The Tunisian coasts are unfortunately the scene of recurring dramas linked to illegal migration. Every year, thousands of migrants, mainly from sub-Saharan Africa but also to a lesser extent from Tunisia, attempt to reach Europe by crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Unfortunately, many shipwrecks occur, leaving behind lifeless bodies washed up on the beaches.
On August 20, our Observer, Youssef Chaffai, made a sad discovery while walking on the beach of La Chebba, in the center-east of the country. While taking pictures of landscapes, he discovered a decomposing corpse and clothes that were clearly those of migrants. Shocked by this horror vision, he took pictures that he shared with our editorial staff. Unfortunately, he is far from being the first to make such macabre observations on the Tunisian coasts.
Amine Ben Abdelwahed, a 19-year-old rescuer, was at the heart of this sad discovery. Initially, he did not have the right to fish out the bodies, a task falling within the competence of the divers of the national navy. However, driven by curiosity when he saw a floating object, he approached and realized that it was the corpse of a person. He then pulled him out of the water and called the divers to retrieve the three other bodies found next. An operation that continued until the next day, when the divers discovered separated limbs, atrocious testimony to the violence of the sinking.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case. The governorates of Mahdia, Sfax and Zarzis are often the starting points for illegal emigration to Europe. According to Tunisian authorities, between January 1 and July 20 this year, 901 bodies of migrants were recovered near the Tunisian coast, most of them from sub-Saharan Africa. This figure bears witness to the extent of the human drama being played out in the Mediterranean.
It is urgent to put in place prevention and support measures to avoid such tragedies. Efforts should focus on raising awareness of the dangers of irregular migration, as well as creating safe and legal pathways for people seeking a better life in Europe. It is also crucial to provide psychological support to rescuers who regularly face unbearable scenes.
It is necessary to remember that behind these figures and these testimonies, there are human lives. It is important not to forget their dignity and not to trivialize these tragedies. Migration is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon that cannot be reduced to a simple question of security. It is time to make the protection of migrants a priority and to seek lasting solutions to put an end to such tragedies