Search and Rescue Operations Archives - Page 18 of 20

12 Jun 2020

News highlights: UN rapporteur finds no improvement of human rights in Eritrea, Bangladeshi media reports arrests related to Libya migrant killings, Parliaments inquire about human rights in Eritrea

In this week’s news highlights: No improvement in Eritrea’s human rights situation; Eritrean profiles in mixed migration flows; Worries over starvation in Dankalia, Eritrea; Eritrea urged to release political prisoners; Sudanese alleged war criminal in ICC custody; Thousands of Ethiopian migrants return amid COVID-19; Ethiopia’s upper house speaker resigns; UK parliament questions situation in Eritrea; Belgian Parliamentary inquiries about human rights in Eritrea; Sea-Watch 3 sets sail to Libya; Migrants and refugees to relocate from Malta; Declined security in Libya causes more IDPs; Bangladeshi media reports arrests of traffickers related to deaths of 30 migrants in Libya; Attacks against civilians in Libya condemned by Amnesty; 250 refugees and migrants intercepted at sea by Libya; Doctors on the frontline of two Libyan battles; IOM releases guidance on recruitment of migrant workers; UNHCR calls for environmental action to protect refugees; And over 200.000 COVID-19 cases in Africa.

2 Jun 2020

EU’s unsustainable and deadly Libyan migration policy

Between May 24 and May 27 around 400 migrants and refugees have been picked up by the Libyan coastguard and returned to Libya. Two of them drowned during the operation. An additional 90 migrants and refugees have been stopped by a commercial ship and have been returned to Libya as well. The pushback operations are funded and supported by the European Union (EU) and individual member states like Malta and Italy. While Libya has been an unsafe place from the start of the EU’s so called externalized border policy, COVID-19 brings even more risks as detention camps in Libya are high-risk areas for the spread of the virus and rescue operations on the Mediterranean Sea have been minimized. An additional element of danger is the intense civil war in Libya, which has turned into a geopolitical conflict and a proxy war between Russia and The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the one hand and Turkey on the other. The war takes its toll on the civilian population; on June 1 another 5 civilians were killed and 11 wounded in a rocket attack near Tripoli.

30 Apr 2020

News highlights: NGOs call for change in EU-Libya relations amidst ECA complaint, Migrant returns to Ethiopia continue despite COVID-19, Greece to close Vathy migrant camp on island of Samos

This week’s news highlights: UK withdraws embassy staff from Eritrea; Rumours about the situation in Eritrea; Ethiopia destroying homes leaving hundreds of people homeless; Thousands of migrants returned to Ethiopia amidst COVID-19; Inadequate preparedness slows COVID-19 response in Somalia; Record of internally displaced persons in 2019; NGOs state that EU policies facilitate the abuse of migrants and refugees in Libya as organisations launch ECA complaint; EU to bolster Libya’s coastguard amidst MEP backlash; WFP says 104.793 people assisted in March amidst COVID-19; Migrants and refugees discriminated in Tunisia; Announcement closure Greek migrant camp; German experts advise on migrant working permit scheme; Asylum seeker in Germany wins court case; Bosnian minister proposes migrants and refugees should be deported; Proposal to map undocumented migrants south Italy; Less people granted Asylum in Europe 2019; Migrants and refugees first victims of COVID-19 containment; And refugees and migrants provide support in medical and agricultural sectors to curb labour shortages