It goes against all human decency to leave people dying in the blue desert Archbishop
“Unfortunately, the anecdotal information we receive from Libya does not seem good, and this is part of the political, and also human, responsibility that European governments have to share
Archbishop Charles Scicluna had strong words yesterday on the ongoing migration tussles between EU countries, saying that it goes against all human decency to leave people dying in the middle of what is now called the blue desert.
Speaking to The Malta Independent yesterday, the Archbishop was asked for his thoughts on the way EU countries are pushing for the Libyan coast guard to step up rescue operations amid reports of abuse, the most recent of which was by a migrant aid group which has accused Libya’s coast guard of abandoning three people in the Mediterranean, including a woman and a toddler who both died, after intercepting 160 Europe-bound migrants near the shores of the North African nation.
“It goes against all human decency to leave people dying in the middle of what is now called the blue desert. The EU should make it clear to the Libyan authorities that they have to respect best practice when it comes to rescues, and also show solidarity with the refugees. Unfortunately, the anecdotal information we receive from Libya does not seem good, and this is part of the political, and also human, responsibility that European governments have to share.”
On Tuesday, Proactiva Open Arms, a Spanish rescue group posted images and videos of the wreckage and the dead bodies on social media, accusing both a merchant ship sailing in international waters and Libya’s coast guard of failing to help the three migrants.
A spokesman for Libya’s coast guard responded to the Spanish aid group’s criticism late on Tuesday, saying coast guard members rescued Europe-bound migrants “in accordance with international standards in saving lives at sea.”
He added: “All disasters happening in the sea are caused by human traffickers, who are only interested in profit, and the presence of such irresponsible, nongovernmental groups in the region.”
This was just the latest development in the ongoing arguments between humanitarian NGOs, Libya, and EU governments, with some NGO vessels even left out at sea for days as EU countries squabble over which port the asylum seekers should be taken to.
The head of Proactiva Open Arms, Oscar Camps, on Tuesday also blamed the Italian government’s co-operation with Libyan authorities for the death of the woman and the toddler.
In Malta, the government has also clamped down on rescue NGOs, with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat employing aggressive tactics in the face of growing tension, blocking NGOs from entering or exiting Maltese ports and grounding an NGO’s spotter plane.
Asked for his view on the situation regarding the recent stances by EU countries and arguments between them, Archbishop Charles Scicluna stressed that the keyword is ‘solidarity’, and that we cannot refuse solidarity to anyone in danger of drowning. There must also be solidarity between countries, he added.
“My invitation to everyone is to continue showing solidarity and helping people who are there to show solidarity, but we also need the solidarity with other countries; EU countries, especially, as we are not only an autonomous border, but the southernmost border of Europe. This is an aspect the government is eager about and it has my support.
“Our borders are also the EU borders, and so we need the solidarity of countries within the EU as we cannot, due to our size and other situations, take on the full responsibility which the Mediterranean situation calls for at the moment.”