NIGERIA: ILLEGAL AFRICAN MIGRANTS SHOULD BE DEPOTED
Every year thuodsands of Africans leave there home towns in search of what they call 'greener pastures' in Europe. These Africans leave for Europe without proper documentation. Some of them leave the shores of Africa without any idea of what awaits them in Europe.
Many of these illegal migrants cannot locate Europe on the map of the world. They donot know anything about the language, culture, politics and the economics of Europe. All they know before embarking on their often energy sapping journey is the fairy tale that better life awaits them in Europe.
Many of these illegal African migrants never make it. They lose their lives enroute Europe via the Sahara desert or get drown while crossing the mediterenean sea.
Those that make it to Europe have nothing to celebrate either. Some are caught and depoted back to Africa. The rest have to live in hidding in deplorable conditions in Europe. Recently an able bodied Nigerian youth died while being depoted from Spain by the Spanish police.
According to some of these illegal African migrants speaking recently on a BBC programme 'Have your say', it is the harsh conditions in various African countries that force them to leave in search of better conditions elsewhere. It seems to me that the availability of a safe heaven in Europe has led to worse conditions in Africa.
African youths instead of challenging the excesses of their leaders have resorted to running away from their father land. This cowardly act has left Africa in the hands of corrupt and unpatriotic leaders who have turned Africa into a beggar continent.
The presence of a safe heaven in Europe has made Africans indifferent about conditions at home. They know that they can simply leave if conditions get worse.
I believe that the best thing Europe can do for Africa is to shut her doors to illegal African migrants and then to depot all existing illegal migrants from Africa currently living in Europe back to Africa. The migrants before their depotation should be instructed to go back to their various countries and fight for good governance, transperency and accountability, the deepening of democracy and the rule of law. These migrants should also be told that the 'good conditions' they are running to Europe to enjoy was paid for with the blood and hardwork of youths from Europe.
Europe and other safe heavens open to illegal African migrants should be shut. These will force Africans to push for better conditions back home. Allowing Africans to escape from these worse conditions will only worsen the state of Africa.
In 2008 Robert Mogabe will go to the polls again and eventhough I am not a prophet he is going to win. He will win because Zimbabweans have safe heavens to run to so it doesnot really matter to them how bad things are in their country. If Zimbabweans have no safe heavens to run to they will fight for free and fair elections back home. They will resist leaders with no ideas about developing their nation. If Zimbabweans have no safe heavens they will not vote for leaders with ego problem or leaders who have lost touch with the time.
Recently Nigerians withnessed the worse elections in the history of Nigeria. The big question is what have Nigerians done to send a strong message to their leaders that such elections are not acceptable. The call by civil society organisations for a mass rally was a big flop. Nigerians didnot turn out for the rally, yet every year hudreds of Nigerians go through inhuman conditions just to get to Europe illegally.
If these Nigerians spend thesame energy and persistence required to get to Europe illegally to fight for better conditions at home, Nigeria would have been the envy of Europe. Nigerians didnot turnout for the mass rally because they have safe heavens in Europe where they can run to if things get worse.
Africans must fight for better conditions at home. They must be ready at all times to pay the ultimate price for a better continent, so that one day Africa will sit side by side with Europe in the committee of nations.
Many of these illegal migrants cannot locate Europe on the map of the world. They donot know anything about the language, culture, politics and the economics of Europe. All they know before embarking on their often energy sapping journey is the fairy tale that better life awaits them in Europe.
Many of these illegal African migrants never make it. They lose their lives enroute Europe via the Sahara desert or get drown while crossing the mediterenean sea.
Those that make it to Europe have nothing to celebrate either. Some are caught and depoted back to Africa. The rest have to live in hidding in deplorable conditions in Europe. Recently an able bodied Nigerian youth died while being depoted from Spain by the Spanish police.
According to some of these illegal African migrants speaking recently on a BBC programme 'Have your say', it is the harsh conditions in various African countries that force them to leave in search of better conditions elsewhere. It seems to me that the availability of a safe heaven in Europe has led to worse conditions in Africa.
African youths instead of challenging the excesses of their leaders have resorted to running away from their father land. This cowardly act has left Africa in the hands of corrupt and unpatriotic leaders who have turned Africa into a beggar continent.
The presence of a safe heaven in Europe has made Africans indifferent about conditions at home. They know that they can simply leave if conditions get worse.
I believe that the best thing Europe can do for Africa is to shut her doors to illegal African migrants and then to depot all existing illegal migrants from Africa currently living in Europe back to Africa. The migrants before their depotation should be instructed to go back to their various countries and fight for good governance, transperency and accountability, the deepening of democracy and the rule of law. These migrants should also be told that the 'good conditions' they are running to Europe to enjoy was paid for with the blood and hardwork of youths from Europe.
Europe and other safe heavens open to illegal African migrants should be shut. These will force Africans to push for better conditions back home. Allowing Africans to escape from these worse conditions will only worsen the state of Africa.
In 2008 Robert Mogabe will go to the polls again and eventhough I am not a prophet he is going to win. He will win because Zimbabweans have safe heavens to run to so it doesnot really matter to them how bad things are in their country. If Zimbabweans have no safe heavens to run to they will fight for free and fair elections back home. They will resist leaders with no ideas about developing their nation. If Zimbabweans have no safe heavens they will not vote for leaders with ego problem or leaders who have lost touch with the time.
Recently Nigerians withnessed the worse elections in the history of Nigeria. The big question is what have Nigerians done to send a strong message to their leaders that such elections are not acceptable. The call by civil society organisations for a mass rally was a big flop. Nigerians didnot turn out for the rally, yet every year hudreds of Nigerians go through inhuman conditions just to get to Europe illegally.
If these Nigerians spend thesame energy and persistence required to get to Europe illegally to fight for better conditions at home, Nigeria would have been the envy of Europe. Nigerians didnot turnout for the mass rally because they have safe heavens in Europe where they can run to if things get worse.
Africans must fight for better conditions at home. They must be ready at all times to pay the ultimate price for a better continent, so that one day Africa will sit side by side with Europe in the committee of nations.
posted by passyjango @ 12:37 PM
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