Moroccan Injustice in Spain: A Commentary about Immigration

Clouds of smoke drifted over the the Spanish region of Almeria as a fire started by anti-immigrant protesters began. There were clashes in and around the Moroccan quarter of El Ejido as riot police tried to clear roads blocked by the demonstrators. The violence erupted when a Moroccan man was arrested on suspicion of stabbing a Spanish woman to death. In response to, hundreds of Spaniards marched through the town shouting racist slogans and went on a rampage, burning cars and shops be;ongoing to Moroccans. Why is there so much hostility from Spaniards towards the Moroccan minority? It makes me question, what are the roots to the discrimination and marginalization of an entire minority group?

There is a deep-rooted history between Morocco and Spain which began over 500 years ago. The reconquering of the Iberian peninsula by the Spanish and expulsion of the Muslim Moroccans. Now there are over 1 million Muslims residing in Spain, of which the majority is Moroccans. Immigration is a recent phenomenon in Spain due to the policies of dictator Fransisco Franco from 1936-1975. During Franco's rule, Spain remained isolated from the outside world. Spanish rule in Morocco ended in 1967, although the Moroccan enclaves of Cueta and Melilla still belong to Spain. The turbulent relationship between Spain and Morocco has not since calmed.

The traditionally homogeneous Spain became a destination for high-income immigrants from other EU countries and has gained over 3 million laborers from North Africa and Latin America. There is a large demand for unskilled workforce. the level of immigration is most important;y affected by the well-developed networks of immigrants in Spain and smugglers and traffickers in Africa that contribute to directing the flows of immigrants to Spain. Since there is a lot of money to be made in human smuggling, many smugglers actively seek or recruit emigrants in many African countries. Because of this, a true migration industry has developed in Southern Spain and Morocco.

In many respects the Strait of Gibraltar has become Europe's Rio Grande. Despite the intensified border controls, tens of thousands of Moroccans manage to enter Europe each year. The immigration pipeline between Melilla or Cueta to Tarifa, Spain allows undocumented migrants in pateras, small boats, hidden in vans, or carrying false papers to illegally enter Spain. Traffickers extract high prices from these Moroccans.

The number of immigrants has caused alarm among politicians, the media, and the public. Recent polls indicate that immigration and terrorism are among the main concerns of Spaniards. Racism is something universal that exists in all countries. Spain is focused on the Moroccan immigration because they have survived many prejudices derived from ancient history shared between both countries. There seems to be a deep ignorance that exists toward Arab culture, which causes the association of Islam with terrorism and violence. I believe through research of debate and surveys conducted about public concerns of Muslim immigration and terrorism, it is possible of Spain to handle this delicate relationship by promoting integration and the reduction of foreigner exclusionism.