The off the Tunisian coast, in which at least 14 people died during the first week of March, has led to further scrutiny of the country鈥檚 treatment of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa.
Most of the people who drowned on the nights of March 7 and 8 were from sub-Saharan African countries and were trying to . Tunisian officials claimed they were able to rescue .
The situation of migrants from the sub-Saharan region has worsened after Tunisian President Kais Saied on February 21 鈥溾 the influx of undocumented immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa adding that this move was aimed at changing Tunisia鈥檚 demography. 鈥淭he undeclared goal of the successive waves of illegal immigration is to consider Tunisia a purely African country that has no affiliation to the Arab and Islamic nations,鈥 he .
Workers鈥 Party of Tunisia and the have Saied鈥檚 remarks as being racist, with the party demanding an apology from the president. While Saied is now that Tunisia 鈥渨as proud to be an African country鈥, the woes of migrants continue.
Migrants living in Tunisia have been heavily targeted by authorities. Many have also lost their jobs and were to their homelands. However, a section of them, in a bid to escape their dire economic and political conditions, have tried to migrate to Europe.