Author: Aisha Noor
January 8, 2025
HRRC calls on members of the European Union, especially Italy, to change their policies on migration from a security approach to a rescue perspective. Governments must address the human rights abuses against migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers crossing the Mediterranean Sea.
The Mediterranean Sea claimed over 2,200 migrant lives in 2024 as they sought a better life in Europe, most fleeing their war-torn countries or impoverished homes. The death rate for 2024 has increased substantially, and the number of children migrating today has tripled since last year, accounting for one out of every five migrants crossing the Mediterranean.
Recent accidents include the New Year’s Eve tragedy off the coast of Libya, where 20 people were thrown overboard. Another tragedy occurred on Tunisia’s northern coast, where two people, including a child, drowned.
The death toll, which officials described as “unacceptable”, has reached an estimated 5,220, with nearly 1,700 youths losing their lives on the central Mediterranean route described as one of the most dangerous migration routes in the world. Migrants, some of whom flee conflict-prone countries such as Syria or sub-Saharan Africa, are continually exposed to fatal danger, even though leaders of European Union (EU) countries and international organizations try to mitigate the flow of migrants.
In December, tragedy struck again when a boat capsized and drowned 40 passengers. An 11-year-old girl was rescued with severe injuries after surviving for three days at sea following the boat's capsizing. All the tragic, unnecessary deaths of those migrants underscore the inadequacy of European policies and the absence of proper rescue missions.
One of the many tragedies at sea has prompted a criminal complaint by the German NGO Sea-Watch, alleging that the Italian coastguard was negligent in a shipwreck off Lampedusa in September 2024. Lawyers for Alarm Phone, a distress hotline for migrants at sea, claim that at least four boats have been sunk in the central Mediterranean since the beginning of this year.
Nevertheless, Italy continues enforcing severe measures towards migrants through cooperation agreements of expulsion with Libya and Tunisia, where migrants deported there are detained and tortured. The EU’s deals, like the recently signed €670 million deal with Albania under which the EU would provide transport for intercepted migrants back to their homeland, have not offered any creative solutions, thus leaving refugees and asylum seekers in life-threatening purgatory. HRRC condemns both the inaction to support and the continuous abuse of migrants.
HRRC urges the EU to ensure safe passage and legal protections for asylum seekers, migrants, and refugees. In addition, HRRC calls for:
An end to the forcible expulsion of migrants back to detention centers where they are likely to be tortured and/or die.
A commission of inquiry to establish the negligence of the European authorities in handling distress calls and castigating the culprits who caused unnecessary loss of lives.
A review of the EU’s deals with North African countries, which over the years have failed to check immigration and have led to the exploitation of immigrants.
The Mediterranean Sea continues to claim the lives of thousands, if not millions, of helpless people; HRRC demands an effective international response and respect for the right to life and human dignity of all asylum seekers, migrants, and refugees.
Glossary
Asylum Seekers: Individuals who seek protection in a foreign country due to fear of persecution in their home country.
Castigating: Criticizing or reprimanding severely.
Culprits: Those responsible for a wrongdoing or crime.
Denounces: Publicly condemns or criticizes.
Exploitation: The act of using others unfairly for personal gain, often through manipulation or coercion.
Expulsion: The act of forcing someone to leave a place, often a country or community.
Immigrants: People who move to a new country to live permanently or for an extended period.
Inadequacy: The state of being insufficient or lacking in quality or quantity.
Migrants: People who move from one place to another, often for work or better living conditions.
Mitigate: To make something less severe, harmful, or painful.
Negligence: The failure to take proper care or attention, resulting in harm or damage.
Purgatory: A state or condition of temporary suffering or punishment, often used metaphorically.
Refugees: People who are forced to flee their home country due to war, persecution, or disaster.
Sustainable Development: Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising future generations' ability to meet their own needs.
Sources
https://www.nrc.no/feature/2024/10-things-you-should-know-about-the-Central-Mediterranean-migration-route/#:~:text=The%20Central%20Mediterranean%20route%20(the,cross%20the%20stretch%20in%202023.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/girl-11-survived-three-days-sea-shipwreck-rcna183918
https://sea-watch.org/en/sea-watch-files-charges-against-italian-authorities/
https://www.rescue.org/article/what-italy-albania-asylum-deal