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The Catalan Ombudsman urges the public authorities to act as a result of the serious humanitarian crisis involving the death of thousands of immigrants in the Mediterranean
Rafael Ribó demands, by means of a declaration, more resources and action by all Governments involved and by the European Union.
He also requests to the institutions for the defence of rights their involvement in order to provide solutions and to prevent future tragedies, as well as to put an end to the causes of the humanitarian tragedy.
The Catalan Ombudsman also appeals to a major pedagogical effort by the public authorities to raise awareness and involvement of the population in collective responsibilities.
The Catalan Ombudsman has stressed the importance of the rights to life and subsistence in order to raise awareness among the international community of their share of responsibility before the death of thousands of people in the Mediterranean which must be considered a severe humanitarian crisis.
Rafael Ribó, within the framework of his assigned competence in the defence and guarantee of human rights, has put into writing these reflections in a statement which underscores that the current existing migration phenomenon in the south of Europe must be managed from both shores of the Mediterranean.
According to the Catalan Ombudsman, to prevent such tragedies, as the Lampedusa one, all Governments involved as well as the European Union must devote more resources and take appropriate measures. He also recommends that more pedagogy on the matter is made for the public opinion to be more aware of the drama that lies behind the immigration phenomenon.
The Catalan Ombudsman has forwarded this statement to the Catalan Parliament; to the Catalan Government; to the European Human Rights Commissioner, Mr. Nils Muiznieks; to the European Ombudsman, Mrs. Emily O’Reilly; to international ombudsman’s networks such as the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI), the Association of Mediterranean Ombudsmen (AOM) and the European Network of Ombudspersons for Children (ENOC), and has suggested that a international meeting to address the problems and provide solutions on this matter should be held.
