51 MEPs write to EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson, EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy Olivér Várhelyii, and EU High Representative Josep Borrel concerning the tragic deaths of 37 people with more than 80 injured at the border between Morocco and Spain at Melilla last weekend.
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Dear Ms. Johansson,
Dear Mr. Várhelyi,
Dear VP. Borrell Brussels,
This weekend we have seen that at least 37 people have died and more than 80 have been injured at the border between Morocco and Spain at Melilla, and theses numbers could continue to increase. In addition, non-governmental organizations working in the area have shared images in which we see how the Moroccan security forces detain people trying to cross the border, these people show signs of violence and are crammed on top of each other in deplorable conditions.
There are also images of Moroccan forces crossing into Spain to carry out pushbacks.
This events are part of a situation of constant violation of human rights in Morocco, in the context of migration policies supported by the European Union and its Member States. This is not the first time that such episodes have occurred at the external border of the European Union, and specifically at the border with Morocco. There are frequent cases in which the security forces, on both sides of the border, use violence to try to prevent these people from reaching European territory. This happens due to agreements signed by the European Union and Morocco, so that the latter controls entry to the EU in exchange for large amounts of public money, and the informal Spanish-Moroccan arrangement which provides the basis for the deportation of irregular migrants from Ceuta and Melilla.
This form of border control violates European regulations, including the fundamental right to seek asylum, as these people are not allowed to apply for international protection regardless of their individual situation, and does not comply with the requirements for the protection of Human Rights stipulated by European regulations, the Union Treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights. In addition, in the events that have taken place in recent days, the right to physical integrity and even life right are also being violated.
For all this, the undersigned MEPs, we ask you to investigate what happened at the border between Morocco and Spain in the city of Melilla and to determine the necessary responsibilities. In particular, the Commission must ensure compliance with EU law by all Member States, including Spain. As well as to review all agreements with the Government of Morocco on migration control to ensure that the EU migration policy respects human rights. The European Union cannot continue to be an accomplice to episodes such as these, nor to more violence, therefore we ask for the implementation of a migration policy based on reception, human rights and legal and safe routes, which is the best guarantee that these do not happen again.
Sincerely,
1. Sira Rego – The Left – Vice Chair
2. Martin Schirdewan – The Left – Chair
3. Manon Aubry – The Left – Chair
4. Marisa Matias – The left – Vice Chair
5. Alice Kuhnke – Greens Vice Chair
6. Ernest Urtausn – Greens vice chair
7. Jordi Solé – Greens Vice Chair/ EFA Chair
8. Giorgios Georgiou – The Left
9. Oezlem Demirel – The Left
10. Malin Bjork – The Left
11. Clare Daly – The Left
12. Niyazi Kizilyürek – The Left
13. Stelios Koulouglou – The Left
14. Idoia Villanueva – The Left
15. Anne Sophie Pelletier – The Left
16. Manu Pineda – The Left
17. Jose Gusmao – The Left
18. Konstantinos Arvanitis – The Left
19. Cornelia Ernst – The Left
20. M. Eugenia Rodríguez Palop – The Left
21. Pernando Barrena – The Left
22. François Alfonsi – Greens/EFA
23. Benoît Biteau – Greens/EFA
24. Damien Carême – Greens/EFA
25. Ville Niinistö – Greens/EFA
26. David Cormand – Greens/EFA
27. Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield – Greens/EFA
28. Karima Delli – Greens/EFA
29. Claude Gruffat – Greens/EFA
30. Yannick Jadot – Greens/EFA
31. Michèle Rivasi – Greens/EFA
32. Caroline Roose – Greens/EFA
33. Mounir Satouri – Greens/EFA
34. Marie Toussaint – Greens/EFA
35. Erik Marquardt – Greens/EFA
36. Niklas Nienaß – Greens/EFA
37. Tineke Strik – Greens/EFA
38. Damian Boeselager – Greens/EFA
39. Pär Holmgren – Greens/EFA
40. Jakop Dalunde – Greens/EFA
41. Saskia Bricmont – Greens/EFA
42. Ignazio Corrao – Greens/EFA
43. Tilly Metz – Greens/EFA
44. Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana – Greens/EFA
45. Diana Riba i Giner – Greens/EFA
46. Massimiliano Smeriglio – S&D
47. Isabel Santos – S&D
48. Matjaž Nemec – S&D
49. Dietmar Koster – S&D
50. Eleonora EVI – Greens/EFA
51. Silvia Modig – Greens/EFA