Early this Sunday morning, the authorities carried out the last of the immigrant transfers in Ceuta. More than 800 people were taken from the Loma Colmenar neighborhood to the temporary settlement of Los Rosales. There are already 4,300 places filled in centers set up by the Executive to house those who accessed the autonomous city on July 30-31. In addition, Migrations claims to be working on soon enabling a new space to accommodate the 300 women and girls who are in the Sidi Embarek settlement.
And nothing ever seems enough. The next point where around 1,000 immigrants are expected to be housed is located in the port area of the Poniente Pier. But the pressure on the streets is much greater and threatens to overwhelm that facility as well, the last of the initial plan to reach 6,000 places. You just have to take a panoramic look at El Trampolín beach, where the settlement is already full and has expanded to Benítez beach. To alleviate this situation, the only perspective is the new camp on the Poniente dock, next to the Food Bank warehouse. And it arrives amidst controversy. Already built, but with the tents still empty, it is located in port facilities considered critical. The Port Authority's own technical reports advised against its installation, to which the Unified Police Union adds, who warn of the possible risks of fire and evacuation.
The speed with which the device appeared surprised even those who work daily right next door. "We went on a Friday and it was completely smooth. We were surprised because they had never come to clean the land before," says José Antonio Rivero, a Food Bank volunteer. "As long as we've been there, this whole thing was a garbage dump." The volunteers look at the tents from their warehouse with a very specific concern. They store food intended for Ceuta families in need and fear that the concentration of a thousand people a few meters away will increase the risk of robberies or attempted looting. To date, they say, no one has informed them that a specific security device will be established.
The volunteers' fear does not seem isolated. Different technical reports from Port Authority organizations contain very similar warnings. They consider the installation of a reception area at the Poniente Pier "not recommended." The document mainly points to three key elements: the proximity of energy infrastructure and fuel depots; the impact on port activity and security; and the location of the camp next to shopping areas and schools frequented by hundreds of minors.
The most delicate warning affects tanks with a storage capacity of up to 42,000 tons of fuel. The report expressly warns that the new occupation could increase the risk of improper access or sabotage.
A second report is even more forceful: it considers that the camp is not viable without adequate reinforcement of the Security Forces and Corps. The data included in the document reflects the deterioration of the security situation in port facilities. During the month of August alone, the Port Police recorded 1,163 incidents, many related to intrusions and unauthorized access.
Added to these risks is another element that especially worries volunteers: The position of the camp facing the sea, something strategic; a perfect connection between immigration and the mafias that irregularly transport immigrants to the Peninsula for the payment of prices that, according to the authorities, range between 4,000 and 9,000 euros. It is from a key point with easy access to the wall, composed of projections of concrete blocks and rock. "We've seen them perform several times," says Antonio. "They wade in water up to their necks and from there they get on the boats." Normally, and according to police sources, they tend to camouflage themselves as pleasure boats to avoid attracting attention. Actually, behind this setup are the big mafias. "This reaches the Peninsula, it is not just a problem in Ceuta. It is a national problem," they warn.
Meanwhile, at the Food Bank they have no intention of leaving: "We are going to maintain the activity even though we feel helpless, neglected, forgotten and abandoned," summarize the volunteers at the facilities.
