Baħar Ċimiterju: Shoes Solemnly Laid Out To Remember The Men, Women And Children Who Lost Lives In Mediterranean
With over 1,300 people dying or disappearing in the Central Mediterranean in 2022, civil society groups organised an emotional tribute where pairs of shoes were laid out to commemorate all those who were lost.
In a dedication reminiscent of tributes to those lost in WWII concentration camps, the shoes were piled out and laid out silently as gatherers watched mournfully.
“The government’s continued abdication of search and rescue responsibilities is contributing to deaths in the Mediterranean,” Moviment Graffitti said.
“These people – men, women, children, sons, and daughters – can be added to the deplorable death toll of more than 25,000 people who have died while crossing the Mediterranean since 2014.”
“The Maltese government’s continued failure to uphold its search and rescue (SAR) responsibilities contributes to this death toll by putting lives at risk. In 2022, Maltese authorities ignored more than 20,000 people in distress; 413 boats in distress in Malta’s SAR zone were not assisted, and only three boats were rescued by the Maltese Armed Forces,” it continued.”
“People in distress in our SAR zone must be rescued without delay.”
Activists slammed the government for not doing enough to ensure that lives aren’t lose at sea.
“Despite Minister Camilleri’s claim of ‘defending our realm’, government decisions to delay and avoid rescue lead directly to the loss of life at sea. Four-year-old Loujin died of thirst in September 2022 after days of being in distress in Malta’s SAR zone. Her death makes clear the consequences of our government’s actions. The murderous policy adopted by the Maltese authorities must be reversed,” it urged.
“Saving migrant lives at sea is both a legal and moral obligation. By failing to fulfil these obligations, the government puts lives at risk and compromises the value of compassion that we hold dear. We lay out shoes symbolically to help us confront the question: Who were the people whose lives were lost at sea because of our government’s actions?”
PN MP Albert Buttigieg shared images from the event, comparing the hullaballoo made around mega-developer Joseph Portelli wanting to be a footballer – but when 1,300 people die near the island, no one bats an eyelid.
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