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EU launches operation targeting Libyan smugglers EU launches operation targeting Libyan smugglers
(35 minutes later)
The EU hopes to begin intercepting people-smugglers in the southern Mediterranean on Wednesday, nearly six months after first pledging to target the Libyan smuggling industry.The EU hopes to begin intercepting people-smugglers in the southern Mediterranean on Wednesday, nearly six months after first pledging to target the Libyan smuggling industry.
According to the EU’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, a combined EU naval mission known as EU Navfor Med will nominally now be able “to board, search and seize vessels in international waters, [after which] suspected smugglers and traffickers will be transferred to the Italian judicial authorities”.According to the EU’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, a combined EU naval mission known as EU Navfor Med will nominally now be able “to board, search and seize vessels in international waters, [after which] suspected smugglers and traffickers will be transferred to the Italian judicial authorities”.
Related: Libya's people smugglers: inside the trade that sells refugees hopes of a better lifeRelated: Libya's people smugglers: inside the trade that sells refugees hopes of a better life
The move comes as the smuggling season begins to ebb, four months after the primary migration route to Europe switched from Libya to Turkey, and five-and-a-half months after EU heads of state, including David Cameron, promised to target Libyan smugglers.The move comes as the smuggling season begins to ebb, four months after the primary migration route to Europe switched from Libya to Turkey, and five-and-a-half months after EU heads of state, including David Cameron, promised to target Libyan smugglers.
EU officials have been vague about how their plan will be put into action, with a spokesman for the operation repeatedly avoiding direct questions on the subject.EU officials have been vague about how their plan will be put into action, with a spokesman for the operation repeatedly avoiding direct questions on the subject.
With no mandate from either the UN or the Libyan government, EU Navfor Med can only operate within international waters, raising questions about how it will be able to target smugglers who largely operate within Libya’s maritime borders. Smugglers currently cram migrants into rubber boats in Libyan waters, before sending the majority into international waters on their own. Only a minority of boats, usually wooden fishing vessels, are accompanied with a couple of expendable members of the smuggling network. With no mandate from either the UN or the Libyan government, EU Navfor Med can only operate within international waters, raising questions about how it will be able to target smugglers who largely operate within Libya’s maritime borders.
Smugglers currently cram people into rubber boats in Libyan waters, before sending the majority into international waters on their own. Only a minority of boats, usually wooden fishing vessels, are accompanied with a couple of expendable members of the smuggling network.
But both kinds of smuggling missions are already intercepted by rescue teams including EU Navfor Med, leading to confusion about whether Wednesday’s developments will constitute any significant change.But both kinds of smuggling missions are already intercepted by rescue teams including EU Navfor Med, leading to confusion about whether Wednesday’s developments will constitute any significant change.
The operation’s spokesman, Capt Antonello de Renzis Sonnino, acknowledged in an interview with the Guardian that boats laden with migrants will be handled just as they have been all year – with the passengers disembarked in Italy, and their smugglers presented to Italian policemen on arrival.The operation’s spokesman, Capt Antonello de Renzis Sonnino, acknowledged in an interview with the Guardian that boats laden with migrants will be handled just as they have been all year – with the passengers disembarked in Italy, and their smugglers presented to Italian policemen on arrival.
The substantive change to the operation could conceivably come after the passengers are disembarked, when separate teams of smugglers dart into international waters to retrieve the abandoned fishing vessels and tow them back to Libya, ready to be reused in subsequent smuggling missions.The substantive change to the operation could conceivably come after the passengers are disembarked, when separate teams of smugglers dart into international waters to retrieve the abandoned fishing vessels and tow them back to Libya, ready to be reused in subsequent smuggling missions.
Even within the limits of its current mandate, the EU Navfor Med boats could pursue and seize smugglers who attempt to do this. Asked three times to confirm whether this was their plan, de Renzis Sonnino sidestepped each question, simply saying: “We are open 360 degrees to whatever is happening over there in international waters. So we are flexible. We can manage any situation – migrants alone, smugglers and migrants, or smugglers in their own boat.”Even within the limits of its current mandate, the EU Navfor Med boats could pursue and seize smugglers who attempt to do this. Asked three times to confirm whether this was their plan, de Renzis Sonnino sidestepped each question, simply saying: “We are open 360 degrees to whatever is happening over there in international waters. So we are flexible. We can manage any situation – migrants alone, smugglers and migrants, or smugglers in their own boat.”
Related: Libya's people smugglers: military action won't stop this multifaceted tradeRelated: Libya's people smugglers: military action won't stop this multifaceted trade
In interviews as long ago as April, Libyan smugglers have acknowledged that the re-use of abandoned smuggling boats is a part of their business model. One smuggler said the same boat had been used four times after being abandoned at sea following the rescue of its passengers by European coastguards. But the same smuggler also pointed out that any limits to the availability of wooden fishing boats would mean that smugglers simply use more inflatable boats instead. These are easily imported, and so do not need to be retrieved once they are abandoned in international waters. Sitting low in the water, and often with just one air-pocket, they are nevertheless even more dangerous than the wooden boats – and their increased use could lead to an even higher number of deaths. In interviews as long ago as April, Libyan smugglers have acknowledged that the re-use of abandoned smuggling boats is a part of their business model. One smuggler said the same boat had been used four times after being abandoned at sea following the rescue of its passengers by European coastguards.
But the same smuggler also pointed out that any limits to the availability of wooden fishing boats would mean that smugglers simply use more inflatable boats instead. These are easily imported, and so do not need to be retrieved once they are abandoned in international waters. Sitting low in the water, and often with just one air-pocket, they are nevertheless even more dangerous than the wooden boats – and their increased use could lead to an even higher number of deaths.
But the full effects of the EU’s strategy may not be seen until May or June 2016, since the smuggling season is about to wind down for the winter. And whatever the outcome, the mission will have no impact in the Aegean sea between Turkey and Greece – the stretch of the water used by the vast majority of refugees attempting to reach Europe.But the full effects of the EU’s strategy may not be seen until May or June 2016, since the smuggling season is about to wind down for the winter. And whatever the outcome, the mission will have no impact in the Aegean sea between Turkey and Greece – the stretch of the water used by the vast majority of refugees attempting to reach Europe.