«Let’s go back to talking about shipwrecks, but the one that cost the lives of at least fifty people on Wednesday is only the latest. Since 2017 it has been decided that the only policy for the Mediterranean is deterrence, at the cost of the lives of those who cross it. The Meloni government has given the final crackdown.” From Sea Watch, Luca Marelli he is one of the “spotters”. From the plane Sea bird monitors the Mediterranean, reports boats in difficulty, all too often finds itself documenting interceptions of Libyans. «As recently as a few weeks ago we saw patrol boats interrupt a rescue of Humanity 1, even with shots fired into the water. Inevitably panic was created, the shipwrecked people threw themselves into the sea so as not to be brought back, an unnecessary risk situation was created.”
In Italy the ship was stopped, like Sea Watch shortly after.
«And for exactly the same reason: lack of coordination with the so-called Coast Guard of Tripoli. But we have been documenting attacks for months and it is increasingly difficult for rescue ships to operate.”
Has the attitude of the Libyans led to a reduction in flows?
«Absolutely not, because the reasons that push people to leave have not changed. At most the routes change. In the absence of legal and safe channels, the increase in border policies is being responded to with new routes, perhaps more dangerous and hidden. Departures from Tunisia have decreased, but those from Libya have increased where we again see old wooden boats with two decks, on which it often happens that people die crushed by the crowd, poisoned by the fumes or get stuck if they capsize”.
Has the Mediterranean become more dangerous?
«Since 2014 we have counted more than 25 thousand deaths, more than 2,300 in the last year alone. And while operations and support for the Libyans increase, NGO ships are blocked.”
One year after the Cutro shipwreck, the appeal from NGOs: “The Mediterranean is a cemetery. No more obstacles to rescue at sea”
by Alessia Candito
Has this influenced the increase in casualties at sea?
«The Mediterranean is an equation. If you remove the rescue ships from the operational area with the detentions required by the Piantedosi decree and force them to reach distant ports, impose limits on the operations of the Italian Coast Guard, increase the presence of the Libyans, subsidized by Italy and the EU, discourage the intervention of merchant ships, the sea remains empty. And the result is only one: more deaths.”
However, only 12 percent of the rescued migrants arrived in Italy on humanitarian ships.
«Above all, we are uncomfortable witnesses. Since the introduction of the 2017 code of conduct, attempts have been made to limit the work of NGOs to allow the Libyan Coast Guard to do the dirty work and bring back those who were trying to escape. In fact, these are rejections.”
For the Supreme Court they are a crime
«The authorities who continue to stop ours and other ships should also notice this. It is not the first sentence, even the one that acquitted Carola Rackete affirmed the same principle. We are waiting to see the concrete effects.”
#Sea #Watch #NGO #ships #Libyans #shooting #sea #today #lives #risk
– 2024-03-28 23:04:47
