Another Ship Wrecked in the Mediterranean

We are shocked and saddened to hear of yet another shipwreck in the Mediterranean this week.

These people are forced to leave their countries and face this perilous journey out of sheer desperation. They are fleeing for their lives and this is a last resort, no amount of closing borders is going to discourage people from crossing. They have no other choice.

We echo Human Rights Watch plea..

We ‘call on all EU countries to make a collective effort to minimize deaths at seas by ensuring sustained, coordinated search and rescue efforts in the Mediterranean at the level of Italy’s Mare Nostrum operation, and ensure disembarkation in safe EU ports where individuals can access full and fair asylum procedures. We also call on EU leaders to support proposals to increase safe and legal channels into the EU, including by implementing generous resettlement programs, easing access to family reunification, and increasing the number of humanitarian visas. The best interests of the child should guide all policies with respect to asylum-seeking, refugee, and migrant children’. (Source)

This is the only way we can prevent this terrible human suffering. This cannot go on!