ANSA reports that Mehdi Mabrouk (Maître assistant en sociologie, Faculté des Sciences Humaines et Sociales de Tunis) a Tunisian sociologist, speaking at a conference in Tunis (‘Illegal migration: reality and solutions’) estimates that more than 1200 African migrants drowned in the Mediterranean while trying to reach Europe.
Click here for ANSA article.
Filed under Mediterranean, News
The Greek PM’s request at the recent European Council Summit to create a joint European coast guard was regarded as “premature”.
Click here for Kathimerini article.
Filed under European Union, Greece, Mediterranean, News
Malta Today reported that the forced repatriation operation involving 74 migrants that took place on 18 June was the first time that Frontex ever coordinated a forced repatriation operation at sea.
“Even though the migrants were intercepted by an Italian coast guard boat, the same migrants, that included women and children, were identified by a Frontex asset that followed the operation through.”
The operation, part of Nautilus IV, used a German helicopter, the Italian coast guard, and a Libyan patrol boat.
Click here for article.
AI USA Statement on World Refugee Day19 June 2009
“[***] Countries at Europe’s border are showing a flagrant disregard for their international obligations towards refugees:
“*Italy is intercepting refugees in international waters and physically transporting them, without assessing their protection needs, to Libya, where migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees are at risk of ill-treatment and forcible return to countries where they risk serious human rights abuses.
“*Turkey continues not to recognize people from outside Europe as refugees, meaning thousands of people are denied the protection they need.
“*Greece pushes back people at its land border and sea borders with Turkey without first assessing their asylum claims. For those that do enter the country there are many legal obstacles for refugees to gain protection.
“*Spain’s bilateral agreements with several countries in Africa are used to justify the arbitrary arrest, detention and deportation of refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants in these countries.
“*Other countries in the European Union (E.U.) turn a blind eye to the increasing lack of respect for the rights of refugees and asylum-seekers at the E.U.’s borders as they attempt to receive fewer refugees themselves. Every year, thousands of asylum seekers are transferred under the “Dublin II” system to countries where the rights of refugees and asylum-seekers are inadequately protected.
“On World Refugee Day, Amnesty International warns E.U. states that their actions are undermining the protection of refugees not only in their own countries but across the world, by sending a dangerous message on the treatment of refugees. All countries must meet their obligations towards refugees and asylum-seekers not only within their own borders but wherever they exercise effective control.
“Background
“Italy [***] Between May 6-11, approximately 500 people were intercepted by Italy [in international waters] after they sent rescue requests and were transported to Libya, where Italy claimed they could seek protection. They included people from Somalia, Eritrea and other African countries. [***]
“Turkey [***] Turkey is effectively the only state party to the Refugee Convention that does not recognize people from outside Europe as refugees, meaning thousands in need of protection are denied it. Asylum-seekers are often arbitrarily detained for extended periods in poor conditions, and subjected to ill-treatment. Further, forcible returns of individuals from Turkey to countries where they face serious human rights abuses are common. [***]
“Greece [***] Currently Greece is attempting to amend domestic law to further restrict protection by eliminating the right to an effective substantive appeal in the asylum system, in breach of international and European law. Furthermore, serious concerns over the detention conditions of asylum-seekers and migrants continue to exist. [***]”
Click here for link to AI USA statement on their web page.
Click here for more detailed AI USA press release.
Filed under Eastern Atlantic, European Union, Greece, Italy, Libya, Mediterranean, Spain, Statements, Turkey
“The details will be finalised on Friday when French Immigration Minister Eric Besson flies to Malta for a one-day meeting with Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici. [***]
“Immigration will be high on the government’s agenda this week, as Dr Mifsud Bonnici will also host Swedish Migration Tobias Billström tomorrow and Tuesday to discuss the EU Stockholm programme, before Sweden takes over the EU Presidency on July 1.
“This programme is a five-year strategy with precise goals in the areas of freedom, justice and security. The plan has to be endorsed by member states by the end of this year.”
Click here for full text of Times of Malta article.
Click here for text of approved European Commission communications setting priorities for the proposed future Stockholm Programme which will establish a framework for EU action on citizenship, justice, security, asylum and immigration for the next five years.
Filed under European Union, France, Malta, Mediterranean, News
Greek PM Karamanlis is satisfied with EU Summit decisions and with agreements to more equally share illegal immigration burdens, stepped up guarding of borders via the Frontex initiative, and commencement of jointly chartered flights by EU governments to repatriate illegal immigrants.
Click here for article.
