Red Cross EU: Supporting safe passage: Europe can and must do more
‘Brussels, 24 April 2015 – The death of hundreds of migrants in the Mediterranean last week is a humanitarian disaster that has shocked and saddened us all. It has also drawn renewed attention to the tragedy that is unfolding before our eyes, day after day, as those fleeing conflict, persecution or poverty take increasingly dangerous routes to seek protection and a better future. People in desperate situations will continue to take hazardous roads and put their lives at risk when they have no other options – despite all efforts to stop them.’
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‘Let us not forget that according to the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights “the Union is founded on the indivisible, universal values of human dignity, freedom, equality and solidarity; it is based on the principles of democracy and the rule of law.” Authorities in the EU therefore have a fundamental duty to respect human dignity and to support effective access to basic human rights. We stress the importance of guaranteeing the dignity of all migrants and their families by upholding their right to know about the fate of their loved ones, to access services for restoring family links, while also respecting their right to privacy.’
