Jade Wilson visited the Italian island of Lampedusa, the first destination in Europe of many migrants fleeing war, persecution and poverty from a range of countries. Arriving from Libya and Tunisia, they make the crossing on overcrowded unsafe boats, often facilitated by mercenary and unscrupulous people traffickers.
Nearly 26,000 people have died or gone missing while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea since 2014.
New laws passed by Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s government now require rescue ships – often charities and NGOs on life-saving rescue missions as overloaded boats sink – to request access to a port and sail to it “without delay” after a single rescue, rather than remain at sea to look for more migrant boats in distress.
The “reception centre” on the island is dangerous and prison-like but migrants have reported that their greatest fear when adrift at sea is being rescued and brought to Libya and the reception centres there.
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Sally Hayden examines the final report by the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya, which was requested by the UN Human Rights Council. It found a litany of crimes committed against migrants and multiple human rights abuses.
It believes that the European Union and its member states, directly or indirectly, provided monetary and technical support and equipment, such as boats, to the Libyan coast guard used in the interception and detention of migrants.
So as Hayden reiterates here – as she did in her book, My Fourth Time, We Drowned – this is being done with the knowledge and support of the EU. Presenter: Bernice Harrison. Producer: Declan Conlon.
