Mr camara.

I agree this is a very sad news,These brothers who died will never fulfill 
their dreams.Hope we have a better ledership with development in Gambia to 
avoid such tragic events like this.I sincerly hope the missing ones turn out safely
and for the departed may the almighty bless their souls and grant them Jannah,
Ameen.


Fye Samateh.


This is very sad. May their souls rest in peace.


--------------------------------

Countrymen Die Reaching 'Fortress Europe'

The Independent (Banjul)
NEWS
July 7, 2003
Posted to the web July 7, 2003

By Sulayman Makalo
Banjul

At least 17 Gambians were among more than two hundred Africans crowded in a
boat, which tragically sank off the tiny Italian island of Lampedusa as it
surreptitiously tried to ferry them into "Fortress Europe" two weeks ago,
The Independent can reveal.

Two Gambians have been confirmed dead while ten are believed to have
survived the incident as they made a desperate bid to reach Europe via
southern Italy in a boat, which was barely seaworthy. Five other Gambians
are still considered missing since the incident occurred.

The two Gambians confirmed dead are Ba Alhagie Jaiteh and Saikou Jaiteh,
natives of Njaba kunda village, Central Baddibu district in the North Bank
Division whose relatives have been taken aback by the news and profoundly
overcome with grief as they await news over whether the bodies would be
transported to The Gambia for burial. Alhagie and Saikou had reportedly
arrived in Tunisia several months before and decided to be part of the
legion of illegal immigrants mostly from North and sub-Saharan Africa who
overlook the hazards as they try to beat the security systems put up
by "Fortress Europe" against desperate Africans daring to make such risky
sea adventures.

Meanwhile distraught relatives and friends of the two hapless Gambians have
been heading towards Njaba kunda for the funeral arrangements. As they
mourned, some pointed out that the frustration of the victims over their
social condition in The Gambia had ushered in a situation where the dangers
inherent in such journeys to the proverbial greener pastures of Europe are
overlooked. They said the two were among many Africans trying to realise
their dreams of entering "Fortress Europe" and got caught in their prime.

"It's a gamble of life and death and our friends got death. It is a very
shattering experience to their relatives and friends who may have been
beneficiaries if the adventure had succeeded" said a tear-filled male
relative.

Officials at the Department of Foreign Affairs could not be reached to shed
light on this latest tragedy, which was the second in two weeks off the
Italian coast involving illegal African immigrants. As many as 70 were
drowned when their boat sank off the tiny Italian island of Lampedusa four
days earlier.

In the latest incident Tunisian coast guard rescued 41 people and recovered
20 bodies, but rough seas had hampered the rescue operation.

Survivors were quoted by international news agencies as saying that the
boat had been carrying about 250 people, believed to be from sub-Saharan
Africa and northern Africa.

Italian newspapers have described the stretch of water between Africa and
Sicily as a huge underwater graveyard where Africans trying to cross into
the lands of their dreams dare. Some have succeeded, while others have
drowned.

The cause of the disaster is still not known but reports suggest that it
may have been because the boat was overcrowded or in poor condition, or
because of the bad weather - or a combination of all three.

Tunisian officials have not said where the boat came from but survivors say
they boarded in Libya and Tunisia, which are reputed to be favourite spots
for the ruthless immigrant-smuggling gangs.

Italy recently accused Libya of being a base for boats trying to bring
illegal immigrants across the Mediterranean and this latest sea tragedy
comes as Italy adopts new, tougher measures to turn back boatloads of
immigrants. The surge in the number of boats, often barely seaworthy and
dangerously overloaded, has prompted a crisis within the Italian Government
coalition, our correspondent says. The Northern League is insisting on a
tougher line, but suggestions that force be used to turn back the boats of
immigrant smugglers have been dismissed outright by other ruling parties.




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