The Importance of Not Being Arcovazzi

Mediterranean Sea: People rest onboard the rescue ship Aquarius, which the NGOs SOS Méditerranée and Médecins Sans Frontières operate off the coast of Libya. Photo: Maud Veith/AFP/Getty Images.

The Painted Sea

An aerial view showing French artist Saype’s giant land art painting Message From Future in Parc de la Perle du Lac, Geneva, Switzerland which he painted to support the cause of the NGO SOS Méditerranée, which specialises in the rescue of migrants at sea. Photo: AFP/Fabrice Coffrini.

The Importance of Not Being Arcovazzi

Aloys Vimard, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)’s project coordinator on board the Aquarius, said the crew and passengers were hoping to reach Valencia, Spain on Saturday evening, although much will depend upon the weather. “The weather is deteriorating and we’re making sure that people are safe – we’ve put ropes across the deck so people can move to the toilet without falling over. It’s going to be tough”. Photo: OnuItalia.com.

The Importance of Not Being Arcovazzi

A wave of peaceful mass protests nationwide has risen up today from north to south against the “immigration policy” introduced by the Italian far-right Minister of the Interior, who denied the migrant rescue ship MS Aquarius permission to dock in Italy. A humanitarian catastrophe was avoided only thank to the intervention of Spanish Prime Minister and Secretary-General of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party Pedro Sánchez, who gave the ship permission to dock in Valencia, Spain. Furthermore, it seems very serious that a military corp such as the Coast Guard claims to be, in executing the far-right Minister of the Interior’s order, ended up for committing fragrant violations of international law. As Naples Mayor Luigi de Magistris warns, the story won’t end here: “The port of Naples is open. Whoever prevents a ship from docking in a port to save lives, whoever puts human lives at risk, not only behaves in an undignified, shameful and ethically reprehensible way, but commits a crime against humanity and will be called to answer before international tribunals”.

Mass rally in Milan, Italy. Similar rallies have been held in Bari, Bologna, Florence, Genoa, Livorno, Naples, Rome, Palermo, Turin and so on. Photos: la Repubblica.

The Importance of Not Being Arcovazzi

Video from inside the migrant rescue ship MS Aquarius reveals the cramped and difficult conditions 629 rescued migrants and the crew of the humanitarian aid boat are living in. Italian far-right Minister of the Interior denied the ship permission to disembark at its ports, while the new Spanish Prime Minister and Secretary-General of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party Pedro Sánchez has given the ship permission to dock in Valencia, Spain.

The Importance of Not Being Arcovazzi

Mediterranean Sea: Migrants are rescued by MV Aquarius, a search and rescue ship run by SOS Méditerranée and Médecins Sans Frontières in the central Mediterranean Photograph: Reuters.