Migrant Hunger Strike, Melilla, Spain
February 21, 2008(roughly translated from spanish http://melillafronterasur.blogspot.com/)
Nearly 200 migrants from Bangladesh and India have declared indefinite hunger strike in the Spanish enclave of Melilla.
The demands are simple and clear: The migrants want to know what is their situation and the future that awaits them after two years’ detention in the CETI migrant holding center of the Melilla. The Majority of these migrants began the journey from their respective countries over four years ago.
For five months these citizens of Bangladesh and India have slept in shacks in remote areas outside the CETI center in order to avoid the nightime arrests and deportations that occur in the center. Their physical and psychological situation is an absolute insecurity and has worsened in recent months as other inmates of various nationalities have been moved to the mainland, with none of the migrants of Bangladesh and India being given the same safe haven.
Currently, the Melilla CETI holding center population of inmates reaches 90% from Bangladesh and India.
At the end of 2007 a petition holding 1,500 signatures from citizens of Melilla was submitted to the Government in order to encourage a simple audience for the migrants with the Government of Melilla. As of today this petition has recieved no response.
The internal hunger strikers, only seem to want to talk and not lose the opportunity to do so with any citizen who passes through the vicinity. The theme is always the same: the migrants want to tell you about their families last seen 4 years ago who are waiting for a better life in their country, of the desperation of their wives who have to work to feed them, hunger, disease, the lack of freedoms of the people who have died during the voyage.
A journey through which they have not been considered human beings in any of its stages.
Again Melilla, EU territory.
