Bi-weekly Alarm Phone Report 5-18 October 2015
Durante las últimas dos semanas, el teléfono de alarma ha sido testigo de actos de violencia, brutales e inaceptables hacia inmigrantes en su lucha de cruzar las fronteras marítimas europeas. En el Mediterráneo Occidental varios grupos de personas fueron forzosamente interceptadas y detenidas. Incluso un grupo fue deportado a Tiznit y probablemente luego a la frontera de Marruecos con Mauritania, luego de intentar cruzar la valla entre Ceuta y Marruecos. En el Egeo, seis embarcaciones fueron atacadas en aguas territoriales griegas. En todos los casos; fuerzas armadas y enmascaradas, supuestamente guardacostas, agreden a las personas, rajan las pateras y destruyen sus motores. Finalmente, son devueltos ilegalmente a aguas turcas, y abandonados con el riesgo de naufragar.
La ONG ¨Human Rights Watch¨ ha documentado varios ataques de este tipo en las dos últimas semanas. Estos ataques se han convertido en la punta del iceberg respecto a la violencia que hemos constatado por otras fuentes.
Tal y como se nos ha informado desde Marruecos, las fuerzas policiales marroquíes atacaron el campamento de Boukhalef en Tanger, Marruecos, no sólo agrediendo a sus habitantes, sino también destruyendo sus tiendas. En España, la armada de ese país bloqueó y devolvió ilegalmente a aguas marroquíes a un barco en riesgo de naufragio, y vigiló la embarcación hasta que la marina real marroquí puede tomar “cargo”, interceptarlos y ser devueltos a la costa marroquí. Desde Bulgaria se informó que una persona de origen afgano fue asesinado por la policía fronteriza búlgara durante un control.
A pesar de todos estos actos de violencia absoluta, el número de personas tratando de cruzar el Mediterráneo crece de forma constante. Con la proximidad del invierno y el empeoramiento de las condiciones del mar, miles de personas arriesgan sus vidas para alcanzar el territorio de la Fortaleza Europa. La semana pasada, el número de llegadas a Grecia excedió incluso el número de llegadas durante los meses de verano, con más de 10.000 personas al día. Sólo en un día, el 18 de octubre, los guardacostas rescataron más de 90 barcos hasta antes del mediodía. Pero también 25 personas en total murieron, a causa de diferentes casos de naufragio, la mitad de las personas eran bebés y niñxs.
Mientras podemos dar testimonio de todas estas dramáticas escenas de violencia en las fronteras europeas y de una lucha por la libertad de movimiento de miles de personas, “líderes europeos” tratan de restablecer el régimen de las fronteras internas en la Unión Europea. Además de la instalación de los abominables llamados “hotspots” en Grecia y en Italia, la Unión Europea hace presión al Gobierno Turco con el fin de crear un sistema que ponga freno a la inmigración, hasta el punto de instar al presidente Erdogan a prevenir que las personas crucen el Mar Egeo en barco.
Sabemos bien, que el régimen fronterizo militarizado y racista de la UE no evita el desplazamiento de las personas, sino que busca ilegalizarlo, haciéndolo más largo, costoso, peligroso y mortal.
Según la evolución de la posición europea frente a esta situación, no sólo exigimos vías legales y seguras para llegar a Europa, sino que también reclamamos, se investiguen independientemente los ataques violentos y las devoluciones ilegales en las fronteras marítimas, y que de forma deliberada ponen en peligro las vidas de cientos de personas que buscan protección y asilo en Europa.
Summary of cases
In the past two weeks, the Alarm Phone was alerted to 96 emergency situations in total, 90 of which occurred in the Aegean Sea, 1 in the Central Mediterranean and 5 in the Western Mediterranean Sea. Summaries and links to the individual reports can be found below.
