MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st February, 2020) The European Union's new naval mission to monitor violations of a UN imposed arms embargo on Libya, which will be concentrated off the eastern coast of the North African country and far from the traditional routes taken by migrant vessels, is a conscious choice not to save the lives of those seeking to reach Europe, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Head of Mission in Libya Michael Fark told Sputnik.
On Monday, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell announced the start of a new operation off the eastern coast of Libya to monitor violations of a UN arms embargo imposed on the North African country. The new mission will replace Operation Sophia, the EU's anti-smuggling mission in the region.
"We know that efforts are needed ... However, the conscious choice to shift the mission many miles east of where rescues need to take place means lives are unlikely to be saved. When boats get into distress, it is a matter of minutes to save people. We cannot do this alone. We urgently need to see EU search and rescue capacity at sea," Fark stated.
Operation Sophia was essentially concluded prior to Borrell's recent announcement after Italian ports in 2019 began refusing to give migrants permission to disembark. However, vessels carrying migrants continue to attempt to traverse the Mediterranean Sea, and the MSF head of mission cited the continued operations of humanitarian organizations in the region to save migrant lives.
"Ocean Viking operated by MSF in partnership with SOS Mediterranee has rescued 274 people, from three boats in distress in less than 48 hours. The resumption of naval and aerial activity to provide assets able to conduct search and rescue operations in the area would be welcome," the mission head stated.
Given the persistence of migrant vessels attempting to make the crossing from North Africa to Italy, Fark criticized the EU's decision to bring its anti-smuggling operation to an end, which he said was indicative of the union tightening its borders.
"The decision by EU foreign ministers to end Operation Sophia is reckless and irresponsible. It is the continuation of a disturbing trend in which surveillance and border control take precedence over people's lives. Meanwhile, thousands of vulnerable people are routinely intercepted by the EU-funded Libyan coast guard and forcibly returned to Libya, in violation of international law," he remarked.
The MSF mission chief also stated that the EU needs to establish a full-scale government-sponsored search and rescue operation, as well as clear disembarkation rules.
"What is needed is adequate state-run search and rescue capacity. The EU also needs to urgently agree on coordinated disembarkation system for people - one that gives people fleeing conflict, violence, and poverty a chance to apply for asylum," Fark said.
While recognizing the shift in focus to monitoring the arms embargo, Borrell on Monday stated that the EU would continue to monitor migrant flows, on the request of certain member states, and would still have a duty to rescue migrants should they encounter any vessels in distress.
However, the EU's top diplomat also stated that maritime assets could be withdrawn from the new EU mission in the event of what he called a "pull effect", wherein the hope of rescue would encourage more migrants to take dangerous by-sea migration routes, or an uptick in vessels carrying migrants. The EU is also devoting aerial and satellite assets to enforce the arms embargo.
Libya has become a hub of migrant activity in recent years. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, roughly 90 percent of people who attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe depart from Libya.
The journey is extremely perilous and ships often capsize during the crossing. Between 2014 and October 2019, 15,750 migrants either died or disappeared while attempting to reach Italy from North Africa, according to data collected by the International Organization for Migration.
More than 50,000 migrants were rescued by the EU during Operation Sophia's lifespan. The order to use naval vessels to save migrants at sea was introduced in 2015 amid a surge in vessels attempting to reach Europe.�
