Alarme Phone Sahara (APS) is a cooperation project between associations, groups and individuals in the Sahel-Saharan region and Europe with the aim to defend the lives and the freedom of movement of migrants and refugees against repressive and often deadly migration policies. The members of the Alarme Phone Sahara network are based in Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo, Morocco, Germany and Austria. Alarme Phone Sahara's office is located in Agadez, Niger, which is a crossroads of migration in the Sahelo-Saharan zone. There is also a network of whistleblowers in the region that works in collaboration with the Agadez office.
The year 2021 ends with the tragic death of a Sudanese citizen deported from Algeria who died at "point zero" in the desert area of the Algerian-Nigerian border near the town of Assamaka. During the whole of 2021, at least 25396 people were deported from Algeria to Niger.
Regular mass deportations from Algeria to Niger continue unabated. With at least 1040 people deported in a large unofficial deportation convoy on 12th of November, at least 456 people deported in an official convoy on 14th of November, at least 100 people deported in an unofficial convoy on 19th of November and at least 690 people deported in an official convoy on 21st of November the number of people deported since the beginning of the year 2021 amounts to at least 22127 people.
At the same time, deportees who are not Nigerien citizens report being harassed and fined by the Niger police because they do not have a residence permit in Niger.
Regular mass deportations from Algeria to Niger continue. With at least 587 people deported in a non-official deportation convoy on 9th of October and at least 505 people deported on 11th of October 2021 in an official convoy, the number of people deported since the beginning of the year 2021 amounts to at least 19841 people. In addition, the situation of Nigerien citizens among the deportees is exacerbated by the fact that since 2020, the Nigerien state no longer supports these people in returning to their home communities.
On 7th of October 2021, refugees and migrants in Libya published an urgent letter to the African Union. After the latest wave of brutal raids against migrants and refugees in Tripoli. people started a protest in front of the Tripoli UNHCR office. According to refugees in Libya, 6 persons were murdered by detention guards.
Article by Mauro Armanino
Illustrations: Dan Yayé M
On 7th of October 2021, refugees and migrants in Libya published an urgent letter to the African Union. After the latest wave of brutal raids against migrants and refugees in Tripoli. people started a protest in front of the Tripoli UNHCR office. According to refugees in Libya, 6 persons were murdered by detention guards.
An anasysis by ASGI, Italian partner organisation of Alarme Phone Sahara (APS) - with an interview with APS.
Read the article.
No to deportations from Algeria to Niger!
No to the criminalization of migration and the closure of borders and migration routes in Niger!
While many migrants and refugees are blocked in Niger, often as a consequence of brutal mass deportations from Algeria, Alarme Phone Sahara in Agadez is organising various forms of practical assistance. For example for a migrant woman from Nigeria whose personal belongings had been misappropriated or for people in distress after having been deported from Algeria:
Protest bus tour in front of the embassies of Niger, Tunisia and Algeria in Berlin
On 21st of May 2021, the transnational network "Afrique Europe Interact" and Alarme Phone Sahara, together with different partner groups, celebrated the transnational day of action "FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT INSTEAD OF DEPORTATIONS!" to demonstrate against deportations from Europe to African countries, but also deportations between African countries, encouraged by readmission agreements and by the externalisation of the EU border regime
Alarme Phone Sahara (APS) is fulfilling the proposal of one of its partners to provide assistance to migrant households blocked in their right to move. A total of eight (8) households testify to this humanitarian gesture which is materializing at a crucial moment.
