Essex 39: the root causes

Abstract

Following the deaths of thirty-nine Vietnamese nationals, whose bodies were found in the back of a refrigerated lorry container in Essex, UK on 23 October 2019, this article looks at the global conditions and the deadly border regimes that contributed to the deaths. The author, who co-organised a vigil for the ‘Essex 39’, argues that the mainstream response, calling for tougher borders and criminal investigations aimed at prosecuting smugglers and traffickers, does not address the enabling conditions for migrant exploitation, abuse and death.