Page 9 - ARUBA TODAY

A9
WORLD NEWS Thursday 7 sepTember 2017

Catalonia officially sets independence vote for Oct. 1

go beyond the rights of referendum law came af-
citizens don’t have a place ter more than 11 hours of
in today’s Europe,” Puig- heated debate.
demont said. “Catalonia The support of 72 pro-in-
belongs to this world that dependence lawmakers
looks forward, and that’s was enough to pass the
why it will decide its own fu- measure, but 52 opposi-
ture on the 1st of October.” tion members of parlia-
A central government of- ment walked out in protest
ficial told The Associated before the voting started.
Press that Spanish Prime Eleven lawmakers ab-
Minister Mariano Rajoy has stained from voting.
urged the country’s top The parliamentary debate
legal consultative body to in Barcelona saw tensions
review the bill. The official flare when the regional
said Madrid is expected to body’s top speaker, Carme
challenge the law in the Forcadell, announced that
country’s Constitutional a vote on the bill would pro-
Court on Thursday. The ceed before the legislation
source asked not to be had undergone the cus-
named in line with internal tomary legal vetting. The
protocols.Catalonia’s re- vote had not appeared on
newed push for secession the day’s agenda until the
has opened one of Spain’s very last minute.
Catalonia regional President Carles Puigdemont, right, applauds next to vice-president deepest political and in- Spain’s public prosecutor
Oriol Junqueras, left, after the voting during a plenary session at the Parliament of Cata- stitutional crises of recent announced it was ready-
lonia in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017. years. Although much of ing legal paperwork to sue
(AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) the blame has been put the speakers, including For-
By ARITZ PARRA drid. The referendum clashes on the pro-independence cadell, for disobeying pre-
Associated Press Regional President Carles with the Spanish Constitu- bloc in the regional parlia- vious Constitutional Court
MADRID (AP) — Voters in Puigdemont signed a de- tion, which only gives na- ment, Rajoy’s conservative orders and for abusing
Spain’s prosperous Catalo- cree that officially calls for tional authorities the right to government has been criti- power.Ines Arrimadas, the
nia region will be asked to a “self-determination ref- call such a vote. But Cata- cized for letting the situa- leader of Ciudadanos (Citi-
choose in less than a month erendum of Catalonia” to lonia’s pro-independence tion get this far. zens) —the main opposition
if they want to secede be held on Oct. 1. His en- lawmakers approved a bill Puigdemont’s government party in Catalonia— also
from Spain, the region’s tire cabinet, which includes earlier Wednesday that is claims it has a democratic announced that she would
pro-independence ruling politicians from various meant to provide a legal mandate to seek a bind- seek parliamentary support
government announced pro-independence parties, justification for the inde- ing independence referen- for a no-confidence vote
Wednesday in a move that also approved the docu- pendence vote. dum based on the universal against Puigdemont in an
puts it in open defiance of ment to dilute responsibility “The concept of a state right to self-determination. effort to force new regional
central authorities in Ma- in case of prosecution. and patriotic unities that However, approval for the elections.q
Migrants still risking Mediterranean’s perils as rescues dip

By BRAM JANSSEN day from several flimsy told The Associated Press. helicopter to Italy, where grants were rescued on
Associated Press dinghies that human smug- “It was really hard because Yeboha hopes to re-join the Libya-Italy sea route
ABOARD THE OPEN ARMS glers had launched from we thought she was dying them.European Union na- this year, compared to the
(AP) — While the number Libya’s shores. but, finally and luckily, she’s tions have expressed relief 121,385 taken off smug-
of Europe-bound migrants Among them was a alive and beautiful.” at the falling number of mi- gler’s boats during the
rescued on the main Medi- 9-months’ pregnant wom- The mother, whose name grants rescued at sea this same period of 2016, ac-
terranean Sea route has an from Ghana who ended is Peace, cradled her new- summer compared to a cording to the United Na-
dropped off dramatically up giving birth to a daugh- born while her husband year earlier. Many of the mi- tions migration agency.
this summer, hundreds are ter aboard the Open Arms praised God. grants are fleeing poverty Much of the fall-off hap-
still risking their lives in hopes as it patrolled some 25 miles “God is great. I believe in and not eligible for asylum. pened in August, which
of reaching Italy — and still north of the Libyan coastal God,” Simon Yeboha said. Italy, which has received is when Italy insisted that
being plucked to safety. town of Al Khums. “Only God can do this, hundreds of thousands of groups that wanted to
The rescue vessel run “She started to labor. Af- there is no one like him.” rescued migrants in the last bring rescue boats to Italian
by Spanish humanitar- ter 10 minutes’ labor the Mother and child were few years, in particular has ports needed to adhere to
ian group ProActiva Open baby was born, but there transferred to an Italian na- struggled to care for the strict rules that included not
Arms picked up more than was no crying,” rescue vol- val vessel for medical treat- newcomers. venturing into Libyan terri-
200 migrants on Wednes- unteer Francisco Gentico ment and then taken by As of Sept. 3, 99,846 mi- torial waters. q