Police figures at the borders of the Alpes-Maritimes are approaching new records in terms of arrests of migrants and smugglers.
If for this institution, "the figures speak", for associations, they evoke and highlight the violations of fundamental rights to people.
A committee of inquiry on migration also issued its report last week after eight months of analysis and fieldwork, especially at the Franco-Italian border where the deputies were "shocked".
The year 2021 is a “record” year on the Italian border. The Alpes-Maritimes border police service told 20 Minutes that “over ten months, 467 smugglers were arrested. In 2020, we were at 333 and in 2019, 191 ”. Figures that are also illustrated at the courthouse. "We have almost daily referrals with between one and three cases per day just as regards the smugglers", details Xavier Bonhomme, public prosecutor of Nice.
The police interpret the situation by explaining: "the more there are candidates, the more there are smugglers". Also in the first ten months of 2021, 25,998 people were arrested at the border between Italy and France. In 2017, “the record year in terms of arrests, we were at 37,164”. According to the authorities, "two years ago stuck because of the coronavirus", which has led to "a lot of migratory pressure" currently. In 2019 and 2020, there were respectively 15,591 and 17,321 foreign citizens arrested in Menton. If for some, "the figures speak", thanks to the main checkpoints located in stations and on the motorways, for others, it is necessary to highlight another aspect of this policy "of fight against illegal immigration ".
"For the respect of fundamental rights at the Franco-Italian border"
“There have not really been any changes for six years, we have observed systematic discriminatory administrative procedures,” says Agnès Lerolle, coordination officer for Cafi (Coordination of actions at internal borders).
Since 2017, this project aims to provide support for actions and actors intervening on both sides of the border.
Thus, the five NGOs Amnesty International, Cimade, Médecins du monde, Médecins sans frontières and Secours Catholique-Caritas, are working together to denounce serious violations of the rights of people on the Franco-Italian border.
“What we see, and the deputy for Haute-Garonne Sébastien Nadot, as well as his rapporteur, the deputy for Manche Sonia Krimi were also able to observe during the commission of inquiry on migration, is that this what is happening in Menton is shocking, continues the coordinator. There are illegal practices that violate the fundamental rights of people. “In particular, in those famous Algecos where the arrested migrants are locked up. Places "illegal" but considered as "places of shelter" for the prefecture where associations do not have access.
She also cites facies checks, systematic refoulement to Italy during checks "even if a person mentions his desire to seek asylum" or "even if it is unaccompanied minors".
“Actors on the ground describe a difficult situation with 100 to 120 people a day trying to cross the border.
The novelty this year are the interventions from the Ventimiglia station and this cooperation with the Italian police.
"
More controls, more risks taken
Agnès Lerolle then analyzes: “The problem is that as there are reinforced controls, migrants take more risks, like going on trucks, they pay a lot of smugglers.
And then we see new tragedies.
A person was electrocuted on a railroad at the end of August, in November it was on the roof of a train.
"
She concludes: “In Ventimiglia, there is no place of reception and yet, it is not because there is nothing or a bad reception that people stop coming.
In the distribution of meals, the associations counted more than two hundred people per evening.
"
The coordinator then relies on the report of the commission of inquiry delivered last week.
“We have a powerful tool that allows everyone to see the same thing, that helps fuel our requests.
The main one is stopping these illegal practices and ensuring that these people are treated with dignity instead of systematically dismissing them.
"She also takes up a sentence from this report:" Migration is a movement that has been present and has continued for 3,000 years, it is a delusion to want to prevent it then so much to organize it so that it is less. complicated for everyone.
"
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A young migrant electrified on the roof of a TER, trying a priori to escape control in Menton
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