Eight migrants die every day trying to reach

richer countries, study reveals

A survivor from a sinking off Greece in May. Most European migrant deaths came in attempts to cross the
Mediterranean. Photograph: Orestis Panagiotou/EPA
Peter Beaumont
Monday 29 eptem!er 2"#$
Migrants trying to reach more prosperous countries have died at a rate of eight every
day for the past #$ years% the ma&ority of them trying to get to Europe% according to the
most comprehensive ever ta''y of migrant deaths.
A'most $"%""" peop'e have died on migrant routes (or'd(ide% according to estimates
!y the )nternationa' Organisation for Migration *)OM+% (hich added that 22%""" of them
perished trying to get to Europe.
An estimated $%",, died this year a'one% suggesting a sharp'y esca'ating pro!'em.
According to the )OM% the true num!er of fata'ities is 'ike'y to !e even higher than the
figures in its report.
-he research (as undertaken !y the )OM over si. months for its report /ata'
0ourneys: -racking 1ives 1ost 2uring Migration% pu!'ished on Monday. )t ca''ed on
governments and the internationa' community to address (hat it descri!ed as 3an
epidemic of crime and victimisation4.
Our message is !'unt: migrants are dying (ho need not%4 said the )OM5s director
genera'% 6i''iam 1acy (ing. 3)t is time to do more than count the num!er of victims. )t
is time to engage the (or'd to stop this vio'ence against desperate migrants.4
Migrants on a dinghy7sty'e
vesse' after !eing rescued !y the )ta'ian navy on 22 eptem!er 2"#$. Photograph:
)ta'ian 8avy/EPA
-he disproportionate'y high death to'' in the Mediterranean% the report conc'udes%
3ref'ects a dramatic increase in the num!er of migrants trying to reach Europe4% (ith
more than ##2%""" irregu'ar migrants detected !y )ta'ian authorities in 2"#$ 9 a'most
three times as many as in 2"#:.
)OM research records that since 2"""% near'y ;%""" more migrant deaths occurred
a'ong the <7Me.ico !order and a further :%""" deaths from Africa5s ahara desert
and the )ndian Ocean.
-he research !ehind /ata' 0ourneys% (hich runs to more than 2"" pages% !egan (ith
the Octo!er 2"#: tragedy (hen more than $"" migrants died in t(o ship(recks near
the )ta'ian is'and of 1ampedusa.
-he report paints a picture characterised too often !y internationa' indifference% even
over the co''ection and distri!ution of the ra( data on migrant deaths.
A'though vast sums of money are spent co''ecting migration and !order contro' data%
very fe( agencies co''ect and pu!'ish data on migrant deaths%4 said /rank 1ac=ko% the
author of /ata' 0ourneys% and )OM5s director of migrant research division.
According to 1ac=ko% data tends to !e scattered% (ith a range of organisations
invo'ved in tracking fata'ities. ome e.perts !e'ieve that for every dead !ody
discovered% there are at 'east t(o others that are never recovered.
-he report (as compi'ed as part of )OM5s Missing Migrants Pro&ect% (hich aims to
raise a(areness a!out the risks (ou'd7!e migrants face and deter them from using
crimina' net(orks (here many fa'' victim to vio'ence% se. a!use and peop'e7trafficking.
One of the report5s most shocking findings is that% despite the high and rising death
to''% 3no organisation at the g'o!a' 'eve' is current'y responsi!'e for systematica''y
monitoring the num!er of deaths that occur. 2ata tends to !e scattered% (ith a range
of organisations invo'ved in tracking fata'ities often emp'oying different definitions of
!order7re'ated death.4
)n one chapter discussing the deaths of migrants attempting to reach Austra'ia 9
(ritten !y 1eanne 6e!er and haron Pickering% t(o crimino'ogists at Monash
<niversity in Me'!ourne 9 the authors point out: 38o Austra'ian government agency%
'a( enforcement or migration7focused agency% at the state or federa' 'eve'% pu!'ishes
data on !order7re'ated deaths%4 (hi'e dra(ing a stark comparison !et(een the effort
and money spent attempting to 'ocate the Ma'aysian Air'ines /'ight M>:," 9 and the
head'ines dedicated to it.
-he importance of counting the dead and retrieving their !odies is universa''y
ackno('edged as a crucia' step in ackno('edging their 'oss and producing an account
of their deaths%4 it says.
Pa'estinian hukri a'7
Assou'i set off from A'e.andria on ; eptem!er (ith his (ife and t(o chi'dren on a
ship destined for )ta'y% !ut the vesse' sank and he (as rescued !y a 0apanese
commercia' ship and taken to Greece. >is fami'y is missing. Photograph: )!raheem
A!u Mustafa/?euters
-he fai'ure to comprehensive'y document and investigate deaths of asy'um7seekers
at sea or in immigration custody (hi'e other fata' incidents invoke 'arge7sca'e and
internationa' ad hoc responses% as in the case of missing f'ight M>:,"% suggests that
certain 'ives effective'y count for more than others% !oth at a domestic 'eve' and (ithin
the internationa' community.4
@esides counting fata'ities% )OM5s Missing Migrants Pro&ect is part of a !roader effort to
use socia' media to engage communities around the (or'd. 6ith this month5s Ma'ta
ship(reck tragedy% )OM offices (or'd(ide received ca''s and emai's and socia' media
posts from fami'y mem!ers across Europe and the Midd'e East seeking ne(s a!out
their missing re'atives% many no( feared dead. -he pro&ect hopes to !ecome a
po(erfu' voice of deterrence to keep future victims from em!arking on these
dangerous &ourneys.
Peop'e are a'ready 'ooking for information a!out missing migrants on /ace!ook and
other socia' media out'ets. 6e kno( as (e'' that peop'e are trafficked around the (or'd
using /ace!ook%4 said )OM spokesman 1eonard 2oy'e.
6e (ant to 'everage socia' media and in particu'ar the hashtag AMissingMigrants to
amp'ify the voices of those (ho have 'ost 'oved ones and (arn future migrants against
taking these risky &ourneys. 6e (i'' not seek to dissuade migrants from risking their
'ives (ith posters or radio spots !ut rather (ith the most persuasive means out there:
the voices of survivors and the fami'y mem!ers of missing migrants.4
Migrants rest after they
(ere rescued !y the 1i!yan coastguard (hen their !oat sank off the coasta' to(n of
Gara!u''i on #B eptem!er 2"#$. Photograph: Mahmud -urkia/A/P/Getty )mages
-he parado. is that at a time (hen one in seven peop'e around the (or'd are
migrants% (e are seeing an e.traordinari'y harsh response to migration in the
deve'oped (or'd%4 said )OM director genera' (ing.
1imited opportunities for safe and regu'ar migration drive (ou'd7!e migrants into the
hands of smugg'ers% feeding an unscrupu'ous trade that threatens the 'ives of
desperate peop'e. 6e need to put an end to this cyc'e. <ndocumented migrants are
not crimina's. -hey are human !eings in need of protection and assistance% and
deserving respect%4 he added.
/or a copy of the report% p'ease go to /ata' 0ourneys: -racking 1ives 1ost 2uring
Migration *pdf+
Posted by Thavam