Lampedusa aid workers condemn UK’s Rwanda plan after Cleverly visit

Aid workers on the Italian island of Lampedusa, a significant landing point for asylum seekers in Europe, are expressing strong criticism of Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda deportation plan as they brace for another challenging summer of arrivals and tragedies at sea.

They are urging European governments to open more safe routes for refugees if they genuinely want to address the issue of migrant arrivals by sea.
These sentiments come in response to a brief visit to Lampedusa by James Cleverly, the home secretary, which coincided with the day the prime minister’s Rwanda deportation bill was approved by royal assent.
Lampedusa, with its population of about 6,000, experienced an estimated 110,000 arrivals last year, while the Mediterranean witnessed 3,105 deaths. Rescue boats operated by charities and the Italian coastguard are gearing up in the main harbor for another challenging summer of crossings from Tunisia, with preparations including the distribution of toddlers’ life jackets and the provision of body bags for victims of drownings.
Austin Cooper, a mediator and care coordinator for the rescue charity Sea Watch, who is preparing a vessel for summer operations, questioned Cleverly’s motives for the brief visit. He suggested that it might have been intended as a photo opportunity on the same day the UK’s flagship policy was signed into law. Cooper expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the Rwanda plan, stating that it won’t impact their operations on Lampedusa and may even serve to strengthen their resolve.
