Hundreds of Tunisians protest calling for eviction of migrant encampment
Hundreds of Tunisians rallied on Saturday in the town of El Amra to protest makeshift camps for migrants primarily from subSaharan African countries.
The demonstration in the small town in central Tunisia follows recent crackdowns by authorities on similar encampments in the capital Tunis and other areas, often after complaints from local residents.
In El Amra, protesters called for the “departure” of migrants and the “quick” eviction of the thousands estimated to be staying there, the correspondent said.
Lawmaker Tarek Mahdi said that the “immediate solution” should be to get migrants to “leave urban areas and cities”.
The situation has become “unacceptable” and “the authorities must nd a solution”, said Mahdi, who represents El Amra in parliament.
He added that other countries should help Tunisia to deal with a “very signicant ow” of migrants.
The town is located about 40 km north of Sfax, a key departure point for Europe-bound sea journeys from where migrants had been forcibly removed late last year.
Many migrants have ed to towns like El Amra, setting up encampments before they can make the perilous Mediterranean crossing, as Tunisian authorities and the European Union have ramped up efforts to curb irregular migration.
Surge of violence
A surge of anti-migrant violence last year, following remarks by President Kais Saied who painted “illegal” foreigners as a demographic threat, has also pushed many out of main cities and into smaller towns.
Migrants attempting the sea crossing in search of a better life in Europe often aim to reach Italy, whose Lampedusa island lies some 150 km away from Sfax, Tunisia’s second city.
In recent weeks, authorities raided several encampments, tearing down tents and expelling migrants.
The non-governmental Tunisian Forum for Social and Economic Rights said that authorities in Tunis on Friday cleared encampments and expelled hundreds of asylum seekers, migrants and refugees, sending them in buses to a western area near the Algerian border.
In a statement, the Interior Ministry said “security measures” had been taken to “deal with attacks on public and private property”.