The United Nations Missing Migrants Project has registered more than 17,000 deaths and disappearances in the central Mediterranean since 2014.

More than 220 have died or disappeared this year alone. But the United Nations (UN) has not been able to stem the tide of illegal migrants to Europe; it only keeps record of these casualties and sometimes expresses its support for better treatment of them.

On the tragedy of boat crash off Italy’s coast, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said, “I say once again. Every person searching for a better life deserves safety and dignity.

We need safe, legal routes for migrants and refugees.” That kind of compassion for the illegal migrants, who fall prey to their dreams of better life, is extensively shared by charity outfits in Europe, but the governments there are now trying to control and constrict their plans, as seems to be the case in Italy as well where this tragedy has drawn sharp reaction from the authorities who have vowed to stop irregular sea migration at “all costs”. In my view, Italy and other European countries need to adopt a humane approach to addressing this challenge of illegal migrants.

Nahid Mirza (Islamabad)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023