European Jesuit Provincials, which today ended their annual General Assembly in Malta, have urged the states most directly concerned with immigration to make asylum in Europe truly accessible, and to deal more justly and humanely with forced migrants.
"As this tragedy, with its roots in countries of origin in our neighbouring continent of Africa, continues to unfold we make three calls to our governments and to the European Union: to show effective solidarity with persons urgently seeking protection; to share with over-burdened border states the responsibility of meeting our shared human rights obligations; and to strengthen partnerships with African states so as to create new opportunities for their peoples to sustain a life with dignity."
The Jesuits said the increasing inaccessibility of Europe to persons who urgently need protection obliges thousands of men, women and children to risk their lives by crossing the sea on small, fragile boats, often with tragic consequences. Every year, several hundred persons taking this route towards Europe in search of asylum reach Malta, or need to be rescued and brought here.
Except for the most desperate and vulnerable cases, they are then held in prolonged detention, in conditions that deepen previous suffering. If they succeed in gaining international protection, they still face untold difficulties, stemming from overcrowding, from Malta's very limited capacity to receive them, and from the scarcity of employment opportunities.
"We Jesuit provincials maintain that this humanitarian issue cannot be resolved in Malta alone, or even by the states on the EU's southern borders. It is a matter that requires urgent action by the entire European Union," the provincials said.
They therefore urged other EU states to show effective solidarity with persons urgently seeking protection and to share with over-burdened border states the responsibility of meeting shared human rights obligations.
In Europe the Jesuit Refugee Service has thirteen country offices, as well as a regional office in Brussels. Many Jesuits work in relation to the integration of migrants within European societies.
Equally, it is a challenge to the whole of European society to confront the fear and xenophobia that sometimes underlies the utter resistance to the claims of migrants.