Alarmphone | 03.05.2018
+++ 587 Deaths at Sea in 2018 +++ Alarm Phone Actions and Campaigns +++ Situation in the Western Mediterranean, Central Mediterranean, and Aegean Sea +++ Summaries of 40 Alarm Phone distress cases
NTRODUCTION
Over the past six weeks, the period of time covered in this report, we have once again witnessed devastating violence in the Mediterranean. Dozens have drowned and many have gone missing. Hundreds were returned to places they tried to escape from, back into conditions of suffering. We are nearing 600 deaths this year, while the overall number of arrivals has dramatically decreased. In the meantime, the criminalisation of non-governmental rescuers continues. In the overview of the different Mediterranean regions, we will elaborate in some greater detail on these disheartening processes of deterrence, forcible return, and criminalisation. This first part will begin, however, with the political campaigns that the Alarm Phone has been involved in over the past six weeks, showing that Europe will not be allowed to foster its murderous regime without contestation.
Migrant boats still reach Europe. Over the past six weeks, the Alarm Phone has engaged in 40 emergency cases, all of which took place in the Western and Eastern Mediterranean – with 9 cases coming from Morocco and 31 from Turkey. This is not surprising if we look at the overall numbers – with over 2,900 people arriving on the Aegean islands only in April, we have the highest figure per month so far this year, and with over 4,300 arrivals to Spain this year, sea-migration continuous in relatively high numbers also in the Western Mediterranean. Besides supporting travellers at sea through our 24/7 emergency hotline, we have engaged in several political campaigns and actions.
Weiterlesen »