L’ Europe au pied du mur

Melilla, a tiny Spanish enclave on the Moroccan Mediterranean coast, harbours hundreds of people from Black Africa and Algeria, who dream of crossing to Europe to escape poverty and war. But Melilla is outside the zone of free circulation defined under the Schengen agreement. So, for those immigrants seeking an open door to Europe, the Mediterranean Sea remains a barrier to be crossed, often at the risk of their lives. Torn between applying the hard-line Schengen policy on immigration and Spain’s need for labour, the local authorities find themselves overwhelmed by the situation. They endeavour to manage the unmanageable by granting temporary work permits to some Africans, whilst also helping consolidate Europe’s defensive wall. For Algerians in particular, Melilla is turning into a trap with no exit, whilst humanitarian organisations are moving to prevent their mass expulsion.