As the days go by, the resources to describe a situation that has been repeating since more than 70,000 people irregularly entered Ceuta from Morocco via the El Tarajal beach on July 30 are running out.
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The difficulties faced by the Spanish Administration in resolving the humanitarian challenge posed by Morocco – or whoever is behind the crisis unleashed 22 days ago at the border – remain unresolved. For this reason, today the Government announced that in the coming days it will appoint a minister in charge of coordinating the tasks of all ministries, a job that will possibly fall to the Minister of Territorial Policy, Ángel Víctor Torres, according to El Periódico.
Human Rights Watch and Unicef criticize the Administration’s slowness in responding
As an example, the so-called El Trampolín beach: for the past three weeks it was essentially occupied by sub-Saharan Africans who busily built the shacks in the front line where they slept and spent the day. On Thursday, in an operation that amazed for its order, the police moved the inhabitants of these shacks to a nearby hill where a new reception center had been set up with beds, showers, and a safe place to stay. Immediately after, the city council’s cleaning services began clearing debris and cleaning the beach. Shortly after, the operation was suspended because new groups of immigrants – mostly Maghrebis in this batch – occupied the beach. Today the police had to move them aside so the beach could be cleaned, but everything points to them staying there and returning if they are evicted.
In theory, when the beach was first vacated on Thursday, sub-Saharan Africans were separated from Maghrebis, among other reasons because sub-Saharan Africans come from conflict countries and are potential asylum seekers. Maghrebis, on the other hand, mostly will not achieve this status and consequently have a high chance of being returned to a country they do not want to return to.
El Trampolín beach was evacuated for the second time and reoccupied after cleaning operations
Hence, possibly, this cat-and-mouse game with the police that started today and whose duration remains to be seen. At some point, these immigrants will have to be registered (identified) and classified by the Police. And their future will be decided there.
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Meanwhile, the truth is that Ceuta has not managed to regain tranquility and the fear of a possible clash between the arriving community and the host community is increasingly present. Even though the police and army presence has multiplied in the autonomous city.
The Government’s partner, Izquierda Unida, calls for intervention of Felipe VI with Mohammed VI
A separate chapter are the boys and girls who crossed and stayed in Ceuta, the minors. Two humanitarian organizations, Unicef and Human Rights Watch, expressed through their main spokespersons in Spain their concern about the delay with which the Government has become aware and started to act in the face of the serious humanitarian crisis occurring in Ceuta and in which, among others, thousands of children who, according to international, European, and Spanish legislation, must receive specific and individualized treatment and protection, are protagonists.
At this point, the collaboration of the Ceuta government, which ultimately is the competent Administration for the care of minors according to the law, is essential and so far, beyond the vast political disagreements between governments, it is working, for the interest of both parties.
Meanwhile, the conflict between parties, just three days before the political course begins the day after tomorrow Monday, does not subside. To the persistent quarrel with opposition groups – to which the president of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas, belongs – is added the left allied with the Government and, in particular, Izquierda Unida. While the whole of Sumar has maintained a role that could be described as passive in this crisis, the leaders of Izquierda Unida insist on pointing to Morocco. Today they have taken a step further and have asked King Felipe VI to call Mohammed VI to address this crisis. Hassan and Juan Carlos, the predecessors of the two current kings, were great friends and collaborators.
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