AlQa'dah 28, 1434, Oct 4, 2013, SPA -- The U.N. human-rights office said Friday the European Union (EU) should increase measures to prevent a repeat of Thursday's incident in which a boat capsized off the Italian island of Lampedusa, killing dozens of African migrants. "We would like to ask the Italian authorities and the international community, especially the European Union, to strengthen their efforts to prevent a repeat of this situation. States should also ensure that they are honoring their commitments under international refugee law," said U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) spokesman Rupert Colville. "[The incident] indicates the desperation of the people living in areas of Eritrea and also other countries, including Somalia, stricken by insecurity and conflict as well as the lack of enjoyment of basic economic, social, and cultural rights," Colville told reporters in Geneva. "It is critical that the international community engages further in improving the human-rights situation on the ground, to address the root causes so that there is sufficient improvement that people will not feel the need to put their lives at risk by undertaking such dangerous journeys," the spokesman said.
