Fortress Europe responsible for deaths in Lampedusa

Passers-by in Valletta today came across an unusual scene as a number of migrants and human rights activists lay on the ground in Republic Street, mimicking the horrifying scenes of hundreds of dead bodies on the shores of the Mediterranean island of Lampedeusa.

Over 300 migrants from Africa and human rights activists gathered in front of the law courts this afternoon to mourn the deaths of some 300 migrants off the coast of Lampedusa last week.

Carrying posters which read: "No more deaths at Borders" and "No to fortress Europe," the sizeable crowd held a silent and emotional vigil to remember their  "fallen brothers and sisters".

The candle-lit vigil was organised by the Migrants' Network for Equality, Moviment Graffitti, Integra Foundation, Inizjamed, Peace Lab, the Malta Emigrants Commission and the Jesuit Refugee Service to express grief at the "immense" loss of lives in the tragedy off Lampedusa.

On Thursday, more than 100 migrants died off the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa after their boat caught fire and sank, with the scenes verging on the apocalyptic.

500 people, many of whom couldn't even swim, were forced to flee from a burning ship into the sea and over 100 migrants were killed, including children. Hundreds are still missing. This was the second similar tragedy within just a few days. On Monday, 13 refugees drowned off the coast of Sicily as they attempted to swim to shore.

In this evening's vigil, human rights activist and Movimernt Graffitti spokesperson Andre Callus said "Through this gathering we also want to denounce policies of harsh border restrictions in place in many European countries, which are leaving people no option but to embark on perilous journeys where death is a very real possibility."

He explained that the death of hundreds of migrants last week was neither an "incident" nor isolated, given that from 1998 to this day around 20,000 migrants are thought to have lost their lives in their desperate attempts to reach Europe.

Callus pointed out that the Lampedusa deaths cannot be called an incident, "but it is a structural problem related to Europe's migration policies." He said the reason why thousands of persons risk their lives to cross the Mediterranean was Europe's "closed doors" policy.

He also blamed the problem on European colonisation which is still present in Africa through the exploitation of Africa's vast resources and the sale of weapons to African countries.

"By supporting dictators and fomenting wars, Europe maintains a control over the economy and the resources of the African continent. On the other hand, European discourse about migration has become increasingly xenophobic in the last two decades and human migration which is an integral part of human history came to be depicted as a threat'."

He added that in the past years Europe, including Malta, showed a complete disregard for the life of people at sea, with many incidents in which countries spent days bickering about the disembarkation of migrants, making fishermen and other seafarers reluctant to take action when boats with migrants were spotted.

Callus said that the deaths were also a consequence of a system where people who are born in Western countries have an almost absolute freedom of movement, while most of the 'others' can only risk their lives trying to enter in increasingly fortified privileged regions, such as the EU.

The solution lays in legalising migration, Callus said, proposing the opening of humanitarian corridors for persons fleeing persecution and wars, creating regular channels for migrants who arrive in Europe by sea, land or air and amend the Dublin II Convention to facilitate the movement of migrants in Europe.

He also hit out at the push back policy advocated by the Maltese government and Malta and Italy's posturing of a bilateral migration agreement with North African countries.

"Any bilateral agreement would be the extension of fortress Europe to external countries. This doesn't work," he said, adding that legal and political wrangling between countries showed that Europe does not value the life of migrants.

The gathering took an emotional and solemn turn, when a number of migrants residing in Malta addressed the crowd.

Expressing his pain for the death of his "brothers and sisters," Ivory Coast national Dicko Osman insisted that "no human is illegal." Death at sea would only stop once migration is no longer illegal he said.

Dicko insisted the gathering was as serious as the migrant's dangerous and treacherous journeys.

"Do you think we try and reach Europe for fun? What fun is there in crossing the desert, risk our lives at sea and then spend up to 18 months or two years in detention?"

He also added that Europe was partly responsible for the wars and conflicts in Africa by pointing out that weapons are not manufactured in Africa.

He explained that colonialism was taking new forms such as the exploitation of resources. The Ivory Coast was among the world's top exporters of cocoa beans and coffee, yet there were no factories producing the finished product and the buying chocolate and coffee in the Ivory Coast was prohibitive.

Speaking fluent Maltese, Sudanese Saleh Muhammed said that as he was watching the disturbing images emerging from Lampedusa, he asked himself why people were dying at sea.

Insisting that the problem must be addressed at its roots, Saleh said migration would not stop as people were fleeing Africa to seek safety.

"I am thankful that I have been welcomed here. Malta is small but this is not going to stop. We have no choice. We don't care where we go as long as it is safe," he said, adding that the world belongs to everyone and European countries should share the burden.

Another migrant from Eritrea made an emotional plea to the Maltese people. "We are human beings, we are just humans like you. Just treat us as human beings."