Save a life, save the world
let's rescue humanity together,
support our missions in the Mediterranean
Open letter from over 180 human rights organisations together with Tima Kurdi, Alan Kurdi's aunt.
Today, on World Refugee Day, we demand full and independent investigations into the events, that those responsible face the consequences of their actions, an end to systematic practices of refoulement at European borders, and justice for the victims.
Ten years after the two shipwrecks off the coast of Lampedusa, Italy, which claimed the lives of some 600 people and caused huge public outrage, more than 600 people drowned off the coast of Pylos, Greece, in the Mediterranean Sea. On 14 June 2023, once again, the European border regime killed people exercising their right to seek protection. We are shocked! And we stand in solidarity with all the survivors and with the families and friends of the deceased. We express our deep sorrow and grief.
To this day, countless questions remain unanswered. According to the survivors' testimonies, the Greek Coast Guard hooked the boat, causing it to capsize. Why was this extremely dangerous manoeuvre carried out? Did the Greek Coast Guard tow the boat towards Italy to push the people towards the Italian or Maltese area of responsibility? Why did neither the Greek Coast Guard nor the Italian or Maltese authorities intervene earlier, despite having been alerted for at least 12 hours? What role did the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex play?
Among all these uncertainties, one fact is unequivocal: this shipwreck - like countless others before it - is the direct consequence of political decisions taken to prevent people from arriving in Europe. This shipwreck stems from the impunity of illegal activities exercised by states at the borders and the legalisation of practices that aim to normalise the deprivation of migrants' rights. Activists and organisations have denounced the systematic rejections, the delays and omission of rescues, the criminalisation of civil search and rescue operations, and the cooperation with unsafe countries to externalise European borders and carry out rejections. Europe's migration and border externalisation policies cause physical and psychological violence, imprisonment and death. Stop diverting attention from your responsibilities - stop killing migrants!
So far, the European Union and its member states have shown no intention to learn from the past and put an end to the deaths in the Mediterranean. On the contrary, they have reinforced their lethal policies of isolation. Only last week, on 8 June, the Council of the European Union approved a reform of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) that led to a massive deprivation of fundamental rights, such as the right to asylum or the right to move freely.
It was only a matter of time before another shipwreck occurred, and more will follow as conditions in countries of origin, transit and departure worsen and border practices force migrants to take more dangerous routes. Since the Lampedusa shipwreck in 2013 we have seen at least 27,047 deaths in the Mediterranean Sea. One of them was Alan Kurdi. His aunt denounces this deadly shipwreck:
Dieci anni dopo i due naufragi al largo di Lampedusa, in Italia, che hanno causato la morte di circa 600 persone e hanno suscitato enorme indignazione da parte dell'opinione pubblica, oltre 600 persone sono annegate al largo di Pylos, in Grecia, nel Mar Mediterraneo. Il 14 giugno 2023, ancora una volta, il regime di frontiera europeo ha ucciso persone che esercitavano il loro diritto di chiedere protezione. Siamo sconvolti! E siamo solidali con tutti i sopravvissuti e con le famiglie e gli amici delle persone decedute. Esprimiamo il nostro profondo cordoglio e dolore.
Ad oggi, innumerevoli domande rimangono senza risposta. Secondo le testimonianze dei sopravvissuti, la Guardia Costiera greca ha agganciato la barca facendola capovolgere. Perché è stata compiuta questa manovra estramamente pericolosa? La Guardia Costiera greca ha trainato l'imbarcazione verso l'Italia per spingere le persone verso la zona di responsabilità italiana o maltese? Perché né la Guardia Costiera greca né le autorità italiane o maltesi sono intervenute prima, nonostante fossero state allertate da almeno 12 ore? Che ruolo ha avuto l'Agenzia europea della guardia di frontiera e costiera Frontex?
Tra tutte queste incertezze, una fatto è inequivocabile: questo naufragio - così come innumerevoli altri precedenti - è la diretta conseguenza di decisioni politiche prese per impedire alle persone di arrivare in Europa. Questo naufragio deriva dall'impunità delle attività illegali esercitate dagli Stati alle frontiere e dalla legalizzazione di pratiche che mirano a normalizzare la privazione dei diritti delle persone migranti. Attivisti e organizzazioni hanno denunciato i sistematici respingimenti, i ritardi e l'omissione dei soccorsi, la criminalizzazione delle operazioni civili di ricerca e salvataggio e la cooperazione con paesi non sicuri per esternalizzare le frontiere europee ed effettuare i respingimenti. Le politiche migratorie e di esternalizzazione delle frontiere europee causano violenza fisica e psicologica, prigionia e morte. Smettete di distogliere l’attenzione dalle vostre responsabilità - smettete di uccidere le persone migranti!
Finora, l'Unione Europea e i suoi Stati membri non hanno mostrato alcuna intenzione di imparare dal passato e di porre fine alle morti nel Mediterraneo. Al contrario, hanno rafforzato le loro letali politiche di isolamento. Solo la settimana scorsa, l'8 giugno, il Consiglio dell'Unione Europea ha approvato una riforma del Sistema Europeo Comune di Asilo (CEAS) che ha portato a una massiccia privazione dei diritti fondamentali, come il diritto di asilo o il diritto di circolare liberamente.
