New report reveals rising death rate for Mediterranean crossings. An average of six people died every day in 2018 as they attempted to reach Europe by crossing the Mediterranean, according to a new report released by UNHCR today. The Desperate Journeys report describes how shifts in policy by some European states saw refugees and migrants left stranded at sea for days and led to cuts in search and rescue operations that contributed to making the Mediterranean Sea crossing deadlier than ever. In total, 139,300 refugees and migrants reached European shores in 2018, the lowest number in five years, while an estimated 2,275 died or went missing. Although the overall number of deaths was down from 3,139 in 2017, the rate of deaths rose sharply. The report also reveals significant changes in the routes being used by refugees and migrants with Spain becoming the primary entry point to Europe for the first time in recent years and a fivefold decrease in arrivals to Italy. | | |
| Five countries offer to end latest Mediterranean stand-off. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said late on Tuesday that Germany, France, Portugal, Romania and Malta had each agreed to take a share of the 47 refugees and migrants stranded aboard the Sea-Watch 3 for more than a week. Speaking at the end of a meeting of southern European country leaders in Cyprus, Conte reportedly bemoaned the lack of a systematic EU framework for dealing with migrant rescues. He did not say when or where the Sea-Watch 3 would be allowed to bring its passengers to shore. The European Court of Human Rights on Tuesday ordered Italy to immediately provide food and medical assistance to those on board the vessel, which is anchored off the coast of Sicily. | | |
| Rohingya refugees won’t be forced to move to island, says Bangladesh official. Enamur Rahman, the state minister for disaster management and relief said on Tuesday that Rohingya refugees would only be relocated to Bhashan Char , a remote island in the Bay of Bengal, voluntarily and in coordination with UNHCR and the international community. The Bangladesh government has been building shelters and other facilities on the island to accommodate some 100,000 Rohingya refugees. The Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is due to formally inaugurate the housing complex on Bhashan Char soon, but refugees in Cox’s Bazar settlements told the Dhaka Tribute they were unwilling to move there due to fears of flooding and being cut off from humanitarian aid. | | |
| UNHCR evacuates 130 refugees from Libya to Niger. In its first evacuations to Niger this year, UNHCR said that 130 people had been flown to Niamey from Tripoli on Monday. Those evacuated had been detained for months in “very dire conditions ” before being transferred to a new Gathering and Departure Facility opened in Tripoli last month. Vincent Cochetel, UNHCR Special Envoy for the Central Mediterranean said such evacuations would remain a life-line until the detention of refugees and migrants in Libya ended. This year, another 93 refugees from Syria, Sudan and Eritrea left Tripoli for Romania where they will spend a few weeks at a transit facility before continuing to a resettlement country. | | |
| Arrests made in Sicily over suspected trafficking of Nigerian women. The Guardian reports that Sicilian authorities have made a series of arrests connected to a suspected trafficking ring that forced at least 15 Nigerian girls into sex work in Italy. Prosecutors believe the young women were lured from Nigeria with the promise of work in Italy and that sex trafficking operations between Nigeria, Libya and Italy were highly organized. NGOs have warned that victims of sex trafficking have been among those asylum-seekers evicted from reception centres since Italy abolished humanitarian permits late last year. | | |
| More Nicaraguans fleeing unrest at home to the US. AP reports that increasing numbers of Nicaraguans fleeing political unrest and violence in their home country are applying for asylum in the United States. Nicaragua erupted in turmoil last April after the government announced cuts in social security benefits and a wave of protests was met with a violent crackdown. While clashes have subsided, tens of thousands of people have left the country. The majority have fled to Costa Rica, but others have crossed into Mexico and requested asylum at the US border. | | |
| South Sudanese refugee Elijah Buol arrived in Australia at the age of 17 with no family to support him as he adapted to his new life. Sixteen years later, he received a Medal of the Order of Australia on Australia Day and was pronounced Queensland’s Local Hero of the Year for his work with disadvantaged youth. | | |
The sea route from Libya was the most treacherous in 2018 with one person dying for every 14 who made it to Europe, up from one for every 38 in 2017.
| | |
| |
No comments:
Post a Comment