The Pope’s Appeal: “We Cannot Speak of Dignity While Allowing Seas to Become Graveyards”
Pope Francis Criticises Europe’s Immigration Policies
Pope Francis has strongly condemned Europe regarding its immigration policies, stating, “we cannot speak of dignity and allow the seas to become graveyards.”
He extended his criticism to the entire international community, asserting that “it is not enough to manage arrivals, distribute numbers, strengthen borders, or lament deaths after they have occurred.” This was conveyed in his address on Thursday at the port of Arguineguín in Gran Canaria.
This location is a key arrival point for migrants on routes from Africa, and the Pope directed his outrage towards all parties involved, noting that the migration crisis “must become a matter of conscience.”
An Urgent Call to Action
In a powerful speech, the Pope expressed his hope that the moving testimonies shared at the port would resonate “with those who hold decisive responsibilities in their hands.”
“It is not enough to manage arrivals, distribute numbers, strengthen borders or lament deaths after they have occurred. Every boat that arrives does not only bring migrants; it brings a question: what world have we built if so many brothers and sisters must risk death to seek life?” he said.
He reproached Europe for proclaiming human dignity while becoming accustomed to the Mediterranean and Atlantic being treated as graveyards without headstones.
The Pope urged countries of origin to create “conditions of peace, justice, and development,” and called upon transit nations to “protect and not leave the vulnerable in the hands of criminal networks.”
He also issued a plea to the entire international community for “effective and persistent cooperation.”
The Church’s Responsibility
Additionally, he sent a message to the Church, emphasising that “the reception of migrants cannot be secondary or solely delegated to some volunteers.” “We cannot turn a blind eye to the boats and rafts,” he insisted.
The Pope’s remarks came just 24 hours before the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum comes into effect, which enshrines the principle of border retention and allows states to evade their obligation to host a quota of refugees in exchange for a payment of 20,000 euros per person to support receiving countries.
He further highlighted that “human dignity demands legal and safe pathways, rescue and assistance, genuine cooperation against traffickers, effective protection for victims, serious processes for reception and integration, and policies that allow each person to live with dignity in their own land.”
The Right to Remain
He clarified that “while there is a right to seek refuge when life is threatened, there is also the right not to have to migrate: the right to remain in one’s own home without hunger, without war, without persecution, without violence; without making the land uninhabitable; without corruption robbing the poor of their bread; without weapons destroying children’s futures.”
“We cannot grow accustomed to counting the dead. Human dignity has no passport and does not lose value when crossing a border,” he proclaimed from the dock.
The Pope concluded with a warning: “Here, by the sea, every life that arrives asks us what remains of our humanity. Sooner or later, it will be known whether we safeguarded it or allowed indifference to speak for us.”
The article first appeared in El Apurón.
