**Stranded Dreams: Migrants Caught in Limbo on Tunisia’s Coastline**
EL AMRA, Tunisia — Under the scorching sun, amidst sprawling olive groves on Tunisia’s picturesque Mediterranean coast, a humanitarian crisis unfolds far from the idyllic images often associated with this region. Less than 100 miles from the shores of Italy, dreams of a better life in Europe are turning into prolonged nightmares for thousands of migrants.
In rural areas near the central Tunisian coastline, an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 migrants find themselves in a desperate limbo, according to the U.N.’s International Organization for Migration. Escaping war, poverty, climate change, or persecution, they now face a new set of challenges, trapped without the means to move forward to Europe or return to their homelands.
The makeshift encampments, hidden beneath black tarps and makeshift shelters, have become more crowded since last year. Efforts by Tunisian police to clear cities of migrants and prevent Mediterranean crossings have pushed many into these rural hideouts. The situation has escalated following police actions last summer in Sfax, Tunisia’s second-largest city, driving many to seek refuge in the countryside.
Among the migrants is Mory Keita, a 16-year-old from Ivory Coast, who arrived with hopes of reaching France. Instead, he finds himself caught in a cycle of violence and fear, with clashes between migrant groups and harsh police interventions becoming a daily reality. “The truth is I’m afraid of where we are,” Keita shared, highlighting the lawlessness and danger that pervade the encampments.
The European Union, in partnership with Tunisia, has intensified efforts to curb the flow of migrants, with the Tunisian coast guard intercepting nearly 53,000 attempts to cross into Europe from January to May. A 1 billion euro deal between the EU and Tunisia last summer aimed at managing migration has seen some success in reducing numbers but has also contributed to the current crisis on Tunisia’s coast.
This crackdown has not only left migrants in a precarious position but has also fueled tensions within Tunisia. Xenophobic backlash and demands from civil society groups for the expulsion of migrants have surged, with some politicians advocating for “citizen militias” to police the areas.
The situation raises serious human rights concerns, with the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights expressing alarm over the targeting of migrants and those assisting them. The majority of migrants making the perilous journey from North Africa to Italy this year have been from Syria, Bangladesh, or Tunisia itself, challenging the narrative that sub-Saharan Africans are the primary source of migration.
As Europe lauds the effectiveness of its migration agreements, the reality on the ground in Tunisia tells a story of despair, displacement, and a dire need for a more humane approach to migration management. The plight of migrants like Keita underscores the complex challenges at the intersection of migration policy, human rights, and international cooperation.