By Omar Bah
With no end in sight to the death and destruction caused by surging illegal migration crisis, Germany-based Gambian migration activist, Yahya Sonko, has called on President Adama Barrow to declare migration as a state of emergency in The Gambia after sixty-two more Gambians are reported missing at sea and feared dead.
“I am urging President Adama Barrow to declare a state of emergency regarding the ongoing tragedy of Gambian youth disappearing or dying every two months in the Mediterranean. This is not just a government issue but a national emergency, and it demands immediate unified actions,” he told The Standard yesterday.
He said the Gambia government, stakeholders, and organisations like the International Organisation for Migration must work in tandem with the Gambian Diaspora to find means of addressing migration.
“Our diaspora communities, particularly those who survived the perils of irregular migration, are far more informed about the dangers, schemes, and scams that target our youth. They know firsthand about the misinformation, tactics, and horrific maltreatment that awaits those who embark on this deadly journey,” he said.
Families in The Gambia, he added, must also take responsibility.
“The practice of encouraging or even financing young people to take the ‘backway’ must stop. We must confront this hard truth of families playing a critical role in shaping the choices of our youth. The allure of the ‘European dream’ is often based on false hope, and it is our collective responsibility to dismantle this illusion,” he added.
The Mediterranean Sea, he added, does not discriminate.
“It swallows Gambian and Senegalese youth alike—our neighbors, our friends, our loved ones. The time for passive concern is over. The time for action is now. We cannot continue to stand by as our nation’s youth disappear into the waters of the Mediterranean, their lives cut short by false promises and dreams of a better future,” he stated, adding that migration is not just a political issue but a human issue.
“It touches every Gambian, from the urban centers to the rural villages. Our youthful population is our greatest asset, and we must protect it at all costs. The loss of even one young life is too much to bear. We are not just losing future doctors, teachers, engineers, and leaders—we are losing the heart and soul of our nation,” he added.
Sonko said for years now, “our country has been gripped by the tragic loss of our youths, who perish in the harsh deserts and turbulent oceans, in search of a better life. This tragic reality, almost five years to date, has become so normalised that these stories barely make headlines anymore.”
“We have grown desensitised to the loss of our young people. But this is not normal. This is not acceptable,” Sonko told The Standard yesterday.
He further noted The Gambia is losing its future, “our youth, the backbone of our nation, are falling prey to the horrors of irregular migration”.
Sonko said the fight against irregular migration is not just a fight for “our youth – it is a fight for the future of The Gambia”.
“We cannot afford to lose any more of our young people to the Mediterranean. It is time for the government, families, community leaders, and the diaspora to unite and address this crisis with the urgency it demands. The survival of our nation depends on it. Let us stand together for the sake of our youth; for the sake of our country. Now is the time to act.”
