The government’s continued abdication of search and rescue responsibilities is contributing to deaths in the Mediterranean
More than 1,300 people died or disappeared in the Central Mediterranean in 2022. These people – men, women, children, sons, and daughters – can be added to the deplorable death toll of more than 25,000 people who have died while crossing the Mediterranean since 2014.
The Maltese government’s continued failure to uphold its search and rescue (SAR) responsibilities contributes to this death toll by putting lives at risk. In 2022, Maltese authorities ignored more than 20,000 people in distress; 413 boats in distress in Malta’s SAR zone were not assisted, and only three boats were rescued by the Maltese Armed Forces.
People in distress in our SAR zone must be rescued without delay. Despite Minister Camilleri’s claim of “defending our realm”, government decisions to delay and avoid rescue lead directly to the loss of life at sea. Four-year-old Loujin died of thirst in September 2022 after days of being in distress in Malta’s SAR zone. Her death makes clear the consequences of our government’s actions. The murderous policy adopted by the Maltese authorities must be reversed.
In 2022, a further 24,600 people were pushed back to Libya after being intercepted at sea. Returning people to Libya has been widely condemned for violating international law and the principle of non-refoulement: Libya is not a safe place. Migrants regularly face torture, rape, and death in the country. Yet, on multiple occasions, Maltese authorities have allowed the Libyan coast guard or instructed private vessels to return people to Libya from Malta’s search and rescue zone. Malta’s actions result in the abuse, exploitation, and death of thousands of people, including children.
In Malta, the government’s divisive rhetoric and practices reinforce the violence seen at sea: raids on asylum seekers’ homes, alongside statements made by politicians, encourage racism and further violence.
Malta and the Mediterranean should not be a place of death but rather a place of refuge and safety. The government must reassess its approach towards migration and engage with those who are dedicated to supporting migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees. Until then, Malta will continue to be responsible for causing harm to those seeking a better life.
Saving migrant lives at sea is both a legal and moral obligation. By failing to fulfil these obligations, the government puts lives at risk and compromises the value of compassion that we hold dear. At this year’s Global Day of CommemorAction, we lay out shoes symbolically to help us confront the question: Who were the people whose lives were lost at sea because of our government’s actions?
L-abdikazzjoni kontinwa tal-gvern mir-responsabbiltajiet ta’ tfittxija u salvataġġ qed tikkontribwixxi għall-imwiet fil-Mediterran
Aktar minn 1,300 persuna mietu jew sparixxew fiċ-Ċentru tal-Mediterran fl-2022. Dawn in-nies – irġiel, nisa, tfal, ulied – jistgħu jiżdiedu man-numru ta’ mwiet deplorevoli ta’ aktar minn 25,000 persuna li mietu waqt li kienu qed jaqsmu l-Mediterran mill-2014 ‘l hawn.
In-nuqqas kontinwu tal-gvern Malti li jżomm ir-responsabbiltajiet tiegħu ta’ tfittxija u salvataġġ (SAR) jikkontribwixxi għal dan in-numru ta’ mwiet billi jpoġġi l-ħajjiet f’riskju. Fl-2022, l-awtoritajiet Maltin injoraw aktar minn 20,000 persuna f’diffikultà; 413-il dgħajsa f’diffikultà fiż-żona SAR ta’ Malta ma ġewx assistiti, u tliet dgħajjes biss ġew salvati mill-Forzi Armati ta’ Malta.
Nies f’diffikultà fiż-żona SAR tagħna għandhom jiġu salvati mingħajr dewmien. Minkejja l-kliem bombastiku tal-Ministru Camilleri li “jiddefendi d-dominju tagħna”, id-deċiżjonijiet tal-gvern li jdewmu u jevitaw is-salvataġġ iwasslu direttament għat-telf tal-ħajja fuq il-baħar. Loujin, tifla ta’ erba’ snin, mietet bil-għatx f’Settembru tal-2022 wara jiem f’diffikultà fiż-żona SAR ta’ Malta. Il-mewt tagħha tagħmel ċar il-konsegwenzi tal-azzjonijiet tal-gvern tagħna. Il-politika qattiela adottata mill-awtoritajiet Maltin għandha bżonn tinbidel.
Fl-2022, 24,600 persuna oħra ġew mibgħuta lura lejn il-Libja wara li ġew interċettati fil-baħar. Ir-ritorn tan-nies lejn il-Libja ġie kkundannat b’mod wiesa’ talli kiser il-liġi internazzjonali u l-prinċipju ta’ non-refoulement: Il-Libja mhix post sigur. Il-migranti regolarment jiffaċċjaw tortura, stupru, u mewt fil-pajjiż. Madankollu, f’diversi okkażjonijiet, l-awtoritajiet Maltin ippermettew lill-gwardja tal-kosta Libjana jew taw struzzjonijiet lil bastimenti privati biex jirritornaw lin-nies lejn il-Libja miż-żona ta’ tfittxija u salvataġġ ta’ Malta. L-azzjonijiet ta’ Malta jirriżultaw fl-abbuż, l-isfruttament, u l-mewt ta’ eluf ta’ nies, inklużi tfal.
F’Malta, ir-retorika u l-prattiċi diviżivi tal-gvern isaħħu l-vjolenza li tidher fuq il-baħar: rejds fuq djar ta’ dawk li jfittxu ażil, flimkien ma’ dikjarazzjonijiet magħmula mill-politiċi, iħeġġu r-razziżmu u aktar vjolenza.
Is-salvataġġ tal-ħajjiet tal-migranti fuq il-baħar huwa obbligu kemm legali kif ukoll morali. Billi jonqos milli jwettaq dawn l-obbligi, il-gvern ipoġġi l-ħajjiet f’riskju u jikkomprometti l-valur tal-kompassjoni li nżommu għal qalbna. Fil-Jum Globali ta’ KommemorAzzjoni ta’ din is-sena, se npoġġu ż-żraben b’mod simboliku biex tgħinna nikkonfrontaw il-mistoqsija: Min kienu n-nies li ħajjithom intilfet fil-baħar minħabba l-azzjonijiet tal-gvern tagħna?
