A boat carrying 30 decomposing bodies washed off the coast of Senegal. The sad drama opens up issues around the issue of illegal migration in the region phenomenon deemed to be caused by unemployment, among other socio-economic developments. Experts have instead called for dealing with issues at the root causes of migration instead of border control.
This wooden canoe, or pirogue, was found by the navy floating around 70 kilometers from the capital of Senegal, Dakar. Decomposition apparently had advanced sufficiently to make identification of bodies impossible and migrants seem to have been adrift for some time.
Probes are carried out with a view to establishing the boat’s departure point and number of passengers on board. The tragedy has once again sounded calls for concrete actions to eliminate the root causes of illegal migrations in the region.
As fish stocks dwindle and the cost of fishing grows, many Senegalese fishermen have turned to emigrating or selling their boats to traffickers. Still, this perilous journey across the Atlantic is the only hope someone can seek to find something better in life.
Illegal migration is at the heart of a new, massive 10-year plan by Senegal’s government as it scrambles to contend with recent increases in migrant deaths. However, unemployment, conflict, and poverty appear to remain the reason for this problem.
Experts suggest that there should be a focus on understanding the causes of migration rather than border control. It is very likely that the crossing of insecure borders and risks to lives can be avoided if good opportunities exist, or problems at their source are taken care of.
