Alarm Phone Weekly Report 16th November – 22nd November 2015
In der Woche vom 16.-22.11.2015 half das Alarm Phone in 44 Notfällen an den Außengrenzen der EU. Im Westlichen Mittelmeer wurden wir in einem Fall leider Zeuge einer äußerst spät eingeleiteten Rettung durch die spanische Rettungsorganisation Salvamento Maritimo. Als Konsequenz starben mindestens 24 Menschen, nachdem das Boot mit ca. 46 Passagieren vor der Küste der Westsahara kenterte. Ein Rettungsschiff erreichte die Unglücksstelle rechtzeitig, leitete jedoch nicht umgehend die Rettung ein, sondern wartete eine Stunde bis zum Kentern des Schiffes. Wir fragen uns, warum? Salvamento Maritimo spielte die Zahl der Passagiere sowie der Opfer herunter, behauptete, alle Reisenden außer einer Person gerettet zu haben. Diese Aussage widerspricht völlig den Schilderungen von Überlebenden, Familienmitgliedern der Betroffenen sowie Spanischer Aktivist_innen (http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/347).
Sie auch: https://alarmphone.org/…/deadly-denial-of-assistance-in-the…/
In der Ägäis nahmen die Ankunftszahlen leicht ab, lediglich 4500 Reisende erreichten die griechischen Inseln täglich*. Der Rückgang spiegelt die zunehmenden Versuche der EU wieder, die Türkei stärker in ihre Abschreckungspolitik an der Außengrenze einzubeziehen. Nichtsdestotrotz weisen Berichte von Lesbos darauf hin, dass noch immer tausende Reisende in der Türkei auf ihre Überfahrt warten, obgleich dies von Woche zu Woche schwieriger wird**. Doch nicht nur die Grenze zu Griechenland wird zunehmend geschlossen, auch weiter nördlich wurde am 18.11.2015 der Grenzübergang bei Idomeni zwischen Griechenland und Mazedonien für alle Flüchtende mit Ausnahme von SyrerInnen, AfghanInnen und IrakerInnen. Dieser verzweifelte Versuch der EU, die Bewegungsfreiheit einzugrenzen, führte zu einer unaushaltbaren Situation des Festsitzens für Tausende Reisende und tagelangen Protesten der Betroffenen***. Amnesty International hat diese rassistische Praxis der Selektion zu Recht skandalisiert****. Sogar die Internationale Organisation für Migration (IOM), das Flüchtlingshilfswerk der Vereinten Nationen (UNHCR) sowie das Kinderhilfswerk der Vereinten Nationen (UNICEF) sprachen sich entschieden für die Offenhaltung des Korridors nach Zentraleuropa aus*****. Das Alarm Phone verurteilt solche Praktiken seit Monaten. Nur die Öffnung der Grenzen kann das Leid, die Entwürdigung und den Tod, derer wir auch diese Woche erneut Zeugen wurden, verhindern.
Zusammenfassung:
Das Alarm Phone wurde in der letzten Woche auf insgesamt 44 Notfällen an den europäischen Grenzen aufmerksam gemacht, 42 davon in der Ägäis, 2 im westlichen Mittelmeer. Zusammenfassungen und ausführlichere Darstellungen der Fälle unter http://watchthemed.net/
Western Mediterranean Sea
On Monday the 16th of November 2015 the Alarm Phone was informed about a boat with 11 travellers on board, which had left from Tangier Med/Morocco. As our contact person had lost contact to the boat, we informed the Spanish rescue organization Salvamento Maritimo and tried to reach the travellers several times, but without success. Only at the next day we learned from another contact person that the travellers had safely arrived in Ceuta/Spain in the night from Monday to Tuesday. http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/344
On Tuesday the 17th of November 2015 at 11.30pm the Alarm Phone was alerted to a boat in distress with about 46 travellers on board, which had left from Laâyoune in the Western Sahara, heading towards the Canary Islands. We called the Spanish coastguard in Las Palmas, who stated that they were already informed about this boat and were looking for it. At the next morning we learned that the boat had capsized and that only 22 travellers had been rescued, while 24 were missing. In the afternoon, Spanish media started to report about the capsized boat. It is highly questionable, why so many travellers had to die, why the coastguard was not able to rescue all of them and if it has delayed the rescue. http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/347
Aegean Sea
On Monday the 16th of November 2015 the Alarm Phone was alerted to 9 groups of travellers in distress in the Aegean Sea. Two groups went back to Turkey independently or were rescued and returned by the Turkish coastguard. The Greek coastguard and Greek fishing vessels rescued 6 boats, while one group was rescued after stranding on the Greek island of Kastellorizo. http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/345
On Tuesday the 17th of November 2015 the Alarm Phone dealt with 7 cases of distress in the Aegean Sea, near the Greek islands of Strongyli, Pasas Nisida, Lesvos and Farmakonisi. Three groups had stranded on Greek island but were rescued and transferred to bigger islands afterwards. One group of travellers finally arrived on Lesvos independently, while two boats were rescued by the Greek coastguard and one by the Turkish coastguard.
http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/346
On Wednesday the 18th of November 2015 the Alarm Phone was alerted to 5 boats in distress near the Greek islands of Strongyli, Chios and Lesvos. In all of the cases the travellers finally reached the Greek islands, either by themselves or with the help of the Greek coastguard.
http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/348
On Thursday the 19th of November 2015 the Alarm Phone was alerted to 8 groups in distress in the Aegean Sea. Three boats in distress near the Greek islands of Lesvos and Kos were rescued either by the Greek or by the Turkish coastguard. 4 groups of travellers who had stranded on the Greek islands of Kastellorizo, Nera and Strongyli were finally picked up from these islands. Beyond that, the Alarm Phone supported a group of travellers who got lost in a forest near the Turkish coast in the middle of the night. http://watchthemed.net/reports/view/349
On Friday the 20th of November 2015 the Alarm Phone was alerted to 6 boats in distress near the Greek islands of Lesvos, Farmakonisi, Chios and Samos. All groups of travellers were rescued afterwards. 5 groups finally arrived in Greece while the Turkish coastguard rescued one group, who had been beforehand attacked by a group of masked men, most probably belonging to the coastguard, who took away their engine. Beyond that, two groups who had stranded on the Greek island of Nisida Pasas were picked up after the Alarm Phone had alerted the port authorities on the Greek island of Chios. http://watchthemed.net/reports/view/350
On Saturday the 21st of November 2015 the Alarm Phone was in contact with 4 groups of travellers who had stranded on the Greek islands of Tilos, Strongyli, Ro and Kastellorizo. Due to bad weather conditions all four groups could only be rescued on the following day. Beyond that, the Alarm Phone was alerted to a boat in distress north-east of Samos, which was later rescued by the Turkish coastguard. http://watchthemed.net/reports/view/351
[1] http://data.unhcr.org/mediterranean/download.php?id=171
[2] http://balkanroute.bordermonitoring.eu/2015/11/26/the-empty-cage-lesbos-arrivals-turkish-smugglers-and-eu-migration-politics/
[3] http://bordermonitoring.eu/liveticker/2015/11/live-ticker-eidomeni/
[4] https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2015/11/refugee-crisis-balkans-border-blocks-leave-thousands-segregated-and-stranded-in-greece/
[5] http://www.iom.int/news/iom-unhcr-unicef-joint-statement-new-border-restrictions-balkans
