Comments on: Desperate journey – the new Atlantic crossing http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/06/desperate_journey_-_the_new_atlantic_crossing.html Tue, 16 Mar 2010 23:35:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Black Looks http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/06/desperate_journey_-_the_new_atlantic_crossing.html#comment-2407 Black Looks Sun, 23 Jul 2006 22:19:25 +0000 http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/06/desperate_journey_-_the_new_atlantic_crossing.html#comment-2407 [...] The experience of the group is similar to the recent group from West Africa who were abandoned off the Atlantic coast of Spain and eventually drifted to Barbados - non survived. The migrants told The Times of Malta that they left Libya on July 10. Amanisi, a 24-year-old Eritrean migrant who declined to give his last name, told reporters that he had left Eritrea a year ago, went to Ethiopia, then to Sudan and later to Libya. There, he joined a group of migrants, who found a smuggler who asked them each for $1,200 to pay for a boat equipped with a small outboard engine. The migrants said they were told that it would take them at most three days to reach Italy. [...] [...] The experience of the group is similar to the recent group from West Africa who were abandoned off the Atlantic coast of Spain and eventually drifted to Barbados – non survived. The migrants told The Times of Malta that they left Libya on July 10. Amanisi, a 24-year-old Eritrean migrant who declined to give his last name, told reporters that he had left Eritrea a year ago, went to Ethiopia, then to Sudan and later to Libya. There, he joined a group of migrants, who found a smuggler who asked them each for $1,200 to pay for a boat equipped with a small outboard engine. The migrants said they were told that it would take them at most three days to reach Italy. [...]

]]> By: Sokari http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/06/desperate_journey_-_the_new_atlantic_crossing.html#comment-1938 Sokari Tue, 06 Jun 2006 20:01:12 +0000 http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/06/desperate_journey_-_the_new_atlantic_crossing.html#comment-1938 BRE - you are right about the true "heart of darkness" is in Europe - a perfect description and I hope you dont mind if I borrow the phrase from time to time. BRE – you are right about the true “heart of darkness” is in Europe – a perfect description and I hope you dont mind if I borrow the phrase from time to time.

]]> By: Black River Eagle http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/06/desperate_journey_-_the_new_atlantic_crossing.html#comment-1934 Black River Eagle Tue, 06 Jun 2006 16:01:04 +0000 http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/06/desperate_journey_-_the_new_atlantic_crossing.html#comment-1934 Ooops! I mispelled "Libya" again. Sorry Colonel Gadaffi...:-) Ooops! I mispelled “Libya” again. Sorry Colonel Gadaffi…:-)

]]> By: Black River Eagle http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/06/desperate_journey_-_the_new_atlantic_crossing.html#comment-1933 Black River Eagle Tue, 06 Jun 2006 15:53:43 +0000 http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/06/desperate_journey_-_the_new_atlantic_crossing.html#comment-1933 They recently aired a TV news report here in Germany about the slavers (human traffickers) operating out of Mauritania and Mali. Huge Mercedes trucks brimming with a human cargo of migrants from Senegal, Ghana, Mali, Guinea, Niger, and countries all across West and Central Africa who were being driven across the Sahara Desert for days on end. Passengers had to pay the Tuareg drivers about US$200/head for the journey that starts either in Mali or in Maritania; a journey without water and food or protection from the gruelling sun and freezing desert nights. The (merciful) drivers would make a pit stop every 12 hours or so. Of course lots of people never make it and the severely sick are many times left in the desert to die. Once the migrants arrive at the Atlantic coastal towns and villages in Mauritania or at the border to Lybia, penniless, then the nightmare really begins for these desperate people. Lybian soldiers and border guards send many of them back into the desert for example and only the "lucky ones" are fortunate enough to make these boat journeys after spending months and years stranded in these North African towns and villages at the mercy of the locals who despise them and the "pirates" and other criminals who ply this ugly trade in human flesh. Ironically, with all of these hardships and risks to life and limb, many of the migrant Africans told the news reporters following this story that they would rather die trying to make it to Europe than to die of hunger and violence in their own home countries. The true "Heart of Darkness" may be in the government and financial capitals of Europe and North Africa it would seem, and perhaps in the failed leadership of some of the African nations where these desperate people originate. Non? They recently aired a TV news report here in Germany about the slavers (human traffickers) operating out of Mauritania and Mali. Huge Mercedes trucks brimming with a human cargo of migrants from Senegal, Ghana, Mali, Guinea, Niger, and countries all across West and Central Africa who were being driven across the Sahara Desert for days on end.

