Refugees await resettlement in a Libyan camp. (Anadolu Agency/Getty)
European officials are in the process of seeking U.N. approval for their latest plan to curb the massive influx of migrants traveling from North Africa to seek asylum on the continent. A coalition of several E.U. countries - including the U.K., France and Italy - are planning a bombing campaign targeting the boats of Libyan people-smugglers, stripping would-be migrant operations of their means of transporting their customers.
Such people-smuggling and human trafficking operations working from Libya have attracted much attention in recent months. Years of civil war following the death of deposed leader Muammar Gaddafi completely destabilized the North African nation, displacing citizens and driving many to seek employment abroad. The lack of order or oversight, as well as Libya’s location on the Mediterranean, has made it a particularly adept starting point for a sea-crossing to the E.U. Nearby conflicts in Syria and Iraq have also supplied smugglers with a steady stream of takers for dangerous voyages to Italy or Sicily in inadequate, overpacked dinghies.
Hundreds of thousands of migrants reportedly attempt the sea trek from Libya to Europe each year, but several thousand drown on the way. Last month, a capsized boat killed around 900 migrants, in the deadliest sea disaster the region has seen in decades. Such disasters have put international pressure on the E.U., with human rights advocates arguing officials could do more to rescue migrants in peril in European waters.
But experts aren’t confident that striking small-scale smugglers is the solution. As pointed out in The Guardian, smuggling operations aren’t as well organized as the proponents of a military response on the Libyan coast seem to believe. In fact, it would be difficult to differentiate smugglers from fisherman until their boats are already full of people — at which point, most people would agree it’s too late to strike. Furthermore, Libyan officials are reportedly furious about the plan, which they deny having been consulted on. Their country is already plagued by violence — a European bombing campaign won’t do much to improve the situation.
Indeed, there is evidence that destroying the boats of suspected smugglers will exacerbate the hardships of the migrants themselves. When the U.S. tried to crack down on migration across its southern border by sealing off popular border crossings, people instead crossed less habitable terrain, and died in the desert. As dangerous as the Libyan crossing has proved to be, there are nonetheless less desirable options. This is especially true, given that migrants are unlikely to see the well-documented danger of sea crossings out of conflict zones as a deterrent: according to a recent report by Amnesty International, the plight faced by migrants waiting to leave Libya is severe. Many individuals hoping to make their way to Europe reported abuse and violence at home, highlighting the desperate situations that push them to leave via any means — dangerous or not.
In March, the U.N. reported that 2014 saw the highest number of asylum seekers worldwide in decades. These claims were sparked by conflict, displacement, and other troubling conditions across the world — problems that can’t be solved by destroying a few boats.
