War Against Refugees Illegitimate
„Thus, the life of thousands is put at risk”, criticises Interior Affairs spokesperson of DIE LINKE parliamentary group, Ulla Jelpke, in view of the intention of the EU to receive a mandate of the UN security council for a military advance against gangs smuggling immigrants illegally. Jelpke continues:
“Securing the isolation policy of the EU even with war vessels is the opposite of a humane refugee policy. It is an evidence of the EU’s incapacity to react to ramshackle refugees’ boats with canon vessels.
Nobody declared war against the EU – for that reason alone it is totally illegitimate to resort to military means. The refugees need help. If the EU instead destroys the boats with which they try to reach Europe, the misery in Africa will endure. At last, they will try to flee on even more risky routes.
Therefore I admonish: The presumed war against smugglers becomes a war against refugees. It will, like any war, cost the lifes of innocents. I ask the federal government to clearly position itself against this militarisation of refugees’ defence within the EU. The war that is planned here is a clear violation of the idea of humanity and solidarity which is also incorporated in the German Basic Law. It is necessary not to shoot but to help. This means to grant refugees legal entry possibilities into and fair asylum procedures in Europe. Then smugglers will become superfluous as well.”