Much #respect for the 2014 life-saving work done (and still being carried out) by the #ItalianCoastguard and private migrant-assistance groups #MOAS. Over 130,000 people from war-torn countries landed in Italian ports during #2014. The difficulty the Coast guards, MOAS, #ItalianRedCross and many other humanitarian organizations face in dealing with the huge influx of Syrian/Sub-Saharan migrants was again highlighted this morning when over 1,000 migrants were found on a cargo ship off Italy. The images below were some of those made during the late summer of 2014 when I travelled to Italy and Malta to document the incredible work these people do..The EU have effectively closed down the Italian Mare Nostrum sea-rescue operation that was started directly after the #Lampedusa tragedy when 366 migrants drowned just off the small southern Italian island in October 2013. Mare Nostrum lasted just one year though the Italian coastguard continues to rescue migrants still risking their lives to arrive in Europe. Other than turmoil in #Syria and the many sub-Saharan countries where the migrants are fleeing, there is now the problem that huge international smuggling and migrant transportation organizations are raking in (according to #UNHCR) over $7 billion by providing networks to move the migrants- with little regard for their ultimate safety. Little chance in #2015 of that business dwindling. More pics and stories from helpers and migrants soon in early #2015 #YahooNews Please check out the website of the Migrant Offshore Aid Ship (MOAS) and consider donating moas.eu - Todays news in.reuters/article/2014/12/31/italy-migrants-ship-idINKBN0K90VG20141231 UNHCR outlines for 2015 unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/page?page=49e48e996&submit=GO #Italy #Libya #Migrants #savethechildren #Statelessness #Asylum #refugees More pics and migrants stories coming soon in early #2015 #YahooNews (photos GC Getty Images) #ReportageByGetty
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 16:26:45 +0000
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