The case of Sea Watch, a ship that is part of the non-governmental action fleet called Mediterranea Saving Humans, has already gone down in history of the world’s best chronicles.
By: Stefano Bonomi
This self-organized experience of overseeing the central Mediterranean took shape the day after the franchised NGOs have been forced to withdraw due to continuous vexations and reprisals by Italian governments of all hues.
We support the courageous choice of Commander Carola Rackete who has taken on the responsibility of forcing the absurd blockade imposed by the Interior Minister [and Deputy Prime Minister] Matteo Salvini, known as “minister of fear and hatred” (of the racist Lega (League) party, now ruling Italy), on the night of June 29.
The bold choice of the 31-year-old German has in fact also polarized the national public opinion: on the one hand, the faction opposing all types of immigrants landing, captain of Salvini himself, who has driven his supporters to a campaign of shamefully sexist and racist nature; on the other hand, the Sea Watch crew and anti-racist activists from all over the country, who immediately sought the organization of a large net of solidarity and fundraising initiatives (demonstrations, surveillance, etc.) to support the captain, meanwhile confined to house arrest.
On July 2, Carola Rackete has been released because none of the charges against her have worked. Even the bourgeois justice, which is usually on the side of capital and its inhuman laws, was forced to admit that saving human lives is not a crime: the needs of the shipwrecked and the navigation code are above of racist hatred.
While we write this article, additional rescue operations by other vessels of the same Mediterranea Saving Humans are underway: we are sure the crew’s stubbornness and the solidary support in continuous mobilization will continue. It is of fundamental importance that the important thrust of this movement also serves to strengthen the mobilizations that are being developed to reject “Salvini’s bis bill” which, after another similar bill already approved in parliament in November (with votes of both racist and populist parties in office, Lega and M5S), subsequently limits the right to dissent, to striking, to demonstrate and exacerbates racist measures. The “Salvini’s bis bill” not only punishes criminally and fines those who rescue men and women who are drowning in the sea, but also imposes years of imprisonment for unauthorized assemblies in public spaces or for those who set off fireworks at demonstrations! These are shameful, racist and liberticidal measures, which are added to those already in force that jail road blockers (frequent during strikes). [1]
It is also necessary to promote international mobilizations and solidarity that aim at putting an end to a new kind of trafficking in human beings: women, men and children fleeing desperation and from the risk of being brutally killed to have their organs sold to traffickers on duty and, to avoid this, have the right to be accepted in a foreign country! The slogan widespread in anti-racist demonstrations in Italy – “Let’s remain human” – means for us to resist, to organize and to fight barbarism of an increasing inhuman capitalist system, which, in the name of profits for a few, does not hesitate to let dozens of thousands of desperate people dying.
[1] To know the content of these shameful racist decrees that restrict freedom we refer to the Front of Struggle No Austerity’s website: www.frontedilottanoausterity.org/19/notizie-in-evidenza/campagna-per-labolizione-del-decree-salvini-bis-fronte-di-lotta-no-austerity /
It is good to point out that these decrees, in continuity with previous racist laws, emanate from governments of different hues.
