Brussels - London: Europe and Arabs - Agencies
Inside a refrigerated truck that stopped in the Belgian city of Tournai, 15 migrants, including minors and a pregnant woman, were struggling to survive after spending 24 hours in temperatures that did not exceed two degrees. No one knew about their tragedy, until a faint sound from inside revealed their presence, and they were found and rescued in time.
According to what was reported by the European news network in Brussels "Euronews| Saturday morning", as soon as the report was received by the emergency center on Thursday evening, the ambulance teams in the Wallonia-Picard region rushed to the scene, where the pregnant woman was immediately transferred to the hospital, while the necessary medical care was provided to the other migrants who were suffering from exhaustion and hypothermia.
"It is a human tragedy above all," said Dominique Debrauer, commander of the Tournai police district, adding: "For these people to remain inside a refrigerated truck for at least 24 hours is beyond imagination, and had they not been found in time, the outcome would have been tragic." He explained that the authorities treated them with all humanity, as they provided them with shelter, food and warm clothes.

Debrauer pointed out that the area where the migrants were found is known to be a point used by smugglers to transport migrants towards the United Kingdom, taking advantage of its location near the highway and the train station, in addition to the hidden passages that facilitate hiding and access to trucks heading towards the English Channel.

No arrests have been recorded so far, while the authorities are preparing to interrogate the migrants with the help of translators to reveal the details of their journey. Their fate remains subject to the decision of the Immigration Office, which will determine the next steps regarding their situation.
As for the truck driver, he confirmed to the police that he was not aware of the presence of illegal passengers on board, explaining that he was driving it from Italy to England when his vehicle broke down in the Froines service area. When he heard strange sounds from the truck's trunk, he informed the garage manager who in turn contacted the police.
According to security sources, the migrants are believed to be from Eritrea and Ethiopia, but their nationalities have not yet been confirmed. As migrants continue to flow through these routes, the question remains of how many more tragedies will occur before safer and more humane solutions are found.

In London, amid the UK’s tightening immigration policies, thousands of victims of modern slavery are at risk of being denied support and protection, according to reports from more than a dozen specialist sources.
The shift comes at a time when the number of victims of human trafficking is on the rise, despite the fact that Britain took important steps in 2015 by passing the Anti-Slavery Act, which was considered one of the most prominent international legislations in this regard.
The law required major companies to monitor their supply chains to ensure they were free of slavery practices, and it also strengthened legal protections for victims.
Tighter laws exacerbate victims’ suffering
According to government reports and documentation from charities, tightening immigration laws has deprived many victims of the support they desperately need.
But over time, especially after the British government imposed stricter laws in 2023 to limit the influx of illegal immigrants, the focus has shifted to addressing the migration crisis via small boats, which has led to a decline in measures to protect victims of modern slavery.
In 2023, the rejection rate for modern slavery support applications rose to 45% compared to 11% the year before, as victims now have to provide more detailed evidence to prove their exploitation.
This rate reached 46% in the first nine months of 2024. According to an official report, the British Home Office identified about 17,000 people as potential victims of slavery in 2023, most of whom were migrants, brought to work in beauty salons, car washes, or in the fields of prostitution and drug dealing.
But these numbers may only represent the tip of the iceberg. In a report issued by a House of Lords committee last October, the number of victims of modern slavery was estimated at about 130,000 people. The report indicated that Britain is no longer a leader in the fight against modern slavery, and urged the government to amend immigration laws.

Calls for policy change: Is there hope?
Despite widespread criticism, the British government, led by the Labour Party since last July, continues to maintain the strict immigration policies adopted under the previous government, while many activists and experts are calling for a re-evaluation of these policies.
Data from the United Nations International Organization for Migration indicated that foreign applicants are subjected to harsher treatment than British applicants in the assessment process.
For her part, Eleanor Lyons, the Independent Commissioner for the Prevention of Slavery in Britain, confirmed that the Victim Identification and Protection System (NRM) needs further amendments to ensure that it is not misused by criminals.
She stated that previous government policies such as deporting migrants to Rwanda may raise great concerns among victims and prevent them from reporting their exploitation.
Amidst the current challenges, the issue of modern slavery remains one of the most complex in Britain. As the government seeks to control the flow of illegal immigration, these policies threaten to exacerbate the suffering of victims of modern slavery who find themselves trapped between the hammer of exploitation and the anvil of fear of deportation.