Jan Sochor Photography

photo essays

Haraga

The names of those immigrants who reached to cross the European border controls are written on the wall in the port of Tanger.

Haraga do not work. During the day they are just hanging around, they are playing cards. They wait for a night to try their luck, cross the sea and get to Europe.

Haraga never try to cross the port's checkings without having at least five euro to bribe the police if they get caught. Otherwise they may be sent to prison or back to their place of residence.

Immigrants running to escape the Moroccan police. Port authorities are checking the trucks but Haraga always find a new trick.

Haraga do not hide themselves just in the bottom of the truck, between the wheels. They often break into the semi-trailer unit.

The majority of fugitives are begging for food but there are some Haraga who live off the little thieveries or some sell hashis to foreigners.

Moroccan young boys who intend to escape from Morocco live in shacks built around the port of Tanger.

Immigrants do not like to be photographed, some of the fugitives left unsolved problems in their home towns, some haraga are wanted in Morocco.

Haraga refugees sleep on the beach of Tanger after a busy night when they were trying to get inside the port and escape illegaly from Morocco.

Moroccan immigrant climbs the wall of the port. The night makes the runaway a bit easier than during the day because customs officers tend to cheat the checkings in the early morning.

In December 2007 the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia estimated there are about 7000 minors without parental consent living in Spain. The majority of them come from Morocco.

Haraga refugees mainly come to Tanger from shanty towns in big cities like Casablanca, Rabat or Marrakesh. In Tanger they get into even worse living conditions than in a slum.

Although the European Union pays millions of euro to stop the immigration stream, the number of those who want to get to Europe is rapidly increasing.

The parking place in front of Tanger's port for trucks heading to Europe attracts the immigrants' attention.

The Strait of Gibraltar, the door to Europe for all African immigrants.

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Haraga

Tanger (Morocco), January – June 2007

Every day tens of Moroccan young men try to cross ilegally the Strait of Gibraltar. “Haraga” (immigrants in Arabic) come to Tanger from all over Morocco. They try their good luck and hidden between the wheels of a truck they attempt to board on a ferry and get to Spain, eventually further to Europe. Considering the thorough checks at the port only few of them make it. Therefore they spend months living on a beach, in huts along the walls of the port, begging for food and waiting for the right night so as their dream about Europe came true.

Photography by Jan Sochor
Music by Asian Dub Foundation – “Fortress Europe”, Enemy of the Enemy (2003)