How foreign trawlers cripple artisanal fishing in Senegal, force youths to migrate-  Fatou Faye

Fatou Faye, a lawyer, programme manager in Rosa-Luxemburg Foundation/West Africa in this interview with voiceforafricanmigrants.org speaks on how over exploitation of fishery resources by foreign  trawlers has damaged the fragile economic health of communities in Senegal and consequently forcing young people to  make desperate choices of going  to Europe among other issues. Excerpts:

How did you become an activist?

I have become an activist for respect for human rights since I was at the Faculty of Legal and Political Sciences of the Faculty of Law.

What challenges do you face as an activist?

My first challenge is the language. Sometimes it is difficult to translate acquired knowledge into national languages so that everyone is at the same level of information. So only a restricted circle of people of a certain class will understand the content of the pleas to defend human rights. We speak in the national language most often to facilitate understanding.

The second challenge is to simplify the advocacy speech to make it as accessible to everyone, not to use expert jargon all the time, knowing that the most important thing is to be understood, to understand targets and exchange with them.

What specifically brought you into the field of migration?

During my master’s degree in International Relations, I did a module on Migration Law. This is what awakened my interest in protecting the rights of migrants.

How have local fishermen and women been affected by foreign boats in Senegal?

If you want to talk about overfishing by foreign boats, it affects the entire Senegalese population because fish is one of our main food resources. It was a very accessible product. But the fishing licenses granted by the State of Senegal to foreign boats particularly affect artisanal fishermen and women who were mainly responsible for transporting and reselling fish in local markets. But also, those who transformed fish into dried fish. These dried products were transported throughout West Africa. They were an important source of income for thousands of men and women. This successful market of yesteryear is today faced with a raw material problem due to the overexploitation of fishery products.

As for the young fishermen, they transform their canoe into a makeshift boat to attempt the journey to Spain with all the risks that this entails. The National Union of Artisanal Fishermen of Senegal and the regional network of Marine Protected Areas in West Africa continue to denounce the destructive activities of foreign boats (destruction of materials of artisanal fishermen, fatal accidents, illegal captures of protected species).

Has the impact of foreign trawlers on local fishermen in any way increased trips from Senegal?

Hundreds of communities live directly or indirectly from fishing in Senegal. It was a traditional labour market that communities knew how to organize well over the decades, even before independence. The traditional fishing system was well supervised with biological rest periods. But the advent of trawlers disrupted the fishing sector, which is an important sector of our economic system which allowed many communities to live day to day with low incomes. But overexploitation of fishery resources by trawlers has damaged the fragile economic health of these communities. And despite protests from fishermen’s organizations, no action has been taken to address this phenomenon. Young people no longer see prospects and a future in their profession as fishermen, on top of that the State’s public policies do not meet the needs of young people who demand more transparency in the management of the last public. These young people are making the desperate choice to go to Europe not for lack of ambition because they have either their diploma or a qualifying profession. But our economic system is not designed and managed to respect their right to decent employment.

Many Senegalese have drowned recently, why are they leaving the country? 

A feeling of social unease has invaded young people for years. It was dormant, but with the latest political demonstrations, young people no longer hesitate to express their despair and their lack of confidence in our policies. They know that they can do nothing against the State and its decisions, so they leave for other horizons where they hope to have a promising future with more social justice.

From your records, how many migrants have died and how many are still missing?

There are no exact figures, each organization has its own figures and the State does too, so it is difficult to comment.

What is the attitude of the government and policy makers on this subject? Do they criminalize migrants or show them compassion?

They are criminalizing migrants by implementing new laws that legalize the imprisonment of migrants arrested by the coast guard. However, the latter intercept migrants, most of the time in the ECOWAS region. As ECOWAS citizens, they are not yet illegal immigrants in this space.

What is your position on the EU’s efforts to restrict the migration of Africans to Europe?

