Europe is living through a maritime refugee crisis of historic proportions and the most defining challenge of the early 21st Century. Migrants and asylum seekers, fleeing from war, conflict or persecution in Africa or Middle East, principally Syria, Iraq, Somalia and now Afghanistan, are embarking on long, dangerous journeys through the ‘eastern Mediterranean route’ from Turkey to Greece, or the ‘Western Mediterranean route’ from North Africa to Italy or the ‘Central Mediterranean route’ to EU countries. After reaching southern Europe, they travel onwards to northern and western Europe, for a more welcoming environment.
Unsustainable migration: In 2015, Mediterranean migrants from Africa to Europe surged over one million through the Aegean Sea — four times the previous year—with Greece receiving 85% of them. Greece and Italy bore the brunt of migrant entry into Europe. Morocco-Italy route became busiest later when migrants increased rapidly. Refugees arrived mostly from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Eritrea – world’s top ten refugee-producing countries. It has declined since 2017 but significantly increased from Algeria in 2020.
Imbalances in arrivals (Italy and Greece receive maximum), in destination (Germany and Sweden receive most asylum applications), and industrialised world receiving proportionately less global refugees compared to developing countries, are not sustainable.
Sea accidents: Migrants crossing from Libya face horrific violence, kidnapping, torture and extortion and countless lives are lost: 2299 (2018), 1885 (2019), 1417 (2020) and 1000 (2021* January-July) amidst aggravation in Afghanistan and COVID-19 pandemic. Crossing over to Europe, migrants face further challenges. COVID-19 pandemic forced Italy to detain search and rescue vessels that endangered lives.
Forced returns: Intense anti-foreigner rhetoric and xenophobia force European countries into fence-building and push-backs. On 28 January 2021, the UNHCR asked end to “systematic” expulsions and pushbacks. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) ran a voluntary return programme, with EU support, to help migrants stranded in Libya to return voluntarily to their countries of origin which benefited over 50 000 migrants during 2017-2020. In October 2020, IOM identified 584 500 migrants in Libya, mainly from neighbouring Niger, Chad, Egypt and Sudan. But human rights administrators deem returning people rescued at sea as breach of international maritime, refugee, and humanitarian law.
Trafficking: European countries require asylum seekers’ physical presence for granting asylum, so smugglers provide logistical help and transportation through Europe. Main transit through Libya has developed smuggling and trafficking networks in Libya. By 2016 end, 55,000 suspected migrant smugglers were operating in and around Europe; their poorly-maintained and overfilled boats sans life jackets caused migrants’ deaths.
The 2017 Malta Declaration by European Council tackled migrant smugglers. The EU established a joint migration task force with the African Union and the UN and took measures in June 2018 to stop migrant smugglers operating out of Libya. The Operation Sophia became the EU’s anti-smuggling operation in the Mediterranean before getting replaced by Operation Irini on 31 March 2020. European attempts to stem migration by strengthening national borders push migrants to smugglers.
Managing Migrants: Humanitarian conventions, agreements and practices under international law impose binding obligation on EU States to protect migrants. European and African partners launched the EU emergency trust fund for Africa (EUTF for Africa) at the Valletta Summit on migration (11-12 November 2015) to combat irregular migration, forced displacement, trafficking in human beings, and refugees’ return with €4.5 billion budget.
In 2017, an evacuation and resettlement scheme-the emergency transit mechanism- funded by the EU and run by UNHCR was set up to select evacuation candidates from Libya. It approved 254 actions across three regions, created 73 000 jobs, assisted 370 000 income-generating activities, returned 84 800 migrants, uncovered 69 human trafficking networks and prosecuted 266 smugglers and traffickers. In July 2018, the EU announced protection of refugees in cooperation with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and UNHCR.
On 9 March 2021, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, published a report “A distress call for human rights: The widening gap in migrant protection in the Mediterranean” covering July 2019- December 2020 developments on the Central Mediterranean route in five key areas: search and rescue; disembarkation of rescued persons; co-operation with non-governmental organisations; co-operation with third countries; and safe and legal routes. Public hates Islamic refugees: A 2016 Pew Research study found widespread anxiety and insecurities among Europeans over crime, and national identities as Islam is incompatible with European values. A research of ten European countries found average 55% against Muslims immigration and 70% in Poland. The Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán called refugees “Muslim invaders”, conflating with terrorism and part of a “left-wing conspiracy”. Czech President followed similar rhetoric. Many countries have fixed upper limits to asylum applications.
Anti-immigration rally in Prague called “For our culture and safe country”. Pegida, a pan-European far-right political movement opposing Muslim immigration in eastern Germany, complained: “Western civilisation could soon come to an end through Islam conquering Europe”.
Europeans fear Muslim takeover of Europe as Eurabia theory doubt globalist French and Arab powers plotting to “Islamise” and “Arabise” Europe. The “Great Replacement” is another conspiracy theory. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott criticised Europe’s refusal to learn from mistakes of self and others. Destroying the criminal people-smugglers and judicious boat turn-backs could save Europe from refugee deluge.
Europeans deem Muslim refugees as “the dirty by-products of Islamic fundamentalism.” Persistent conflicts in Muslim countries in Asia and Africa constantly drive Muslim refugees to Europe to destroy their evolved religion, cultures and lifestyles.
By Himanshu Sharma, Editor
Photo Credit : Getty Images
Twitter : @_Himansh_
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