Since 2021, more than 400 Algerian harraga have disappeared at sea, the darkest year for Algerian harraga (Harrag in the singular of Algerian Arabic, “those who burn”) cross the Mediterranean Sea in light boats to reach the southern coasts from Europe. The lucky ones will arrive safe and sound, but some will drown and others will disappear, without their loved ones being able to grieve.
According to the Spanish organization CIPIMD, if hundreds of young people managed to reach the Spanish coasts, dozens of others, on the other hand, gave no sign of life. However, this figure is only a minimum estimate, as the majority of missing persons are not registered. These data not only highlight the issue of missing Algerians and the consequences for families left behind in the country of origin, but also make it possible to assess the risks of irregular migration.
The harassing despair felt by a frustrated and disappointed youth this phenomenon extends more and more even in the Kabyle society to the rare capacities of these young people to build their identity and to try to realize their dreams, in spite of the risks of death, an attempt extreme. According to the Algerian League for the Defense of Human Rights (Laddh) has identified several families of missing persons, native from Kabylia, in particular from Tizi Ouzou, 16 young people (13 from Ath Douala, 1 from Boughni and 2 of Zemmouri).
These families have no news of their children, cry without their offspring, console themselves with the idea that their children are still alive, unfortunately the Algerian authorities do not communicate on this subject, it is impossible for the State to know what happened to these young people who gave no sign of life, especially since these same authorities do not give any figures on the phenomenon.
The Algerian authorities must “act quickly” to control this phenomenon; not by repressing and re-arresting blindly or raising awareness through religious fatwas, but by “improving” the lives of Algerians and providing “more opportunities” for success and “more freedom” by respecting the voice of the people to restore trust between people and authorities; it is essential to put an end to this nightmare.
