Deadly borders: politics of aid and people on the move on the Mediterranean

The European Unions stopped undertaking rescue operations at sea in 2015 creating an immediate void of assistance filled by non-governmental actors, which still continues their search and rescue work today. While NGOs takes the rescue responsibility on themelves they simultaneously face being criminalized by Governments. The humanitarian and medical princinple of always saving lives weighs heavily for the organisitions, while on the other hand criminalization of humanitarian interventions are limiting and threatening the safety and work of rescue personel and the people in need. Where does this leave actors, people on the move and decisionmakers?

Doctors without Borders and the rescue vessel Geo Barents working on the Mediterranean Sea are placed in this crossfield of aid vs. politics. Kamma Skaarup is working for MSF and have been working on the Dignity vessel as a nursing activity manager. Through her work on the vessel she has witnessed the consequences of lack of governmental SAR efforts, criminalisation of humanitarian interventions and the political unwillingness to assist the people in need at sea. The SAR conditions are continuesly being worsened by new political efforts to shrink and challenge NGO efforts risking the lives of people on the move. Kamma will share her experiences from Dignity and her analysis on the current situation on the Mediterranean Sea.

Vivian Lyengewuma, have crossed the Mediterranean Sea on a boat, but as the boat started taking in water, was assisted and rescued by a NGO close to the Sicilian Coast. Vivian will share her experience from the Mediterranean and her account will serve as a lense to examine the current situation on the Mediterranean.

Speakers

Kamma Skårup, Nurse and Medical Teamleader, Médecins sans Frontiers

Sine Plambech, Senior Research at DIIS, has throughout the last twenty years been researching motives for migrating amongst migrants, the modus operandi of people smuggling, human trafficking, political decisions concerning migration and migration control as well as humanitarian actions in the Mediterranean Sea

Vivian Lyenemwgumena. Vivian is a live-in caregiver for an older lady in Sicily. She was pregnant while crosssing the Mediterranean from Libya, and rescued at sea during the first European refugee crisis. She will share her story of rescue, and life as a Nigerian migrant in the European borderland. 

Marie Barse, Journalist, DIIS

Programme

• Welcome, Marie Barse
• Interview with Vivian, moderated by Sine Plambech
• Questions from the audience
• Presentation by Kamma Skaarup, Médecins sans Frontiers
• Round up

The seminar was held on 14 November 2023, 14.30-16.00 in DIIS Auditorium.