UK Prime Minister should provide leadership in Europe on migrant boat crisis
This Thursday the Prime Minister will attend an emergency meeting of the EU leaders on the Mediterranean crisis...
Susan Munroe, Chief Executive of Freedom from Torture, said:
"It is intolerable that the Mediterranean has become a major graveyard for those seeking refuge from conflict and human rights violations in Africa and the Middle East. This Thursday at the meeting of the EU heads of Government, the UK Prime Minister and other EU leaders have an historic opportunity to transform this situation and prevent this dreadful loss of life.
We urge the UK Prime Minister to provide leadership in Europe on a response that is rooted in the international human rights framework. Amongst those fleeing will be survivors of torture and other serious human rights violations who are especially vulnerable. David Cameron should work to ensure the immediate EU response includes
- Properly resourced search and rescue operations
- Prompt access to refugee determination and assessment processes
- Identification of torture survivors, providing protection and services in accordance with their right to rehabilitation.
- Tackling the root causes of why this level of migration is happening
On no account must the EU leaders resort to a policy of of forcible returns of those rescued which is likely to drive refugees back into the hands of the traffickers or their persecutors.
With an eye on the upcoming UK General Election, Freedom from Torture calls on the Prime Minister to lead a cross-party consensus on the urgent need for the EU resumption of search and rescue. These grave humanitarian issues should be above party politics and the peddling of anti-immigrant sentiment.
We also need to see our politicians broaden their focus and look at the root causes of why this desperate movement of people is taking place in the first place and this includes the pressing need to prevent torture and other human rights violations worldwide."
