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| Council of Europe demands policy overhaul to stop migrant boat deaths | Council of Europe demands policy overhaul to stop migrant boat deaths |
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| Europe's leading human rights watchdog has called for an overhaul of policy on migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean following an incident last year in which dozens of Africans were left to die in a rubber dinghy despite their desperate appeals for help. | Europe's leading human rights watchdog has called for an overhaul of policy on migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean following an incident last year in which dozens of Africans were left to die in a rubber dinghy despite their desperate appeals for help. |
| In a significant about-turn, Nato expressed "deep regret" for any role it may have played in the tragedy – but the alliance was swiftly accused by Liberal Democrat MP Mike Hancock of a cover-up over the deaths. Hancock said he plans to raise the issue in parliament next week. | In a significant about-turn, Nato expressed "deep regret" for any role it may have played in the tragedy – but the alliance was swiftly accused by Liberal Democrat MP Mike Hancock of a cover-up over the deaths. Hancock said he plans to raise the issue in parliament next week. |
| On Tuesday a debate by the 47-nation Council of Europe on the fate of 72 migrants who set sail from Tripoli to Italy at the height of the Libyan war, only to run into trouble several hours later and end up drifting with the currents, united parliamentarians from across the political spectrum in anger at the huge and unnecessary loss of life. | On Tuesday a debate by the 47-nation Council of Europe on the fate of 72 migrants who set sail from Tripoli to Italy at the height of the Libyan war, only to run into trouble several hours later and end up drifting with the currents, united parliamentarians from across the political spectrum in anger at the huge and unnecessary loss of life. |
| The story of the doomed vessel, first revealed by the Guardian in May 2011, has gathered pace since it emerged that European authorities were aware of both the exact location and critical plight of the migrants, 63 of whom eventually perished of thirst and hunger. Despite the boat coming into contact with a series of military units over the subsequent two weeks, no rescue was ever attempted. | The story of the doomed vessel, first revealed by the Guardian in May 2011, has gathered pace since it emerged that European authorities were aware of both the exact location and critical plight of the migrants, 63 of whom eventually perished of thirst and hunger. Despite the boat coming into contact with a series of military units over the subsequent two weeks, no rescue was ever attempted. |
| In an effort to prevent a similar tragedy from happening again, the Council of Europe has now endorsed a thorough review of existing protocols regarding migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean. The council's recommendations include better clarification on the demarcation of search and rescue obligations between states, improved communication between national coastguards and military vessels, an end to any ambiguity over what constitutes a distress call, and more long-term planning to anticipate higher migrant flows at times of military conflict – all factors that helped condemn the "left to die" vessel in late March and early April last year. | In an effort to prevent a similar tragedy from happening again, the Council of Europe has now endorsed a thorough review of existing protocols regarding migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean. The council's recommendations include better clarification on the demarcation of search and rescue obligations between states, improved communication between national coastguards and military vessels, an end to any ambiguity over what constitutes a distress call, and more long-term planning to anticipate higher migrant flows at times of military conflict – all factors that helped condemn the "left to die" vessel in late March and early April last year. |
| Many of the recommendations require changes to be made at the level of national parliaments and supranational bodies such as the EU, UN and Nato. However, political pressure is mounting for a rethink of policy in the light of this specific case but also the broader trend that it represents – more than 1,500 migrants died in the Mediterranean last year. | Many of the recommendations require changes to be made at the level of national parliaments and supranational bodies such as the EU, UN and Nato. However, political pressure is mounting for a rethink of policy in the light of this specific case but also the broader trend that it represents – more than 1,500 migrants died in the Mediterranean last year. |
| Questions remain over the exact identity of a large frigate and military helicopter, which migrants say made direct contact with them but refused their pleas for rescue, and the council plans to continue its investigations for at least another year. It is still waiting on a formal response from the British Ministry of Defence on the tragedy. | Questions remain over the exact identity of a large frigate and military helicopter, which migrants say made direct contact with them but refused their pleas for rescue, and the council plans to continue its investigations for at least another year. It is still waiting on a formal response from the British Ministry of Defence on the tragedy. |
