At least 60 people ‘feared dead’ after shipwrecks off the coast of Libya
Al Jazeera2 days
60 Feared Dead in Mediterranean Shipwrecks Off Libyan Coast
Above: A member of the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescues a Cameroonian migrant off the Libyan coast on July 17, 2018. Image copyright: Pau Barrena/AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Only increased cooperation between the EU and Libya can lead to effective border surveillance, combat human trafficking, and help prevent such tragedies in the future. Moreover, the EU's partnership with Libya is a necessary approach to tackle irregular migration flows that threaten European security and overburden reception systems. Supporting the Libyan authorities with training and equipment helps to bring order to a region plagued by instability while offering alternatives such as voluntary return programs.
Establishment-critical narrative
The EU's funding of Libyan border controls enables systematic torture, slavery, and the deaths of vulnerable people in search of safety, making Libya a deadly gatekeeper for the EU, which prides itself on defending human rights worldwide. Mass graves and documented abuses prove that this outsourcing strategy prioritizes border protection over human lives and makes the EU complicit in atrocities. Furthermore, it must be noted that it was NATO that actively promoted Gaddafi's overthrow, thus helping to create the Libyan hell.