The European Parliament's resolution, approved today with a large majority, calling for the establishment of a European sea rescue mission, finally represents a step forward and a serious look at the humanitarian drama into which inhuman and wrong political choices have turned the phenomenon of migration on our continent.
It was a request, this of the establishment of an institutional and coordinated European search and rescue mission, that we, as civil sea rescue realities, have always made. The shame of more than 2000 deaths a year at sea cannot be solved with barbed wire, nor with the proclamations of 'naval blockades' and 'border defence'. First you save, then you discuss.
We discuss, after saving the lives of people at sea, certainly the fight against human trafficking, but through legal entry, evacuation missions for people interned in Libyan lagers, guaranteeing the right to asylum and human rights.
The resolution approved today also calls for the European Union to finally have an audit carried out on the funding given to criminal realities such as the so-called Libyan coast guard, which captures and deports refugee women, men and children in lagers in open violation of the Hamburg and Geneva Conventions. As the realities of civil rescue at sea and also the United Nations have always denounced, as well as being the subject of important investigations by the International Criminal Court.
How will the Italian government react to this important stance? Will it continue the absurd war on migrants and NGOs? Will it continue to finance militiamen paid to violate human rights? Will it continue to provide the means by which the so-called Libyan coastguard commits its crimes? Will it continue in the mad purpose of turning Tunisia into a new Libya?
