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Momodou
Denmark
11646 Posts |
 Posted - 05 Dec 2006 : 01:23:36
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“We Were Rescued” Repatriated Migrant
By Modou Jonga
A repatriated migrant has given a vivid picture of how they were rescued by a Dutch Crew at sea.
In his narration, the repatriated migrant who spoke to this paper on condition of anonymity, said they boarded a boat at the creeks at Old Jeshwang during the month of Ramadam.
“The boat was hidden at the creek at Old Jeshwang. Two officers from the Police Intervention Unit came to the creeks at Old Jeshwang the day we were supposed to leave for Spain. But they did not see the boat. A helicopter hovered over the area, but the crew did not see the boat. We postponed the trip that day and left two days after that incident,” he remarked.
The returnee said some of them paid twenty five thousand dalasis, while others paid thirty five thousand dalasis for the trip.
He pointed out that there were one hundred and eleven people on board the boat. According to him, they managed to pass through the Ports Authority without been noticed by the marine. He said they were determined to reach Spain, but their hopes varnished in thin air when the battery of their compass got finished. According to him, they roved in the sea for seventeen days. He said their water finished on the sixteenth day of the trip.
“We did not drink the whole of that day (the sixteenth day). Some of us tried to drink the salt water, but we had to spit it out, because it was not drinkable. We did not cook food that day because there was no water; some of those who were hunger stricken had to eat uncooked rice. Our cigarettes got finished and we had to wrap on paper and smoke it. We also ran out of fuel. We were terrified. We thought we were going to die. We wrote our names and addresses on our laps and hands because we thought we were going to die. It was on the evening of the seventeenth day that we saw two vessels. The crew on board the vessels told us that they were Dutch nationals and that we were in Dutch territorial waters. They said we have passed Spain. The captain of our boat asked them to help us. They told us that they were going to Nouadibou in Mauritania. We agreed to go with them. They tied our boat with a rope and tied it to one of their vessels. We headed for Nouadibou, but to our surprise we were taken to Morocco where we were received by Moroccan coastal guards. We were taken to the Moroccan port where we met a heavy presence of security guards. Some of our colleagues who were ill were put on board on ambulance and taken to a hospital where they received treatment. We were in Morocco for 20 days. We were well treated by the Moroccans. We were in the same camp with the Senegalese and Malians. The Senegalese left Morocco before us. We were impatient because we were eager to come home. In fact there was a day we took our bags and headed for the airport. We had a scuffle with the Moroccan guards who later forced us to go back to the camp. It was during the twentieth day that an official from the Gambian Embassy in Morocco came to the camp to meet us. We left Morocco and on arrival at Banjul International Airport, we met a heavy presence of security officers at the airport. They interviewed and treated us nicely. The authorities we met at the airport gave each of us one hundred and fifty dalasis. They also provided transport for each of us,.” he remarked.
The repatriated migrant said the captains of their boat, namely Ndongo Njie and alias “Big Bos” were arrested by the Police at Banjul International Airport. He said the boat they boarded was impounded by the Moroccans.
Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 108/2006, 4-5 December, 2006
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2006 : 01:40:33
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quote:
Originally posted by Momodou
The returnee said some of them paid twenty five thousand dalasis, while others paid thirty five thousand dalasis for the trip.
He pointed out that there were one hundred and eleven people on board the boat.
D25,000 x 111. do the maths. the sad thing is that even if they made it they will only make it to the hands of spanish police.
when this is over, millionaires will be enjoying the gambian sun and beaches whilst these people will still dream of babylon
D25,000!!! |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2006 : 01:58:24
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| You are right Njuks. Some are millionaires already laughing all the way to the beach pinics |
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anna
Netherlands
730 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2006 : 08:22:48
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Dutch territorial waters?? They came a long way..........
This to me seems to be impossible. The story must be a fabrication. If they had no food left, how could the "Dutch" vessel tie the boat behind their vessel and take them to Morocco, which would also have taken some days. If the boat was indeed in Dutch territorial waters, it would have been taken to a Dutch port at least to give first aid to 111 hungry and probably very cold and desperate people.
Anyway, it makes no difference - it is good that stories like this are published, so that in time hopefully young Gambians will think twice before they invest a capital of 25,000 or more dalasis in these pointless adventures. |
When an old African dies, it is as if a whole library has burnt down.
Amadou Hampate Ba (Mali) |
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mbay
Germany
1007 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2006 : 09:46:11
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These stories didn’t come to me well too.
But nevertheless this never ending dangers don’t seems be even shocking to some of those
who went through because in turn they will trie it again as well as those dreaming of a promise land.
Some thing most simple be done! This is not even hard to get these hungry blood shocking mafias if the authority stand firm,
They are not invisible.
quote:
Originally posted by anna
Dutch territorial waters?? They came a long way..........
This to me seems to be impossible. The story must be a fabrication. If they had no food left, how could the "Dutch" vessel tie the boat behind their vessel and take them to Morocco, which would also have taken some days. If the boat was indeed in Dutch territorial waters, it would have been taken to a Dutch port at least to give first aid to 111 hungry and probably very cold and desperate people.
