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| Africa North |
| Many Algerians opt to flee to Europe: survey |
| 2008-12-04 |
| Up to half of Algeria's young men are tempted by the idea of becoming an illegal migrant to Europe to escape misery at home, a survey published on Wednesday showed. Seems like they used to be part of Europe, through that Metropolitan France routine. But that wasn't good enough. The independent daily Liberte said 28.7 percent of 1,364 respondents surveyed said they would "certainly" opt for migration if the opportunity presented itself, while 20.8 percent said they "probably" would. Those answering "no never" were 50.5 percent. The respondents were males aged between 15 and 34 years questioned between November 3 and 14 in towns across the northern Mediterranean coastal region, the most heavily populated area of the north African country of 34 million. The country most cited as the preferred destination was Spain -- 40.4 percent -- followed by Italy with 17.3 percent Britain, 11.6 percent and France on 10.5 percent. The European Union estimates that about 120,000 people enter the region illegally across the Mediterranean every year. Thousands more have drowned trying to make the trip. Many are from sub-Saharan African countries who use Maghreb states as a jumping off point. But migration experts say Europe's economic downturn is deterring would be migrants as work dries up and as returning migrants warn friends at home that they might be better off staying in Africa. Asked what they believed motivated Algerian illegal migrants, 81.9 percent of respondents replied that it was to "flee the country" and "make their future". Oil- and gas-rich Algeria has launched a five-year plan worth $200 billion to put the economy back on track and restore hope after years of political violence, but social problems remain profound. Algerians say the economy offers too few jobs to the population, of which 70 percent is under 30. Unemployment is officially 11 percent but is estimated to be more than 70 percent among people under 30. Queues of young people can be seen outside European consulates in Algiers for visas to travel in search of a better life. Many fail, forcing them to attempt the dangerous Mediterranean Sea crossing to Europe. Coastguards say that during 2006 they found 42 bodies along Algeria's coastline, most or all apparently illegal migrants. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 Social problems abound in Muslim populations? Say it ain't so!!!!Lack of sex always produces misery in young men--duh! |
| Posted by: Thealing Borgia 122 2008-12-04 10:56 |