Survivors-at-home and the right to know: solidarities in Eritrea in the aftermath of the Lampedusa tragedy

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study delves into the transnational mobility of migrants from the Horn of Africa, exploring the limited situated ethnographies on survivors-at-home, a topic still underexplored. Focusing on the tragic sinking of a boat carrying Eritreans from Libya to Italy on 3 October 2013 in Lampedusa, the article contextualises the event within a relevant chronology. It examines the post-tragedy solidarities emerging at local, national, and international levels, shedding light on the survivors-at-home’s right to know. Through fieldwork conducted in Eritrea and Italy between November 2012 and September 2016, employing participant observation and microhistory, the study shows nuanced narratives about survivors-at-home, emphasising the challenges they face in exercising their right to know. The transnational and transcalar lens captures the agency, priorities, and practices of various actors and networks involved, providing a comprehensive understanding of the solidarities emerged in the aftermath of the Lampedusa tragedy.