Anyway, it makes no difference - it is good that stories like this are published, so that in time hopefully young Gambians will think twice before they invest a capital of 25,000 or more dalasis in these pointless adventures.
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njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2006 : 10:25:36
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it is for this reason alone that i said the african governments should protect these people from their own madness or percieved desperation. 25,000 can start a sustainable business for anyone.
Anna they were not in Dutch waters, as they can't cross the english channel undetected. He simple doesnt know even where he was going. What probably happened was that they came across a Dutch fishing vessel/trawler. usally trawler travel in pairs due to the industrial fishing as they have to spread the net and scoop everything between the two boats. obviously the dutch crew will not create an international legal problem by taking illegal immigrants to a european port, hence they were taken to Morroco.
what has he gained? loss 25,000 only to be given 150 (Euro 5) at the airport from the Spanish government!!! even if he mad it to spain he would still be deported.
this is the most profitable trade on Earth, put a 100 men in a boat and tell them to keep going north, whilst they pay $1000 up front. KLM, lufthansa BA are in the wrong business. |
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anna
Netherlands
730 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2006 : 11:15:43
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Indeed, this is what must have happened.
Everything must be done to pick up these criminal people-smugglers, and the government should set up an information campaign to make it clear that all these thousands of dalasis could be put to a better use.
I read an AllAfrican message, stating that a group of deported Gambians caused havoc at Yundum airport after they received 100 (!) dalasis from government officials on their return.
When and how will this end? |
When an old African dies, it is as if a whole library has burnt down.
Amadou Hampate Ba (Mali) |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2006 : 17:54:16
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quote:
Originally posted by njucks
it is for this reason alone that i said the african governments should protect these people from their own madness or percieved desperation. 25,000 can start a sustainable business for anyone.
Anna they were not in Dutch waters, as they can't cross the english channel undetected. He simple doesnt know even where he was going. What probably happened was that they came across a Dutch fishing vessel/trawler. usally trawler travel in pairs due to the industrial fishing as they have to spread the net and scoop everything between the two boats. obviously the dutch crew will not create an international legal problem by taking illegal immigrants to a european port, hence they were taken to Morroco.
what has he gained? loss 25,000 only to be given 150 (Euro 5) at the airport from the Spanish government!!! even if he mad it to spain he would still be deported.
this is the most profitable trade on Earth, put a 100 men in a boat and tell them to keep going north, whilst they pay $1000 up front. KLM, lufthansa BA are in the wrong business.
You crack me up . I guess the Gambian airline is also in the wrong business. |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2006 : 19:28:41
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It's true Njucks you crack me up too
Yes its about time the authorities start to come down heavy on the people traffickers by repossessing their ill gotten gains to make this business unprofitable for them. Also they could start a kind of crimestoppers by giving members of the public some high rewards for reporting these vulturers to the police,army or coastguards.
The proceeds repossessed by the authorities ahould be invested in training schemes for unemployed and beggars.If these people can save up D25,000 or D35,000 to kill themselves or be deported from Spain or North Africa. Then the money would be better spent within the country.
The repossession of revenue or property needs to be transparent so that the public will know how money has been collected and what social development schemes it has been invested into.
Peace
Sister Omega |
Peace
Sister Omega |
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Santanfara
3460 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2006 : 20:36:34
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| who are they ? i don't think the authorities know them. this is just like the money doublers case. take them to police station ,next half hour you meet them in the market. they bride the police and get away.let us educate our people to stop this shameful act. the authorities will not help. the police in morroco are highly paid to counter this traaficers but they get bride and let them go. |
Surah- Ar-Rum 30-22
"And among His signs is the creation of heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge." Qu'ran
www.suntoumana.blogspot.com |
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toubab
Gambia
92 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2006 : 22:08:51
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| I have often wondered why these people spend all this money on a dangerous journey that could end in death,rather than use it to start a small business- so I went on a fact finding mission!!!!! The answer every tme was, that if they stayed here and started their own small business, even in ten years they would still have nothing, due to he number of people they would have to support. It appears here that a few are supporting the majority, as in the case of a young man I know who has worked since leaving school but still has nothing as he supports his mother, stepfather, half brothers, sisters uncles aunts and anyone else that asks.How can a family put all this on one member of the family? |
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njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 06 Dec 2006 : 00:52:56
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toubab your mission points to one of the real problems of our society as we try to make the transition from african communities where we all take care of each other to a market economy nation state where everyone should take care of themselves.
some have blamed the government others the EU. some suggest we should have a welfare state. but i'm sure you will agree the change must come from within, people have to change to have smaller family sizes!!!
the real truth is you cannot escape this. Africans who make it to Europe as even under greater pressure to take care of the ''big extended family'' back home, because then there is no excuse. this is why Western Union is so popular
if we push these costs to a welfare state, i wouldnt be the last person to switch the lights off. no one will be left behind everyone will pack and leave.
attitudes must change. |
Edited by - njucks on 06 Dec 2006 01:27:55 |
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