For almost three weeks, the humanitarian ship Ocean Viking has been sailing in the Mediterranean, looking for a land to disembark. Or rather, waiting for the green light from a State that would open one of its ports to safely disembark the 234 migrants rescued between Libya and Malta. But for the moment, the opposition between France and Italy on this file blocks any resolution of this matter.
On board, however, the human anguish is further complicated by health problems. The Government also launched this Thursday morning the medical evacuation of four passengers to the Bastia hospital. However, without committing to welcome the 230 immigrants still present on the Ocean Viking. An unacceptable situation for the left, many elected officials have taken the floor to denounce it and ask the government to act.
“Allow them to survive with dignity”
From Gennevilliers, in Hauts-de-Seine, and a factory on strike, the rebel deputy elected on the Somme François Ruffin declared on BFMTV: “Corsica proposed to do it, Marseilles proposed to do it, I think it is a duty of humanity when 234 people are aboard a ship, it is not about making it the symbol of firmness, but about asking how people are welcomed with dignity, and are allowed not even to live, but to survive with dignity”.
In addition to Corsica, in front of which the Ocean Viking is currently located, Marseille on Wednesday and Toulon through the voice of its mayor, Hubert Falco on Thursday, have said that they are ready to receive the ship.
On the set of BFMTV this Thursday, Sophie Taillé-Polian, Nupes deputy elected in Val-de-Marne and co-president of the environmental group, confirmed: “The duty of humanity is, indeed, to welcome you.”
“International law is that these people who have been taken in and are in a situation of great suffering and great anguish must go, as quickly as possible, to a safe port. When you look at the map, you have the feeling that Corsica is the better located. These migrants live in abominable situations and nobody gets on a makeshift boat just for comfort or a dream, “he stressed.
“Open the ports of France”
Mathilde Panot, president of the rebel group in the Hemicycle and also elected in Val-de-Marne, used similar words on Twitter, addressing the Minister of the Interior directly.
“Gérald Darmanin, we solemnly ask you. Open the ports of France and make sure the Ocean Viking docks. This is about our dignity and our humanity for all,” he wrote.
“We are talking about women and children”
On Wednesday, the socialist mayor of Marseille supported the option of hosting the Ocean Viking.
“It is necessary, because they are shipwrecked. We are talking about women and children on board a ship who are drowning and I will never accept that we have to ask for their papers or the color of their skin”, said Benoît Payan.
At the same time, his PS colleague and MP-elect for Yvelines, Benjamin Lucas, lambasted the status quo of the National Assembly: “We want to put an end to the dramatic and criminal childishness among European governments that seem to pass the buck to each other, when we are talking about human lives”.
Also speaking at the Palais-Bourbon, rebel Carlos Martens Bilongo, representing Val-d’Oise, expressed the same sense of urgency: “There is an urgent need to come to the aid of survivors who are at sea and who have I already suffered several traumas”.
Source: BFM TV
