The German captain of the “Sea-Watch 3” is the arrest in Italy in the house. The dispute about the commitment to the rescue of people from the Mediterranean intensified, with recriminations, accusations and claims.
“Blame the Situation”, says the spokesperson of the organization Sea Watch Ruben Neugebauer, was Italy’s Minister of the interior Matteo Salvini. The responsibility but “in exactly the same extent,” the German Federal government. You don’t have to “get about two weeks to distribute 50 people on the continent”.
Day four since the Shrinkage of the “Sea-Watch 3” with 40 refugees aboard in the port of Lampedusa: At the political level, the debt-to-go assignments and the critique between Rome and Berlin, back and forth. The German captain Carola Missiles is in house arrest – now in Sicily.
Captain Carola Missiles, is a symbolic figure in the political dispute
On a big stage
In Berlin, three comrade-in-arms of Missiles in front of the journalists: a small table on a large theater stage, a dozen TV cameras, not only from Germany. The rescue crews to defend their captain, who has long since become a symbolic figure in Germany and in Italy.
The 31-Year-old embodies with their Actions and with their resolute quiet sort of criticism of the Look of the European States in view of the crisis in the Mediterranean. Soon after their arrest solidarity actions in front of the Italian Embassy and consulates began in German cities. In Berlin is called for Saturday to be a larger Demonstration.
Vigil in front of the Italian Consulate General in Cologne
“We need a political solution”, stressed Marie Naass of Sea Watch: “solidarity not bring anything.” It would have to be consequences, “so that the will not be repeated”. And, she stresses, Missiles have made from the “port of refuge law,” because they have not found a “safe haven” and the community of European States have offered no solution.” Italy would have been obliged,” says Naass, but did not respond.
The Port Of Refuge Law
Already several times, most recently to 2017, has referred to the Scientific service of the Bundestag, to assist the members with professional Expertise, with the special case of the law of the sea. The legal experts made it with a view to earlier Sea-Watch-bets open as to whether this should be measured as a “port of refuge law,” and noted that the Italian coast guard had to determine such a Situation.
On the other hand, unlike years ago, so Sea-Watch explain-Active, avoided merchant ships now in the Passage through those waters between Libya and Lampedusa, where refugees in unseaworthy vessels are on the road or tractors have been subjected to. Trade ships would be obliged to help. “Again and again”, says Neugebauer, be commercial vessels observed, “the move consciously”. To be saved only if the reconnaissance planes of the non-governmental organizations, vessels on the Plight of refugees to the attention of made and you with a Video proof of their inaction threatened. The approach of the Italians against Missiles was a “fatal Signal”. Trade ships are considered twice, “whether you will save”.
On Land: passengers of the “Sea-Watch 3” on Lampedusa
So the decisive action of the Italian authorities against Carola Missiles from the point of view of the helper leads to something Positive. Neugebauer says, for the first time in a long Time there is again attention – including the media – for the situation in the Mediterranean sea off Libya: “The disaster in the Mediterranean sea continues.”
UNHCR: Each 45. dies
To recent information from the UN fit refugee Agency UNHCR. Four years ago, in 2015, be any 269. A refugee or as a Migrant died, “a year later, each of the 71., and this year it is even 45.”, the UNHCR representative in Germany, Dominik Bartsch, the “Rheinische Post said”. Bartsch made for the more Maritime search and rescue and called on Italy to remember his “humanistic Tradition”.
Against Players: Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Salvini…
But also for the helpers of the Sea-Watch, it is a European Drama, and not just an Italian tragedy, what is happening now. A year ago, Matteo Salvini, had closed the port of Italy, says Neugebauer: “the Federal government and the European Union have held out. You talk your way out of a European solution.” Again, it refers to the fact that more than 60 municipalities in Germany have agreed to recording of the Sea-Watch-passengers.
Chris Grodotzki of Sea Watch confirmed that we could not wait for a political solution. The Situation in the Libyan Camps, the situation in the Mediterranean deteriorate further. The state of emergency, the Missiles professions, “was entitled to”. The captain had been left with this Not 16 days alone. And the concern of the crew is up to, given the bad atmosphere on Board, refugees from despair from the ship to jump into the sea. One had been cracked for days and be saved. After that, the crew put up at night, especially guards, to prevent worse.
…and the German foreign Minister, Heiko Maas
Signal to the recording
The press conference of the three helpers has ended. There’s a half-hour later by the news magazine “der Spiegel”, the message that a European scheme for the refugees of the Sea-Watch was imminent. Germany wanted to capture a third of the refugees, including France, Finland, Portugal and Luxembourg signaled a willingness to. EU diplomats are confident that it will be this Tuesday a solution.
But the political struggle goes on: in Berlin, between Berlin and Rome. And within the self-rolling of the EU. From the Berlin coalition criticism of the President of the Bundestag, Wolfgang Schäuble, to the Sea-Watch is-rescuers – and unusually clear on the diplomatic stage criticism of foreign Minister Heiko Maas and other SPD politicians, the Italian Minister of the interior. The next ship will come. It is only a matter of time.