18/12/2010 Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation
Strasbourg, 17.12.2010 – The Chair of the Migration Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Christopher Chope (United Kingdom, EDG), made a call “not to ignore or forget the tragedy played out on the rocks of Christmas Island earlier this week, when over 30 migrants, asylum seekers and refugees met their death within sight of safety, sanctuary and solid ground.”
“This boat load of people may have been thousands of miles from Europe - he said - but the plight of the persons on board were no different from the plight of many of the persons seeking to enter Europe by sea, land and air. Why are so many persons taking these risks? Why are people risking drowning crossing seas and rivers, risking asphyxiation in closed lorries or risking death in mine fields at borders?”, he asked.
“Until we tackle the causes of these movements of people,” said Mr Chope, “such misfortunes will continue. We have to do more to discourage people from setting out on these desperate journeys, and we have to deal with the underlying problems they face in their countries of origin. We have to come up with further ideas on how to prevent such tragedies in the future.”