April 20, 2015

European sea rescue now!

tags:	#FRONTEX, #Lampedusa, #Mare nostrum, #proasyl, #refugees
by:	Deniz Zehra Tavli

In Octobre 2013 a number of 366 people seeking for protection die in front of the Italian island of Lampedusa. European politicians respond affected to the endless number of coffins. They speak of shame. And they explain that Lampedusa must be a turning point for the EU's refugee policy.

But the confessions to a humane refugee policy, even after the Lampedusa disaster, remain lip service. The states of the European Union continue to close their borders with enormous effort. Legal ways to cross European borders are missing - refugees are forced to go on deadly routes. Still, there is no European civilian sea rescue.

The consequences are fatal: since the year 2000 more than 25,000 refugees drowned, suffocated, died of thirst or from exhaustion at EU-borders. A number like this of dead children, women and men should finally move policymakers to rethink.

But the opposite is the case: the Italian maritime rescue operation "Mare nostrum", which saved the lives of more than 100,000 people should be replaced by a European Frontex operation. The rescue area will be reduced drastically. It is thus predictable that even more people will die.

PRO ASYL demands an immediate pan-European funded expansion and organization of a sea rescue for refugees. A legal crossing for refugees needs to be allowed and mass death in front of Europe's borders must be stopped.

PRO ASYL turns with an urgent plea to the European Parliament and its President Martin Schulz: the EU must stop the dying at their external borders and open legal and risk-free routes for refugees.

Sign up and stand in for an immediate pan-European provision of financial resources for safe routes for refugees.