Declaration MADE Africa following the shipwrecks in the Mediterranean

Dakar, 21 April 2015 

With a heavy heart and a lot of concern we note a recurrence of shipwrecks and makeshift boats of migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe's shores, although this does not seem to create a storm in the ocean of European, African and global migration policies.

Why do the winds not blow as strongly to the lands where laws and agreements are designed and adopted to sweep the storms of indifference that drown human beings in search of more humane conditions?

Sunday, April 12, 2015 a shipwreck occurred on the Libyan coast with about 400 missing migrants on board including children and women.

Italian police and coastguards who were conducting rescue operations announced they had saved 144 people and recovered nine dead bodies out of 1500 that had embarked on makeshift boats. And in the night of Saturday 18 to Sunday, April 20, 2015, another shipwreck was announced and reported up to 700 missing persons.

These dramatic shipwrecks have caused the death of more than 900 migrants since the beginning of the year making the crossing between Libya and Italy, according to data provided by the Italian border enforcement authorities.

Currently there are hundreds or thousands of desperate migrants rescued by the Italian coastguards or merchant ships in the Mediterranean, which has become a big "migrantvore monster" thanks to the complicity of Frontex and the indifference shown by countries of origin and transit. In addition to this, at the height of the disaster, a wave of religious extremism has just risen suddenly to destroy migrants because they simply showed a Christian identity.

These dramatic and inhuman situations need reactions from the entire international community and especially the leaders of African countries, where most of the migrants come from.

Africa’s lack of response is glaring, as despite the magnitude of the loss of life, announced in the interval of one week, a troubling silence has pervaded, reflecting contempt, indifference and a lack of direction and political accountability of its decision-makers at the highest level.

From Rome, Pope Francis, on behalf of the Catholic Church has condemned this situation and called for greater solidarity among peoples and States.

Italy itself, shaken by these waves of dramatic events, launched a Europe-wide call for support. And on Monday, April 20, a special EU Council session was convened in Brussels, under the request of the Italian Government.

Meanwhile, the African Union, as is often the case, did not make any statement amidst the glow of the waves of the Mediterranean, which has become a graveyard for migrants fleeing poverty, social unrest and untenable political conditions from a continent full of riches that should be equitably distributed.

A number of recent events add to the dramatic situation we are currently experiencing, such as the situation of "hunting" for migrants in South Africa, the country of Nelson Mandela, where xenophobia is set to replace the reign of apartheid; the level of grinding poverty of migrants within the African continent, itself meant to protect any endangered human life, from the time of King Herod who wanted to take Jesus’ life.

Humbly and in total dismay, MADE AFRICA bows to the memory of all migrants who have died in the Mediterranean Sea because of repressive and inhumane immigration policies. MADE AFRICA strongly condemns the silence of African authorities, the sadism of smugglers and human traffickers and the unscrupulous indifference of political spaces such as the European Union.

MADE AFRICA appeals for greater respect of migrants' rights in Africa and in the world and calls for policy makers to say here and elsewhere when faced with this unacceptable horror "never again in the world of human beings”.