European politicians should be ashamed of themselves, President Emeritus Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca said on Monday, referring to the migrants stranded on an NGO rescue ship.
160 migrants have been stranded on the Open Arms vessel outside Lampedusa for a number of days. No European country has allowed the vessel to dock in its ports. Malta said over the weekend that it would allow 39 migrants rescued in its SAR zone to be disembarked in Malta, but the NGO that operates the ship, Proactiva Open Arms, said it wanted all migrants to be allowed in port.
In a tweet, Coleiro Preca said: “How long are we to play with the lives of human beings who do not have the privilege to live in peaceful democracies, and protected by their human rights? This is not the Europe which our foremothers and forefathers wanted for us.”
The former President said our foremothers and forefathers envisaged a Europe enshrined in solidarity – a Europe that promotes and truly safeguards universal human rights for all to enjoy.
“Where is the European conscience? Don’t those poor children, young people women and men, who have been on the rescue ship Open Arms for days on end, have blood running through their veins, as us?”
The European politicians should be ashamed of themselves, she said.
“European politicians, can you please take action as these people are part of our human family?”