🔶1 year ago, 75 migrants were disembarked in Tunisia after they had fled from Libya & spent nearly 3 weeks on the supply ship #Maridive 601 off Tunisia’s coast. They were only allowed to land when they agreed to "voluntarily" return to home countries 1/9 theguardian.com/global-develop…
During the 3 weeks in offshore detention, the 75 migrants were visited by the Bangladeshi ambassador to Libya and pressurised to agree to return home. The ambassador said that food and water would be withheld and their organs might be taken if they did not agree. 2/9
When the 75 were disembarked in Zarzis, they were completely exhausted but not allowed to rest. Their return to home countries was already organised. Overnight, they were brought to Tunis from where the IOM quickly facilitated the “voluntary” return of most of them. 3/9
IOM (@UNmigration) failed to adhere to its own assisted voluntary returns guidelines. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child & UNHCR guidelines on Determining the Best Interests of the Child were disregarded in order to quickly get rid of the 75, including children. 4/9
IOM’s own procedural requirements were breached – the migrants had no chance to make an informed decision. Already 2 days after disembarkation, 17 minors were returned to Bangladesh. Within a week, 53 people, including 30 minors, were returned against their will. 5/9
Eleven Bangladeshi migrants refused to be “voluntarily deported” and chose to apply for asylum in Tunisia, despite the constant pressure exerted on them by the Bangladeshi embassy, Tunisian authorities, as well as IOM staff. 6/9
UNHCR (@Refugees) rejected all asylum claims. Scandalously, the last claim was rejected in June 2020, thus about a year after asylum claims were made. Some of the Maridive survivors fled back to Libya as they had no prospects in Tunisia, risking their lives once more at sea. 7/9
The Maridive saga shows how migrants in distress at sea are not only denied a safe harbour in Europe but also how international migration ‘managers’ like @UNmigration are part of the international policing of migrants, cooperating with state authorities to facilitate returns. 8/9
This important report, published jointly by @FT_DES and @Migreurop this month, highlights the role of Tunisia in Europe’s externalisation of borders and also the dubious roles played by @Refugees and @UNmigration. 9/9 migreurop.org/article2992.ht…
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