HIBAPRESS – Abdellatif Baraka
A new humanitarian tragedy has shaken the eastern border regions, after the discovery of nine bodies of migrants from sub-Saharan African countries, including two girls, who died as a result of a severe cold wave during the past few days.
According to consistent data, the bodies were found successively between December 3 and 12 in mountainous, rugged, and isolated areas that lack the minimum conditions of safety and humanitarian protection. Sources indicate that the victims were among groups of illegal immigrants crossing Algerian territory towards dangerous routes, where deaths are frequently recorded as a result of cold, hunger, and exhaustion, in the absence of effective humanitarian interventions. Human rights activists confirm that Algeria has become a growing source of humanitarian concern, due to its disregard for the duty to protect vulnerable migrants and leaving them exposed to death in remote areas without rescue or relief. The identity of a number of the victims remains unknown, while only two of them have been identified. Burial operations were carried out in an atmosphere that respected the dignity of the dead, amid widespread societal solidarity, while human rights organizations demanded the opening of independent investigations into the circumstances of these deaths and holding the authorities responsible for failing to provide humanitarian assistance accountable. They also called for an end to the violations to which African migrants are subjected while crossing Algeria, where stories of killing and leaving the injured without medical care are repeated. This tragedy brings back to the forefront the high price paid by illegal immigrants on desperate journeys and highlights the responsibility of the Algerian authorities to respect international humanitarian obligations and provide protection and relief, instead of turning migration routes into open graves.
