Operation Sophia, humanitarian aid… EU action in Libya criticized by the UN
(BRUSSELS2) There is water in the gas in the relations between the UN, certain Libyan officials, on the one hand, and the European Union on the other. In turn, Martin Kobler, the UN special envoy, the UN news agency, IRIN, and several Libyan officials pointed the finger at the action of the European Union, in particular the operation Sophia, ineffective, according to them. A much more severe and well-argued criticism than that of the Lords a few days ago which was all in all quite flat (read: A Lords torpedo on EUNAVFOR Med. Whose failure?).
Sophia, a breath of fresh air according to the UN
In interview in the Journal, Sunday (May 29), the UN special envoy for Libya, Martin Kobler, indeed severely criticized the ineffectiveness of the EUNAVFOR MED / Sophia operation “ It creates a draft! It does not patrol Libyan territorial waters. The smugglers therefore put the migrants in the boats and no longer even give them enough petrol to go to Lampedusa. Then they call the emergency number in Italy telling them: "Hey, get ready, 500 are coming!" » Federica Mogherini and Martin Kobler are due to meet on Monday June 6 in New York. Will a coffee be enough to solve the problem?
A spokesman for the Libyan navy denounces
A position taken up by several players on the Libyan scene who are speaking out this Wednesday, June 1 through IRIN, the UN news agency, in a article very critical. A spokesperson for the Libyan navy, in particular, blames Operation Sophia for the increase in the flow of migrants who embark on the Mediterranean to reach Europe. " All migrant "boats" have satellite phones and GPS. Before, they had to reach Italian waters to make a distress call. Now they start making the SOS call as soon as they leave Libyan waters. » In short, the EU would almost facilitate the task of traffickers according to the UN.
Support for the Libyan coast guard ridiculed
If the number of migrants arriving in Italy, for the moment, remains at the level of the figures of 2015, it could even decrease. As the IRIN reporter explains, the number of boats intercepted in Libyan waters will increase as soon as the training of the Libyan Coast Guard by the EU begins (Read: Two new tasks for Operation EUNAVFOR MED SOPHIA. Green light from 28). But the irony quickly appears. Questioning the usefulness of this training, the IRIN article speaks of a " publicity stunt ". For the spokesman of the Libyan Navy, the Libyans and can train alone. What's missing is just an equipment issue. " We work with almost nothing. And we need everything you can imagine: boats, radars, radios, uniforms. literally everything insists the sailor, implying that this is not part of the EU plan.
The problem of the return of illegal immigrants not resolved
According to IRIN, “ the EU's offer of support also fails to address the issue of what happens to migrants once they are captured and returned to Libya ". He's responsible of the Department for Combating Illegal Immigration, Colonel Mohamed Abu Breda, who says so. According to him, since 2011, “ the EU left Libya to solve the migrant problem alone” He explains. “The EU and the Italians have made many visits and are committed to helping Libya. But sadly, all we got was empty promises, and no action. »
(LH)
The refugee camps are already overflowing...
3500 migrants trying to take a boat were arrested on the Libyan coast between May 22 and May 28. 850 would have died at sea, in a series of shipwrecks, according to the Ointernational organization for migration. The head of the NGO in Libya, Othman Belbeisi, warned. « Lhe capacity of detention centers is being severely tested, particularly that of al-Zawiya which welcomes more than 2000 people while its capacity is 1000. Its director despairs. " Next week we will face a very important problem. I don't know how I'm going to handle it. »
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