The Melilla Enclave
The Spanish Melilla Enclave on the north African coast is surrounded by Morocco and limited on the other side by the Mediterranean Sea. Like Ceuta, it is the only other EU territory bordering Africa. As such, this city is a critical spot for people attempting to cross into Spain. For one, this route doesn’t entail braving the perilous Mediterranean Sea.
Morocco, accused of operating a “grey zone” strategy to establish control over both Ceuta and Melilla, is believed to repeatedly pressure Spain by facilitating the arrival of thousands of migrants to these localities. Most notably, Morocco allowed 6,000 migrants to cross into Ceuta as retribution for granting medical treatment to a member of the Polisario Front, the Sahrawi Independence Movement opposing Morocco’s’ occupation in Western Sahara.
Large groups of people have been attempting to scale over the Melilla border fences to seek asylum since 2005. People face grievous injuries and death from drops up to two stories in height and the added presence of heavy rows of razor wire and guards.
In the last couple of years, Melilla has witnessed increased crossings. In March 2022, 871 migrants managed to enter Melilla within 48 hours, compared to 1,092 for the whole of 2021.
According to experts, the militarization of the area and the construction of new border fences are not adequate solutions to reduce the number of crossing attempts. Reducing the main causes of migration and displacement in the countries of origin is. These include Mali, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Syria to the East, and Morocco itself. All these experience either conflict, persecution of minorities and dissidents, economic crises, as well as climate and natural disasters.
The lack of stability in the region and of international aid, as well as the obstruction of legal asylum claims, ultimately perpetuate and encourage the risks vulnerable populations face when crossing by water routes, such as through the Canary Islands.
Sources:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/14702436.2022.2159815?needAccess=true&role=button
