Migrants stuck in Spain's Canary Islands say camps are unfit

SAN CRISTOBAL DE LA LAGUNA, Spain (AP) — While Spain has criticized Europe for not sharing responsibilities on migration, the country is finding itself under fire from migrants, local officials and human rights groups on the Canary Islands, where thousands who made hazardous sea crossings from Africa say they are stuck in inadequate camps.

More than 23,000 people from Morocco and West Africa arrived on the resort archipelago in the past year as authorities cracked down on previously popular routes on the Mediterranean. Spain has sought to keep what it sees as economic migrants, mainly from Morocco and Senegal, from continuing their journeys to the mainland by stopping them from boarding planes and ferries, while allowing through potential asylum-seekers and the most vulnerable.

When existing reception centers on the islands filled up, the government put up to 8,000 people in tourist hotels left empty by the coronavirus pandemic and built six large temporary camps to house 6,300.

The largest of these on Tenerife is Las Raices, located in San Cristobal de La Laguna, at the foot of a mountain on the volcanic island. Built with European Union funds, it can hold up to 2,400 in its rows of white tents.

Problems have plagued the camp since it opened, with complaints that it is cold and crowded, lacks adequate hot water and serves inedible food. Police detained several residents this month amid tensions over food. Some have decided to leave the camp to sleep in shacks in a nearby forest.

Papa Seck, a Senegalese fisherman who was transferred to the camp a month ago, fled his hometown of Joal-Fadiouth in October because he could no longer make a living due to overfished waters.

“The ocean is dead. We have nothing left,” the 30-year-old told The Associated Press, adding that he sold many of his possessions — including...