Passage to death

Migrants save, scrimp and barter what they can to get away from zones of poverty, instability or conflict. They pin their hopes on a vessel that would take them to a place where they would be safe, and where they would be able to find work and begin their lives anew. This is what potential migrants from Libya did when their boat sank recently. This is what happens with distressing frequency, almost daily, as thousands of potential migrants make their way across a perilous passage. Hundreds of men, women and children lost their lives as their boat sank and this brought an uncomfortable spotlight on to the recurring tragedy.  

Human traffickers are directly to blame for putting such passengers on rickety ships or boats, and often forcing them into holds that give them little chance of survival in case the boat sinks. There have been cases of crew abandoning the boats and leaving the hapless passengers to fend for themselves. It is easy to apportion the blame to criminals and human traffickers, but the story would be different had the European Union (EU) not cut back its presence at sea. Italy and Greece are usually the main destinations, and the major burden of patrolling the seas falls on to the coast guard of these two countries. The two countries have been pleading for wider sharing of responsibility by the EU for the resettlement and relocation of refugees, as well as support in the operations at sea, including search and rescue.

Anti-immigrant sentiments are often stridently voiced in Europe, and political leadership, at times, shirks away from taking the necessary responsibility. The Italian search-and-rescue programme, Mare Nostrum, ended in October. It had saved the lives of over 1.6 lakh immigrants. However, before budget cuts brought about its closure, the programme faced EU criticism that it was so effective that it encouraged migrants. A weaker EU programme called Triton replaced it, and has proved ineffective. The shocking death toll of the migrants is a wake-up call. The EU must do more to save the lives of those who are willing to risk death for a better life.