The German captain who riled Europe’s far-right

July 20, 2019 07:02 pm | Updated July 21, 2019 01:47 pm IST

Carola Rackete

Carola Rackete

German boat captain Carola Rackete has made headlines all over the world in the past few weeks.

Together with a crew of volunteers of her Sea Watch 3 , the 31-year-old woman rescued 53 refugees from a small dinghy in the Mediterranean in June. Two weeks after that incident, Ms. Rackete’s ship, still carrying 40 refugees, defied authorities and docked at a small port in Sicily, Italy. As a result, she was welcomed with handcuffs.

Officially, the captain was arrested for breaking an Italian naval blockade that was trying to stop her from docking the ship at Lampedusa. The ban was initiated by Italy’s far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, known for his harsh anti-migration policies and rhetoric.

Shortly after Germany called for the release of the captain, Ms. Rackete was set free by Italian judge Alessandra Vella, who said that she had not broken any law. The judge also pointed out that Ms. Rackete had been carrying out her duty to protect human life. While Ms. Rackete still faces possible charges of helping in illegal immigration, her release was a setback to Mr. Salvini and his supporters.

Nevertheless, the controversy rages on, with one side celebrating Ms. Rackete as a heroine, and the other projecting her as a criminal.

‘Dirty political game’

Europe’s far-right parties and movements have immediately found a common enemy. Even before Ms. Rackete was arrested, Mr. Salvini had attacked her and NGOs for supporting and rescuing refugees. “We will use every lawful means to stop an outlaw ship which puts dozens of migrants at risk for a dirty political game,” Mr. Salvini had said on a Facebook video. He repeatedly attacked Ms. Rackete, calling her a “pirate” and a “criminal German”.

After her release, the captain said she would take legal steps against Mr. Salvini. In detail, Ms. Rackete’s complaints said that the Minister spread a “message of hatred” and participated in “vilification”, “delegitimisation” and “dehumanisation” of refugees. One of Ms. Rackete’s aims is to prevent Mr. Salvini from using social media channels like Facebook and Twitter.

“I believe that Carola Rackete did the right thing. She saved the lives of those people while many other European countries ignored the situation. The Mediterranean Sea has become like a wall that regularly kills people,” said Maryam Akbari, 29, an office employee from Stuttgart. Ms. Akbari, who has Afghan roots, believes that many people who entered Europe as refugees have a better understanding of the ongoing events than many white Europeans who live in wealth and security.

“Nineteen years ago, I came to Europe with my mother and my siblings. It was a harsh trip, and often we risked our life. I know the situation of refugees from African, Asian or Arab countries very well. Anyone who saves them should be considered a hero in this rotten society,” she said.

In the meantime, another refugee and migration debate has emerged in Germany and other European countries. Ms. Rackete herself is participating in this debate. Recently, she stated that Libya was not a safe country and that Europe needs to absorb refugees from there.

Additionally, she demanded the absorption of climate refugees from African countries. “In some African countries, basic food resources are being destroyed. This destruction is caused by industrialised countries in Europe. For that reason, Europe can no longer say ‘that we do not want those people’. It’s Europe’s responsibility to take them,” Ms. Rackete said.

It was obvious that such words created anger among certain circles. Die Welt , a conservative German daily, described Ms. Rackete’s demands as “irresponsible” while far-right politicians like Mr. Salvini described her as a “crazy communist”.

However, many continue to express their solidarity with Ms. Rackete. “Many know that her words reflect the truth. But they want to continue their lives in wealth and prosperity. They believe that young men from Libya, Syria or Somalia are going to steal their good lives from them. We have to break this narrative, and Carola Rackete is one of those who can break it,” said Maria Farhad, 63, a teacher from Vienna.

Emran Feroz is a journalist based in Stuttgart

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