Algerian Human Rights Association Denounces “Indecent Treatment” Of African Migrants

The branch of the Algerian League for the Defense of Human Rights based in Annaba province (far-eastern Algeria) has firmly denounced the woeful way in which dozens of African refugees, including men, women and children were treated.

They were forced to leave their shelter area under the bridge of the Seybousse district in a manner that the Association’s office dubbed as unbecoming and inhumane. Such a move was however described by local authorities in Annaba province as “preventive and aimed at protecting the African refugees above all other considerations”.

A member of the association, Mr. Mahmoud Djanan, said in a statement to “Echorouk” that the rights group concerned by the welfare of the African illegal immigrants had expressed regret over the manner in which the latter were dealt with following a process of forceful evacuation from the bottom of the Seybousse neighborhood bridge at the eastern entrance of Annaba municipality leaving them in total distress and disarray.

Dozens of African illegal migrants notably from Mali and Niger, present under the bridge since last winter, have gathered in the area for shelter from the rain and hail with their hapless families made up of numerous young children and women. 

The workers of the municipality set fire to the dirt and garbage that spread there, leading to chaos and fear among the African migrants who expressed surprise at what was happening to them and some of them told representatives of civil society who visited them on the spot that they want to urgently appeal to the relevant authorities to provide them with necessary protection, with just two weeks to go  before the advent of the holy month of fasting of Ramadan, as they are themselves of Muslim faith and are thus concerned by fasting, as they put it.