Narcissistic EU rebuked by Pope Francis

Pope Francis, who quelled conservatism, infused liberal doses of enthusiasm and modernity in the Vatican, chided European Union for being haggard and elderly. Europe, reeling under the double whammy of debt and stagnation was up for a rude shock as the Pope on his maiden address to European Parliament lashed out heavily for treating humans as programmable objects. European apathy towards immigrants has been a cause of severe concern among the human rights groups too.

World is gripped by the greatest refugee crisis post second world war due to the unabated reign of terror and instability in the Middle East and parts of Africa. As a result millions of people are undertaking dangerous journeys to the Europe for its touted reputation as a haven for human rights and freedom. With crumbling of Libyan government smuggling gangs are organising more notorious journeys to Europe in decrepit boats. Already civil war in Syria has forced millions of people to live overcrowded refugee camps of Turkey, Jordan and Libya. With no hope of revival of the situation in near future, people are eagerly looking for newer pastures. While 60,000 people illegally entered Europe in 2013, so far 130,000 arrived in 2014. The International Organisation on Migration says that route to Europe from North Africa is the most dangerous in the World for migrants. Reports indicate that nearly 75% of migrants who tried to cross Mediterranean died in past 9 months. According to UNHCR, more than 2200 lives were lost since June this year.

Following the tragedy off Lampedusa Island on coasts of Italy when 500 migrants lost lives in October 2013 following which the government initiated rescue operation, Mare Nostrum. Italy is the one of the major ports of entry for the refugees from Africa and its repeated appeals for financial assistance from EU has been turned down. Italians now expressed their inability to sustain Mare Nostrum that rescued 150,000 people so far and winded it up after 24 months. Last month UK axed its support for migrant rescue across Mediterranean on pretext that saving people would encourage others to risk the voyage. From November 1^st Mare Nostrum is replaced by a limited joint EU border protection operation Triton, managed by Frontex European Border Agency search. The new mission will have a third of resources of phased out Italian operation. It is endowed with task of patrolling the 30 mile area of Italian coast and will not indulge in rescue and search operations across Mediterranean. Meaning, if any overcrowded capsizes outside the 30 mile zone, the vessels are left to drown.

The British opined that instead of focussing on the rescue operations, it should curtail the migrants at the place of origin of the transit and target the operators of such dangerous voyage. Britain and other European countries are busy justifying their cynical attitude of abdication of rescue operations to the people fleeing war, persecution and poverty as a means of discouraging immigration. Amnesty International severely criticised the woeful response of European countries towards the unacceptable scale of loss of lives at the door steps of Europe. They opined that EU should strive to provide safe and legal channels for people to access protection.

EU with population of 500 million can accommodate for few more thousands of refugees without having much impact on its economy. There are numerous entry level jobs on construction sites, restaurants, elderly care facilities centres which can be taken up by the refugees. Since most of the economies in EU are stagnating, politicians refrain from consolidating any strong stance on immigration. Instead they adopt a negative tack of not supporting the rescue operations. Though it’s disgraceful to let thousands of refugees die, Europe hasn’t shied away from its anti-immigration stance and their reluctance to facilitate thousands of refugees thronging its doors. The prevailing anti-immigration sentiment among the 27 nations of the EU is proving to be biggest shame.

With EU betraying the organizational values, Pontiff reminded its politicians of the vibrancy of the continent and belittled its penchant for anti-immigration. He advised them to recreate a resourceful and creative Europe. With bulkier technicalities taking upper hand, there is a gross misunderstanding about human rights. He warned them of possible conflict, social unrest if human rights are misused and human dignity is demeaned. While condemning EU for pursuing policies of self-interest, he apprised them of top priorities of creation of employment, allowing market flexibility and immediate need for immigration reforms. Critiqued them as how Mediterranean was becoming a vast cemetery with people reaching their coasts in rickety boats and warned that world viewed Europe with aloofness, mistrust and suspicion.

 

 

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