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Open Arms

It made my heart sink to read the crude, if not horrible, criticism towards Richard Gere’s visit on Open Arms. The social networks can give the best of us, but can also show the extreme lack of sensitivity of many. I want to make my tiny contribution towards what is exactly happening on Open Arms and why these lifesavers have decided to invest all their efforts, energy and passion into saving human lives.

It’s been over ten days since Open Arms awaits at sea for a port to allow the entry of over 150 migrants from African countries to European shores. Among them are sick, injured, children and pregnant women who have been trying to reach Europe crossing the Central Mediterranean route from Libya. Malta has recently accepted to rescue the last 36 to board the boat but denies access to the other 121 and refuses responsibility for these lives. Oscar Camps, the founder of Open Arms, has refused to accept this offer for safety reasons and will continue to wait for the nearest ports, Malta and Italy, to allow disembarkation.

‘According to the maritime law’, says Camps, ‘any person in international waters and in danger must be rescued however, the European Union has established a blockade concerning migration from African countries, refusing to provide a solution to the humanitarian crisis that has resulted from war, violence and famine.’

The pictures, video and text below are from the Open Arms website

http://www.proactivaopenarms.org

Created by blogdeserena

C1 Word formation Open Arms

Read the text andĀ  complete with a form of the word in bracketsĀ 

Activity by Serena

Open Arms is a non-governmental, 0) non-profit (PROFIT) organization whose main mission is to protect, by having a presence at sea, those people who try to reach Europe fleeing from war, 1) ... (PERSECUTE) or poverty. Born from a rescue and first aid at sea company with extensive experience in the Spanish coasts. We specialize in 2)... (SURVEY)and rescue missions of boats carrying people who need help in the Aegean and Central Mediterranean sea, as well as raising 3) ... (AWARE) of all the injustices that are happening which have been untold. Our mission started with the image of a drowned child on a shore. Covers of newspapers, social media, televisions... and no Government did anything. We want our children, future adults, to grow up in a society where it is 4) ... (CONCEIVE) to see such an image and let such a thing happen. We want them to know our story, so that fighting for a cause like ours would cease to be necessary. The stories of torture, abuse and violations of the rights from along the way of those we rescue in the Mediterranean make us realise that once at sea, there is no solution. For this reason, we work in West Africa through training and 5) ...(SENSE) to empower these communities of origin. (In)formation saves lives. The deaths and 6) ... (DISAPPEAR) of migrants in the Central Mediterranean have multiplied. Our goal is to be where they need us, that is why we are there, to help avoid more deaths.

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