75 migrant travellers, who were rescued on May 31 by the vessel ‘Maridive 601’, are still not allowed to disembark in Tunisia. We denounce that the migrant boat was ignored by Italian and Maltese authorities, though they were in distress in international waters, north of the coast of the Tunisian town Zarzis. This is a violation of international law and maritime conventions!
We do not regard Tunisia as a safe place for refugees and migrants. Tunisia has no asylum system and migrants and refugees there have no viable prospects. Many of the people on ‘Maridive 601’ are sick and need medical attention. They all need food, water, and adequate shelter. Given the reluctance of European politicians, there seems to be no option for their relocation to Europe from the ‘Maridive 601’.
We therefore call on the Tunisian authorities to:
- Let the rescued disembark at the nearest port, which is Zarzis!
- Guarantee that they will not be deported back to Libya!
We call on European authorities to:
- Respond adequately to distress calls from the sea and engage in rescue instead of engaging in policies of non-assistance and deterrence!
- Re-settle these people to Europe, where many cities have declared their solidarity and are willing to welcome migrants!
The Alarm Phone
