Massimo Guglietta

Writer & researcher on migration, development, and geopolitics.
No one is illegal
Currently @SAISHopkins
RT not endorsement

[Massimo Guglietta @massimo_gug]

Please consider subscribing to my newsletter "Curiously Wandering" focused on advancing multiculturalism by telling stories about immigration, migrants, refugees and their journey towards a better life.

https://t.co/r1r67Um9OB

[Massimo Guglietta @massimo_gug]

Starting to share stories of migration and people on the move on here again.

The first comes from a busy week in South Africa where protests have caused diplomatic concerns.

https://t.co/18lm7EF4au

[Massimo Guglietta @massimo_gug]

@endriuco Ciao Andrea! Scusa se rispondo solo adesso. Si con piacere è possible contattarmi in DM.

[Massimo Guglietta @massimo_gug]

My recent article for OBCT, which can be read in English and Italian, discusses the failures and criticisms of Bulgarian border management

[OBC Transeuropa @BalcaniCaucaso]

Il caso di Abdulrahman al-Khalidi, attivista saudita per i diritti umani, rinchiuso nel centro di detenzione Busmantsi nella capitale della Bulgaria dall’ottobre 2021, mette in evidenza l'inerzia dello stato e la violazione dei diritti umani https://t.co/iwrC10MojT #migravoice

[OBC Transeuropa @BalcaniCaucaso]

Il caso di Abdulrahman al-Khalidi, attivista saudita per i diritti umani, rinchiuso nel centro di detenzione Busmantsi nella capitale della Bulgaria dall’ottobre 2021, mette in evidenza l'inerzia dello stato e la violazione dei diritti umani https://t.co/iwrC10MojT #migravoice

[European Data Journalism Network @EdjNet]

The funds for the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), to foster recovery after the #pandemic, expire in 2026.

To examine their progress, @openpolis analyzed the plans of 11 different southern and eastern EU countries, specifically in terms of the green transition 🧵👇

[OBC Transeuropa @BalkansCaucasus]

While #Croatia still has some work to do in order to fully comply with European standards on water collection and treatment, Cohesion funds are helping bridge that gap https://t.co/S8JKY2YCzu

[Jeff Crisp @JFCrisp]

I feel sick.

[Refugees In Libya @RefugeesinLibya]

“Who ever is hearing”

[𝙺𝚘𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚜 𝙺𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚛𝚐𝚒𝚜 @KallergisK]

Footage of the migrant boat off #Pylos hours before it capsized. It was filmed by a member of the crew of a merchant vessel that offered the migrants supplies.
#Greece #migrants #Kalamata #Πυλος

[Reclaim The Sea @Reclaim_The_Sea]

‘you have to understand
that no one puts their children on a boat
unless the water is safer than the land’ warsan shire

Up to 100 children are reported to have been onboard when this boat sank. Their blood is on Europe’s hands.

#greece #shipwreck #shameoneu #borderskill

[Tam @tamhimo]

Ceci n'est pas un cimetière.

[Aegean Boat Report @ABoatReport]

1/2 It’s now clear that the shipwreck outside Pylos, Greece, is one of the largest sea tragedies in Europe in modern times, hundreds of people were trapped inside the hull of the fishing vessel when it capsized and went down, potentially killing over 600 people.

Information from Greek authorities, organizations and journalists is poring out, some less accurate than others, it’s difficult to get a clear picture of what really happened in the fatal hours that led up to this tragedy. One thing seems on the other hand quite clear if comparing information from the coast guard, Greek authorities, organizations and survivors, things don’t add up, someone is deliberately lying to cover up the truth.

One thing that has come to light is that multiple survivors claims that the Greek coast guard was towing the boat before it capsized, this has been categorically denied by the coast guard. Question is, if the fishing vessel was in fact towed, in what direction and for what purpose, rescue or pushback?

The actions, or rather the lack of action by the Greek coast guard to provide assistance to people in distress at sea seems obvious in this case. The coast guard claims in their statement, that the people onboard denied to be rescued, and that they wanted to continue toward Italy. Information published by AlarmPhone, who was in direct contact with people onboard the boat, tells a different story, people begged to be rescued, their cry for help was ignored, eventually leading to their death.

