To:
Mr. Christos Stylianides, Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid & Crisis Management
Copy to:
Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans, First Vice President Federica Mogherini, Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Dimitris Avramopoulos, Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Johannes Hahn, European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Neven Mimica, International Cooperation and Development Matthias Ruete, Director General of the Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs Cecilia Wikström (ALDE, SE), Rapporteur on the Dublin regulation
13 July 2018
Dear Commissioner Stylianides,
We, the undersigned organisations, call on the European Commission to do all in its powers to halt the further loss of lives in the Mediterranean. Whilst we understand that the European Union and its Member States, following the Summit on 28 June 2018, are seeking a long-term solution to migration and asylum which ensures responsibility-sharing and solidarity between member states, it must take decisive and immediate interim measures to stop the unacceptable drowning of hundreds of babies, children, women and men on our doorstep.
The current inability of NGO search and rescue vessels to operate has reportedly led to a skyrocketing of deaths. As the Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid & Crisis Management, we call on you, Mr Stylianides, to do all which is within your power to ensure that the activities of search and rescue vessels are no longer obstructed, that they are released from their current docking positions, granted access to European ports, and that they are not subjected to fears of criminalisation and legal repercussions due to their rescue work.
Handing over the responsibility to the Libyan coast guard to handle the migratory situation in the Mediterranean appears to directly contravene all values upon which the European Union was built. There can be no doubt about the atrocities unfolding on Libyan soil, including rape, extortion, torture and killings, as well as reports of slave auctions. In light of this, the European Union can and must step in to ensure an interim solution which safeguards the right to life of hundreds of children, women and men at sea. We call on you, Mr Stylianides, to do the necessary, take decisive action and show firm leadership on this seemingly non- negotiable matter.
We look forward to a response at your very earliest convenience.
Yours sincerely,
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Ariel Ricker, Executive Director, Advocates Abroad
Dominique Guibert, President, Association Européenne pour la Défense des Droits de l'Homme
Panayote Dimitras, Spokesperson, Greek Helsinki Monitor
Josephine Naughton, CEO, Help Refugees
Epaminondas Farmakis, Director, Human Rights 360
Brian Killoran, Chief Executive Officer, Immigrant Council of Ireland
Liz Clegg, Founder, MEENA Centre for Women and Children
Sarah Story, Co-founder, Refugee Info Bus
Marta Welander, Executive Director, Refugee Rights Europe
Jonny Willis, CEO, Refugee Youth Service
Jon O’Connor, Chair of Trustees, The School Bus Project
Antigone Lyberaki, General Manager, SolidarityNow
Mina Jaf, Founder and Director, Women Refugee Route
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