Religious in Africa “vehemently” Condemn Morocco-Spain Border “sacrifice of human lives”

“Everyone has the right to live. Fleeing away from war, hunger and natural calamities is not a crime,” André Classens says, and further expresses his condemnation of “the ongoing extractive corporate plunder of the lands in Africa.” 

The member of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC) adds, “The African Church knows that sorrow is not enough to lessen the pain and therefore stands with the mourning families and communities in the pursuit of justice and reparation.”

The June stampede involving 2,000 people reportedly caused injury to at least 200 Spanish and Moroccan law enforcement officers and more than 70 civilians.

In a 30-page preliminary report released Wednesday, July 13 by the National Human Rights Council of Morocco (CNDH), the deaths at the border that was reopened in April were caused by “mechanical asphyxiation.”

The Moroccan Association of Human Rights (AMDH) has said the CNDH report is incomplete and has called for an independent probe into the incident. 

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In June, Pope Francis said he received the news of the Melilla tragedy “sorrowfully”.

“Let us Pray Together for these brothers and sisters who died following their hope of a better life; and for ourselves, (that) the Lord might open our hearts so these misfortunes never happen again,” the Pope was quoted as saying.

In the July 14 statement, AEFJN members say, “It is now imperative to investigate and hold those involved accountable with the deaths of the fleeing Africans at the Melilla border, from those who committed the crime and those who ordered it at the very instance.” 

Members of the organization that aims at promoting economic justice between the European Union (EU) and sub-Saharan Africa say the "externalization and militarization at the borders are condemnable as these violate international treaties and therefore serve as premises for the indictment of those responsible for the loss of lives at the Melilla-Moroccan border.”

The women and men Religious emphasize the need to treat migrants with dignity, saying, “Those migrants are human beings with dignity in the image and likeness of God.”

They further say that Europe needs to “seriously spell out inclusivity starting from the borders as it should implement genuine assets reforms and genuine assets redistribution from the EU to Africa to address the deeply rooted social inequities of unequal power relations since way back colonial times.”

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.