Passengers had to pay the Tuareg drivers about US$200/head for the journey that starts either in Mali or in Maritania; a journey without water and food or protection from the gruelling sun and freezing desert nights. The (merciful) drivers would make a pit stop every 12 hours or so. Of course lots of people never make it and the severely sick are many times left in the desert to die.

Once the migrants arrive at the Atlantic coastal towns and villages in Mauritania or at the border to Lybia, penniless, then the nightmare really begins for these desperate people. Lybian soldiers and border guards send many of them back into the desert for example and only the “lucky ones” are fortunate enough to make these boat journeys after spending months and years stranded in these North African towns and villages at the mercy of the locals who despise them and the “pirates” and other criminals who ply this ugly trade in human flesh.

Ironically, with all of these hardships and risks to life and limb, many of the migrant Africans told the news reporters following this story that they would rather die trying to make it to Europe than to die of hunger and violence in their own home countries.

The true “Heart of Darkness” may be in the government and financial capitals of Europe and North Africa it would seem, and perhaps in the failed leadership of some of the African nations where these desperate people originate. Non?

]]> By: alice b. http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/06/desperate_journey_-_the_new_atlantic_crossing.html#comment-1927 alice b. Sun, 04 Jun 2006 16:47:09 +0000 http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/06/desperate_journey_-_the_new_atlantic_crossing.html#comment-1927 Thanks for the translation, Sokari. Thanks for the translation, Sokari.

]]> By: Taran http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/06/desperate_journey_-_the_new_atlantic_crossing.html#comment-1924 Taran Fri, 02 Jun 2006 17:26:10 +0000 http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/06/desperate_journey_-_the_new_atlantic_crossing.html#comment-1924 I guess there was no way to contact someone in authority to help them? Forgive me for my naivete, but... I feel I am missing a part of this somewhere. Will check the links. I guess there was no way to contact someone in authority to help them? Forgive me for my naivete, but… I feel I am missing a part of this somewhere. Will check the links.

]]> By: Sokari http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/06/desperate_journey_-_the_new_atlantic_crossing.html#comment-1922 Sokari Fri, 02 Jun 2006 09:35:20 +0000 http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/06/desperate_journey_-_the_new_atlantic_crossing.html#comment-1922 The Senegalese passengers were left for dead not once but twice. In the first instance the Spanish pirate abandoned them as they left Cabo Verde. They were then abondoned in the Atlantic in what appears to me to be a premediated act by the murderers. It is hard to comment on this as it is so awful. The Senegalese passengers were left for dead not once but twice. In the first instance the Spanish pirate abandoned them as they left Cabo Verde. They were then abondoned in the Atlantic in what appears to me to be a premediated act by the murderers. It is hard to comment on this as it is so awful.

]]> By: Beauty http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/06/desperate_journey_-_the_new_atlantic_crossing.html#comment-1921 Beauty Fri, 02 Jun 2006 07:18:14 +0000 http://www.blacklooks.org/2006/06/desperate_journey_-_the_new_atlantic_crossing.html#comment-1921 African Presidents, Governors, and so called rulers, here is a result of your mismanagement. Your best is pretty much ordinary, when will you all get off your high horse and get to work? Your ignorance and stupidity cost lives. African Presidents, Governors, and so called rulers, here is a result of your mismanagement. Your best is pretty much ordinary, when will you all get off your high horse and get to work? Your ignorance and stupidity cost lives.

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