Migration Policy Expert condemns Greek authorities for 'practically murdering' migrants
22 June 2023, 22:53
Independent Migration Policy Expert condemns the Greek authorities for handling of migrant boats
Following the sinking of a migrant boat which left at least 78 people dead, Zoe Gardner condemns the Greek authorities for their lacklustre response to the disaster.
Independent Migration Policy Expert, Zoe Gardner, began by telling Tom Swarbrick that "the horrific disaster that we saw last week off the coast of Greece was not the first mass drowning of the summer and this one off the Canary Islands will not be the last."
Continuing she added: "And next summer it will be the same, just as last summer, and this will continue until Europe changes its approach to refugee protection, changes its approach to migration".
Their conversation arose as more than 30 migrants are feared dead after their boat sank in the Atlantic Ocean off the Canary Islands.
Spanish authorities stated rescue workers discovered the bodies of a child and a man, and rescued 24 other people - but did not know how many people were onboard.
Zoe expressed her anger to Tom, saying: "It's not normal that we live in a world where Morocco, Libya, Turkey, Tunisia are treated as prisons for the world's poorest people that can only be escaped through these incredibly dangerous routes".
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Greece has also come under increasing scrutiny over its response to a migrant shipwreck, which occurred even though the boat had been shadowed by its coastguard for several hours.
Zoe told Tom: "There has been video evidence from credible sources showing Greek authorities putting families onto rafts and leaving them adrift at sea, which, you know, is practically murder in my book.
"And the Greek authorities, when presented with this, said, 'No, that didn't happen,' do you believe the evidence with your eyes and ears or what the government tells you?"
Exclaiming help from the authorities "came too late" Zoe told Tom it's "not right to call these things tragedies when there is clearly so much active non-intervention happening that causes these deaths".
