MEP Martina Anderson visits Mediterranean migrant centres in Lampedusa

SINN FÉIN MEP Martina Anderson has called on the international community to do more to tackle the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean which has already claimed the lives of thousands.

The Sinn Féin MEP is visiting Lampedusa, Sicily, as part of a GUE/NGL European Parliament delegation to see the impact of the migrant crisis at first hand.

Lampedusa, an island between Sicily and the north African coast, is the centre of the Mediterranean migrant crisis as migrants fleeing conflict an poverty in Libya and elsewhere try to cross the sea to Europe.

Thousands have died making the crossing, often in rickety boats operated by pirates and people smugglers. Many others have been rescued and held in 'reception centres' on Lampedusa.

During the visit, Martina visited these centres and met with doctors, lawyers and humanitarian workers who are trying to help the migrants.

“The scale of the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean demands immediate humanitarian action from the international community,” she said.

“More than 2,000 migrants fleeing violence and poverty have already died making the Mediterranean crossing this year and many more have been rescued from the sea.

“Many of those who are rescued are taken to taken to reception centres in Lampedusa, including one for children who have made the crossing alone or lost their parents.

“No one who has visited those reception centres could fail to be moved by the harrowing experiences of the migrants, both during the crossing and the circumstances that led them to make such a perilous journey.

“Others have been returned to the horrendous conditions they sought to escape. Detaining migrants in Sicily or returning them to war zones is not the way to deal with this crisis. Any response must be based on humanitarian grounds,” she said.

The Sinn Féin MEP also called on the international community to increase its efforts to prevent further deaths in the Mediterranean over the summer.

“We also met with lawyers and others who are working on behalf of the migrants to get an update on the picture of the ground and it is clear that the humanitarian situation is getting worse.

“The international community, and the European Union in particular, must take immediate humanitarian action to prevent further deaths in the Mediterranean,” she said.

She also commended the crew of the Irish naval vessel, LÉ Eithne, which is currently in the Mediterranean and has been involved in the rescue of thousands of migrants.

“I had hoped to meet with the crew of the LÉ Eithne during my visit but it was at sea on operational duty. This highlights the scale of the crisis and reinforces the need for urgent humanitarian action,” she said.