The Mediterranean sea is constantly bloody. People who die in the sea are the ones who have to choose between a certain death and a little hope of life because of the long crossing of the sea in inhuman conditions. They choose the second option. The tragedies in the last days are particularly dramatic given the international tension and the deteriorating of the Libyan situation.
Victims in the Mediterranean, Mare Nostrum and Triton data
The numbers are tragic: between 1988 and September 2014, 21,344 people died in the Mediterranean sea. While between 2011 and 2012, two thousand people died and in 2013 six hundred of them. However these numbers account only for the bodies found and identified. But the number of missing people is certainly bigger. According to Amnesty International data in 2014, by September, 2,500 people died, 2,200 only in early June.
Triton impacts
Mare Nostrum was an instrument supported by the Italian Government and its cost has been around 9.5 million euro per month. While Triton costs much less, around 3 million euro, and it is part of Frontex budget, the Agency of control of external borders. But it does not have the same purposes of Mare Nostrum. Since the beginning of 2015, 58 disembarkations have been registered, 6,176 migrants and other 200 thousand are ready to reach the Italian costs. The percentage of victims since Mare Nostrum ended are around 60% “The numbers- the Meps Toia, Kyenge, Schlein and Costa said- show that the estimated effect of pull-out of Mare Nostrum intended by Frontex and the Ministry of Interior, never took place. In realty victims occur. Since the beginning we denounced the Triton inappropriateness. It does not have enough instruments and a clear mandate of Search & Rescue, it is allowed to go only until 30 miles beyond the Italian waters, compared with 172 miles of Mare Nostrum. The problem cannot be solved by retreating in the intervention. Given that, Europe is missing its juridical and moral roles”.
Mare Nostrum since October 2013 saved 138,866 people. But that still was not enough. “Triton – said Martin Schulz, European Parliament President- must be improved to achieve the level of Mare Nostrum, that it was still not sufficient”. There is a lack, as also the President of European Parliament noted, of a single and global migration policy in Europe.
Frontex, Italy made too many interventions out of the competent area
Frontex recently said that Italy organized too many interventions to save migrants out of Triton role, in particular the Italian coastguard. The Italian coastguard in the last days has been threatened by armed groups when it got close the Libyan costs to save migrants. They forced coastguard personal to leave the boat of the criminals who organize the migrants trips. Indeed Klaus Roesler, Director of Frontex, mentioned that the rescues organized by Italy to try to save human lives as not useful and expensive.
“The humanitarian crisis that sparked the need for Mare Nostrum has not disappeared. With people continuing to flee war and persecution, EU member states must stop burying their heads in the sand whilst hundreds keep dying at sea” said John Dalhuisen, Europe and Central Asia Programme Director at Amnesty International.
