Deaths in the Mediterranean: the European Council’s dishonour

Brussels, 24 April 2015

23 April 2015 was a terrible day: the European Council, that was at last to “take action” as regards a “tragic” situation in the Mediterranean, merely attempted to shelter the European Union and its Member States from migrants by toughening border protection.

The European Union Heads of Government, who met with great ado, had but one message for those thousands of human beings – men, women and children – who risk death and often find it, attempting to reach a place to rebuild their lives. That message was: “Security!” They did not seek to put an end to the race to the bottom between Member States to take as few migrants as possible after rejecting all the others. As for the word “welcome”, it does not form part of the vocabulary of the Heads of Government

Combating emigration with the support of third countries, deportation, refoulement and detention in specialised centres and criminalization of entry are just part of what survivors experience when they have finished counting their dead. In taking these shameful measures, the European Council turns its back on its responsibility, adding its own dishonour to the ranks of the dead.

The associations and organizations across Europe that defend the rights of all to live somewhere in safety cannot accept such a position, and in the coming weeks will decide how to oppose this deadly policy.

Signatories:

Action Luxembourg Ouvert et Solidaire – Ligue des Droits de l’Homme (ALOS - LDH)
AEDH
Alternatives Européennes
APDHA
ARCI
ASTI
Borderline Europe
Ciré
CNAPD
CNCD 11.11.11
CRID
Emmaüs Europe
Emmaüs international
Enda Europe
European Federation of National Organisations Working with Homeless People FEANTASA
FASTI
FIDH
FNARS - Agir pour la Solidarité
Fondation Danielle Mitterrand
France Amérique latine
Frontiers Ruwad
GISTI
IDHC
Ihmisoikeusliitto - Ligue finlandaise des Droits de l’Homme (FLHR)
Internationale Liga für Menschenrechte
IPAM
FEANTSA
KISA
La Cimade
Le Monde selon les femmes asbl
Lega Italiana Dei Diritti Dell’ Uomo - LIDU
Liga voor de Rechten van de Mens
Liga portuguesa dos Direitos Humanos - Civitas
Ligue des droits de l’Homme – Belgique (LDH)
Ligue des droits de l’Homme – France (LDH)
Malta Association of Human Rights (MAHR)
Médecins du Monde (MdM)
Movimiento Migrante Mesoamericano - Mexique
Montgolfière, Association d’aide aux demandeurs d’asile
Migreurop
Organisation pour une citoyenneté universelle - OCU
Plate-forme Migrants et Citoyenneté européenne - PMC
Réseau euro-méditerranéen des droits de l’homme - REMDH
Syndicat des avocats de France - SAF
Syndicat de la Magistrature

P.S.

Contacts:
Dominique Guibert, chairman
Catherine Teule, vice-chairwoman
AEDH, European Association for the Defence of Human Rights
33, rue de la Caserne. B-1000 Bruxelles
Tél : +32(0)25112100 Fax : +32(0)25113200 Email : info@aedh.eu
Tél : +32(0)25112100 Fax : +32(0)25113200 Email : info@aedh.eu