After MSF suspended its rescue
activities for migrant boats experiencing difficulty in the
Mediterranean Sea off Libya, on Monday Sea Eye and Save the
Children did as well due to deteriorating security conditions.
The Libyan coastguard has repeatedly clashed with NGO vessels
on the edge of Libyan waters, at times opening fire, and the
NGOs say they cannot continue to ensure the effectiveness of the
operations.
In less than 24 hours, thus, three of the eight NGOs that
over the past 20 months had not left international waters off
Libya and had saved thousands of migrants have ceased to operate
in the area, at least temporarily.
The NGOs rescued 46,796 people in 2016, about 38% of the
total that landed, and 12,646 in the first four months of 2017,
equal to 35% of the total.
Considering the fact that the Juventa shop of the Jugend
Rettet NGO has been seized in Trapani and that the boats of
Proactiva Open Arms, Seawatch and MOAS are at the moment in the
Valletta port, the only NGO ship currently involved in migrant
search and rescue operations off Libya is SOS Mediterranee's
Aquarius.
The suspension of activities is due both to threats from the
Libyan coastguard and Tripoli's announcement that it will create
a broader search and rescue (SAR) operation in its territorial
waters, entrance to which will be possible only after
authorization from Libyan authorities.
The NGOs have said that both Italy and the EU are also
responsible, however, for this situation that will lead to more
deaths in the Mediterranean.
Proactiva founder Oscar Campos said that "that is what the EU
wants".
The Aquarius is off the Tripoli coast and will spend the day
near the near the C-Star, a boat of the anti-migrant Defend
Europe.
"In addition to saving lives, our priority will be to ensure
the maximum security of our crew," the NGO has said. "So long as
continues to be ensured, we will remain in the area, rescuing
boats in danger and prevented the forced return to Libya of
those rescued."
In any case, "limiting access and the activities of the NGOs
will, once again, lead to an increase in deaths and suffering in
the Mediterranean".
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