{"id":111953,"date":"2020-05-08T11:54:07","date_gmt":"2020-05-08T09:54:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.asgi.it\/sciabaca-oruka\/stop-the-eu-proposal-for-humanitarian-intervention-in-libya-and-new-funds-to-the-libyan-coast-guard\/"},"modified":"2025-01-07T13:00:12","modified_gmt":"2025-01-07T12:00:12","slug":"stop-the-eu-proposal-for-humanitarian-intervention-in-libya-and-new-funds-to-the-libyan-coast-guard","status":"publish","type":"sciabaca-oruka","link":"https:\/\/www.asgi.it\/en\/sciabaca-oruka\/stop-the-eu-proposal-for-humanitarian-intervention-in-libya-and-new-funds-to-the-libyan-coast-guard\/","title":{"rendered":"Stop the EU proposal for “humanitarian intervention” in Libya and new funds to the Libyan Coast Guard"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
ASGI expresses concern about the European Union’s proposal to allocate around \u20ac 100 million for an “urgent intervention” in Libya in order to limit the new departures of foreign citizens to Europe.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

A proposal by the Maltese government<\/a> on April 13, 2020 foresees a series of measures to prevent the acceleration of departures caused by the exacerbation of the conflict and by the spread of infections by covid-19. The proposal provides for “incentives to stay” in Libya on the one hand, in the form of an “immediate humanitarian mission” by the European Union; on the other, proposes “the strengthening of the Libyan Coast Guard (GCL) in controlling its borders”: according to some sources<\/a>, a feasibility study for the allocation of 15 million euros for the GCL is already underway, with budget coming from the Partnership Instrument and the EU Trust Fund for Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nOnce again ASGI finds itself having to reaffirm that both lines of\naction are not only inadequate but also\nharmful to the situation of migrants who are trapped in Libya.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The above initiative appears once again to confirm the path taken to strengthen the externalization and outsourcing of border control policies already enshrined in the renewed Italy-Libya memorandum. In particular, managing and blocking refugees is entrusted to subjects who are known to resort to torture and violence against migrants. European authorities and governments themselves, over the last months, are increasingly abdicating their role to help migrants and refugees fleeing Libya. Malta, the promoter of this latest support for the GCL, failed to assist 4 boats in distress on April 13th<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. The strengthening of the Libyan Coast Guard prevents refugees and migrants from fleeing Libya<\/em><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    \nIt is now common knowledge that the Libyan Coast Guard with the\ntechnical and technological equipment and instrumentation provided by\nthe member countries carries out \u2013 upon\ndelegation by European countries \u2013\nactions of refoulement.\nIn the case of SS\nv. Italy<\/a>, now pending before\nthe European Court of Human Rights, the Italian rescue coordination\ncenter has remotely coordinated the Libyan Coast Guard which,\nthrough a patrol vessel donated by\nItaly, brought back to Libya 47 survivors\nwho were then locked up in inhumane\nconditions in detention centers. This\nconduct by Italy constitutes\na push back by proxy by Libyan authorities with Italian and\nEuropean coordination and equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    ASGI has\nrepeatedly asked judicial authorities to\ndeclare that supplying\ntechnical and logistical equipment to the Libyan Coast Guard\nis illegal. There is no doubt that these\nmeans are used to commit acts of violence\nagainst migrants, such as in the case of\nthe 4 patrol boats restored with the\nItalian funds, which gave rise to a legal\ndispute<\/a> now\npending before an Italian administrative\ncourt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Similarly, the complaint to the European Court of Auditors<\/a> filed by GLAN, ARCI and ASGI alleges the illegitimate use of European funding of approximately 90 million euros for Libya to control its maritime and land borders. The project, the implementation of which is entrusted to the Italian Ministry of the Interior, did not contain any adequate risk assessment, nor any transparency or control mechanisms, despite the clear risk that the funds would end up financing clans that participate directly in hostilities, and thus fueling the conflict dynamics and aggravating the conditions in which migrants are detained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. No improvement in the conditions of migrants and refugees and a persistent lack of transparency in the management of humanitarian projects<\/em><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      ASGI also\nreaffirms its opposition to the financing of international and\nnon-governmental organizations for the management and distribution of\nbasic necessities, hoping for an illusory improvement in the\nconditions of refugees and migrants. The lack of transparency in the\nmanagement of resources, the difficulty in\naccessing detention centers, the\nunpredictable behavior\nof authorities managing the distribution of goods, do not\nensure that resources achieve goals other\nthan humanitarian assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      As noted by ASGI,\ninternational organizations manage projects worth\ntens of millions of euro in Libya; however, citizens\ncannot access reports of the activities carried out and\nrelated expenditures,\nthus making it impossible\nto verify<\/a> their actual\nbeneficiaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      On the contrary,\nthe presence of International Organizations inside detention centers,\nwhere people are systematically subjected to any form of torture,\nrisks creating ambiguities that compromise\nthe success<\/a> of humanitarian activity itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      ASGI therefore requests:<\/p>\n\n\n\n