Mar 29, 2024
In this episode, we speak with Camilla from the refugee rescue organisation SOS Humanity.
She tells us about the time the so-called Libyan Coastguard shot at them, disrupting a rescue operation in the central Mediterranean, and causing the death of at least one person in early March 2024.
She also tells us how, after that ordeal, the Italian authorities then ordered the Humanity 1 rescue ship to sail for a port, thousands of miles away.
And how, when they finally reached land, the authorities tried to detain the ship because they apparently disobeyed the Libyan Coastguards.
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---Show Notes---
For more on SOS Humanity, check out their website, here: sos-humanity.org/en/sos-humanity
You can donate to them here: sos-humanity.org/en/donate-now
Follow SOS Humanity on Twitter: @soshumanity_en
You can watch video footage of the Libyan Coastguard's interference of the Humanity 1 rescue, here: youtube.com/watch?v=ARLiTPf7kzc&t=7s&ab_channel=TheCivilFleet
Check out episode 31 of The Civil Fleet Podcast for more on the Humanity 1 rescue ship
Also, read more about SOS Humanity on The Civil Fleet news blog, here: thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/tag/SOS-Humanity
Ben mentions Mediterranea: Saving Humans and their rescue ship, the Mare Jonio. For more on them, check out episodes 18 and 47 of The Civil Fleet Podcast
Ben mentions a trip to Trapani and the Iuventa rescuers. Check out the previous episode of The Civil Fleet Podcast for more on that, and check out episodes 2, 24 and 36
Camilla mentions fellow refugee rescue organisation SOS Mediterranee. For more on them, see here: thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/tag/SOS-Mediterranee/
Fore more on the Libyan Coastguards, see here: thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/tag/Libyan-coastguard
And read this exclusive story on the EU continuing its support of the Libyan Coastguard despite its fears of human rights abuses: thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/2020/02/21/eu-to-continue-supporting-the-libyan-coastguard-despite-its-fears-of-human-rights-abuses/
And this 2020 investigation on how the EU’s supposed training of the Libyan coastguard has only made things worse: thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/2020/06/20/sending-refugees-back-to-hell-with-eu-support/
Camilla mentions Alarm Phone. Want to know more about them? Check out episodes 48, 5 and 3.
Read about Italy's top court declaring Libya not to be a safe port: reuters.com/world/africa/returning-sea-migrants-libya-is-illegal-italys-top-court-says-2024-02-18/
Read about the Libyan Coastguards harassing MSF's rescue ship Geo Barents here: https://searchandrescue.msf.org/testimonies/eu-sponsored-shameful-abuses-in-the-central-mediterranean-must-end.html
And watch this video of another incident: https://twitter.com/MSF_Sea/status/1768986324139217156
Ben mentions the Pirate History Podcast. Check that out here: piratehistorypodcast.com
You can read SOS Humanity, Sea-Watch and Sea-Eye's joint statement on the detention of their ships in March 2024, here: sos-humanity.org/en/press/italy-escalates-the-obstruction-of-civil-search-and-rescue/