this video is for all who want to reach the promised land.

http://svt.se/svt/road/Classic/shared/mediacenter/index.jsp?&d=13276&a=719395&lid=lista_714738&lpos=3

do you really think its worth it?



The documentary was not particularly about children but African immigration in general.
A lot were said in Swedish, can´t remember everything but here are some fragments:
(My translation may not be the best but I did my best.)

In Senegal there is a webb site circulating presenting the illegal crossing as a tourist trip. In order to attract passengers they make a lot of false statements about the treatment in Europe, the youngest can expect all the best. Contrary to Western media the risk is non-existent if following the safety regulation on board.
(I checked the webb site but couldn´t find the statements.)

A person who obviously made arrangements claims that only 3 persons have lost their lives. Other sources says that 1/5 don´t make the crossing alive.

More and more families invest everything they own in order to send their sons away to the Canary Islands, the mothers are those who plan everything. They start corporations, save 5000 CFA a week, when they have 500.000 they give it to someone and send a son away.

This is one of our days largest migrations.
This year has the route Dakar – the Canaries been the most popular. African fishing vessels with mummified bodies have been found outside the Barbados. Boats that are not off course or get wrecked are catched by the Spanish coastguards and are taken to the some of the nearest harbours where authorities and different organisations take care of them. In the midst of curious tourists, they are led to land dehydrated, chilled and sometimes sick. Some are brought to land as corpses.

One of them who made it, aged 17, says ”It is a big responsibility, money that I was given (500.000 CFA) was to bring me here. It took 2-3 years to save the amount, I will work and fight for my family, I want to make my mother pleased. I have given her a promise.”

During 2006 about 30.000 immigrants have come to the Canaries, more and more are children arriving without adults. They are taken care of in quickly built centres that are overcrowded. Many of them get disappointed when they realize that they are too young to be allowed to work.
Little Samba is from Senegal (I mentioned him earlier) . ”I´m going to do cleaning. Clean and sell things”, he says. He is twelve, at the most! When thinking about his lost brother, and father and mother at home, though trying hard to be brave, he can´t stop his tears rolling down.

The crossing tend to become longer and more dangerous. The cheapest route crosses Sahara. The one who rolls off the overcrowded trucks remains in the dessert, those involved in human trafficking don´t wait for anybody. (Watch the video, no words are needed!) Then, in Libya, they wait for the opportunity , there are currently 2 millions illegal immigrants according to the government of Libya.

During 2005, Melilla and Ceuta were the most common gates between Africa and EU. After a couple of incidents when several immigrants were shot dead by frontier police , EU demanded the African nations to stop the immigrants. There still are thousands of them behind the fence waiting for the opportunity.

4700 immigrants arrived to the Canaries 2005, 25.000 arrived 2006 during the first nine months. As many have arrived to the Spanish mainland, 15.000 to Italy. Malta, Greece and Cyprus have received many, Greece has deported nearly 30.000.
”Nobody can control Africa´s borders”, says president Wade. ”The French try to solve the problem there, but it has to be solved in Africa”, he continued. (He didn´t offer any solution.)

Forum, a Swedish organization: The difference between being rich or poor is grotesque. You seek a reasonable life, if you can´t find it where you live, if there is no hope for a better future in a life time, you try to go to somewhere else.

9 of 10 in the immigration camps in Europe are let out after 40-60 days depending on which country they arrived to. They can be sent back only if their country of origin can be proved. That is well-known by the immigrants so they don´t bring any documents.

Money sent by immigrants to their families, reaching the poorest villages, means an enormous income for the African countries. To Senegal it means 3 times as much as the whole development aid given by EU. The immigrants send 5-10 billions euro to Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya every year.

Bajugu is on one them given amnesty last year, he is now legal, works and pays taxes. At the same time he provides for his family in Senegal, he sends money every month, it´s important to him.

It´s not as simple as that all Africans would be unwelcome, on the contrary, the immigrants have strongly contributed to the development and economical growth in EU. Within EU there are a lot of short time working permits within agribusiness, even for those without papers.

The city of Manchester have more educated Malawian nurses and doctors than Malawi itself. A shocking example of brain drain, said an EU spokesman .
In the year 2020 there will be a shortage of 20 million on labour market and 2050 of 50 million, due to ageing population. It is in our interest to make immigration more businesslike and coherent, he said further.

Due to amnesty in Spain last year the amount of illegal immigrants is increasing. EU invest in more resources to patrol the shared borders. Frontex watches EU`s southern borders, but also Africa´s shores.

EU and AU try to agree on a plan of action. Both sides say they are willing to stop the flow of illegal immigrants. How much money is EU going to reserve to create jobs and growth in Africa? In what extent will Africans be allowed to work and study legally?

EU has given money to North and West Africa to make it possible for them to stop the outflow of illegal immigrants. Some human rights watchers have criticized EU for letting the work to be done by countries that not respect human rights.

Mothers in Senegal, who lost their sons are united in a fight in order to stop the boats. They watch Senegal´s shores during the nights determined to stop the illegal departures.

This was taken from another forum

My heart goes out to people who are in such a desperate situation that they feel they have to risk their life trying to get to a new country.