4600 migrants "rescued" in two days. Is this what's called deterring the people smugglers?

Chris Wilson · 30 Aug 2016 at 08:59

There was extensive talk of EU countries sending ships to the Mediterranean to deter migrant people smuggling, yet in the last 2 days alone over 7600 migrants sent to sea with just enough fuel to get in range of rescue ships posted off the Libyan coast, have been safely ferried ashore into Europe. Is this what is called deterring people smuggling? We might as well just offer free ferry service, every Eritrean, Libyan, Somalian and their neighbours will be on their phones and social media incredulous about how the West are actually now facilitating economic migrancy.

How has this madness become mainstream with huge numbers of illegal migrants being collected from the seas where they obviously set off knowing they would be rescued and brought to Europe? What deterrents are ACTUALLY occurring out there? Any at all? We (the EU) might as well try and run an official ferry service from Africa to the EU, free of charge... What is the legal position of charities facilitating illegal entry of migrants using charity funds?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-37216881

RaohNS · 30 Aug 2016 at 09:02

How do we stop them then, Chris?

Darujhistan · 30 Aug 2016 at 09:03

Business wants this, so it is allowed to happen. You're already here and have nowhere to live?

Who cares!

scorza · 30 Aug 2016 at 09:05

There's only one solution; detain, and deport unless their asylum claim is successful. Yes it costs a lot of money to do this but if you don't do it then it'll end up costing you a helluva lot more. Maybe the EU can get Ireland to pay, since they're due to get a massive windfall today.

Chris Wilson · 30 Aug 2016 at 09:21

RaohNS said:
How do we stop them then, Chris?

You don't stop them by having some "gentleman's agreement" whereby people smugglers provide a ship and power unit, and enough fuel to get them offshore, knowing an EU boat will rescue them and bring them safely to Europe.

If this was cocaine being smuggled would a charity be allowed to pick it up and bring it into Europe for distribution? Many, many of these, (the majority in my opinion) are ILLEGAL economic migrants. Are these ships being provided by people smugglers scuttled immediately? What's happening to them if not? EXACTLY what have these so called deterrent ships actually done AS a deterrent? Why is the EU allowing charities to facilitate people smuggling?

You don't pick them up, you hound them mercilessly, drive them back to Libya or wherever. Those that end up in the sea in peril you
rescue if safe to do so for the rescuers, and inter them somewhere. No papers they are sent back. If they take the Mickey and start jumping overboard through choice you wave ta ta and leave them. Australia has formed an economically efficient model proven to work. So have other countries. Phones all over Africa will be ringing today with economic migrants saying "Jeez, they are sending boats to get us now, come across to the promised land and get your lovely lucre...".

Jono · 30 Aug 2016 at 09:41

This is madness, surely?
"What, so we should just let them drown?"

Sorry, but yeah. Their choice. Well no, not exactly - but round them up and dump them back on the coast from whence they came.

Tunney · 30 Aug 2016 at 09:48

We no longer get a say in what the EU does. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Tefal · 30 Aug 2016 at 09:51

RaohNS said:
How do we stop them then, Chris?

tow them back not forward, kick them out on the shore scuttle the boat.

The Running Man · 30 Aug 2016 at 09:55

Take them back sink the ship. The answer is obvious.

Doogles · 30 Aug 2016 at 09:56

I'd just leave them to drown, if that happened it would be a deterrent. Plenty of other places to claim asylum in places that are stable closer to their home anyway. Like some comment before me they are just economic asylum seekers that try to come to the EU for all the benefits that they are not entitled too.

deuse · 30 Aug 2016 at 09:58

RaohNS said:
How do we stop them then, Chris?

Move the our ships closer to where they are coming from and tow them back. Problem solved.

Wartris · 30 Aug 2016 at 10:00

The Running Man said:
Take them back sink the ship. The answer is obvious.

The most simplest solution to the problem

Chris Wilson · 30 Aug 2016 at 10:01

Of course, wonderful EU law and the old human rights chestnut would say Draconian action is illegal. Australia refuses to discuss their policies and just say the do all that's necessary to stop the boats landing,

My concern for this situation even though we are fairly divorced from direct effects from migrants crossing them Med at the moment is the kerfuffle over the border in Calais. If moves are afoot to move the processing to the UK you can be ABSOLUTELY certain a daily flotilla of boat full of migrants will be crossing the Channel as a massive surge of migrants head across Europe and France to French shores adjacent to the UK shoreline.

As Africa slowly empties into Europe people will rue the days when nothing as per usual was done in the name of human rights and international law. They should put Putin in charge....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...-is-it-transferable-to-the-Mediterranean.html

RaohNS · 30 Aug 2016 at 10:01

deuse said:
Move the our ships closer to where they are coming from and tow them back. Problem solved.

And the thousands who make it through?

Tefal · 30 Aug 2016 at 10:03

RaohNS said:
And the thousands who make it through?

would have made it through anyway?

except now thousands less would make it through if we took them back.

RaohNS · 30 Aug 2016 at 10:04

Chris Wilson said:
They should put Putin in charge....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...-is-it-transferable-to-the-Mediterranean.html

Wouldn't it be better to put Australia in charge?

Maybe sinking a few boats will send the required message mind. Apparently you need permission to return them to the shores from where they came of the nation

Liquiduk · 30 Aug 2016 at 10:05

RaohNS said:
Maybe sinking a few boats will send the required message mind. Apparently you need permission to return them to the shores from where they came of the nation

Sounds like a lot of paperwork

Tefal · 30 Aug 2016 at 10:07

does Libya even have an effective government to get permission from?

Just rock up with "hey these guys where drowning we saved them for you....nah don't know anything about immigrants"

Barham2016 · 30 Aug 2016 at 10:11

Tunney said:
We no longer get a say in what the EU does. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

We are still in the EU, so of course we get a say?

Chris Wilson · 30 Aug 2016 at 10:11

Liquiduk said:
Sounds like a lot of paperwork

Costs of handling the situation versus the cost of allowing these economic migrants and maybe in the future their families, who seem noticeably absent, to land and live in Europe?

Cue those who will come forwards saying what an asset these often illiterate, certainly jobless, pugnacious, tribally hostile lot will be...