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The journey, described as one of the deadliest in the world, is currently the informal route taken by many Gambian refugees, asylum seekers and economic migrants trying to reach Europe.
Friends and family living in Europe contacted our correspondent and alerted him, complaining that their loved ones had recently “requested money and other forms of assistance because they failed to reach their intended destinations and ended up in distress.”
Two Gambians living in the UK revealed that their younger brother and cousin “left Banjul last year and are currently stranded in Mali, working in the mines.”
In addition, the discovery of vast mineral resources in neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso is currently attracting hundreds of other West African migrants.
The investigation further revealed that some Gambian migrants also work in open-pit mining, extracting gold for their employers or on their own.
This method of mineral extraction is considered one of the most dangerous processes in the industry.
A new report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) also highlighted the plight of stranded refugees and called for transparency.
Recently, EU, UN and AU working groups met to restart dynamic cooperation aimed at strengthening the protection of migrants and their rights.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees also weighed in, noting that “everyone has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge from persecution and violence….”
Most migrants said they were “fleeing war, dictatorship, economic hardship or in search of greener pastures” but suddenly found themselves in unexpected situations.
The term “detained migrant” is not currently defined in law, but UNESCO states that “migrants may be detained for reasons such as the situation in their country of origin, prolonged detention, practical difficulties, etc…”
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