Demonstrations in Tunisia have escalated as authorities crack down on migrant communities, leading to arrests, the demolition of tent camps, and accusations of financial crimes against activists aiding migrants. While this approach has reduced migrant crossings to Europe, it has also drawn criticism from human rights groups concerned about its impact on migrants within Tunisia.
Tensions in Tunisia have surged as the government intensifies its crackdown on migrant communities, sparking protests and raising concerns among human rights organizations. The crackdown has included arrests, the demolition of tent camps, and accusations of financial crimes against activists aiding migrants.
While the crackdown has reduced the number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, it has also had a detrimental impact on the tens of thousands of migrants stranded in Tunisia. Human rights groups have condemned the security-centric approach adopted by governments on both sides of the Mediterranean, arguing that it fails to address the root causes of migration.
Demonstrations on Thursday in Tunis saw protesters decry the cooperation between Tunisia and Italy and Europe on migration policies. Some signs mourned the lives of Tunisians who have died or disappeared at sea. The protests come amidst ongoing clashes between migrants and police in small towns along Tunisia's central coastline, where migrants have set up encampments that have sparked concern among local farmers.
According to figures from Italy's Interior Ministry, the number of migrants reaching Italy in 2024 has fallen by two-thirds compared to the same period last year. The U.N. refugee agency UNHCR reported that more than 24,000 migrants traveled from Tunisia to Italy in the first four months of 2023, while fewer than 8,000 made the journey during the same period this year.
These trends are a relief for European officials facing overcrowded detention centers, high numbers of asylum claims, and increased public concern about immigration ahead of EU parliamentary elections in June. However, in Tunisia, the reality is different.
In April, Tunisian authorities thwarted 209 migration attempts and prevented more than 8,200 migrants from reaching Italy, primarily from sub-Saharan African countries. The Tunisian Coast Guard reported that it had prevented over 21,000 migrants from reaching Italy this year.
Romdane Ben Amor of the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES) told Radio Mosaïque that "Tunisia is deepening the crisis and promoting the idea that there is no solution" to the migrant issue.
President Kaïs Saïed acknowledged that migrants were being deported from coastal cities to the borderlands in cooperation with neighboring countries. He claimed that pro-migrant "traitors and agents" were receiving millions of euros and dollars to help settle migrants without legal status in Tunisia.
Similar remarks made by Saïed last year alleged that sub-Saharan African migrants were part of a plot to erase Tunisia's identity. These statements followed the arrest earlier this week of Saadia Mosbah, a Black Tunisian anti-discrimination activist, and Sherifa Riahi, the former president of an asylum rights group.
Mosbah was taken into custody and her home was searched in connection with an investigation into the funding of the Mnemty association she runs. Bassem Trifi, the president of the Tunisian League for the Defense of Human Rights, said Mosbah's arrest followed her social media condemnation of the racism she faced for her work in assisting sub-Saharan African migrants.
Riahi was arrested on Wednesday under the same financial crimes law, according to Radio Mosaïque. Last week, over 80 migrants were arrested in Tunis after clashes with police during the clearance of encampments that authorities claimed were "disturbing the peace."
Hundreds of migrants had camped near the headquarters of UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration, many demanding resettlement outside Tunisia. Law enforcement used heavy machinery to raze their tents and bus them to an unknown location outside the city, said Ben Amor of FTDES.
FTDES reported that an estimated 244 migrants—most from outside Tunisia—have died or disappeared along the country's Mediterranean coastline this year, including 24 whose bodies were found last week. A government report released Monday showed decreasing Mediterranean crossings by migrants and interceptions by Tunisian authorities.
Despite efforts by North African and European officials to curb trafficking and improve border policing, thousands of migrants fleeing conflicts, poverty, and persecution continue to risk the journey. They take boats from the coast north of Sfax to Italian islands such as Lampedusa, about 130 kilometers (81 miles) away.
The European Union seeks to limit migration through development assistance, voluntary return and repatriation, and partnerships with neighboring governments for border policing. The EU and member countries like Italy have pledged billions of dollars over the past year to countries including Tunisia, Mauritania, and Egypt for general aid, migrant services, and border patrols.
