Fiasco Episode Summary: "Introducing: The Outlaw Ocean | A War on Migration, Funded by the EU (Libya Pt. 1)"

Podcast: Fiasco
Host: Pushkin Industries
Episode Title: Introducing: The Outlaw Ocean | A War on Migration, Funded by the EU (Libya Pt. 1)
Release Date: August 11, 2025

Introduction

In the inaugural episode of Season 2 of Fiasco, host Ian Urbina delves into the harrowing reality of Mediterranean migration, spotlighting the perilous journey from Libya to Italy. This episode explores the tragic story of Aliyu Kande, whose death serves as a poignant example of the broader human rights violations and geopolitical maneuverings influencing migration patterns today.

Aliyu Kande’s Journey and Tragedy [00:19 – 05:35]

The episode opens with the sobering statistic that over 30,000 migrants attempted the Mediterranean crossing to Italy in 2021 alone. Many of these migrants, like Aliyu Kande from Guinea Bissau, chose Libya as their departure point due to its relative proximity to Europe and lower trafficking fees compared to Morocco or Tunisia. However, this route is fraught with danger. Aliyu Kande’s attempt to reach Italy ended in tragedy when he was fatally shot in Libya’s secretive Al Mabani prison.

Ian Urbina (05:35): “Aliyu Kande died from a bullet wound to the neck inside a secret Libyan prison called Al Mabani. His death is just one of many.”

This incident underscores the lethal risks migrants face, not just from the sea crossing itself but from the human rights abuses perpetrated by Libyan forces, often in collaboration with EU-funded operations.

Background: Life in Guinea Bissau and the Push to Migrate [05:36 – 11:52]

Aliyu Kande’s story begins in a small, impoverished village in Guinea Bissau, where shifting climate patterns devastated local agriculture. The unpredictable dry and wet seasons led to dwindling crop yields and weakened livestock, making subsistence farming increasingly untenable. Faced with economic despair and the responsibility of providing for his growing family, Aliyu decided to seek a better life in Europe, following in the footsteps of his brothers who had successfully migrated to Italy.

Aliyu’s Wife, Hava (06:01): “He was tired of living in poverty. I have faith he will provide for our family.”

Despite initial plans to travel through Morocco to Spain—a safer and shorter route—financial constraints forced Aliyu to opt for the more dangerous passage through Libya, where traffickers charged less but posed greater risks.

The Mediterranean Migration Crisis [11:53 – 16:52]

The episode provides a comprehensive overview of the Mediterranean migration crisis, highlighting a significant increase in migrant arrivals to Italy over recent years:

• 2021: 31,600 migrants
• 2022: 105,000 migrants
• 2023: Approximately 153,000 migrants

These figures reflect the escalating desperation and the intensifying efforts by migrants from countries like Bangladesh, Yemen, Sudan, and Somalia to reach Europe.

Judith Sunderland, Human Rights Watch (12:19): “The whole point of the agency is to defend the sovereignty of EU external borders.”

The European Union’s strategy involves outsourcing border enforcement to Libya, effectively making Libyan coast guards proxy agents in the EU’s broader effort to control migration. This has led to severe human rights abuses, as intercepted migrants are often returned to Libya’s deplorable detention centers, rather than being granted safe passage.

EU’s Role and Frontex Operations [11:53 – 17:13]

Central to the EU’s migration control strategy is Frontex, the European border agency, which has seen its budget surge from €143 million in 2015 to over €750 million in 2022. Frontex’s expanded mandate focuses on detecting and deterring illegal border crossings, often employing aggressive tactics that prioritize interception over humanitarian rescue.

Judith Sunderland (12:31): “While it uses at times a humanitarian rhetoric to justify its operations, it is also quite unabashedly clear in its main mission, which is really to detect what it calls illegal crossings of external borders and prevent and deter those crossings.”

Frontex collaborates with Libyan authorities to intercept migrant vessels in international waters, but these interceptions frequently result in migrants being handed over to Libyan coast guards, who are notorious for their brutal treatment of detainees.

Ian Urbina (16:02): “It is a crime for ships, whether they're merchant vessels or the Doctors Without Borders folks, to take those folks to Libya.”

On the Ground in Libya: The Investigation [18:36 – 31:00]

Ian Urbina recounts his field investigation in Libya’s Gargaresh slum, a densely populated area in Tripoli where tens of thousands of migrants reside under constant threat of violence and exploitation. The mission to uncover the truth behind Aliyu Kande’s death and the broader migration crisis was met with significant resistance from Libyan authorities intent on suppressing the investigation.

Upon attempting to interview Muhammad David, another migrant who shared a similar fate to Aliyu, Urbina and his team were confronted by aggressive security forces, highlighting the palpable danger faced by journalists in such environments.

Ian Urbina (30:59): “Their main mission is really to detect what it calls illegal crossings of external borders and prevent and deter those crossings.”

Despite these challenges, Urbina emphasizes the critical importance of shedding light on these hidden atrocities, even in the face of mounting threats and resistance.

Conclusion and Future Episodes [31:00 – End]

As the episode concludes, Urbina teases future installments that will continue to unravel the complex web of migration, human rights abuses, and geopolitical strategies influencing the Mediterranean crisis. The narrative sets the stage for a deeper exploration of the forces driving millions towards perilous journeys in search of a better life.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Ian Urbina (05:35): “Aliyu Kande died from a bullet wound to the neck inside a secret Libyan prison called Al Mabani. His death is just one of many.”
• Judith Sunderland (12:19): “The whole point of the agency is to defend the sovereignty of EU external borders.”
• Judith Sunderland (12:31): “While it uses at times a humanitarian rhetoric to justify its operations, it is also quite unabashedly clear in its main mission, which is really to detect what it calls illegal crossings of external borders and prevent and deter those crossings.”
• Ian Urbina (16:02): “It is a crime for ships, whether they're merchant vessels or the Doctors Without Borders folks, to take those folks to Libya.”
• Yurina (30:59): “Their main mission is really to detect what it calls illegal crossings of external borders and prevent and deter those crossings.”

Production Credits

• Created and Produced by: The Outlaw Ocean Project
• Host: Ian Urbina
• Written and Produced by: Michael Catano
• Associate Producer: Craig Ferguson
• Sound Design and Original Music: Alex Edkins and Graham Walsh
• Additional Sound Recording: Tony Fowler for CBC Podcasts
• Coordinating Producers: Fabiola Carletti, Senior Producer Damon Fairless
• Executive Producers: Cecil Fernandez and Chris Oak
• Senior Manager: Tanya Springer
• Director, CBC Podcasts: Arif Narani
• Special Thanks to: Pierre Cottar, Joe Sexton, and Maya Doles

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