Statement on sea rescue in the Mediterranean: Own ministry contradicts Dobrindt

At the Munich Migration Meeting a few weeks ago, Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) invited European interior ministers to talk about the EU's migration policy. Topics include: The conflict with Italy over the return of migrants who travel on to Germany, as well as the Italian handling of the sea rescue organizations on the Mediterranean.

After the summit, Dobrindt made drastic comments about the latter in the world: Italy would have to “carry a special burden” due to the “supposed sea rescuers”. The volunteer rescuers were “obviously too close to smuggler gangs”. This puts a strain on Italy and “to be honest, it also puts a strain on us and me, because I can of course see that illegal migration is still being encouraged here.”

The Green Party's domestic policy spokesman, Marcel Emmerich, was annoyed by the statements and asked Dobrindt's ministry whether it could substantiate the minister's bold theses. The answer is available to the taz – and it is quite embarrassing for Dobrindt.

The Federal Ministry of the Interior simply writes as evidence for Dobrindt's claims: "The smugglers take into account the ships sailing in the sea area off the Libyan coast in their modus operandi, since all ships are obliged under international maritime law to provide emergency assistance at sea." And: “Rescuing people in distress at sea is a humanitarian and international law obligation.”

On the question of the extent to which it can be proven that the sea rescuers promoted migration, as Dobrindt claimed, his ministry writes: “The causes of flight, expulsion and migration are complex,” and “the question of pull or non-pull effects” is also “influenced by various factors.” The concept of so-called pull effects, which supposedly attract people to migrate to Europe (“to pull” in English), has largely been scientifically refuted.

But this clarification must also be followed by action, says Emmerich: "It is not enough to officially recognize the importance of sea rescue, while at the same time those who save human lives are publicly associated with criminal gangs. Dobrindt's statements are "unacceptable. Anyone who saves people from drowning deserves recognition and not suspicion," Emmerich told the taz.

The fact that the allegations come from him, of all people, as a politician from the CSU, which “has the 'C' for Christian in its name,” is “particularly outrageous.” Because: “Civil sea rescue is also supported by the churches and numerous Christian initiatives and is charity in practice.” This is also the case with “Sea Watch”, which receives help from the Evangelical Church in Germany.

Emmmerich comments: "Basically, the house is distancing itself from its own interior minister. The escapes across the Mediterranean are organized by unscrupulous gangs, not by civilian sea rescue organizations." Dobrindt must refrain from “blanket suspicions” of this kind in the future.