Catégorie : Actualites

  • ‘Mediterráneo’, the film based on the begginings of Open Arms

    ‘Mediterráneo’, the film based on the begginings of Open Arms

    This film is starring by international actors and actesses such as Eduard Fernández, Dani Rovira, Anna Castillo and Sergi López, and has been directed by Marcel Barrena. We have worked closely with its development since its beginnings, with the objective that the result reflects the urgency, the sensations and the dramatic situation they live during the humanitarian crisis on the Greek coast.

    The Mediterranean Sea was then -and still is- a battlefield in which survival is at stake, a place that the deliberated inaction by the UE has made the largest common grave on the planet. We, instead, firmly believe that every life counts, and this explains why participating in this film, despite the difficulties involved in a project as complicated as turning a film into an awareness-raising tool. 

    We are very pleased with this project because we believe that it brings to cinemas this deadly sea in which we sail and where so many people face each other daily fleeing war, persecution of poverty. That’s why we encourage you watch it, explore all the extra material available, and share it on your social media. 

  • Second humanitarian flight: food for Mozambique

    Second humanitarian flight: food for Mozambique

    The 33-ton cargo consists of legumes, canned fish, rice and sunflower oil. They have been delivered to Caritas Mozambique, which will distribute it to the affected population.

    The objective of this assistance is to support the communities of Cabo Delgado, a coastal region from the north of Mozambique in the border of Tanzania. Since 2017, these communities suffer continuous and indiscriminate attacks by armed groups affiliated with the Islamic State that devastate villages, torture, rape and murder.

    In recent years, jihad violence has caused more than 2.800 deaths and at least 730.000 Mozambicans from that region have abandoned their land.

    Many displaced people are in the neighbouring regions, and three-quarters of them are children and women, who, usually, have no refuge or are undocumented and are struggling to survive.

    This initiative is part of the Open Arms mission, which, for years, have been trying to help people to solve problems in countries of origin. In Mozambique, just as in other African countries, desperation leads thousands of displaced people to set out on dangerous and risky journeys.

    THE CAUSES OF A FORGOTTEN CONFLICT

    According to UNHCR, the UN office for refugees, the situation of Cabo Delgado is critical and the chronic poverty, climate crisis and recurrent illness, including covid-19, make it worse.

    Since March, the rapid escalation of the conflict in Cabo Delgado has caused a considerable increase in the number of needy people. In fact, it has almost doubled as the violence has intensified.

    Furthermore, Mozambique is still recovering from devastating cyclones which took place in 2019. Also, it is dealing with a complicated health situation deteriorated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has left a large part of the population without livelihood, and the high risk of spreading other infectious diseases such as cholera.

    Cabo Delgado is a well-supplied area that possesses precious gems and natural gas fields, but the exploitations of their natural recourses are mainly in the hands of multinationals.

    “The truth is that there are immense necessities. The international community needs more resources but also does the government of Mozambique, and it is fundamental to act before it is too late”, has stated Gillian Triggs, Deputy High Commissioner for protection of UNHCR.

  • First flight with humanitarian aid to India

    First flight with humanitarian aid to India

    The Bathalapalli hospital is currently at 100% of its capacity and some beds of the Infectious Diseases Unit have had to be adapted for patients with covid-19.

    India continues to record alarming numbers of infections that exceed 400,000 new cases a day. The country faces a total of 21.5 million accumulated cases, 3.65 active cases and more than 4,000 deaths a day.

    Now the most worrying emergency is the increase in infections among boys and girls with more serious diagnoses. The country is still struggling to find more oxygen reserves to alleviate the health emergency in the country and the lack of oxygen in its hospitals. Around 40 countries around the world have announced the dispatch of humanitarian aid to India.

    The Boeing 787 with the medical supplies left Barcelona last Friday thanks to the collaboration between Open Arms and the Vicente Ferrer Foundation and has had the support of Enrique Piñeyro, pilot and president of Solidaire.

    Both the material and the logistics have been achieved thanks to the rapid response of civil society and numerous collaborating entities and individuals, who have made it possible in just 5 days of mobilization.

  • Nous retournons à la mer

    Nous retournons à la mer

  • Cinquième anniversaire pour Open Arms

    Cinquième anniversaire pour Open Arms

  • A very important role

    A very important role

  • The preliminary hearing against Salvini

    The preliminary hearing against Salvini

    During these 21 days, the TAR of Lazio sentenced for the suspension of the ban on entry into territorial waters. Moreover, 28 minors travelling alone could be disembarked by order of the Court of Minors of Palermo; and 41 medical evacuations, requested and obtained on the grounds of physical and psychological fragility: « It refers to a situation of great physical and mental discomfort, of profound psychological affectation, and of very high emotional tension that may have provoked difficult-to-control reactions, of which, moreover, the attempt to reach the island swimming was only a prelude. » That is the statement on how Agrigento’s attorney described the situation on board of the Open Arms. Consequently, he ordered the immediate landing, right after 12 people had risked their lives by jumping into the sea in an attempt to reach the coast by swimming.

    The NGO Open Arms has been filed as a civil indictment alongside some of the rescued people during this difficult mission and other humanitarian organizations. This morning the judge, after evaluating the documentation submitted, has decided to accept the defense’s request and adjourn the hearing until March 20, 2021 in order to request the necessary documents and translations.

    January 9th has been a decisive day for the organization, a historical date. We hope that the open trial will serve to restore important truths: it will not be a matter of judging only the former minister of the Interior, but of marking a watershed in the direction of European policy on migration, relief omissions, announced shipwrecks, agreements with countries that systematically violate human rights.

    For years, from Open Arms we have shown that we have always respected international conventions and that we have defended the life and fundamental rights of every human being. We hope that this process will consolidate this once and for all, clarifying the responsibilities of European governments and the importance of the work and commitment of humanitarian vessels that have operated in the Mediterranean in recent years.

  • Mission 78

    Mission 78