Left to die in the Mediterranean (dozens of African migrants who died because they were left adrift)

[stockholmer]

http://socialistworker.org/2011/05/18/death-in-the-mediterranean

"WHEN THE entire international community almost unanimously says that there is a potential humanitarian crisis about to take place, we can't simply stand by with empty words; we have to take some sort of action."

That was what Obama told reporters in late March, justifying the U.S. and NATO intervention in Libya.

But "stand by" is exactly what Western powers did earlier this month when dozens of African migrants, fleeing the Libyan capital of Tripoli for the Italian island of Lampedusa, were left to drift in the Mediterranean Sea for 16 days while their pleas for help were ignored.

In all, some 63 of the 72 passengers on board died from thirst and hunger--including women, young children and political refugees, according to an investigation in Britain's Guardian newspaper http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/08/nato-ship-libyan-migrants . "Every morning we would wake up and find more bodies, which we would leave for 24 hours and then throw overboard," said Abu Kurke, one of only nine survivors. "By the final days, we didn't know ourselves...everyone was either praying or dying.................................................."

snip

---------------------------------------------------

hat-tip to Witt78 (brand new DU'er) for the link

[Ken Burch]

1. Shame on every European country that made sure these people died

And shame on OUR country if our leaders had something to do with this as well. There's no way that controlling immigration could ever justify leaving innocent people to suffer like this.

[classysassy]

2. Revenge of the non-white world

Fear,the cause of so much anger in the world today,in my opinion the western world(mostly white) are fearful of their past,their domination and mistreatment of their darker brothers and sisters.Let us hope it's not too late to change the course we are on(mutual destruction) .The Bible tell us we must confess and repent to be saved,pride should never stand in the way of human survival.Fear,hate and greed are difficult to abandon but we must in order to survive.