/n068%20CFC%20Weekly%20Sector%20Review-Med%20Basin%20(09-OCT-12).pdfhttp://www.globaldetentionproject.org/countries/africa/tunisia/introduction.htmlhttp://www.fmreview.org/north-africa/garlick-vanselm.htmlhttp://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=existence%20of%20detention%20centres%20in%20tunisia&source=web&cd=10&ved=0CFEQFjAJ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.msf.org.au%2Fuploads%2Fmedia%2FBriefing_paper_Italy-Tunisia.doc&ei=Z7NtUIWiNs6u0AGy24CYCg&usg=AFQjCNGW5kav_VqItYqE1-bhttp://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=existence%20of%20detention%20centres%20in%20tunisia&source=web&cd=10&ved=0CFEQFjAJ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.msf.org.au%2Fuploads%2Fmedia%2FBriefing_paper_Italy-Tunisia.doc&ei=Z7NtUIWiNs6u0AGy24CYCg&usg=AFQjCNGW5kav_VqItYqE1-bhttp://www.amnesty.eu/en/press-releases/fight-discrimination-campaign/eu-must-call-on-italy-to-stop-human-rights-violations-of-migrants-and-asylum-seekers-in-lampedu-0393/http://www.unhcr.org/505b10ee9.htmlhttp://www.statewatch.org/analyses/no-154-lampedusa.pdfhttp://www.fmreview.org/north-africa/garlick-vanselm.htmlhttp://www.frontex.europa.eu/assets/Attachment_Featured/Annual_Risk_Analysis_2012.pdfhttp://www.hrw.org/news/2012/08/16/hidden-emergency#_ftn3http://www.unhcr.org/4f27e01f9.htmlhttp://www.cimicweb.org/

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tistics on the current number of detention facilities, detainees, their nationalities, and rates of repatriation remain unknown. The

transitional government did lift a twenty-year old ban on human rights groups visiting prisons. As of 2010, the NGO Migreurop and

the Algerian newspaperEl Watan both reported the existence of thirteen detention facilities and some 300 detainees residing within.

Tunisia is not a signatory to the International Convention on the Pro-

tection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers. Under Tunisian law, it is

a criminal offenceto cross borders irregularly. The government claims

that the law is not enforced; however, Francois Crepeau, UN Special

Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, has documented cases of

Tunisians and foreigners being imprisoned by authorities for the of-

fence. According to Crepeau, the imprisonment of unaccompanied

minors in prisons and detention centres is particularly concerning. Ad-

ditionally, charges against Tunisian nationals who seek to leave the

country via irregular border crossings violate the fundamental princi-

ple of the right to leave ones country. Inter Press Service has docu-

mented claims by repatriated migrants facing harsh treatmentby the

Tunisian army after their return, including being bound with ropes and

facing interrogation before their release.

Tunisian migrants are a mix of high and low skilled workers, primarily

migrating due to lack of economic opportunities and high unemploy-ment, reports ICMPD. Unemploymentoverall in Tunisia has increased

from 13% before the revolution to 18% in March 2012, according to

Reuters. University graduates face unemployment at a rate of almost

35%. These circumstances continue to create high pressuresto migrate

despite limited legal migration options, informs the International Or-

ganization for Migration (IOM). According to Tunisias former Minis-

ter of Education, Hatem Ben Salem, unemployed youth are an invisi-

ble generationin Tunisia; they were an integral part of the revolution

but are not in the government, nor in the institutions, reports the

Voice of America (VOA).

While Tunisian migration had taken a heavy toll, costing untold lives and resources, recent policy developmentsby the Tunisian

government have started to address migration to Italy in both the short and long -term. Following the sinking of a vessel carrying

Tunisian migrants in September 2012, the transitional government, led by Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali, faced criticism over the

governments failure to address unemployment and poverty, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP). The government quickly re-

sponded by announcing increased patrolsalong the Tunisian coast from which boats commonly depart, as well as a public infor-

mation campaign on the requisites for a decent life, which it is hoping will immediately curtail the number of migrants attempting

to leave the country. In addition, as Rachid Ghannouchi, leader of the ruling Ennahda party, pointed out, the government has been

slowly improvingthe countrys economy, and maintains an ambitious goal of creating 50,000 new jobs. As irregular migration has

continued since the revolution, Italy and Tunisiacontinue to work closely on the issue, informs Tunis Afrique Presses (TAP). The

countries have begun looking beyond security measures, recognising the need for joint economic development.

09 October 2012

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