Statement by the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean
on deaths of migrants in the Mediterranean
Only a few months ago, following the tragedy of Lampedusa, there was a solemn collective promise that the Mediterranean would not experience one more single death. Today, according to the unfolding information, we are faced with yet another tragedy, with an estimated 900 people, among which children, women and men, losing their lives at sea off the Libyan coast.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean expresses its indignation at the latest repeated escalation of victims and life threatening crossings from the Southern shores of the Mediterranean towards Europe.
PAM reiterates its believe that the only solution lies with a courageous and concerted effort by the International Community targeting the root causes, not of migration itself, but of the undisturbed growing phenomenon of modern slavery, through human trafficking by professional organised crime.
The Western civilised world cannot continue to allow the exploitation of vulnerable human beings, who, for a structured fee, are promised a quality leap, in terms of human rights or economic welfare, in their standard of living, which for many only translates into a tragic adventure.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean calls for concrete action, while at the same time, it invites the leaders of Europe to strengthen their assistance, solidarity and support to the countries at the Southern borders of the continent, which are stretching their human and technical resources to the limit, in order to carry out all the necessary rescue operations, the least civilised societies can do, beyond the provisions of any international treaty, law or obligation.//
Malta, 20 April 2015