Migrants and human rights activists gathered in Rome on Saturday to protest Italy’s controversial migrant deal with Libya. This demonstration came a day after approximately 20 individuals were feared dead following a shipwreck in the Mediterranean Sea.
The deal, originally established in 2017 and renewed under the administration of Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, involves Italy funding and training the Libyan coastguard. In exchange, Libya is tasked with preventing migrant departures towards Italy and returning those already at sea. This agreement is due for renewal next month, raising concerns among activists and humanitarian organizations.
During the protest, dozens of migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa shared harrowing accounts of their experiences in Libya. The gathering included a moment of silence to honor those who have lost their lives attempting to cross the Mediterranean. Activist Sarita Fratini addressed the crowd, stating, “In the central Mediterranean, there is a line called the line of death. In the Libyan area, you get captured. In the north, you die because there is no one there.” Fratini has been instrumental in assisting migrants in legal actions against Italy for their return to detention centers in Libya.
The conditions in these detention centers have drawn severe criticism. Rights activists and former detainees have reported instances of abuse and torture. Among those sharing their story was Irene Dea, a 46-year-old from the Ivory Coast, who described her three attempts to reach Europe by boat. During her first attempt, she witnessed the deaths of 12 individuals in the Mediterranean. After being forced back by Libyan forces, she spent six months at the infamous Az-Zawiyah detention centre west of Tripoli, where she described horrific conditions, including violence and starvation. “In this prison, women are raped. You don’t eat… it was total anguish,” she recounted.
Recent reports indicate a troubling increase in incidents involving the Libyan coastguard firing on migrant boats in the Mediterranean. Last week, the charity Alarm Phone reported a fatal shooting incident involving a boat carrying 113 migrants southeast of Malta. Survivors rescued by Italy’s coastguard confirmed they had been shot at before being saved.
The perilous journey across the Mediterranean has so far claimed over 1,000 lives this year, according to the International Organization for Migration. On Friday, Italy’s coastguard initiated a search for survivors of a shipwreck involving a vessel with around 30 people onboard. They managed to rescue seven individuals, while another four were picked up by a merchant ship. One body was recovered, and the search involved both Italian and Maltese patrol vessels as well as Italian aircraft.
Criticism has been directed at the response of Italian and Maltese authorities. Sea-Watch International, an NGO operating migrant rescue boats, condemned the lack of timely assistance. “Italy and Malta knew about the boat since yesterday afternoon, thanks to Alarm Phone, but did not send help until it was too late,” they stated on social media. Alarm Phone echoed these sentiments, revealing they had alerted authorities about the boat carrying around 35 people, but their calls for action went unanswered.
As the migrant crisis continues to escalate, the upcoming renewal of the Italy-Libya deal is likely to remain a focal point of contention among activists and humanitarian groups, who are calling for urgent reforms and humane treatment of migrants in distress.
