Brussels, 06/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - More than 200 people, refugees fleeing Libya, went missing on Friday 3 June after the shipwreck of their boat, which was attempting to reach the Italian island of Lampedusa. More than 20 bodies were washed up on the Tunisian coast on Sunday, AFP reports. Nearly 800 migrants were on board the vessel. Nearly 600 of them were rescued when the boat sank and the migrants will be transferred to the refugee camp at Choucha, close to the border between Libya and Tunisia.
“Although the EU has the tools and resources needed, such as the mechanisms for the reintegration of refugees, which the states refuse to activate, or the application of directive 55/2001, which gives temporary protection in the event of massive inflows, the European and French leaders choose instead to accuse the immigrants of all manner of evils rather than save lives”, said MEP Sylvie Guillaume (S&D, France). “Europe has a responsibility, it must act as a matter of urgency. It is too absent to manage the migratory consequences of the Arab spring, when it should be accompanying these countries to democracy”, said Rachida Dati (EPP, France). (S.P./transl.fl)