Filed under European Union, Greece, Mediterranean, News
Key points from the Summit document:
Excerpts:
“In the midst of the deepest global recession since the Second World War the European Council again demonstrated the Union’s determination to rise above present difficulties and to look to the future by taking a series of decisions intended to meet, rapidly and effectively, a wide range of challenges. [***]
“European leaders expressed great concern at the dramatic situation in the Mediterranean area and agreed on a number of measures in order to help the Member States in the frontline to respond to the influx of illegal immigrants and to prevent further human tragedies. [***]
“IV. Illegal immigration
“36. Recent events in Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Malta underline the urgency of strengthening efforts to prevent and combat illegal immigration in an efficient manner at the EU’s Southern maritime borders and thus prevent future human tragedies. A determined European response based on firmness, solidarity and shared responsibility is essential, in line with the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum and the Global Approach to Migration. Their implementation must be stepped up, in particular as concerns cooperation with countries oforigin and transit. All activities in the Western Mediterranean region and at the Eastern and South-Eastern borders need to continue.
“37. In view of the present humanitarian emergency, concrete measures need to be quickly put in place and implemented. The European Council calls for the coordination of voluntary measures for internal reallocation of beneficiaries of international protection present in the Member States exposed to specific and disproportionate pressures and highly vulnerable persons. It welcomes the intention of the Commission to take initiatives in this respect, starting with a pilot project for Malta. It urges the Council and the European Parliament toreach agreement allowing for the rapid establishment of the European Asylum Support Office. The European Council also underlines a need for strengthened border control operations coordinated by FRONTEX, clear rules of engagement for joint patrolling and the disembarkation of rescued persons, and increased use of joint return flights. In this context it calls for strong action to fight effectively against organised crime and criminal networks involved in trafficking of human beings.
“38. The European Council underlines the need for a significant strengthening of the cooperation with the main countries of origin and transit. It invites the Commission to explore concrete cooperation with third countries in line with earlier mandates adopted by the Council. The effectiveness of the EU’s readmission agreements need to be increased as part of the overall EU external policies. Concluding the negotiations on the EC readmission agreements with key countries of origin and transit such as Libya and Turkey is a priority; until then, already existing bilateral agreements should be adequately implemented.
“39. The European Council urges the Council to take the above fully into account when preparing the new multi-annual framework programme in the area of Freedom, Justice and Security. The European Council invites the Commission to submit further proposals to the next meeting of the European Council, based on an appropriate response to these problems. [***]”
Click here for full document.
Filed under Communiqués, Eastern Atlantic, European Union, Mediterranean
ANSA – PALERMO, 19 GIU – Nuovo respingimento nel Canale di Sicilia: un barcone con 76 migranti, e’ stato intercettato da una motovedetta della Guardia Costiera.Il barcone era stato segnalato ieri a 29 miglia a Sud di Lampedusa, in acque di competenza maltese per quanto riguarda le operazioni di ricerca e soccorso. Secondo fonti militari maltesi, gli extracomunitari, tra cui donne e bambini, sarebbero stati consegnati a una motovedetta libica e riportati a Tripoli.
Click here for link.
Filed under Italy, Malta, Mediterranean, News
To mark World Refugee Day, 20 June, the Maltese National Statistics Office released statistics for 2008 regarding the numbers of boats and migrants reaching shore and related asylum application data.
Of the 2608 new asylum applications reportedly filed in 2008, the top five applicant nationalities were Somali (41%), Ivory Coast (10%), Nigeria (9%), Mali (8%) and Eritrea (7%).
“2,775 irregular immigrants reached Maltese shores in 2008. New
applications for asylum numbered 2,608.
“World Refugee Day: 2008
“Since 2001, World Refugee Day has been celebrated internationally every 20 June. To mark this occasion, NSO is releasing a set of statistics which document the local scene.
“During 2008, 84 boats carrying 2,775 irregular immigrants reached Maltese shores. When compared to the previous year, the number of boats increased by 24 per cent, translating into 1,073 more irregular immigrants (see Table 1).
“The increase in recorded arrivals is reflected in the higher number of new applications for asylum filed with the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees, which almost doubled. These amounted to 2,608 (see Table 2). The absolute majority of applicants were from Africans (see Table 3).
” In 2008, 2,697 asylum decisions were taken by the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees (see Table 4). Of these, 19 applicants were granted refugee status, 1,397 obtained subsidiary or other forms of protection, while 1,281 applications were rejected. More than 80 per cent of these positive decisions were granted to males, while 89 were taken in respect of children under 18 (see Table 5).
