[thread] Mass migration, death
Europe: Mass Death Becomes Normal
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/16/opinion/europe-tunisia-migration.html
This is what a crisis of human rights, ethics, global inequality looks like:
* mass death normalized on Europe’s borders
* >27,800 people died/disappeared in Mediterranean Sea since 2014, likely large underestimate
* 2023: >2,000 people died trying to get to Europe
* 2023-06: 600 died when ship capsized off Greece
My Fourth Time, We Drowned: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Hayden#My_Fourth_Time,_We_Drowned
... cont'd 1/2
* economic situation across Africa worsened, exacerbated by pandemic, war in Ukraine.
* people starve as meager savings evaporate
* 2022, Sierra Leone: cost of living crisis lead to deadly protests
Climate change makes everything worse.
* Niger, exacerbated malnutrition
* Somalia, contributed to near famine
In the face of such suffering, the rich world is hardening its borders.
... cont'd 2/2
* British gov. passed draconian bill preventing refugees f. claiming right to international protection; plans to house asylum seekers on floating barge
* European officials talk about “breaking business model of smugglers;” their rhetoric ignores fact that human smugglers are filling a need
Sally Hayden: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Hayden
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/696846/my-fourth-time-we-drowned-by-sally-hayden/
Addendae 1
2,000 migrants have died crossing the Mediterranean this year. Here's why
https://mastodon.social/@persagen/110622728029547111
European Authorities Refuse to Save Migrants f. Drowning, so Ordinary Citizens Are Doing It
https://jacobin.com/2023/08/european-union-italy-migrants-refugees-sea-eye-4-mediterranean-far-right-human-rights
* Italy impounded Sea-Eye 4 rescue ship in crackdown on NGOs that save migrants’ lives at sea
* Crew members say they won’t be intimidated by authorities who routinely leave migrants to drown
Addendae 2
World Leaders Need to Prioritize >1 Billion People Living in Informal Settlements
https://www.ipsnews.net/2023/08/world-leaders-need-prioritize-1-billion-people-living-informal-settlements
* U.N.’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals: world not even close to meeting those goals
* urgent action needed to address plight of >1 billion people struggling daily to survive in slums & informal settlements
Sustainable Development Goals Report
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2023/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2023.pdf
High-Level Political Forum 2023
https://hlpf.un.org/2023
Addendae 2 cont'd
Star Trek Gave Us Utopian Vision of Egalitarian, Postcapitalist Future
One where democracy triumphs, exploitation is ended, everyone’s material needs are met
https://jacobin.com/2023/08/star-trek-solidarity-utopianism-technology-postcapitalism
* echoed in Iain Banks (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iain_Banks) brilliant Culture series (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_series)
Roger Thompson uses Star Trek to teach ethics at Korean university
https://mastodon.social/@persagen/111005551600965129
Addendae 3
60+ Migrants Dead After Boat Accident Off Cape Verde
Vessel carrying mostly Senegalese nationals found off the coast of West African archipelago. 38 people survived
* capsized after leaving Senegal 2023-07-10: https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/migrant-boat-capsizes-off-cape-verde-over-60-feared-dead-senegal-ministry-2023-08-16
* smugglers piling migrants into poorly constructed/overcrowded boats to make crossing to Europe
* migrants take immense risks to escape war, poverty
Addendae 4
41 Migrants drown After Boat Sinks in Strait of Sicily
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/09/world/europe/migrants-boat-sinks-italy-tunisia.html
* 4 people incl.child saved
* migrants desperate to escape war, poverty
* 2023: >1,800 died in central Mediterranean
International Organization for Migration: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Organization_for_Migration
* U.N. agency
* services & advice re: migration to governments & migrants
* internally displaced persons, refugees, migrant workers
@persagen@mastodon.socialAddendae 5
Saudi Border Guards Kill 100s of African Migrants
Human Rights Watch: guards reg. fire on African migrants trying to enter f. Yemen
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/21/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-migrants-yemen.html
* widespread, systematic: 100s killed, 15-mo. period
“They Fired on Us Like Rain”
Saudi Arabian Mass Killings of Ethiopian Migrants
https://www.hrw.org/report/2023/08/21/they-fired-us-rain/saudi-arabian-mass-killings-ethiopian-migrants-yemen-saudi
Human rights in Saudi Arabia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Saudi_Arabia
https://persagen.com >> search:
"saudi arabia" AND ("lgbt" OR "human rights")
Addendae 5 cont'd
Ethiopia to investigate killings of nationals at Saudi-Yemen border
https://www.npr.org/2023/08/23/1195377365/ethiopia-to-investigate-report-of-killings-of-its-nationals-at-the-saudi-yemen-b
* Human Rights Watch report: https://www.hrw.org/report/2023/08/21/they-fired-us-rain/saudi-arabian-mass-killings-ethiopian-migrants-yemen-saudi
* eyewitness accounts
* Saudi border guards used machine guns, mortars on unarmed Ethiopians trying to enter f. Yemen
Human Rights Watch: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Rights_Watch
* international NGO; human rights research, advocacy
* https://www.hrw.org
@humanrightswatch
Addendum 6
U.S. Knew Saudis Were Killing African Migrants
U.S. told 2022 that Saudi security forces were shooting, shelling & abusing groups of migrants
U.S. chose not to raise the issue publicly
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/26/world/middleeast/saudi-killing-migrants-yemen.html
* image: Ethiopian migrants in Yemen heading for Saudi Arabian border
"They Fired on Us Like Rain"
Saudi Arabian Mass Killings of Ethiopian Migrants at the Yemen-Saudi Border
https://www.hrw.org/report/2023/08/21/they-fired-us-rain/saudi-arabian-mass-killings-ethiopian-migrants-yemen-saudi
Addendum 6 cont'd
U.S. Knew About Migrant Killings by Saudi Forces Earlier Than Disclosed
State Department says diplomats learned of atrocities f. research groups last summer (2022)
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/01/us/politics/saudi-arabia-migrant-killings.html
* contradicts earlier statement U.S. not aware until 2022-12
* U.S. government helped train Saudi border forces f. 2015-2023
* insisted that was focused on water-based training for maritime guards, not include border guards