Resumen Mar Mediterráneo Occidental
* 5. – 18. de octubre de 2015 * 5 casos, INTERCEPTADOS por las autoridades marroquíes * Más de 120 personas deportadas a Tiznit
En la tarde del jueves 08 de Octubre, una persona de contacto remitió el número de un barco en peligro en el Estrecho de Gibraltar. Hablamos directamente con las personas a las 15h; 10 personas se encontraban en una patera. En comunicación con Salvamento Marítimo nos enteramos que la guardia costera española y la marina marroquí habían iniciado ya la búsqueda de esa embarcación. Sin embargo a las 15:31pm los mismxs migrantes nos confirman que la armada marroquí les había interceptado (ver:http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/295).
Ese mismo día, se nos informó que más de 120 personas, que habían intentado cruzar la valla de Ceuta (entre la frontera de España y Marruecos) estaban siendo deportadas en tres autobuses hacia la frontera con Mauritania. La alarma del teléfono informó a sus coloboradorxs en Marruecos e informó via Twitter sobre la deportación en curso. Más tarde nos enteramos de que una parte del grupo fue conducida a Tiznit y la otra hacias varios campos (ver: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/296).
El 14 de Oct., la el teléfono de alarma interviene en dos diferentes casos en la región del Mar Alborán. Ambas embarcaciones fueron interceptadas por la Marina de Guerra de Marruecos, pero en uno de los dos casos, el rescate se retrasó durante horas, debido a que Salvamento Marítimo y la Marina marroquí fueron incapaces de ponerse de acuerdo sobre sus responsabilidades para llevar a cabo la operación de rescate! (ver: http://watchthemed. net/index.php/informes/view/312).
El viernes, 16 de oct. una persona nos contacta desde Marruecos alrededor de la 1pm, informándonos sobre la situación de sus compañeros, que salieron de Tanger la noche del jueves poco antes de las 22h. Alertamos a Salvamento Marítimo a las 2:30 am, sin embargo a las 7am se nos comunica que nuevamente una patrullera marroquí había interceptado ya embarcación con 11 personas a bordo (ver: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/308).
Central Mediterranean Sea
On Monday the 5th of October 2015 Father Mussie Zerai alerted the Alarm Phone to two boats in distress in the Central Mediterranean Sea. We had direct contact to one of them and eventually the rescue of both boats could be confirmed. On that day, according to the Italian coastguard, several rescue vessels had saved a total of 1830 travellers (see: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/294).
Aegean Sea
On Monday the 5th of October 2015 the Alarm Phone dealt with five situations of distress in the Aegean Sea, near the Greek islands of Chios and Lesvos. While the Greek coastguard rescued one vessel, in one case the Turkish coastguard conducted a rescue operation and in three cases the travellers were able to move on independently
(see: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/297).
On Tuesday the 6th of October 2015 the Alarm Phone witnessed a violent attack on a boat in distress near the Greek island of Lesvos that was subsequently pushed back into Turkish waters. Beyond that, we dealt with two emergency situations, in which one boat was rescued by the Turkish coastguard and one by the Greeks
(see: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/298).
On Wednesday the 7th of September 2015 the Alarm Phone was alerted to three boats in distress in the Aegean Sea, near the Greek islands of Lesvos, Chios and on Astypalaia. Again, one boat was attacked by the Greek coastguard near Lesvos and subsequently pushed back into Turkish territorial waters. The travellers reported en detail about these violent acts and the Alarm Phone will forward the details of the case to the Greek ministry to ask for further investigations and to human rights NGOs to follow-up
(see: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/299).
On Thursday the 8th of October 2015 the Alarm Phone was alerted to five situations of distress in the Aegean Sea, near the Greek island of Lesvos, Samos and Agathonisi. The Greek coastguard rescued two groups of travellers while three other groups were returned to Turkey. Turkish fishermen had rescued one group and another group was rescued by the Turkish coastguard (see: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/300).
On Friday the 9th of October 2015 the Alarm Phone dealt with five emergency situations in the Aegean Sea, near the Greek island of Chios, Lesvos and Samos. While one boat arrived on Lesvos independently, the Turkish coastguard rescued one boat and returned the travellers to Turkey. They told us that their engine had been stolen as well. In one case a group of travellers stranded on the Greek island of Samos and in two cases rescue cannot be confirmed because the Alarm Phone could not re-establish contact to the travellers (see: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/305).