Era solo una questione di tempo prima che avvenisse un altro naufragio, e altri lo seguiranno mentre le condizioni nei Paesi di origine, di transito e di partenza peggiorano e le pratiche di frontiera costringono le persone migranti a intraprendere rotte più pericolose. Dal naufragio di Lampedusa nel 2013 abbiamo visto almeno 27.047 morti nel Mar Mediterraneo. Uno di loro era Alan Kurdi. Sua zia denuncia questo naufragio mortale:
"This shipwreck brings back my pain, our pain. My heart is broken. I am heartbroken for all the innocent souls lost, who are not just numbers in this world. 'Never again' we heard in 2015, I have heard it countless times. And what has changed? How many innocent souls have been lost at sea since then? I want to take you back to 2 September 2015, when you all saw the image of my grandson, a two-year-old boy lying on the Turkish beach. What did you feel when you saw his image? What did you say, what did you do? I, when I heard of my grandson's drowning, fell to the ground crying and screaming as loud as I could because I wanted the world to hear me! Why them? Why now? And who will be next? Since then I have decided to raise my voice and speak up for all those who are not heard. And especially for my grandson, the child on the beach, Alan Kurdi, whose voice will never be heard again. Please do not remain silent and join your voice to mine. We cannot close our eyes and turn our backs on those who seek protection.
Open your hearts and welcome the fleeing people who arrive at your doorstep.European migration policy must change now. It had to change long ago. It must provide safe escape routes. Building a wall is not the solution. Detaining rescue ships that save lives is not the solution. accusing people of being trafficked is not the solution. People are suffering and will always find a way to escape. You have the power to decide if they are forced to take dangerous routes because there is no other way out. Do something!"
This shipwreck off Greece, which will remain etched in our minds, proves that the Mediterranean Sea is not only a graveyard, but also a crime scene. A scene of crimes against humanity, with millions of privileged tourists continuing to sail freely through it every year.
For this reason, we demand an immediate end to (systemic) border violence. We demand that:
1 - Greek and European governments and institutions ensure full, thorough and independent investigations into these events. It is high time that there is complete transparency about what happened and that those responsible are held accountable. This includes officials who were directly involved during the decision-making process, as well as political leaders who facilitated and perpetuated the violent practices at the external borders for years. The right to justice for the victims and their loved ones must be guaranteed.
2 - The Greek government immediately releases the survivors of the Pylos shipwreck from the facilities in which they are being held and instead provides them with decent accommodation and all necessary support, such as independent legal advice, psychological support and the possibility to communicate with their families and friends. In addition, we demand the release of the nine detained men. We condemn the criminalisation of people on the move, accused of illegal entries and deaths at sea. These accusations aim to exonerate the responsible state actors.
3 - All European member states at the external borders stop using time as a weapon, delaying assistance and rescue. In addition, we call on the European Commission for independent investigations and targeted measures to stop the systematic practice of refoulement and lack of assistance at sea and ashore by European member states - widely documented events through the work of organisations and activists in recent years. 4 - The European Union and its member states provide safe and legal routes to Europe as the only solution to prevent further loss of life at sea. The CEAS, which further restricts the right to asylum in the EU, must not be converted into law. Furthermore, we call for the creation of a state and European rescue programme, which is long overdue.
Signatory organisations and activists:
Tima Kurdi
Abolish Frontex
aditus foundation
AED - European Democratic Lawyers
Afrique-Europe-Interact
Aftenergeia (Self-action) - political collective
AK Arbeitskämpfe, Assoziation für kritische Gesellschaftsforschung (AkG)
Alarme Phone Sahara
All Included Amsterdam
Amal Berlin!
Anarchist Solidarity
antira.org
ASGI - Association for Juridical Studies on Immigration
Asians of Chaos
Association for Justice, Equality and Peace (AJEP)
Association for Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Migrants - ASAM Türkiye
Association for Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Migrants - ASAM Greece
Asylum Links
Baobab Experience
Barnim für Alle
BIPoC Ukraine &and friends in gGermany
Blue Door Education
Border Forensics
borderline-europe - Human Rights without Borders
Border Violence Monitoring Network
Boza Fii - Alarm Phone Dakar
Bozen Solidale
Bridges over Borders e.V.
Café Zuflucht / Refugio e.V., Aachen
Cambiare l'Ordine delle Cose - Forum Nazionale
Campagna LasciateCIEntrare
Campaign „You can‘t evict solidarity“
Captain Support Network
Carovane Migranti (Italia-Messico-Tunisia)
Centre for Peace Studies
Channel Info Project
Chkoun Collective
Civil March For Aleppo
Clinica del Diritto dell’Immigrazione e della Cittadinanza Roma
CNCD-11.11.11
Collective Aid
Collettivo Rotte Balcaniche Alto Vicentino
CompassCollective
Convenzione dei diritti nel Mediterraneo
CopwatchFFM
CPT - Aegean Migrant Solidarity
Cuistots solidaires asbl
de:border | migration justice collective
Diotima Centre for Gender Rights & Equality
Droit de rester- Fribourg
Droit de rester- Lausanne
Dutch League for Human Rights
ECHO100PLUS
EMERGENCY
Ens Movem
EqualHealth´s Campaign Against Racism
Equal Legal Aid
Ermittlungsausschuss Hamburg
EuroMed Rights
Europe Cares
Feminist Autonomous Centre for Research
Flüchtlingsrat Hamburg e.V.
