Ceuta border fence

The Ceuta border fence is a separation barrier between Morocco and Spain at Ceuta, a city in the North African coast. Constructed by Spain, its purpose is to stop illegal immigration and smuggling.

Morocco objected to the construction of the barrier since it does not recognize Spanish sovereignty in Ceuta.

The fence consists of parallel 3-metre (10-foot) fences topped with barbed wire, with regular watchposts and a road running between them to accommodate police patrols or ambulance service in case of need. Underground cables connect spotlights, noise and movement sensors, and video cameras to a central control booth; dozens of Guard ships and patrol boats check the coast, while 621 Guardia Civil officers and 548 police officers control the shore.^[1]

History

In 1993 a 8,4km fence was built around the exclave. As the first fence was too easy to cross the construction of a new system started in 1995. After 13 to 15 people died in a single attempt to cross the border in 2005 an increase of height was made, from three to six meters.^[2]

2005 assault

On September 29, 2005, the border-fence was assaulted by hundreds of migrants simultaneously, grabbing international media attention. Caught between the Spanish rubber bullets and Moroccan gunfire, a number of migrants died (sources put the number of deaths between thirteen^[3] and eighteen people^[1]) and more than fifty were injured. Some of the dead were wounded by live ammunition; of those, two died at the Spanish side of the fence,^[3] apparently shot from the Moroccan positions.^[4]

Since then, migrants have occasionally died while trying to break through the fence.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Melilla border fence
• Separation barrier
• Moroccan Wall

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Valsecchi, Riccardo (2009-06-25). "Ceuta, the border-fence of Europe". New York: WorldPress. http://www.worldpress.org/Europe/3371.cfm. 
2. ^ [http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/CentreforInternationalBordersResearch/Publications/WorkingPapers/CIBRWorkingPapers/Filetoupload,174398,en.pdf Building Fortress Europe? Schengen and the Cases of Ceuta and Melilla]
3. ^ ^{a b} EUROPA - Press Releases - Visit to Ceuta and Melilla – Mission Report Technical mission to Morocco on illegal immigration 7th October– 11th October 2005
4. ^ Migrants shot dead at the border fence, Spain deploys army

Bibliography

• Riccardo Valsecchi, Ceuta, the border-fence of Europe, WorldPress, 25 June 2009.
• Riccardo Valsecchi, Immigrati nel limbo di Ceuta, senza speranza, Rassegna, 7 May 2009.
• Riccardo Valsecchi, Ceuta, Liberazione, 13 June 2009.

External links

• Spain: building border fence
• Ceuta, the border-fence of Europe
• Mustafa, the swimming fridge smuggler, and his macabre pact
• Attacking Europe's border fences
• Ceuta border fence photo gallery: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Coordinates: 35°53′53″N 5°21′51″W / 35.89795°N 5.36407°W / 35.89795; -5.36407