Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson
SINN Féin MEP Martina Anderson has reiterated her call for a much needed radical shift of migration and asylum policies.
Speaking from Brussels, Ms.Anderson said:
“One could have hoped that the EU leaders that had talked about the 2013 3rd October tragedy of Lampedusa as a “wake-up call” would have turned these words into the much needed radical shift of policies.
“However, almost two years after and many more deaths at EU borders, the current situation has not changed and is absolutely appalling.
“Sinn Féin MEPs have continuously spoken of their strong condemnation of the repressive measures placed against migrants by Member States and the refusal to commit to anything meaningful on relocation and resettlement.
“More than 29,000 migrants have died on their way to Europe since 2000 and the low number of 20,000 resettlement places that are voluntary means people will continue to risk their lives trying to reach a safe place in Europe.
“These are mothers, father, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles and many many little boys and girls – it’s shocking that we hear of people drowning and suffocating and do not respond with humanity but instead increase coercive measures to prevent migrants from getting into the EU and return swiftly most of them based on a European list of “safe country”.
“In June I led a delegation of GUE/NGL MEPs to Sicily and Lampedusa, the future “hot spots” talked about by the Council. All the women, men and children met deserve protection after the hardships they experienced.
“Later this month I am going to Jordan, where there is also a migrant and refugee crisis. Deporting these people is inhumane and a crime.
“Refugees in Calais are not “invading hordes.” They are people desperately trying to escape death and Calais is a symbol of Europe’s failure to manage migration.
“There needs to be a drastic change migration and asylum policies focusing on protection of migrants as a priority rather than building a stronger Fortress Europe.”
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