english below
Quelle: http://www.proasyl.de/de/presse/detail/news/
Presseerklärung
Tod im Schlepptau der griechischen Küstenwache
12 Flüchtlinge sterben während mutmaßlicher Push-Back-Operation
PRO ASYL fordert internationale Untersuchung
Vor der griechischen Insel Farmakonisi starben in der Nacht zum 21. Januar 12 Flüchtlinge, als die griechische Küstenwache versuchte, ihr Boot zurück zur türkischen Küste zu schleppen. Dies berichteten die Überlebenden gegenüber dem UNHCR.
Das Fischerboot mit 28 Menschen aus Afghanistan und Syrien an Board kenterte nahe der Insel Farmakonisi im Schlepptau eines griechischen Küstenwacheschiffes. Unter den 12 Toten sind Medienangaben zufolge vor allem Kinder und Babys. Die 16 Überlenden wurden auf die Insel Leros gebracht, wo Mitarbeiter des UNHCR sie gestern befragten. Den Überlebenden zufolge habe das Schiff der Küstenwache ihr Boot in Schlepptau genommen und sei dann bei stürmischer See mit hoher Geschwindigkeit in Richtung türkische Küste gerast. Bevor ihr Boot kenterte hätten die Flüchtlinge in Panik um Hilfe geschrien und auf die an Board befindlichen Kinder hingewiesen.
Die griechischen Behörden sprechen dagegen von einer Rettungsaktion. Man habe das Flüchtlingsschiff in Schlepptau genommen, um die Menschen nach Farmakonisi zu bringen. Währenddessen hätten sich die Flüchtlinge auf einer Seite versammelt, deshalb sei das Boat gekippt. Diese Version steht in krassem Gegensatz zu den Berichten der Überlebenden.
„Dieser Aktion der griechischen Küstenwache war mit höchster Wahrscheinlichkeit keine Rettungsaktion, sondern eine Push-Back-Operation“, so Karl Kopp, Europareferent von PRO ASYL. Offenbar mussten diese zwölf Flüchtlingen sterben, weil die griechische Küstenwache unverändert an ihrer menschenverachtenden Praktik der Zurückweisung von Flüchtlingsbooten festhält. Der PRO ASYL-Bericht „Pushed back“ vom 7. November 2013 hat zahlreiche solcher Fälle lebensgefährdender Operationen der griechischen Küstenwache – darunter auch Fälle im Einsatzgebiet um Farmakonisi – minutiös beschrieben.
Der tödliche Einsatz der Küstenwache muss schnell und lückenlos aufgeklärt werden. Pro Asyl fordert die Einleitung eines Strafverfahrens in Griechenland. Angesichts der bisherigen Untätigkeit der griechischen Behörden bei der Aufklärung zu den systematischen Zurückweisungen in der Ägäis fordert PRO ASYL eine unabhängige internationale Untersuchungskommission. „Es stellt sich zudem die Frage, wie lange die Europäische Kommission diesen Menschenverstößen noch tatenlos zusehen will“, so Kopp. Die Kommission muss darlegen, was sie zu tun gedenkt, damit Griechenland die menschenrechtwidrigen Praktiken der Zurückweisung von Schutzsuchenden endlich beendet.
Völkerrechtswidrige Push Backs – europäische Komplizenschaft
http://infomobile.w2eu.net/2014/01/22
Greek Coast Guard drowned refugees near Farmakonisi during push-back attempt
Translator: Eleni Nicolaou
Eyewitnesses accuse the Greek Coast Guard of drowning migrants off the coast of the island of Farmakonisi on January 20th, 2013. 9 children and 3 women died!
As UNHCR reports: “According to survivors’ testimonies, the Coast Guard boat towing their vessel was heading, at high speed, towards the Turkish coast, when the tragic incident happened amid rough seas. The same witnesses said people were screaming for help, since there was a large number of children on the boat”.
International organisations have condemned, several times, the refoulement policy against migrants entering Greece without papers.
Video showing how the survivors arrive with coast guard escort while being in a devastated state
UNHCR has requested explanations in the past from the Greek authorities about the mysterious “disappearance” of dozens of migrants by the Greek police, under circumstances that caused an international outcry against the Greek government.
In other cases, residents of peripheral islands have denounced that migrants surrendering to the port authorities, in order to be transferred to reception centres, never arrive there.
The full announcement of the UNHCR:
“UNHCR expresses its concern for the continued loss of human lives at sea, on the occasion of the incident in Farmakonisi.
A fishing boat with 28 people onboard (25 Afghans and 3 Syrians), including many women and children, was overturned and sank in the early hours of Monday, Jan. 21, 2014, in the sea area of Farmakonisi. 16 of those on board were collected by the Coast Guard. A woman and a 5 year old child were found dead near the Turkish coast, while 10 more people (2 women and 8 infants and young children) are missing.
A UNHCR team went on Tuesday, Jan. 22, to the island of Leros, where the survivors had been transferred by the Coast Guard, and talked with them as well as the Port Authority.
According to information from the Port Authority, the boat had been detected by the Coast Guard at midnight, Sunday, January 20, immobilised and without navigation lights and, taking into account the situation and the bad weather conditions, a salvage operation was launched to tow it towards Farmakonisi. During the operation, a large number of those on board were gathered on one side of the boat, which resulted in its overturn and sinking.
However, according to survivors’ testimonies, the Coast Guard boat towing their vessel was heading, at high speed, towards the Turkish coast, when the tragic incident happened amid rough seas. The same witnesses said people were screaming for help, since there was a large number of children on the boat.
“UNHCR urges the authorities to investigate the circumstances under which the incident occurred, and how lives were lost in a boat under towing”, Laurens Jolles, Regional Representative of the High Commissioner for Southern Europe, said.
The UN Organisation for Refugees has made an appeal to European and other countries’ governments to work together in order to reduce casualties, when dangerous passages in the Mediterranean and other key maritime borders are followed.
The Organisation notes the need for further strengthening of the rescue operations at sea, and the creation of channels for legal migration so that dangerous, irregular movements are avoided.
UNHCR Greece, 21st January 2013 (in greek)
respective press release by Pro Asyl (in german)
The practice of push-backs by the Greek Coast Guard in the Aegean Sea with mentioning also examples near Farmakonisi was recentlydocumented in a very detailed report by Pro Asyl:
http://www.proasyl.de/fileadmin/fm-dam/l_EU_Fluechtlingspolitik/pushed_back_web_01.pdf
The Greek State and the EU continue to kill migrants
As UNHCR reports, in the Farmakonisi tragedy the day before yesterday 16 from the 28 passengers (25 Afghans, 3 Syrians) of the small fishing boat were saved, a woman and a 5 year old child were found dead whilst 2 women as well as 8 babies and small children are still missing.
The survivors told the UNHCR that at the time of the boat’s capsizing the Greek coast guard towed the vessel through high waves and with high speed back towards the Turkish coast. The people cried and shouted for help since there were so many children on board. But the coast guard didn’t pay any attention.
Obviously this is another case in the series of murderous push-backs that the Greek coast guard is carrying out on a daily basis and with the support of the EU/FRONTEX.
Now that Greece has the EU-presidency it is a good time to condemn these practices and to underline the fact that Greece and the EU have transformed the straits between the Turkish Coast and the (Greek) East Aegean Islands into „killing waters“.
related article in Greek: