 |
|
|
WikiLeaks has published two classified
documents revealing details of a European Union plan for military intervention
to curb the influx of migrants from Libya, and an information strategy to
“facilitate expectation management” and avert reputation risks.
The
European Union foreign ministers agreed to form a naval mission in the
Mediterranean Sea targeting gangs smuggling refugees from Libya to Europe on
May 18.
One
of the classified documents published by WikiLeaks on Monday reveals details of
the planned year-long military operation against human traffickers. The 11-page
document, drafted by the EU defense chiefs, outlines plans to
destroy vessels along the Libyan coast as well as target transport networks and
infrastructure within Libya’s borders.
The
second, 6-page EU Politico-Military Group advice paper on the military intervention lists recommendations on
tackling human trafficking networks in the Mediterranean and outlines
propaganda initiatives to sell the military option to the public.
RT.com report continues:
The
EU military chiefs’ advice centers on the notion of drawing a “full range of
surveillance” and other intelligence data from EU member states and making “systematic
efforts to identify, capture and destroy vessels before they are used by
traffickers.”
In
this context, the European Union Military Committee (EUMC) highlights the need
to create an information exchange and the “coordination of the use of military
assets” between partners supported by Brussels (inter alia EEAS [European
External Action Service] Single Intelligence Analysis Capacity – SIAC).
With
regards to the use of force, the EUMC highlighted the need to layout Rules of
Engagement, especially when it comes to the “seizure of vessels in a
non-compliant situation, for the neutralization of smugglers’ vessels and
assets, for specific situations such as hostage rescue and for the temporary
detention of those posing a threat to the force or suspected of crimes.”
The
plan also envisions possible engagement with Islamic State (IS, formerly
ISIS/ISIL) fighters “within the Libyan sovereign area.”
“The
threat to the force should be acknowledged, especially during activities such
as boarding and when operating on land or in proximity to an unsecured
coastline, or during interaction with non-seaworthy vessels. The potential
presence of hostile forces, extremists or terrorists such as Da'esh [ISIS]
should also be taken into consideration,” the document highlights.
The
authors of the leaked document admit that the operation should be backed by a
clear information strategy that would “avoid suggesting that the focus is to
rescue migrants at sea but emphasize that the aim of the operation is to
disrupt the migrants smuggling business model.”
While
the plan lists Libya and North African regional neighbors among the areas to be
targeted by the information campaign, it also acknowledges the risks of
negative international publicity “should loss of life be attributed, correctly
or incorrectly, to action or inaction by the EU force.”
Consequently,
PMG stressed the need for a public messaging campaign to “avoid misperception
on the operation’s mandate and to manage expectations.”
To
protect individual operation commanders from being held “personally responsible
for an action executed under their command” as well as to avoid damaging “EU
reputation,” the document noted the need to have “clear legal frameworks and
protocols in place prior to Operation launch, ideally with a UNSCR under
Chapter VII and a complementary invitation by a legitimate LBY government.”
At
the same time the authors acknowledge that “the political End State [of the
military intervention] is not clearly defined” and recommend that the European
Commission issue further guidance. The document emphasizes the need to avoid
destabilizing the political process or causing “collateral damage” in Libya
that might result in disrupting “legitimate economic activity.” While the
classified material acknowledges the main goal of the operation is fighting
traffickers, and not preventing the loss of human life, the EU
Politico-Military Group advice (PMG) paper recognized that search and rescue, “while
not part of the core mandate of the operation”, should be administered
according to international law.
At the same time, the
6-page document notes that a visible EU naval force along the coast of North
Africa could have a “counterproductive
effect” in
preventing human smuggling, noting that the “smugglers’ business model will invariably
adapt.”
No comments:
Post a Comment