EU Accused of Abandoning Migrants to the Sea with Shift to Drone Surveillance
Recently, the EU has faced accusations of watching migrants die in the Mediterranean Sea. European Border and Coast Guard Agency have put in place technology that observes migrants from afar and refrain from their responsibility to help those in distress. The agency prevents asylum seekers from crossing the Aegean Sea. However, the agency has denied these accusations and claims there is no evidence for the same. The technology developed by EU policymakers comes up as one that is put in place to watch people die in the Mediterranean Sea and not extend a helping hand. However, the EU has maintained that air surveillance intends to save lives. A group of rescue NGO has noted that European air activities have facilitated to the capturing of thousands of people by the Libyan coastguards after EU completes its coastal patrols.
Further, the NGO continues to point out that the European continue to make air surveillance and keep the Libyan coastguards informed whenever a migrant boat leaves Libyan shores. As such, they pass the information to the Libyan coastguard who goes ahead to make arrests. Criticisms have come about against the relationship between EU and Libya coastguards due to the accusations of trafficking. The cooperation between these two comes up as unfit as it has led to the deaths of many people.
Every country needs to protect its borders; however, allowing people to drown while watching will not be a solution in preventing asylum-seekers from running away from Libya. The fact that the coastguards tend as these migrants scream for help is wanting and requires condemnation by all means. It has become essential for EU amongst other organizations to hold discussions concerning asylum-seeker migrants and their well-being. The coastguards at the Mediterranean sea not only violate human rights through torture and violence; they also create obstacles towards rescue operations. As such, the human rights bodies need to find a lasting solution to this situation that has led to the loss of lives in the most diminishing way.
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EU Accused of Abandoning Migrants to the Sea with Shift to Drone Surveillance