“In December 2008, 1,625 persons were residing in Open Centres. A further 270 were living in other institutional households. Of the population in Open Centres, 7 per cent were minors (see Tables 6 and 7). [***]
“Issued by: Information Services Unit, National Statistics Office, Lascaris, Valletta VLT 2000, Malta. T. +356 2599 7219 F. +356 2599 7205 E. library.nso@gov.mt”
Click here or here for Report.
Filed under Data / Stats, Malta, Mediterranean
Times of Malta reports that Libyan authorities with assistance from Italy’s Guardia Costiera and a German Border Police helicopter operating as part of Frontex intercepted 76 migrants south of Lampedusa.
Click here for article.
Excerpts of Speech by Greek Foreign Minister Ms. Bakoyannis at a dinner hosted by the Ambassador of the Czech Republic on the occasion of the conclusion of the Czech EU Presidency (17/6/09):
“[***] Permit me to pause for a moment on this issue [of illegal immigration] which is of particular importance to Greece. As resident Ambassadors, I am sure that you can bear testimony to the increasing and disproportionate migratory pressure Greece is facing due to its geographic position at the external border of the EU; its extensive land and sea borders and its proximity to countries of both origin and transit of illegal immigration.
“One thing is clear: Genuine solidarity and fair burden sharing between Member States is urgently needed in order to effectively tackle this common European challenge. Our strategy should pull several different levers including enhanced practical cooperation through the establishment the earliest possible of the European Asylum Support Office, strengthening FRONTEX and conducting joint operations on a permanent basis, concluding EU readmission Agreements with key countries including of course our southern neighbor Turkey. [***]”
Click here for partial text of speech.
Filed under Frontex, Greece, Mediterranean, Statements
UNHCR’s Ankara office presents its first “Hope Refugee Award” in celebration of 20 June World Refugee Day to the Captain and owner of the Panamanian flagged Turkish ship MV Pýnar which rescued 142 African migrants in April 2009. The ship and the rescued migrants were the subject of an ensuing stand-off between the governments of Italy and Malta regarding who would receive the migrants. (See BBC: Italy takes in stranded migrants. Click here.)
‘Mr Tuygun and Mr Erdogdu earned the Award for demonstrating a great sense of responsibility to assist to those in distress at sea. This is a longstanding maritime tradition as well as an obligation enshrined in international law,’ said the UNHCR Turkey office spokesman. However, in recent similar situations, the disputes between states on who should allow the disembarkation of rescued people ‘has discouraged ships and fishing boats from helping, penalising both them and the migrants.’
Click here for Maritime Journal article.
“We would like to recall that Libya has ratified the 1969 Convention on the specific problems of refugees in Africa” said the Chairman of the Italian Council for Refugees (CIR), Savino Pezzotta. . . .
“Libya is also bound by the UN Covenant on Human Rights of 1966 and has formally recognised the principles of respect for human dignity and of treatment in conformity with basic rights of the person without distinction by nationality, ethnic or religious belonging. . . .
“CIR reiterates that there are no conditions whatsoever which allow to push back asylum seekers or refugees to Libya or other north African Countries. . . .
“CIR appeals to the Italian Government and to the European Union to stop immigration policies of pushing back indiscriminately people from whatever place where they are under effective control of Italian or European authorities. . . .
“[T]he Italian Government in accordance with the European Union must share responsibility and burden laid on the Libyan authorities to guarantee dignified reception of hundreds of thousands migrants and refugees presently staying on the Libyan territory.”
For the full text of the CIR’s Statement, click here.
Filed under Italy, Libya, Mediterranean, Statements, States
IOM, Friday, 12-06-2009
“The IOM office in Libya has entered into a key partnership with three leading Libyan non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to provide much-needed humanitarian assistance to undocumented migrants who are currently detained for immigration law violations. This partnership with the World Islamic Call Society (WICS), the International Organization for Peace, Care and Relief (IOPCR) and Al-Wafa, has allowed IOM to provide [aid]. [***] [***] since the start of joint Italian-Libyan patrols in the Mediterranean in May this year, there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of irregular migrants arriving on the Italian island of Lampedusa, with centres on the island now completely empty of migrants. [***]”
Click here for IOM statement.
Filed under Italy, Libya, Mediterranean, News
‘[E]normous financial and diplomatic efforts are being made by European political actors to tackle undesired immigration arriving by sea from North Africa. This is partly due to the fact that illegal arrivals by sea (including casualties) have a much stronger impact on the media and public opinion than overstayers or illegal immigrants entering the country by land. But while European countries try to come up with adequate solutions to deal with illegal immigration, a daily tragedy is taking place along Europe’s Mediterranean border….’
Click here for article.
Filed under Analysis, Mediterranean
MIGRANTS AT SEA 