http://www.newkerala.com/news.php?actio ... s&id=76232

Posted on 30 Dec 2005 # Reuters


Six of out 10 Spaniards say migrants too numerous
MADRID: Six out of 10 Spaniards think there are too many immigrants in Spain while immigration was cited as the country's second biggest problem, a survey showed today.

The survey, carried out by state pollsters CIS among 2,485 Spanish adults, showed that 59.6 percent thought there were too many immigrants while 33.3 percent thought they were quite a lot, but not too many.

When Spaniards were asked what they thought Spain's three biggest problems were immigration was the second most popular response after unemployment.

Spain's healthy economy and particularly its booming construction sector have attracted hundreds of thousands of migrants in recent years.

Earlier this year the government angered some of its European Union peers when it gave work permits to 700,000 immigrants who had been working in Spain illegally.

Most of Spain's migrants come from Latin America, Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa.

Many immigrants risked their lives to get to Spain crossing the stretch of water separating it from Africa in rickety boats.

Another method is to leap over the fences of Spain's North African enclaves Ceuta and Melilla and earlier this year hundreds of migrants stormed the razor-wire topped barriers in several mass assaults. Eleven were killed.

Spain sent the army to guard the fences, but after troops were withdrawn this month, seven African migrants made it across the fence into Melilla on Thursday, the government said.