Horrific African Migrant Deaths at Melilla Border Still Unsolved

The images were harrowing. Dozens of bodies piled atop one another, lifeless and broken. Their journey, filled with hope, ended in tragedy at the border fence of Melilla, the Spanish enclave that has become a deadly frontier for African migrants seeking a better life in Europe.

On June 24, 2022, at least 23 people, though rights groups say the toll is far higher, died in a brutal clash between security forces and migrants attempting to cross from Morocco into Spain. Survivors recount a desperate scramble as Moroccan and Spanish authorities unleashed tear gas, rubber bullets, and batons. Many were left to die, their bodies unclaimed for hours, some buried hastily without dignity.

The victims had names. They had dreams. They had families who will never see them again. Yet their deaths were met with deafening silence from European leaders and a striking absence of accountability. The muted international response exposes a troubling reality: the disposability of Black lives in global migration policies.

A Border Stained in Blood

Melilla and its sister enclave, Ceuta, are the only land borders between Africa and the European Union. For years, they have been militarized zones where African migrants face a gauntlet of walls, razor wire, and heavily armed patrols. European leaders, in an effort to curb migration, have outsourced border enforcement to countries like Morocco, creating a deadly cycle of human rights abuses. Morocco, though an African country, prioritizes monetary benefits from Europe over fellow African life; after all, Arabs, from their track record, have no regard for black lives.

The events of June 24 were not an anomaly. They were the inevitable result of policies that dehumanize and criminalize migration, particularly when those crossing are Black. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have documented systemic brutality by Moroccan forces, often funded and trained by the EU. Spain, too, has faced accusations of excessive force and illegal pushback.

Eyewitnesses describe scenes of horror. Moussa, a 24-year-old survivor from Sudan, recalls, “We were running, trying to climb, but they kept hitting us. Some fell, some were crushed. I saw my friend die right next to me.” Another survivor, Ahmed from Chad, recounted that authorities refused to provide medical aid: “People were lying on the ground, moaning, begging for water. The police just walked past them.”

Yet, despite damning video evidence and testimonies from survivors, no high-ranking official has been held accountable. The European Union, which swiftly condemns human rights abuses elsewhere, has largely ignored the tragedy exposing the racial hypocrisy in its humanitarian policies.

The Media’s Selective Outrage

Had these deaths occurred at the Poland-Belarus border or involved Ukrainian refugees, the world would have taken notice. The disparity in media coverage underscores a painful truth: Black refugees and migrants do not elicit the same empathy as their white counterparts.

In the days following the Melilla massacre, headlines were sparse. International newsrooms treated the tragedy as a footnote, while European officials framed the migrants as aggressors rather than victims. Even Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez initially praised the border forces for their actions, only later tempering his remarks amid a public backlash.

The silence speaks volumes. It reinforces the perception that African lives are worth less, that Black bodies lying lifeless at Europe’s gates are an acceptable consequence of migration deterrence. This implicit racism must be called out. Media organizations must acknowledge their role in shaping public perception and commit to equitable coverage of all humanitarian crises, regardless of the victim’s skin color.

Demanding Justice, Not Forgetting Their Names

The victims of Melilla were not nameless. They were sons, daughters, and dreamers who sought what generations of migrants before them had pursued a chance at life, dignity, and opportunity. Their families deserve justice, and their deaths demand accountability.

The European Union must launch an independent investigation into the massacre and hold responsible parties to account. Spain and Morocco must answer for their role in the brutality. Additionally, migration policies that prioritize deterrence over human rights must be reformed to prevent such tragedies from happening again.

Beyond policy changes, there must be a shift in how Black migrants are perceived and treated. The world cannot claim to uphold human rights while allowing systemic racism to dictate who is worthy of protection and who is left to die at its gates.

Justice for Melilla’s victims is not just about reckoning with one tragic event; it is about affirming that Black lives matter everywhere, including at Europe’s borders. The world must not forget their cries, nor should it remain complicit in the injustice that ended their journey.

The blood of those innocent African migrants will not rest until there’s justice for them. The stains of their blood on the fences of Europe will continue to cry out, and the day will come when the silence in the face of despair for black people will no longer be an option.