Flüchtlingsrat Sachsen-Anhalt
Forensic Architecture
Forensis e.V.
Foundation Day of the Endangered Lawyer
Freie deutsch syrische Gesellschaft e.V.
From the Sea to the City
Greek Council for Refugees (GCR)
Grupa Granica
Gruppo Melitea
Haitian Bridge Alliance
Hub Humanitaire de Bruxelles Médecins du Monde Belgique
Human Rights Association (Turkey)
Human Rights at Sea
HumanRights360
Humans before borders
I Have Rights.
Initiativenbündnis Berlinzusammen
Integra Foundation
Inter Alia
Internationaler Fußballclub Rostock
Irida Women’s Center
Irídia-Centre for the defense of human rights
iuventa-crew
Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Malta
Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Greece
Jewish Antifascist Bund Berlin
JG-Stadtmitte Jena
Jugendkulturinitiative Schwäbisch Gmünd
Just Action
JUZ Friedrich Dürr, Mannheim
Klimagerechtigkeit für alle
Kopin - Empowering Communities
kritnet - Netzwerk Kritische Migrations- und Grenzregimeforschung
Kuchnia Konfliktu Poland
Kulturkollektiv Semtex St. Pauli
#LeaveNoOneBehind
Legal Centre Lesvos
Lesvos Solidarity
Let's Bring Them Here, The Netherlands
Lighthouse Relief
Ligue Tunisienne pour les Droits Humains (LTDH)
Lungo la rotta balcanica
Lützerath Lebt
Maldusa
Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society
Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement
MARDi NGO
Mare Liberum
Mare*Go
Médecins Du Monde Belgique
Médecins du Monde Greece
Medici del Mondo Italia
medico international
MEDITERRANEA Saving Humans
Mediterranean Children’s Movement
Mem.Med - Memoria Mediterranea
Migrant Solidarity Network
Migrant Women Assocition Malta
migration control.info
MiGreat
Migreurop
Mission Lifeline e.V.
Mobile Info Team
movements without borders
MV Louise Michel
No Border Assembly
No Border Medics e.V.
No Border Kitchen Lesvos
No Name Kitchen
No Nation Truck
NoBorders community Athens
Non Una di Meno Venezia
Northern Lights Aid
Novact - International Institute for Nonviolent Action
Open Assembly Against Border Violence Lesvos
Paulo Freire Institute Foundation Malta
Plateforme Citoyenne en Soutien aux Réfugiés - BelRefugees
Pro Bleiberecht in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Project Armonia
Project Play
r42 - SailAndRescue
RAV, Republican Lawyers’ Association
Reclaim the sea
Red Antirracista Tarragona
Refugee Legal Support
Refugees in Libya
Refugees in Tunisia
Refugees' Solidarity movement
Republikanischer Anwältinnen - und Anwälteverein e.V. (RAV)
ResQ People Saving People
RESQSHIP e.V.
Right to Resist - linke Ukraine Solidarität Hamburg
Roots, Dunkirk
Safe Passage International
Safe Passage International AMKE
Salvamento Marítimo Humanitario
SARAH gUG
Sea Punks e.V.
Sea-Eye e.V.
Sea-Watch e.V.
Seebrücke
Seebrücke Frankfurt am Main
Seebrücke Jena
Seebrücke Kassel
Seebrücke Mainz
Seebrücke Schweiz
Sienos Grupė
Solidarischer Wohn- und Kulturraum Mannheim
Solidarisches Kollektiv Oberbadgasse e.V.
Solidarité sans frontières
SOS Humanity
Spazio Autogestito 77
St. Pauli Fanclub Dörte Becker
Statewatch
Stella Network North Macedonia
Stop deportation center BER
Sudan Uprising Germany
SUDS - Associació Internacional de Solidaritat i Cooperació
Swiss Democratic Lawyers
The Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM)
Tunisian forum for economic and social rights FTDES
Ultrà Sankt Pauli
United4Rescue - Gemeinsam retten e.V.
Verband deutsch syrischer Hilfsvereine e.V.
VVN-BdA e.V. Vereinigung der Verfolgten des Naziregimes - Bund der Antifaschistinnen und Antifaschisten
VVN-BdAN e.V. Vereinigung der Verfolgten des Naziregimes - Bund der Antifaschistinnen und Antifaschisten Landesorganisation Hamburg
Walk Off Shame Europe
Was jetzt e.V.
Watch the Med - Alarm Phone
WISH - Lesvos
WISH-No Borders
Wohn- und Kulturprojekt SWK Mannheim
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom Germany
Women’s Rights Foundation Malta
Yoga and Sport with Refugees