2017-10-03
Consequences of the EU's Attempt to Neutralise People Smugglers
TRIPOLI - The central Mediterranean is now the busiest corridor for irregular migration to the European Union. All previous efforts to combat the flows have led to more crossings and more deaths at sea.
Suddenly, in July and August this year (2017), the number of refugees and migrants crossing fell by two-thirds.
The story of how this happened played out on three fronts: at sea, where there was a concerted attempt to discredit a flotilla of charity boats that were saving lives; in the European Union, where foreign policy was transformed to pursue the single goal of reducing migration; and on the northern coast of Libya, where Italy cut deals with known smugglers and communities to trap migrants.
This investigation, spanning Brussels, Malta, Rome, Tunis and Libya, aims to provide the definitive account of European action, its impact on stability in Libya and the rights of migrants stranded there.
Supported
€3,500 awarded on 01/02/2017ID
ECB/2017/JA2A/380 and ECB/2017/JA2A/399ONLINE
- The central mediterranean: European priorities, Libyan realities - Newsdeeply.com, 3 October 2017
- Priorità europee, realtà libiche - Open Migration, 12 October 2017
- Bootjes vol vluchtelingen zien we nauwelijks meer. Maar de reden is een nog groter probleem - De Correspondent, 26 October 2017;
- Deeply Talks: Fallout From E.U. Migration Obsession Rocks Libya - The New Humanitarian, 17/10/2017;
- Storm in the Central Mediterranean: European priorities, Libyan realities - GREAT Insights Magaine, 05/02/2018
CONFERENCES:
- European priorities, Libyan realities: the central Mediterranean refugee crisis - IJF19 WebMagazine, 14/04/2018
Documents
Refugees+Deeply+Quarterly+2+v7.pdf
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