News
Life-threatening obstinancy at the Algerian-Moroccan border

Must someone die for the families stuck at the Algerian-Moroccan border to receive water, food, and the protection they are entitled to? Our organisations call for an immediate solution to be found, before it is too late.
The AlgeÂriÂan ForÂeign Ministry’s June 2nd offiÂciÂal stateÂments announÂcing its reaÂdiÂness to welÂcoÂme the “SyriÂan natioÂnals” on humaÂniÂtaÂriÂan grounds, have not been impleÂmenÂted, turÂning this long lasÂting situaÂtiÂon into an unbeÂaraÂble staÂte of affairs.
SinÂce the UN High ComÂmisÂsioÂner for RefuÂgees’ (UNHCR) high-level denÂunÂciaÂtiÂon of this “untenable and danÂgeÂrous situaÂtiÂon”, the issue had seeÂmed to be moving out of its preÂvious impasÂse, in spiÂte of subÂstanÂtiÂal uncerÂtainÂty about the evenÂtuÂal fate of theÂse SyriÂans in a counÂtry witÂhout asylÂum laws.
Today, natioÂnaÂlist obstiÂnacy on the AlgeÂriÂan and MorocÂcan sides is hinÂdeÂring resoÂluÂtiÂon of the situaÂtiÂon. A joint deleÂgaÂtiÂon from the UNHCR and the AlgeÂriÂan Red CreÂsÂcent was kept waiÂting in vain for hours on June 5 at the BĂ©ni-Ounif borÂder crossing, for the “transfer”—as inapÂproÂpriaÂte as it is—to take place, in this latent conÂflict setÂting. EarÂlier that morÂning, the MorocÂcan forces had comÂmitÂted an act of refouÂleÂment by arresÂtÂing a dozen men and women refuÂgees in the centÂre of the MorocÂcan town of FiguÂig at 6AM, and brinÂging them back into the bufÂfer zone at the border.
The situaÂtiÂon is thus at a dead-end while famiÂlies, with whom we spoÂke on the phoÂne yesÂterÂday afterÂnoon, have evenÂtualÂly agreed to enter AlgeÂria, even though their priÂmaÂry wish remains to reuÂniÂte with thoÂse of their famiÂly memÂbers legalÂly estabÂlished in MorocÂco or in the EuroÂpean Union.
For five days now, and in the absence of any diaÂloÂgue betÂween AlgeÂria and MorocÂco, women and childÂren have been waiÂting for the miliÂtaÂry force to proÂviÂde them with water and food. The refuÂgees are out of reach be it for docÂtors, the UNHCR, NGOs or even water which local resiÂdents have been tryÂing to chanÂnel to famiÂlies yesÂterÂday to no avail. No humaÂniÂtaÂriÂan aid is being proÂviÂded by any of the autÂhoÂriÂties. The river cloÂse by is dry, so they report.
We herÂeby denounÂce the inhuÂmaÂne and degraÂding treÂatÂment which staÂte autÂhoÂriÂties wilÂlingly inflict on theÂse peoÂpÂle on terÂriÂtoÂriÂal grounds and in blaÂtant breach of their legal and moral obliÂgaÂtiÂons. We urge the AlgeÂriÂan and the MorocÂcan autÂhoÂriÂties to immeÂdiaÂteÂly take theÂse peoÂpÂle out of this no-go zone wheÂre they are arbiÂtraÂriÂly mainÂtaiÂned, to treÂat them with digniÂty (water, food, health care). We urge them to give theÂse refuÂgees access to the UNHCR (Algiers, GenÂeÂva, Rabat) with no furÂther delay so they can be regisÂtered and engaÂge the steps necesÂsaÂry to their recepÂtiÂon, and the full respect of the rights incluÂding famiÂly unity and famiÂly reuniÂfiÂcaÂtiÂon. FinalÂly, we urge the United NatiÂons in GenÂeÂva, in parÂtiÂcuÂlar the UNHCR as well as the SpeÂcial RapÂporÂteur on the human rights of migrants to cloÂseÂly moniÂtor and pro-actively involÂve at the higÂhest level given the seriousÂness of the situation.
Our orgaÂniÂsaÂtiÂons are outraÂged that this terÂriÂtoÂriÂal disÂpuÂte, mateÂriaÂliÂsed by the groÂwing miliÂtaÂriÂsaÂtiÂon of the area, is leaÂding to the comÂpleÂte obliÂviÂon of the most basic man as well as human prinÂciÂples. That’s enough of a wideÂly reporÂted and denounÂced situaÂtiÂon which has lasÂted too long.