Majority of migrants in Tunisia are aiming for Italy, suggests research

Rome: Nearly 80 percent of migrants interviewed by a Tunisian NGO dream of reaching Italy. That is one finding from a study published on July 23 by the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES).

The study, carried out by the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES) between March and June this year, asked 379 migrants from 23 different African countries, and with varying education levels in the governorates of Tunis, Sfax, and Medenine, for their views and experiences.

Five key issues were analyzed: the paths and arrival conditions, the living conditions in Tunisia, access to fundamental human rights, social relations and with others, interactions with public institutions and civil society representatives.

According to the sample analyzed, the greatest number of migrants who responded to the survey in Tunisia came from Sudan (14.2 percent), followed by Guinea-Conakry, Mauritania, Ethiopia, and Egypt.

Migrants without papers represented 62.8 percent of those interviewed and just a quarter of respondents were also asylum seekers.

Furthermore, according to the study, the root causes driving migrants to leave their country of origin are the presence of oppressive regimes (66 percent), and climate change (54 percent).

Over 60 percent of migrants interviewed entered Tunisia through the border with Algeria, and 23 percent through the border with Libya. This figure indicates that the main point of passage, for over 83 percent of new arrivals is by land.

Once migrants arrive in Tunisia, 45 percent of those interviewed said they continued their journey on foot.

Regarding future plans, 42 percent of migrants declared they intended to return to their country of origin, while 79.2 percent stated they wished to reach Italy.

A total of 52 percent of those interviewed are currently unemployed, while 75 percent stated they had to change living location in Tunisia numerous times in the last year, mainly to avoid security controls following the violence perpetrated by residents of the regions where the migrants were living.

According to the same research, over half of those interviewed live in precarious and inadequate conditions (on the streets, in parks, and outdoor tents).

Following their arrival in Tunisia, 77 percent of migrants declared they were victim of one or more types of violence, firstly verbal violence (67 percent said they suffered this abuse at least once), followed by physical violence (56.7% percent said they suffered this abuse at least once).

Over 30 percent of those interviewed tried to reach Europe from Tunisia at least once over the last year. One-third of those who tried experienced the sinking of the boat they were on.

A total of 53.8 percent of the migrants interviewed stated they know of other migrants who either drowned or went missing.

Those interviewed also believe that Tunisians are not in favor of a massive regularization of the situation of migrants in their country due to –in this order of importance– the manipulation of public opinion and the disinformation on media and social networks, the economic status of Tunisia, and lastly, racism.