A
classified document leaked by Wiki leaks on May 18, reveals that EU
Defense ministers have agreed to launch military operations against
Mediterranean refugee transport networks and infrastructure including
the destruction of docked boats and operations within Libya΄s
territory.
The EU plan
was first mentioned by The Guardian as an overall EU strategy to
crack down smugglers networks in Libya.
However a
second classified document revealed that EU ministers plan to
integrate military operations, initially scheduled for the second and
third phase of the plan, in the first phase of their intervention.
The
documents - that refer to refugees as "migrants"-
acknowledge the complexity of the situation and clearly state that
there is not enough understanding of the "smugglers business
model and operation". The documents also warn against the
possibility of a possible shift of immigration flows towards the
western Mediterranean following the military intervention.
The EU
plan acknowledges that the operation might result to casualties among
the refugees and discusses how to manage negative publicity. It is
recommended that the plan should be presented by the media as a
component of the overall EU strategy to crack down smugglers. In
case the EU forces need to rescue people at the sea it is clarified
that rescue operations should not be publicised "in order to
avoid providing an incentive to migrants".
Source
and full documents:
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