Spain’s new attempt to expel Senegalese undocumented immigrants has suffered a setback, with Senegal refusing to receive two planes carrying a total of 100 migrants, who were set to leave the Canary Island of Fuerteventura, news reports said on Thursday.
The Interior Ministry confirmed a delay for ”technical reasons”, but said the repatriations would be carried out ”immediately”.
Media reports attributed the incident, which occurred late on Wednesday, to what Dakar perceived as Madrid’s lack of discretion.
The Spanish government had announced the repatriations, which were given ample media coverage.
Repatriations are a sensitive subject in Africa, where protests can erupt against sending back people who had risked all to reach a better life in Europe, Justice Minister Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar explained.
A total of more than 1 000 Senegalese are to be expelled from the Canary Islands, which have received about 24 000 Africans this year.
The first group of Senegalese was being taken by bus to the aircraft on Fuerteventura, when Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade decided personally to stop the operation, according to Spanish reports.
Spain is also repatriating immigrants to Morocco and Mauritania, and some groups have been sent back to Mali, Labour Minister Jesus Caldera said.
Repatriated migrants often did not know where they were being flown to, Lopez Aguilar admitted. He denied that immigrants were handcuffed during flights, but said their wrists were sometimes tied with plastic to prevent incidents.
An attempt to start sending Senegalese back to their country collapsed in late in May when a group of migrants accused Spain of mistreating them during the flight and staged a protest at Dakar airport.
Senegal was reportedly considering the possibility of flying immigrants to other airports where they would attract less publicity.
Senegal is one of the main departure points of immigrant boats heading for the Canary Islands. — Sapa-dpa