Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Friday 29 March 2019
Rescued migrants safe in Europe after hijacking oil tanker

By STEPHEN CALLEJA or those run by humanitar-
COLLEEN BARRY ian groups filling in the void
Associated Press after member countries sig-
VALLETTA, Malta (AP) — A nificantly scaled down an
group of migrants desper- EU operation in the Medi-
ate not to go back to Libya terranean.
made it safely to Europe But the contradiction lies in
on Thursday after com- the fact that no EU mem-
mandeering the oil tanker ber considers Libya, or
that rescued them at sea any other northern African
— a drama that underlined country, to be a "safe third
contradictions in Europe's country" where migrants
migration policies and can be returned without
could discourage future fear for their well-being. The
rescues. EU also opposes the death
Both Italy and Malta initially penalty, and in extradition
refused entry to the Palau- cases generally refuses to
flagged El Hiblu 1. But Mal- send people to countries
tese armed forces inter- where they might be killed
cepted it overnight after or tortured.
confirming with the cap- Matthew Brook, the acting
tain that he was navigating representative for the U.N.
toward Europe against his refugee agency in Libya,
will. Special forces board- Armed forces stand onboard the Turkish oil tanker El Hiblu 1, which was hijacked by migrants, in told reporters in Geneva
ed it and restored control Valletta, Malta, Thursday March 28, 2019. that the conditions for
to the crew. Associated Press many migrants in govern-
The 100 migrants, including ment-run detention centers
15 women and 47 claiming on the high seas with mi- group Sea-Eye said its res- "They are doomed what- in Libya were "terrible." He
to be minors, left the tanker grants." But humanitarian cue ship, the Alan Kurdi, ever they do," she said. "This relayed an anecdote from
in a port near the Maltese groups rejected that label, was in the area of the El is extremely disturbing for some migrants that electric
capital of Valletta; five saying they were victims of Hiblu 1 when it heard radio commercial ships. The ship- shocks were administered
were handcuffed after be- "Europe's inhumane border communications between ping industry is trying to fol- to them in vats of water.
ing detained on suspicion policy," citing reports that the tanker and a Europe- low a tenant of internation- While Europe is reducing
of being the ringleaders. many migrants have been an aircraft monitoring the al law, which is rescue. ... its own rescue mission, Italy
Italy's hard-line interior min- mistreated, raped and tor- seas. But if you are a commercial and Malta have refused to
ister called the hijacking tured in Libya. The aircraft asked the tank- ship on tight deadlines and accept aid group rescue
the "the first act of piracy The German humanitarian er to respond to two rub- you need to deliver goods, ships in their ports. That has
ber boats, saying that the it is an impossible situation." led to offshore standoffs
people on board were "in The International Chamber with boats loaded with mi-
mortal danger" and that of Shipping based in Lon- grants, often weak from
the Libyan coast guard don expressed concern their journey and mistreat-
was "out of service." After about the incident and ment in Libya, while EU na-
the rescue, the captain said it would raise the issue tions haggle over their fate.
reported to the aircraft with the U.N. International Many humanitarian groups
that the migrants "are very Maritime Organization. have stopped taking part
upset and do not want to "If a ship is directed to dis- in rescues; in fact only the
be brought back to Libya." embark rescued people in Alan Kurdi is currently ac-
However, the captain said Libya, it creates a poten- tive in the central Mediter-
the Libyan capital of Tripoli tial for conflict between ranean. Doctors Without
was the tanker's destina- the crew and desperate Borders suspended their
tion. and frustrated people that operation in December
Sea-Eye spokeswoman might object to being re- due to port closures, ad-
Carlotta Weibl said that turned," ICS secretary-gen- ministrative pressure on
they don't have exact in- eral Guy Platten said in a Panama to pull its flag, and
formation of what hap- statement. He added that containment measures
pened aboard the El Hiblu civilian merchant seafarers meaning that fewer mi-
1, but that "we don't see it "can be severely affected grants were making it past
as piracy because those by the traumatic situations the Libyan coast guard.
people were claiming their they have to face, having The policies have had the
right. It was completely ille- complied with their legal effect desired by populist
gal for a European plane to and humanitarian obliga- leaders like Italian Interior
send them back to Libya." tion to come to the rescue Minister Matteo Salvini. Mi-
Migrants have long report- of anyone found in distress grant arrivals in Italy were
ed that commercial ships at sea." down dramatically last
either ignore smugglers' The European Union has year to 23,370 from nearly
boats in distress, or merely been training the Libyan 120,000 a year earlier, ac-
stop to give them water, coast guard in the hope cording to Interior Ministry
said Hassiba Hadj-Sahraoui, that it will prevent migrants figures. Deaths at sea also
humanitarian affairs advis- from entering international sank to the lowest levels in
er with Doctors Without Bor- waters, where they have five years, 2,299, according
ders. Similar incidents could routinely been rescued, ei- to the International Organi-
accelerate the trend. ther by commercial ships zation for Migration.q