AYS News Digest 11/10/23: How will the EU Pact impact people’s lives
The UK government’s latest attempt to ram the Rwanda deal through the UK Supreme Court // Sea Watch is taking Frontex to court over alleged human rights violations in the Central Mediterranean // Updates from search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean & other news
FEATURE
La Cimade explains how the European Pact on Migration and Asylum will impact the lives of refugees and people on the move, and normalise the illegal and violent practices denounced for years
“The proposed measures are in line with already well-tested logic, based on a repressive and security approach at the service of the containment and expulsion of people in migration and to the detriment of a reception policy that seeks to guarantee and protect dignity and fundamental rights.”
Trilogues are currently underway between the Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU on many of the texts proposed in the EU Pact:
- EU Justice and Home Affairs Council: 19–20 October and 4–5 December 2023
- European Parliament’s Committee on Freedoms, Justice and Home Affairs: 19–20, 25–26 October; 13, 27–28 November and 4 December 2023
La Cimade calls for a radical change in migration policies: It is time to engage in a resolutely constructive approach for a Europe that encourages solidarity, based on the protection of human rights and human dignity in order to ensure the protection of people and not their exclusion.
- Genuine international cooperation with non-European states, on an equal footing, based on mutual interests
- Establishment of a dignified and protective welcome at our borders
- Rescuing and protecting people in distress at sea
- An end to restrictions on the fundamental rights of migrants and EU citizens at internal borders
- A genuine policy for the reception of people seeking protection in Europe
Find out more and go deeper into explanations and concrete steps of each of these proposals here.
SEARCH AND RESCUE AT SEA
- Sea Watch 5 has left Flensburg after a major refit to convert her for civil fleet SAR duties, and is currently en route for Burriana
- Crew call from Sea Punks for an Italian-speaking Logistics Co-ordinator for forthcoming shipyard time
- Louise Michel update:
- Aita Mari is getting ready for their 11th mission
Sea Watch is taking Frontex to court over alleged human rights violations in the Central Mediterranean
Sea-Watch refers to the case of a pullback on 30 July 2021, violating international law, which was witnessed by the Seabird monitoring aircraft and the Sea-Watch 3 rescue ship. Within the Maltese search and rescue zone, a boat in distress with about 20 people on board was intercepted by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard and pulled back to Libya. As the non-governmental organizations Human Rights Watch and Border Forensics pointed out, it must be assumed that Frontex facilitated this illegal interception.
A call from the families of those who lost their lives in the Pylos disaster earlier this year to mount a deep sea salvage operation to recover their mortal remains.
Lawyers of the survivors and families of the missing have filed a request, on 6 July at the Kalamata Court of First Instance, to lift the fishing vessel Adriana and recover the bodies.
Weekly report by Aegean Boat Report
The number of people trying to cross from Turkey to Greece has slowed down compared with the two previous weeks, but the numbers are still very high. Pushbacks continue in an alarming rate and the use of life rafts as a tool of illegal deportation is back in play.
This week, 144 boats carrying almost 4,300 people have tried to reach the Greek islands, 59 boats made the trip and 1,574 people were officially registered on the Greek islands. We have registered 35 pushback cases on the Aegean Sea this week, involving 1,128 men, women and children.
In 13 of these pushback cases Greek authorities used life rafts as a tool of illegal deportation, 431 people were left helplessly drifting on 22 life rafts on the Aegean Sea. Of the 95 boats that managed to cross over into Greek waters, Greek authorities managed to stop and illegally push back 35 of them, 62% made it through and arrived on the Greek islands, a total of 1,574 men, women and children arrived safely on the Greek islands this week.
Of all the boats that started out from Turkey towards the Greek Aegean islands, only 41% succeed. For more detailed statistics go to http://aegeanboatreport.com. / ABR Statistics.
ITALY
The Maldusa Project held a public event on Wednesday in central Lampedusa to commemorate the 260 lives lost precisely 10 years ago.
On the decision by a Catania court to challenge the accelerated expulsion process for displaced persons incarcerated in the purpose-built Pozzallo deletion centre.
UK
The latest attempt to ram the Rwanda deal through the UK Supreme Court
On the UK Home Office’s ‘No Recourse To Public Funds’ (NRPF) policy
NRPF denies any public funds to displaced persons, who are subject to taxation but excluded from any elements of the remaining social safety net. Another NRPF case was subjected to a judicial review and found to be unlawful. NRPF is another element of the ‘Hostile Environment’ that is just plain wrong and fairly easy to challenge, UK NGO Right To Remain says.
Here is their Judicial review of NRPF condition successful
WORTH READING
- German NGOs Brot für Die Welt and Misereor have released a timely joint study of Tunisia’s role as Europe’s Gatekeeper:
- Latest episode of ‘The Civil Fleet’ podcast has dropped, featuring Mediterranea: Saving Humans and their story of official harassment of their vessel Mare Ionio:
Find daily updates and special reports on our Medium page.
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