The lack of action by Greek authorities became more apparent when surveillance pictures from Frontex was published, showing a boat heavily overloaded, people packed as sardines outside, raising their hands toward the surveillance plane, waving to get their attention, they don’t appear as they don’t want help, quite the opposite.

A former senior officer of the Greek Coast Guard told that “valuable time was lost” and confirmed that refusal of assistance would only make sense in the case of a legal, documented, seaworthy and flagged vessel. He said “This was the definition of a vessel in distress”.

A decision by Greek authorities that this boat was not in distress, and not in a state that required immediate rescue, is mind blowing, on what grounds this decision was made we can only speculate, was this a wrong decision, most definitely. We could ask if this decision was made out of incompetence or in the name of Greek border protection and refuge policy.

Greek authorities had the time and resources available to rescue this boat that carried as many as 750 people. The rescue operation wasn’t intended before the boat had capsized, as a result up toward 650 people was killed, should there be consequences, most definitely, question is will there be any at all?

If this had been a cruise liner in distress and hundreds of rich people had drowned due to the lack of rescue efforts, every second, decision and movement would have been scrutinized, every stone would have been turned to get to the bottom of it. If there had been the slightest sign of wrongdoing, heads would have rolled. In this case, we fear that nobody will be held accountable, it will disappear into the night as a line in the ever growing statistics of dead people on Europe’s borders, in time forgotten.

It’s important to look at the systematic pushback tactics implemented by Greek authorities the last three years, to understand their mindset. Hundreds of thousands of people have been illegally pushed back by their coast guard, stopping people from entering by all means necessary, even if this means killing people in the process.

In the past sailboat’s and cargo vessels, packed with people, have been towed hundreds of miles before they have been left helplessly drifting by the Greek coast guard. It’s not unlike that this was the plan this fatal night as well, only this time, it went terribly wrong, and now they are trying their best to cover it up, putting blame everywhere else than themselves.

[SOS Humanity (international) @soshumanity_en]

🔴SOS! #SaveOurShip!

With our #Humanity1, we have rescued 1,042 people from distress at sea in 14 rescue operations in the central #Mediterranean since September. But without sufficient donations by 15 July, we will not be able to continue our operations. 1/3

[Massimo Guglietta @massimo_gug]

Read more about the policies related to migration in my newsletter Curiously Wandering.

https://t.co/syn8f6C4Ra

[Massimo Guglietta @massimo_gug]

Italy's approach to migration is growing increasingly restrictive. In the aftermath of a terrible shipwreck in April, migration policy should support saving lives at sea rather than creating ways to restrict migrant access to Europe.

https://t.co/syn8f6C4Ra

[Massimo Guglietta @massimo_gug]

Italian Authorities constantly redirect NGO humanitarian ships to distant ports. This practice significantly delays survivor disembarkment and access to medical attention.

[MSF Sea @MSF_Sea]

❗️ The illegitimate practice of distant ports continues...

#Italian authorities have assigned us #LaSpezia as a place of safety to disembark the 336 survivors currently aboard #GeoBarents.

[Massimo Guglietta @massimo_gug]

Read more about the situation in Sudan in my most recent newsletter:

https://t.co/H6aOJLk4Oo

[Massimo Guglietta @massimo_gug]

"The coast guard said it had stopped about 80 boats heading for Italy in the past four days and detained more than 3,000 migrants, mostly from sub-Saharan African countries."
https://t.co/oWZOM1mBUo

[Massimo Guglietta @massimo_gug]

Check out my latest newsletter on the situation of refugees from Ukraine, one year on.

https://t.co/b8bOdA8ya0

[Men in Blazers @MenInBlazers]

MUST-LISTEN FOOTBALL SONG ⚽️☘️🎸

Amazing version of Celtic song "Jota on the Wing," originally by @elliedixonmusic with @bigbemz1 guesting. Dixon performed incredibly catchy tune on BBC prior to Celtic's League Cup Final vs. Rangers. 🙌