This is urgent: 121 people, including 32 children, are stranded at sea. Malta and Italy, the nearest countries, have refused to let them dock.
After 8 days at sea in the sweltering heat, the conditions on the boat are becoming unbearable. The Spanish organisation, Open Arms, who owns the ship has issued a desperate call to European leaders to let them dock - they’re quickly running out of fuel and supplies. [1]
Let’s stand in solidarity with them and show our leaders that Europe’s arms are open:
Europe’s migration system is broken - it has failed to bring justice to the Mediterranean, leaving it a graveyard for those seeking safety. And when NGOs and activists have tried to intervene, offering a lifeline to those in need, they’ve been blocked at every turn. [2]
Just this week, Italy passed a law that threatens captains of rescue vessels with fines of up to €1 million if they enter ports without permission - and when it comes to it, permission is hardly granted. [3]
But Europe is more than its leaders - every time politicians fail, people across this continent stand up and extend their arms. Our solidarity has brought hundreds of people to safety before, now let’s do it again:
Shortly after we and movements like ours stood with Carola Rackete, the heroic Sea-Watch 3 captain who rescued 40 refugees was arrested in Italy, she was freed. [4] This is what our voices united can do! Together we're powerful.
In solidarity,
Fatima (London), Olga (Bologna), Virginia (Madrid), and the WeMove Europe team
P.S Right now four Spanish regions – Extremadura, Valencia, the Basque Country and Catalonia – have offered to receive the migrants. [5] But without a European-wide call of support, there’s a risk they’ll be ignored. Stand in solidarity with them now.
References:
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/08/european-leaders-help-migrant-rescue-ship-open-arms
[2] https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/european-countries-should-face-legal-consequences-for-criminalising-migrant-solidarity-says-new-report/
[3] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/08/06/italy-fine-migrant-rescue-boats-1-million-tough-salvini-law/
[4] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/08/european-leaders-help-migrant-rescue-ship-open-arms
[5] YouMove petition: https://you.wemove.eu/campaigns/for-justice-and-solidarity-free-carola-rackete-and-pia-klemp Carola Free https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/02/world/europe/sea-watch-captain-italy.html
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