On Saturday the 10th of October 2015 the Alarm Phone dealt with a total of 9 boats in distress in the Aegean Sea, near the Greek island of Lesvos, Agathonisi, Kos and Samos. In 5 cases the Greek coastguard rescued the travellers and in one case the Turkish coastguard conducted a large rescue operation. One boat reached Greece on its own but in two cases rescue cannot be confirmed by the Alarm Phone, because we lost contact with the travellers (see: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/306).
On Sunday the 11th of October 2015 the Alarm Phone dealt with a total of 11 emergency situations in the Aegean Sea, near the Greek island of Farmakonisi, Agathonisi, Lesvos and Samos. In 5 cases the travellers were finally rescued by the Greek coastguard or arrived at Greek islands on their own. The Turkish coastguard rescued 3 boats and one returned to the Turkish coast independently. In two cases we could not confirm the rescue of the boats, as we were not able to re-establish contact to them (see: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/311).
On Monday the 12th of October 2015, the Alarm Phone was alerted to two distress cases in the Aegean Sea, close to the Greek islands of Kos and Chios. While the boat near Kos was rescued by the Greek coastguard, it was the Turkish coastguard who conducted a rescue operation with respect to the boat near Chios. More than 150 travellers on board were returned to Turkey (see: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/301).
On Tuesday the 13th of October 2015, the Alarm Phone was alerted to nine distress cases in the Aegean Sea, close to the Greek islands of Samos, Lesvos and Chios. Two of the boats had been attacked near Chios by masked men, who broke the engine and left them behind without fuel, a third group had stranded on a small Turkish island and reported as well to have been attacked the night before. As we learned later on, also this attack happened close to the island of Chios, thus in close proximity to the other attacks
(see: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/302).
On Wednesday the 14th of October 2015, the Alarm Phone was alerted to eight distress cases in the Aegean Sea, close to the Greek islands of Lesvos, Farmakonisi and Chios. In all eight cases the travellers eventually arrived in Greece, either on their own or by the help of the Greek coastguard (see: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/303).
On Thursday the 15th of October 2015, the Alarm Phone was alerted to ten distress cases in the Aegean Sea, close to the Greek islands of Kastellorizo, Agathonisi, Levitha, Chios and Samos (see: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/307).
On Friday the 16th of October 2015, the Alarm Phone was alerted to two distress cases in the Aegean Sea, near Lesvos and Agathonisi. In one case the travellers reported to us that they had been attacked and that their engine had been taken away (see: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/304).
On Saturday the 17th of October 2015 the Alarm Phone was alerted 7 cases of boats in distress in the Aegean Sea, near the Greek islands of Lesvos, Chios and Kastellerizon. Beyond that, one group had stranded on the Greek island of Farmakonisi and was evacuated by Greek authorities. Two boats were able to re-start their engine and to move on independently, while two boats were rescued by the Greek coastguard. In three cases the Turkish coastguard conducted rescue operations and returned the travellers to Turkey
(see: http://watchthemed.net/reports/view/309).
On Sunday the 18th of Ocotber 2015 the Alarm Phone dealt with a total of 10 emergency situations in the Aegean Sea, near the Greek islands of Farmakonisi, Agathonisi, Glaros, Chios and Lesvos. The Greek coastguard rescued 4 boats in distress north of Lesvos and 3 east of Chios. In one case close to Farmakonisi rescue was confirmed to us, but it remained unclear by whom. Beyond that, two groups of travellers had stranded on the islands of Agathonisi and Glaros, but were saved afterwards (see: http://watchthemed.net/index.php/reports/view/310).
[i] https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/10/22/greece-attacks-boats-risk-migrant-lives
[ii] https://beatingborders.wordpress.com/2015/10/19/destruction-in-boukhalef/
[iii] http://canariasnoticias.es/canarias/hernandez-bento-cree-sorprendente-la-llegada-de-2-mujeres-sirias-en-patera-canarias-si-se
[iv] http://bulgaria.bordermonitoring.eu/2015/10/16/no-tears-for-killed-afghani-migrant/
[v] http://missingmigrants.iom.int/en/weekend-greece-arrivals-exceed-peak-summer-day-totals
