By Tito Drago
MADRID, Jun 9 2000 (IPS)

The inflow of undocumented immigrants to Europe will only be curbed with economic and social development in Africa, which must be staunchly supported by European governments, agree prominent leaders of Spain’s main political parties.

José Manuel Soria, mayor of Las Palmas in Grand Canary island, and Jordi Pujol and Juan Carlos Rodríguez Ibarra, the governors of the autonomous communities of Catalonia and Extremadura, respectively, agree that Spain and other countries in the region must invest more in Africa.

Rodríguez Ibarra, who is also the secretary-general of the Extremadura branch of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) – Spain’s chief opposition party – told IPS that the economic and social crisis plaguing African nations drove people to make desperate bids to reach Europe, at the risk of losing their lives in the process.

Soria is the head of the centre-right People’s Party (PP) in the Canary Islands, an archipelago off the northwestern coast of Africa, and Pujol is the leader of Catalonia’s influential nationalists.

Extremadura, an important farming region bordering Portugal, and Catalonia in northeastern Spain, are in need of migrant labour in rural areas.

Meanwhile, the Canary Islands have been receiving increasing flows of African immigrants, most of whom arrive in flimsy boats.

Until late last year, an estimated 80 percent of undocumented immigrants reaching Spain came from Morocco, in northwest Africa.

Many came in across the border separating the cities of Ceuta and Melilla, two Spanish enclaves on the northern coast of Africa, from Morocco. Others risked the hazardous Strait of Gibraltar crossing to Spain in “pateras” or small, shallow fishing boats.

But this year immigration flows have shifted, and 80 percent of those who make it into Spain do so through the Canary Islands.

One of the reasons for that shift was the installation of 3.5- metre high fences around Ceuta and Melilla, with beefed-up electronic and police surveillance. Another was an agreement signed by Spain and Morocco stipulating that undocumented Moroccan nationals who made it to Spain could be immediately deported.

Spanish police sources say the new flows have led the bands involved in smuggling illegal immigrants to increasingly traffic sub-Saharan Africans, who are simply dumped on the coasts of the Canary Islands.

Morocco refuses to take them back as they are not nationals, while Spain has no repatriation agreements with their countries of origin – which means they remain in the Canary Islands.

The Spanish goverment, headed by José María Aznar of the PP, has mentioned plans to attempt to distribute, throughout Spain, the undocumented immigrants who have arrived to the Canary Islands.

But the government is also planning to push for modifications of the law on aliens, to further close Europe’s so-called “southern gate”. That, however, would not prevent the influx of immigrants, such as the flow into the Canary Islands.

In statements to the local daily ‘El Mundo’ Tuesday, Pujol quoted Goncourt prize-winner Tahar Ben Jelloum, maintaining that the best and most anti-racist legislation on aliens would be for Spain and other European nations to invest more in Africa, to create more jobs there.

Soria echoed that view in remarks before the International Press Club Wednesday, while Rodríguez Ibarra told IPS that the under-development of Africa had led to a desperate situation there, with local residents prepared to risk all in their attempt to make it to Europe.

The three political leaders stress that Spain is short on labour power in areas like construction and agriculture, and needs immigrant workers.

They also agree that Spain must ensure immigrant workers decent housing, health assistance, schools for their children and the full enjoyment of citizen rights, including the right to expression and to organise in unions.

Human rights groups and non-governmental organisations that specialise in assisting immigrants, meanwhile, warn of increasing outbreaks of racism and xenophobia, and demand that the law on aliens not be modified.

Spain’s two largest trade unions, the ‘Unión General de Trabajadores’ and ‘Confederación Sindical de Comisiones Obreras’, insist that immigrants be respected, and urge efforts against black market hiring which, they underline, violates the labour rights of workers.

Excerpt:

By Tito Drago
MADRID, Jun 8 2000 (IPS)

The inflow of undocumented immigrants to Europe will only be curbed with economic and social development in Africa, which must be staunchly supported by European governments, agree prominent leaders of Spain’s main political parties.

José Manuel Soria, mayor of Las Palmas in Grand Canary island, and Jordi Pujol and Juan Carlos Rodríguez Ibarra, the governors of the autonomous communities of Catalonia and Extremadura, respectively, agree that Spain and other countries in the region must invest more in Africa.

Rodríguez Ibarra, who is also the secretary-general of the Extremadura branch of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) – Spain’s chief opposition party – told IPS that the economic and social crisis plaguing African nations drove people to make desperate bids to reach Europe, at the risk of losing their lives in the process.

Soria is the head of the centre-right People’s Party (PP) in the Canary Islands, an archipelago off the northwestern coast of Africa, and Pujol is the leader of Catalonia’s influential nationalists.

Extremadura, an important farming region bordering Portugal, and Catalonia in northeastern Spain, are in need of migrant labour in rural areas.

Meanwhile, the Canary Islands have been receiving increasing flows of African immigrants, most of whom arrive in flimsy boats.

Until late last year, an estimated 80 percent of undocumented immigrants reaching Spain came from Morocco, in northwest Africa.

Many came in across the border separating the cities of Ceuta and Melilla, two Spanish enclaves on the northern coast of Africa, from Morocco. Others risked the hazardous Strait of Gibraltar crossing to Spain in “pateras” or small, shallow fishing boats.

But this year immigration flows have shifted, and 80 percent of those who make it into Spain do so through the Canary Islands.

One of the reasons for that shift was the installation of 3.5- metre high fences around Ceuta and Melilla, with beefed-up electronic and police surveillance. Another was an agreement signed by Spain and Morocco stipulating that undocumented Moroccan nationals who made it to Spain could be immediately deported.

Spanish police sources say the new flows have led the bands involved in smuggling illegal immigrants to increasingly traffic sub-Saharan Africans, who are simply dumped on the coasts of the Canary Islands.

Morocco refuses to take them back as they are not nationals, while Spain has no repatriation agreements with their countries of origin – which means they remain in the Canary Islands.

The Spanish goverment, headed by José María Aznar of the PP, has mentioned plans to attempt to distribute, throughout Spain, the undocumented immigrants who have arrived to the Canary Islands.

But the government is also planning to push for modifications of the law on aliens, to further close Europe’s so-called “southern gate”. That, however, would not prevent the influx of immigrants, such as the flow into the Canary Islands.

In statements to the local daily ‘El Mundo’ Tuesday, Pujol quoted Goncourt prize-winner Tahar Ben Jelloum, maintaining that the best and most anti-racist legislation on aliens would be for Spain and other European nations to invest more in Africa, to create more jobs there.

Soria echoed that view in remarks before the International Press Club Wednesday, while Rodríguez Ibarra told IPS that the under-development of Africa had led to a desperate situation there, with local residents prepared to risk all in their attempt to make it to Europe.

The three political leaders stress that Spain is short on labour power in areas like construction and agriculture, and needs immigrant workers.

They also agree that Spain must ensure immigrant workers decent housing, health assistance, schools for their children and the full enjoyment of citizen rights, including the right to expression and to organise in unions.

Human rights groups and non-governmental organisations that specialise in assisting immigrants, meanwhile, warn of increasing outbreaks of racism and xenophobia, and demand that the law on aliens not be modified.

Spain’s two largest trade unions, the ‘Unión General de Trabajadores’ and ‘Confederación Sindical de Comisiones Obreras’, insist that immigrants be respected, and urge efforts against black market hiring which, they underline, violates the labour rights of workers.

Excerpt: