FIRST THINGS FIRST: SAVING LIVES IS THE PRIORITY

FIRST THINGS FIRST

THE REFUGEE AND MIGRATION CRISIS 2015

The indignation following the publication of the image of the dead child on the shore of a Turkish beach is inducing, it seems, some leaders of European countries  to loosen the tight red tape regulating conditions for entry to the Schengen area and increasing caps for allowing more refugees  into Europe.

 BUT… they are the SURVIVORS! …Allowing more of them into Europe or  the US will not prevent them from being  obliged to pay criminal networks to be ferried in dangerous dinghies or loaded onto overcharged ramshackle boats and  drowning in the Mediterranean! This will not help them to cross safely the Sahara, will not save them from dying at the hands of Lybian hangmen in horrible dungeons, from being tortured by extorsioners.

What is needed with the utmost urgency is for International UN agencies such as I.O.M., UNHCR, UNICEF and possibly others, in coordination with a single UE Reference Authority (what is Ms Mogherini doing?) to set up REGISTRATION AND SUPPORT CENTRES, NOT HOTSPOTS OR SEMI-PERMANENT  REFUGEE CAMPS aimed  to keep them off European shores, on the IMMEDIATE BORDERS of the countries from which they flee. MSF, M.M., Emergency can also help. 

Here the refugees will be registered,  can rest, receive medical assistance  and feel safe, and according to their personal links with friends and family already living in Europe or the US or elsewhere be helped to reach the country of preference,  according to possibilities and feasibility.  Former refugees should be part of the screening process, they can better interpret needs and aspirations of their likes. They should function as TRANSIT CENTRES to freedom and  a new life. Only this will defeat the mafias fattening on the blood of war victims.

For Syrian refugees, the bulk, safe heavens must be established all along the southern Turkish  border  (and Turkey must be enjoined to stop from the dirty war on Kurds or face sanctions), for Somalis or  Eritreans the registration camps can be set up in Kenya and Ethiopia, the migration routes are well known. They must be intercepted early on their way to salvation.  And also Yemenis will be on the run…

In countries like Afghanistan or Pakistan where Embassies and Consulates are free to function normally (or almost, in Afghanistan), staff can be boosted to screen people who wish to leave from dangerous areas or feel persecuted for any reason. 

Money lacking for funding these unforeseen interventions? How about a minimum tax on the trillion dollars being traded daily in official transactions in the world Stock Exchanges?  How about an extraordinary Tobin Tax for an extraordinary emergency involving hundreds of thousands  of human beings? Or on soccer matches tickets….

Anything short of this or a similar approach, holding saving the lives of refugees the real priority before welcoming them into safe heavens in Europe, will perpetuate the shambles ,continue to  feed criminal rings and decree the failure of the construction of a decent Europe. And the “merchants of human flesh” will certainly NOT be the only criminals.