The Eritrean priest Zerai Moses, director of the NGO Habeshia that the April 14 reported the disappearance of the small boat that was carrying 72 immigrants that NATO was left to die of thirst and hunger, according to The Guardian, is in Malta visiting the nearly 600 Somali refugees, Ethiopians and Eritreans who have come to the small Mediterranean island fleeing the war in Libya.
By phone, the priest explains to the country that NATO forces have "made a clear case of failure to provide assistance," and says "it is urgent that the European Union and NATO to make a serious and transparent investigation to determine responsibilities ". "The survivors have been told that the helicopter threw water and cookies and then did not send more help," explains Zerai.
"The French aircraft carrier was to 400 feet away but did nothing, while the refugees were crossing other military vessels also acted. NATO needs to clarify whether the alarm was thrown or not the Italian and Maltese maritime authorities to meet who is responsible, find out who knew where the dinghy and why no one paid help.
" "We hope it is just a case of negligence, because if the decision was made deliberately from above would be even more serious," says Zerai. "NATO and Europe should provide a transparent. We need clear and fair," he adds. More than a thousand dead The tragedy of 72 African refugees is not far from the only case since the revolt erupted in Benghazi.
Habeshia director says that in three months "have died and more than 1,000 people, mostly Somalis and Ethiopians, trying to reach European shores by sea." The figure includes the latest wreck, a barge was carrying about 600 immigrants from the Libyan coast, on Friday. There were only 130 survivors.
Zerai in mind for "the first ship set sail from Libya after the start of the blockade on 22 March. Iban 335 people on board, and some relatives sounded the alarm. We believe that failed to stop Libyan waters, but 15 days later another 200 bodies on the coast, and some of them, witnesses have said, had gunshot wounds.
" An Italian MEP European Parliament has requested the opening of an inquiry commission. "All we know is that 200 bodies were buried at full speed and that 130 people disappeared," says Zerai. The thousands of Eritreans, Ethiopians and Somalis who were in Libya when the revolution broke out, that figure Zerai 6,500 people, are the forgotten war in Libya.
Their plight, many of whom were evicted from their homes because their landlords were confused with mercenaries, was denounced by the Archbishop of Tripoli, Giovanni Martinelli, at the request of Zerai, even before they started the NATO bombing. "We ask the EU to help to evacuate, but only 110 people transported to Italy," recalls Zerai.
"The rest did nothing. By some fled to Tunisia and Egypt, and the rest have tried to escape by sea. If the EU had heard the call for help, those more than 1,000 people, many of them children and women were now refugees in various countries. " "The EU has acted in bad shape," said the African priest.
"It has managed the riots, or help people in their demands for democracy and liberty, or give a decent reception of refugees. I do not know if it's inability or lack of political will, but the fact is that victims attitude that refugees have been embarrassing. They see Europe as a place that respects the right of asylum.
But the EU is not up to par, and only tries to solve the problem through bilateral agreements, as if it managed to curb gangs carrying immigrants while actually reinforcing and only postpones the problem, because always looking for new routes. " The latest embarrassment is Malta. More than 400 refugees from war have been "welcomed" in an airport hangar, and 200 more are detained in detention centers.
"This seems to northern Africa, not Europe," says Zerai. "Kids are getting sick because they live between fat and rat poison. The tents are in a hangar where the heat is unbearable. Support services are totally inadequate, some women have suffered episodes of sexual violence, and people is entitled to political asylum is stuck in European funded prisons where they are denied even when walking.
This is the reality of the twenty-first century Europe. "
By phone, the priest explains to the country that NATO forces have "made a clear case of failure to provide assistance," and says "it is urgent that the European Union and NATO to make a serious and transparent investigation to determine responsibilities ". "The survivors have been told that the helicopter threw water and cookies and then did not send more help," explains Zerai.
"The French aircraft carrier was to 400 feet away but did nothing, while the refugees were crossing other military vessels also acted. NATO needs to clarify whether the alarm was thrown or not the Italian and Maltese maritime authorities to meet who is responsible, find out who knew where the dinghy and why no one paid help.
" "We hope it is just a case of negligence, because if the decision was made deliberately from above would be even more serious," says Zerai. "NATO and Europe should provide a transparent. We need clear and fair," he adds. More than a thousand dead The tragedy of 72 African refugees is not far from the only case since the revolt erupted in Benghazi.
Habeshia director says that in three months "have died and more than 1,000 people, mostly Somalis and Ethiopians, trying to reach European shores by sea." The figure includes the latest wreck, a barge was carrying about 600 immigrants from the Libyan coast, on Friday. There were only 130 survivors.
Zerai in mind for "the first ship set sail from Libya after the start of the blockade on 22 March. Iban 335 people on board, and some relatives sounded the alarm. We believe that failed to stop Libyan waters, but 15 days later another 200 bodies on the coast, and some of them, witnesses have said, had gunshot wounds.
" An Italian MEP European Parliament has requested the opening of an inquiry commission. "All we know is that 200 bodies were buried at full speed and that 130 people disappeared," says Zerai. The thousands of Eritreans, Ethiopians and Somalis who were in Libya when the revolution broke out, that figure Zerai 6,500 people, are the forgotten war in Libya.
Their plight, many of whom were evicted from their homes because their landlords were confused with mercenaries, was denounced by the Archbishop of Tripoli, Giovanni Martinelli, at the request of Zerai, even before they started the NATO bombing. "We ask the EU to help to evacuate, but only 110 people transported to Italy," recalls Zerai.
"The rest did nothing. By some fled to Tunisia and Egypt, and the rest have tried to escape by sea. If the EU had heard the call for help, those more than 1,000 people, many of them children and women were now refugees in various countries. " "The EU has acted in bad shape," said the African priest.
"It has managed the riots, or help people in their demands for democracy and liberty, or give a decent reception of refugees. I do not know if it's inability or lack of political will, but the fact is that victims attitude that refugees have been embarrassing. They see Europe as a place that respects the right of asylum.
But the EU is not up to par, and only tries to solve the problem through bilateral agreements, as if it managed to curb gangs carrying immigrants while actually reinforcing and only postpones the problem, because always looking for new routes. " The latest embarrassment is Malta. More than 400 refugees from war have been "welcomed" in an airport hangar, and 200 more are detained in detention centers.
"This seems to northern Africa, not Europe," says Zerai. "Kids are getting sick because they live between fat and rat poison. The tents are in a hangar where the heat is unbearable. Support services are totally inadequate, some women have suffered episodes of sexual violence, and people is entitled to political asylum is stuck in European funded prisons where they are denied even when walking.
This is the reality of the twenty-first century Europe. "
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