An estimated 8.500 people were rescued last weekend off the Libyan coast as they tried to cross the Mediterranean in highly unsuitable boats to reach Europe. Representatives of the humanitarian organizations that participated in the rescue operations by boat speak of unprecedented dramatic conditions. Hans-Peter Bursauer, a spokesman for Sea Eye, told German radio station Deutschlandfunk that the crew had been working for 90 hours without a break, rescuing 200 people from Good Friday to Easter Sunday.
As he stressed, "we are afraid that this will continue. It is not an isolated event. It happened last year as well. This always happens when refugees from Libya do not sail for weeks or days due to bad weather. "Then, when the weather improves, they all come together at the same time."
A "perverted" agreement with Libya
The representative of the German humanitarian organization proposes to strengthen the presence of the available Frontex ships off the Libyan coast in order to immediately rescue the refugees. He said he could not confirm policy estimates of a significant reduction in refugee flows. "The weather this spring was favorable for the refugees. That is why the flows started at sea much earlier than last year. And many people have already drowned this year. "Therefore, we believe that there is probably no reason to relax," he said.
Many European leaders are seeking an agreement with Libya to allow refugees to stay there and be assisted on the ground so that they do not flee to Europe. Hans-Peter Bursauer unequivocally condemns this idea. "Libya is a country where refugees are treated like animals, kept in concentration camp-like facilities and where conditions of forced prostitution and forced labor prevail. "To make a deal with these people, I must say, I consider it perverted," he commented.
Source: in.gr