Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/864549
3 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 23 AUGUST 2017 News Life-savers MOAS vow to continue mission at sea, three years on On the third anniversary of its foundation, MOAS renews its commitment to its humanitarian mission in the Mediterranean Sea MATTHEW VELLA THREE years have passed since the 30 August, 2014, when the brainchild of an Italo-American philanthro- pist couple was pioneered right here from Malta: the Migrant Offshore Aid Sta- tion (MOAS) went on to ef- fect its first rescue of a group of migrants and refugees in the Mediterranean. The first private search- and-rescue initiative at sea, MOAS was founded with the aim to mitigate the loss of life at sea, and to draw the atten- tion of European civil society to the humanitarian crisis that has been consuming the Mediterranean. It became a model for many other organisations and pri- vate citizens, driven by its core belief that "no one de- serves to die at sea". In three short years MOAS rescued over 40,000 people in the Ae- gean and Central Mediterra- nean Seas. It spawned a reason for so many other NGOs and pri- vate organisations to launch their own rescue missions, but now a number of these have docked in Malta under threat of Libyan retribution as a national coast guard took control of the waters right beyond its territorial control. MOAS was the first search and rescue organisation to sign a 'code of conduct' pro- posed by the Italian govern- ment on 31 July. "MOAS signed this docu- ment in solidarity with the Italian government and its people, the only ones in Eu- rope who are committed eve- ry day to allow organizations like ours to fulfill our hu- manitarian mission," found- er Christopher Catrambone said on the day MOAS signed the code. The need to be present at sea in order to help migrants and asylum seekers in the Mediterranean – which con- tinues to be the world's most dangerous border – has also prompted MOAS' decision not to suspend its opera- tions, but rather to carry on as it has always done in these three years. "The Mediterranean has al- ways been an unpredictable and dangerous environment, and the climate has certainly not changed now," MOAS co- founder and director, Regina Catrambone, said. "This is why MOAS has always taken the necessary precautions and employed professionals and experts in the field of search and res- cue. And this is why we can- not afford to stop our opera- tions, now more than ever; while we discuss what to do to block the flows or avoid landings, there are those who continue to risk their life at sea." In recent days MOAS con- tinued to conduct several rescues, aiding a rubber din- ghy carrying 111 people on 15 August, and two more in- flatable migrant vessels for a total of 235 people on 17 Au- gust. These last two rescue op- erations were conducted un- der the coordination of both MRCC Rome and Tripoli. MOAS is aware that mari- time search and rescue oper- ations are not the solution to the current mass migratory phenomenon. However, the organisation is determined to do its best to continue its humanitar- ian efforts as long as there are people so desperate as to continue to risk their lives on these so-called "death trips". MOAS continues to appeal to European authorities for the creation of humanitar- ian corridors as a safe and le- gal alternative for those who are most vulnerable and in search of international asy- lum. Libyans told Defend Europe to move out of their waters MATTHEW VELLA A far-right organisation that took upon itself the role of a vigilante to ward off migrant boats and migrant rescue mis- sions in the Mediterranean, was itself prevented from entering Libyan waters by the Libyan coastguard – rendering its mis- sion an abject failure. In a press conference last week, the group Defend Europe held a press conference in Lyon, France, to announce they were suspending their "successful" mission. The press conference did not include the crew of the ship C-Star, which Defend Europe chartered, because they are still stranded off Malta where they have been refused permission to dock. But while Defend Europe sent out tweets claiming they had made "new friends" with the Libyan coastguard, it turns out that a recording of their interaction with the Libyans – published in Italian magazine Famiglia Cristiana – was not at all successful. While the group insisted they were just "following the Golfo Azzuro" when they veered off Libyan waters and just outside Maltese territorial waters, the audio of the call tells another story: LIBYAN COAST GUARD - C-Star this is the Libyan Coast Guard, I hear you loud and clear, over. DEFEND EUROPE - Coast Guard, thank you for your co- operation. We are on the way to follow your order and if you'd like to offer a working channel you can report anything from the European NGOs acting against your orders. You have our full assistance and our full support, thanks. LIBYAN COAST GUARD - Thank you for your cooperation and I understand your job, we are facing the same problem and the same challenge. You cannot be here in our wa- ters - I am following Libyan au- thorities' orders. Just keep it like that, thank you very much. Despite the clear repudiation, Defend Europe has been trying to claim it was its efforts that led to the Golfo Azzurro, a rescue mission chartered by the NGO SOS Mediterranee, to suspend its own humanitarian mission. The reason was actually threats of violence from the Libyan coast guard against the NGOs operating near Libyan waters. Human rights NGOs have praised the Maltese govern- ment's decision to refuse entry to the ship. "We would like to commend the government of Malta's stand against the far right group Defend Europe in refusing to allow the C-Star to enter Malta," a joint statement issued by NGOs Aditus Foun- dation, Graffitti, Integra Foun- dation and the Jesuit Refugee Service (Malta), Kopin and The Critical Institute, said. "The stance adopted by the government of Malta sends out a clear message against the poli- tics of hate and extremism." But supporters of the anti-mi- grant boat C-Star have started a petition insisting that the gov- ernment of Malta allow the boat to dock. Prime Minister Joseph Mus- cat said that the Maltese gov- ernment had taken a conscious decision not to allow the coun- try to be used by right-wing extremists. "We took the con- scious decision not to let our country be used by far-right groups who are in a racist, al- most Nazi, way dealing with the issue of illegal migration. "We have been strong on a European level on migration where we have a clear politics which also factors in the hu- manitarian and security side of the issue."