Brussels, 22/04/2015 (Agence Europe) - Distressed at the increase in migrants shipwrecked in the Mediterranean, where some 900 people perished off Libya on Saturday 18 April, CONCORD, the European NGO confederation for relief and development, is calling on the EU to put an end to its Fortress Europe approach to migration. CONCORD therefore put forward a series of alternative proposals that are more humane and just on Wednesday 22 April - the day before the extraordinary European Council on migration (see EUROPE 11299).
“The Fortress Europe approach is killing the European project based on solidarity. We need to defend the dignity of every human being in need. The Triton project that replaced the former Mare Nostrum search and rescue mission has proven ineffective. It's now time for urgent change”, said Bob van Dillen, the chair of CONCORD's migration and development taskforce.
In CONCORD's opinion, the very heavy death toll from the recent tragedies puts the spotlight not only on the unscrupulous traffickers but also on the current European approach to migration which is centred on security and border controls, and which pushes desperate people to decide to engage with traffickers at the risk of their life. CONCORD regrets that this approach seems to have been confirmed in the European Commission's 10-point action plan on migration that was presented at the Foreign Affairs-JHA Council on 20 April (see EUROPE 11298). In place of this action plan, CONCORD proposes: - opening immediate legal channels for immigration to ensure that people can migrate without risking their life; - sharing the reception and protection of migrants throughout Europe, including non-EU countries; - that the EU adopt immediate measures to deploy rescue operations in the Mediterranean to save lives in the expected upcoming boat flux; - increasing investment in inclusive development, decent work and social protection in countries of origin so that migration becomes an option and no longer a necessity.
“We urgently need effective protection of people seeking a better life elsewhere. EU leaders cannot allow the Mediterranean to become a vast cemetery”, says Marina Sarli, the director of the Greek NGO platform and a CONCORD board member.
CONCORD states that Triton, the project launched in November 2014, has saved some 7,000 people and that Mare Nostrum saved over 140,000 in 12 months. Over 1,500 people in total have perished in the Mediterranean this year - in other words, 50 times more than in 2014.
The NGOs believe that numerous deaths could be avoided if Europe made Italy's priority its own - that of saving lives - with real search and rescue means. CONCORD underlines that out of the 150,000 people minimum who have died trying to reach Europe from Africa and the Middle East over the last 20 years, many were refugees and asylum seekers, women and children who had to escape wars, chaos and desperation. The Mediterranean alone holds the tragic record of 3,500 deaths just for 2014. (Aminata Niang)