Hundreds of sub-Saharan migrants are continuing to establish makeshift camps in the eastern Tunisian city of Sfax, despite repeated dismantling operations by authorities.
Driven from one location, the migrants reappear in others, highlighting the limitations of a security-focused approach in addressing a protracted migration crisis that is caught between local pressures and a lack of long-term, structural solutions.
Despite successive eviction operations carried out by Tunisian authorities in early April, significant numbers of sub-Saharan migrants persist in setting up informal settlements in and around Sfax.
The situation in Sfax underscores the intricate challenge of managing migration flows while attempting to balance border control measures, address local tensions, and implement sustainable solutions for those seeking refuge or passage.
Forcibly removed from their previous shelters, many of the displaced individuals have retreated to nearby olive groves, where they are attempting to reconstruct rudimentary dwellings. At the kilometer 22 camp in the El Hamra area, makeshift tents stand alongside a few more substantial structures built from wood and tarpaulins, offering minimal protection from the elements.
Nadine, a 32-year-old woman from Cameroon, recounted having to flee her previous camp after it was destroyed by law enforcement. “I sleep under the olive trees; it’s not easy. They come, they break things, they send us away, they throw us out, they beat us up,” she stated, highlighting the precarious and often harsh conditions faced by the migrants.
Nearby, Doukouré Souleymane, a 23-year-old originally from Côte d’Ivoire, has settled with fifteen others in a makeshift shelter after the kilometer 24 camp where they were staying was demolished. “They gave us 72 hours. Then they came back and started burning our things,” he explained, expressing his unwavering determination to continue his journey across the Mediterranean Sea to Italy despite the setbacks.
Tunisian authorities have defended these eviction operations by citing the necessity of maintaining public order and preventing potential tensions with the local population in Sfax, which has become a significant transit point for migrants seeking to reach Europe. However, this security-centric strategy appears to be reaching its limits, as evidenced by the rapid re-emergence of these informal camps in the vicinity of the areas that were cleared.
According to official estimates, approximately 20,000 irregular migrants are currently living in these precarious conditions across Tunisia, underscoring the scale of the humanitarian and migration challenge facing the country and the urgent need for more comprehensive and sustainable solutions that address the root causes of migration and provide humane alternatives for those seeking refuge or passage.
The cyclical nature of camp evictions and re-establishment in Sfax highlights the complex interplay of security concerns, humanitarian needs, and the absence of long-term strategies to manage the ongoing migration crisis in the region.
SL/ac/Sf/fss/abj/APA