Mozambican immigration inspectors working on the country’s border with Malawi made a grim discovery on 24 March when they found the bodies of 64 Ethiopian migrants in an airtight lorry container, alongside 14 survivors.1 BBC News, Lorry in Mozambique found with 64 dead stowaways, 24 March 2020 https://www.bbc.com/news/worldafrica-52019326. Close footnote
This incident was most likely an instance of human smuggling, whereby networks facilitate the irregular cross-border movement of consenting migrants, rather than a case of human trafficking, where networks deceive and coerce victims. The Global Initiative’s Organized Crime Index, Africa 2019, found that both smuggling and trafficking are prevalent in almost every country in Africa.
The migrants died while travelling on a route that is favoured by smugglers bound for South Africa. The most frequently used human-smuggling route out of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa is the so-called eastern route to the Gulf States and the Middle East. Yet migrants are also smuggled in large numbers to Europe and to southern Africa – particularly South Africa.2 D Davy, Unpacking the Myths: Human smuggling from and within the Horn of Africa, Danish Refugee Council, Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat, Horn of Africa and Yemen, December 2017, https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/RMMS%20BriefingPaper6%20-%20Unpacking%20the%20Myths.pdf. Close footnote Migration Data Portal, Regional data overview: Eastern Africa, https://migrationdataportal.org/regional-dataoverview/eastern-africa. Close footnote B Frouws and C Horwood, Smuggled South, Danish Refugee Council, Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat, Horn of Africa and Yemen, March 2017, https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Smuggled_South.pdf. Close footnote
The International Organization for Migration analyzed 390 043 journeys taken by migrants from the East and Horn of Africa between January and June 2019, and found that only 2% used the southern route. The vast majority moved within the region or to the Arabian peninsula.5 IOM Regional Office for the East and Horn of Africa, A region on the move: mid-year mobility overview January to June 2019, 8 October 2019, https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Midyear%20trends%20report%20January%20to%20June%202019%20FOR%20PREVIEW.pdf. Close footnote B Frouws and C Horwood, Smuggled South, Danish Refugee Council, Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat, Horn of Africa and Yemen, March 2017, https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Smuggled_South.pdf. Close footnote
Figure 9 Of the 78 migrants who crossed into Mozambique on their way to South Africa, only 14 survived
A total of 64 Ethiopian migrants were found suffocated in a container after a truck was stopped at the Mussacana weighbridge in Mozambique. There were 14 survivors, photographed here by officials moments after they were rescued.
© Fungai Caetano
Although shocking, this is not a one-off occurence.7 ENACT Organized Crime Index – Africa, https://ocindex.net/. Close footnote L Bird and D Danelo, How do we stop migrants continuing to die in trucks?, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, 9 January 2020, https://globalinitiative.net/how-do-we-stop-migrants-continuingto-die-in-trucks/. Close footnote R Cartwright and F Cleland-Bones, Transnational Organized Crime and the Impact on the Private Sector: The Hidden Battalions, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, 7 December 2017, https://globalinitiative.net/transnational-organized-crime-and-the-impact-on-theprivate-sector-the-hidden-battalions/. Close footnote
The number of similar recent tragedies across Europe and the US demonstrates the tragic consequences that this can bring to bear for migrants. In November 2019, 39 Vietnamese migrants were found dead in a truck in Essex, UK.10 L Bird, 39 found dead in truck: A tragedy, but not an isolated incident, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, 25 October 2019, https://globalinitiative.net/39-found-dead-in-truck-a-tragedy-but-not-an-isolatedincident/. Close footnote D Agren, T Dart and N Lakhani, Why did 10 migrants die in this truck in Texas?, The Guardian, 30 July 2017, www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jul/30/texassan-antonio-migrants-truck-deaths. Close footnote B Bell and N Thorpe, Austria’s migrant disaster: Why did 71 die?, BBC News, 25 August 2016 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37163217. Close footnote
When migrants are discovered in tragic circumstances like those seen in Mozambique, authorities and the public consciousness place blame, in part rightly, on the abusive and callous profiteering by smuggling networks. Rarely, however, do these events call into question the efficacy of customs and border management, which may wittingly or unwittingly motivate smugglers and harm migrants.
In stark contrast to the global media responses to such tragedies when they occur in Europe, international press coverage of the incident in Mozambique has been more muted. Although in part attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has dominated headlines, this also reflects global apathy towards such incidents that occur in Africa. This needs to change.
BBC News, Lorry in Mozambique found with 64 dead stowaways, 24 March 2020 https://www.bbc.com/news/worldafrica-52019326.
D Davy, Unpacking the Myths: Human smuggling from and within the Horn of Africa, Danish Refugee Council, Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat, Horn of Africa and Yemen, December 2017, https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/RMMS%20BriefingPaper6%20-%20Unpacking%20the%20Myths.pdf.
Migration Data Portal, Regional data overview: Eastern Africa, https://migrationdataportal.org/regional-dataoverview/eastern-africa.
B Frouws and C Horwood, Smuggled South, Danish Refugee Council, Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat, Horn of Africa and Yemen, March 2017, https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Smuggled_South.pdf.
IOM Regional Office for the East and Horn of Africa, A region on the move: mid-year mobility overview January to June 2019, 8 October 2019, https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Midyear%20trends%20report%20January%20to%20June%202019%20FOR%20PREVIEW.pdf.
B Frouws and C Horwood, Smuggled South, Danish Refugee Council, Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat, Horn of Africa and Yemen, March 2017, https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Smuggled_South.pdf.
ENACT Organized Crime Index – Africa, https://ocindex.net/.
L Bird and D Danelo, How do we stop migrants continuing to die in trucks?, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, 9 January 2020, https://globalinitiative.net/how-do-we-stop-migrants-continuingto-die-in-trucks/.
R Cartwright and F Cleland-Bones, Transnational Organized Crime and the Impact on the Private Sector: The Hidden Battalions, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, 7 December 2017, https://globalinitiative.net/transnational-organized-crime-and-the-impact-on-theprivate-sector-the-hidden-battalions/.
L Bird, 39 found dead in truck: A tragedy, but not an isolated incident, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, 25 October 2019, https://globalinitiative.net/39-found-dead-in-truck-a-tragedy-but-not-an-isolatedincident/.
D Agren, T Dart and N Lakhani, Why did 10 migrants die in this truck in Texas?, The Guardian, 30 July 2017, www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jul/30/texassan-antonio-migrants-truck-deaths.
B Bell and N Thorpe, Austria’s migrant disaster: Why did 71 die?, BBC News, 25 August 2016 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37163217.