| "Finding out who was responsible is not about wanting to blame someone but about learning lessons for the future," Tineke Strik, the special rapporteur who investigated the migrants' story, told the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly. "I think we can only improve our methods if we dare to look back and look each other frankly in the eyes." | "Finding out who was responsible is not about wanting to blame someone but about learning lessons for the future," Tineke Strik, the special rapporteur who investigated the migrants' story, told the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly. "I think we can only improve our methods if we dare to look back and look each other frankly in the eyes." |
| After months of denials and a refusal to answer key questions on the issue, Nato – which had been condemned by two independent reports for its role in contributing to the death toll and was censured once again by the Council of Europe on Tuesday – broke its silence this week. Nato said it was examining ways to strengthen procedures relating to search and rescue operations. It said the primary responsibility for the tragedy lay with Gaddafi's regime, human traffickers and the captain of the boat, but added: "If there was a missed opportunity to help on our part, we deeply regret it." | After months of denials and a refusal to answer key questions on the issue, Nato – which had been condemned by two independent reports for its role in contributing to the death toll and was censured once again by the Council of Europe on Tuesday – broke its silence this week. Nato said it was examining ways to strengthen procedures relating to search and rescue operations. It said the primary responsibility for the tragedy lay with Gaddafi's regime, human traffickers and the captain of the boat, but added: "If there was a missed opportunity to help on our part, we deeply regret it." |
| Nato's statement did little to impress critics. Hancock, who sits in the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly and plans to directly question Britain's defence minister on the subject in the House of Commons next week, described it as "an apology for the truth". "It was full of innuendo, misinformation and disinformation and was not helpful at all," Hancock said. "We have all the elements of a cover-up here." | Nato's statement did little to impress critics. Hancock, who sits in the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly and plans to directly question Britain's defence minister on the subject in the House of Commons next week, described it as "an apology for the truth". "It was full of innuendo, misinformation and disinformation and was not helpful at all," Hancock said. "We have all the elements of a cover-up here." |
| In a letter to the special rapporteur sent the night before the council's debate on the matter, Nato repeated its insistence that all naval vessels under its command complied with international obligations regarding the rescue of those in distress at sea, but promised to take the council's recommendations seriously. It said it was "undertaking a comprehensive 'lessons learned' process to review all aspects of our operation in Libya, including the search and rescue issues identified in your report". | In a letter to the special rapporteur sent the night before the council's debate on the matter, Nato repeated its insistence that all naval vessels under its command complied with international obligations regarding the rescue of those in distress at sea, but promised to take the council's recommendations seriously. It said it was "undertaking a comprehensive 'lessons learned' process to review all aspects of our operation in Libya, including the search and rescue issues identified in your report". |
| In a separate development, one of only nine migrants who managed to survive the migrant boat tragedy was turned away at the French border, despite having been invited to Strasbourg by the Council of Europe on Tuesday to address journalists and parliamentarians. Ghirma Halefom, an Eritrean who lost his wife on the boat and has since applied for asylum in Italy, was denied entry by French immigration officers. The move follows attempts by the Dutch government to deport another survivor, Abu Kurke Kebato, who was detained by Dutch police last month just hours before members of the Council of Europe publicly called on European nations to look kindly on any applications for resettlement made by survivors. | In a separate development, one of only nine migrants who managed to survive the migrant boat tragedy was turned away at the French border, despite having been invited to Strasbourg by the Council of Europe on Tuesday to address journalists and parliamentarians. Ghirma Halefom, an Eritrean who lost his wife on the boat and has since applied for asylum in Italy, was denied entry by French immigration officers. The move follows attempts by the Dutch government to deport another survivor, Abu Kurke Kebato, who was detained by Dutch police last month just hours before members of the Council of Europe publicly called on European nations to look kindly on any applications for resettlement made by survivors. |
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