Italy puts curbs on sea rescue ops for migrants: What the new rules say
- December 31, 2022
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Italy puts curbs on sea rescue ops for migrants: What the new rules say
Subject :International Relations
Context:
- Italy approved a cabinet decree which imposes tougher rules on charity ships that rescue migrants at sea. These rules will make it harder for such ships to rescue as many migrants as possible – with severe penalties in cases of non-compliance.
Italy’s refugee crisis:
- According to World Bank data, in comparison with 1990 when international migrants formed 2.5 per cent of the total population, in 2015, international migrants made up around 9.5 per cent of the total population.
- Rampant rise in “illegal migrants” from Africa and Asia region to europe.
- A common route taken by migrants to enter Italy involves crossing of the Mediterranean Sea either from Turkey or North Africa.
- Almost 104,000 migrants have disembarked in Italy so far in 2022, compared with around 67,000 in the same period last year, 34,000 in 2020 and a peak of more than 181,000 in 2016.
About the New rules:
- Once ships rescue any individual(s) from the sea, they should request a port and sail to it “without delay,” rather than remain at sea looking for other migrant boats in distress.
- The new decree also states that the captains must inform the rescued survivors that they can ask for international protection anywhere in the European Union.
- Captains breaching these rules risk fines of up to 50,000 euros ($53,175), and repeated violations can result in the impoundment of the vessel.
Illegal Migrants Vs Refugee:
Illegal Migrants:
- The foreign nationals who enter the country without valid travel documents are treated as illegal migrants.
Refugee:
- Under the 1951 UN Convention on the Status of Refugees and the subsequent 1967 Protocol, the word refugee pertains to any person who is outside their country of origin and unable or unwilling to return owing to well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.
- India is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol
- Stateless persons may also be refugees in this sense, where country of origin (citizenship) is understood as ‘country of former habitual residence’.
Factors that led to the Refugee Crisis:
- Wars – Syrian War, Afghanistan war, Iraq war, Libyan war, Russia-Ukraine war
- Human Rights Violations
- Economic hardships
- Climate change