Migration Media Award: Third Place, Print Category, French
Author: Chahreddine Berriah
Media: El Watan, Algeria
Date of Publication: 24/3/2017
Title: Sub-Saharan Migrants between Algeria and Morocco: the Damned of Africa
Short summary: The Maghnia Ghetto is an informal camp on the banks of a river called Oued Jorgi, 14 kilometres from the border between Algeria and Morocco. A thousand Sub-Saharan migrants are staying there, organised in communities, according to their nationalities and religious denominations. Their aim is to cross the border and continue to the Spanish enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta.
Maghnia is my city. I saw the first migrants arrive in 1999. Since then, many have managed to pass the other side of the fence. But many also were driven back from the threshold of Europe and forced to return to the ghetto of Maghnia. Some have died in their crossings and … dozens have lost their reason because they have failed to reach their goal and can not return home after several years of adventure.
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