Libyan authorities rescue refugees in desert near Tunisia
Al JazeeraAug 02, 2023
The Facts
On Wednesday, Italian state media reported that 41 people are believed to have died after a boat capsized off the coast of Tunisia, with four survivors arriving in Italy after being rescued by a Maltese carrier.
This news comes as another 16 people died in shipwrecks off the coasts of Tunisia and Western Sahara earlier this week. The number of sub-Saharan migrants traveling through Tunisia to embark on sea crossings into Europe has increased significantly in recent years.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Italy acknowledges the perilous and often deadly mission that migrants are embarking on to secure a better life for themselves and their families. To reduce the dangers and the loss of life, Italy has requested EU funding for African nations to increase measures to reduce illegal immigration. Italy has sought a commitment from its EU partners to protect the lives of these migrants. The humanitarian crisis requires every nation to pitch in for education, training, jobs, food, and security for the poorest nations in the world.
Establishment-critical narrative
While Italy claims to have the best interests of the migrants at heart, their legislative actions prove differently. The Italian government has been passing laws under the guise of emergency protective measures aimed at deterring migrants from arriving and criminalizing those that do. New laws will impede migrants' ability to seek protection and asylum, and restrict their freedom of movement and their ability to work once inside of the country. Instead of providing a safe haven, Italy is is seeking to make the lives of migrants just as bad, if not worse, than in their homelands.