Given the measures that the EU is employing, it looks like it is being invaded by Africans while those who are leaving do not represent a drop in the ocean compared to their popular mass, not to mention their nationals who are traveling around the world. When it comes to migration, relations between Europe and Africa must be fair. Africa is also a large economic and labour market for Europe, but hearing the media discourse, we have the impression that only Africans go to Europe.

It is the refusal to grant visas that pushes young people to take dangerous paths and our State does not call the EU to order in relation to this situation. On the contrary, he signed bilateral agreements with different countries for the repatriation of these desperate young people.

The EU officially supports regional integration in Africa, but do you think its emphasis on border controls goes in this direction?

No! because in matters of migration, it does not negotiate with ECOWAS but directly with each country. This so much isolates the ECOWAS countries because by securing their borders on the recommendation and support of the EU, each country closes in on itself to the detriment of the West African community. This free movement is a wealth that Africans have been able to build on their own, the States have just contributed to the legal framework. Through this free movement, Africans have been able to set up safe and well-functioning economic exchange networks.

Securing borders within the community should be against corruption, against transnational organized crime, against drugs.To better facilitate and secure the movements of citizens of the community.

From your point of view, does the EU approach to migration, beyond security issues, address human rights violations, inequalities and social justice?

Currently, Senegal is facing a crisis regarding freedom of expression and demonstration, achievements that the new generation has been able to record after years of struggle. But the violation of these fundamental rights does not prevent the EU from remaining a technical and financial partner of the State of Senegal, without any call to order. Not even a neutral press release to recall the democratic principles each State must respect and protect towards its citizens, to have an acceptable status within the international community.

What do you think about African countries collecting money and working with the EU to outsource borders?

They did not understand the real issues in fueling this outsourcing policy. By accepting it, these actors reinforce the capitalist system which does not suit our economic systems, neocolonial policies, and violate international law.

There have always been expulsions of Africans from Europe and sometimes in the most inhumane ways. Do you think this is correct?

This is not specific to Europe, but Western countries in general carry out expulsions of Africans. The expulsion alone is inhumane! If it is done in unworthy conditions, it is even more serious!

Are African countries required to accept any expulsion from Europe?

They feel they have no choice given the way they depend on development aid from these countries. A refusal could have consequences in other aspects.

Let’s talk about the presence of Frontex on African soil. What are the implications for the continent and the populations?

The lack of communication on this issue is worrying! The State of Senegal does not consider it an obligation to communicate with parliamentarians, journalists and civil society on the negotiation process with Frontex. To my knowledge, there is not yet an agreement signed between the State of Senegal and Frontex. But it is thanks to organizations defending the rights of migrants established in Europe that we have certain information on the negotiation process. Normally, civil society and MPs would take part in the negotiations. Currently, some confirm that Frontex agents are established in Senegal, but I do not yet have concrete proof of this.

What future is there for African migrants who will be refused visas even if they choose legal routes to migrate?

They choose dangerous paths like the sea and the desert out of desperation. The refusal of visas does not discourage them because migration is seen as a long-term, family project.

In what concrete ways do you think the EU can help Africa address its challenges and reduce the burden of irregular migration?

I won’t use the word “help” but it must be a fair negotiation respecting human rights. Migration is not a burden, but a resource for both Europe and Africa. Only Europe has good marketing communication against migrants. Migration is not a crime! Europeans are everywhere in the world, as are Africans. And yet the latter do not even benefit from migration as much as Europeans.

Do you think the story of African migration as told by the EU is correct (demonization of African migrants) or is it told to favor themselves (EU)?

No one knows the history of Africa better than Africans themselves. Migration was a well-organized sector in West Africa. Traditionally, populations have developed land trade networks which have always facilitated exchange between peoples. We found products from the Ivory Coast in Senegal, vice versa and the exchanges were peaceful.

Those who went to Europe and the United States contributed a lot to the development of their community even up to the present (the construction of hospitals, youth centers, mosques, schools, etc.). They also contributed greatly to the development of urbanization in the rural area.