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Interview: EU must fight strongly against human traffickers: former Italian integration minister

Xinhua, April 23, 2015 Adjust font size:

After many years of non-mobilization it was interesting to see so many proposals to avoid other tragedies in the Mediterranean sea, former Italian Minister for Integration and Member of the European Parliament, Cecile Kyenge said.

"According to my experience," Kyenge during an exclusive interview with Xinhua said,"at first we have to control the Mediterranean Sea and also the south coast of Sahel. This means we have to go beyond the actual Triton operation, baring in mind that we have the obligation to save and take care of people so the first part is search and rescue."

Kyenge also added that the EU has to fight strongly and firmly against the human traffickers and this doesn't mean that simply to arrest them because they are part of a criminal group. She said: "We have then to destroy the little vessels they use; obviously we have to get the UN mandate to go very close to the Libyan coasts to destroy all of them."

About a possible intervention in Libya, the Italian MEP is skeptical, she said: "I'm against a direct intervention in Libya because the political situation is in the chaotic and this would be interpreted as a war action."

According to Kyenge, another priority is to find out who are financing those criminals.

"We should then free the migrant that are actually in Libya because they are like in a prison and we should put in place a humanitarian action plan," Kyenge said.

Terrorists groups are also in the game, according to Kyenge, and for her it's also important then to preside the Sahel because there are various terrorist groups like Boko Haram, Al-Qaida au Maghreb, al-Shabaab that are interconnected. "we have to stop these organizations who are selling and exchanging the migrants," She explained.

Regarding a possible agreement during the crucial EU council on Thursday, Kyenge said: "It's not easy because 28 countries never had a single vision on immigration, there is always a division between norther, southern and easterner member states." Endit