地中海移民

　　The numbers nightmare

　　令人发指的人数

　　Ever more people are drowning while trying to get to Europe

　　越来越多的人在前往欧洲的道路上溺水身亡

　　IN THE sea separating north Africa from the European Union, the phrase “calm waters” now has an ominous ring. After the weather improved this week, almost 8,500 illegal migrants were rescued. Some brought tales of horror: of chaos in Libya, of mistreatment and torture at the hands of people-smugglers, and of deaths at sea. As many as 400 died on April 12th when their boat capsized, apparently because they rushed to one side when rescuers appeared.

　　在欧洲和非洲的海峡之间，“平静的水面”这个词语现在可不是什么好预兆。本周天气转好之后，差不多有8500民非法移民获得了救援。他们中的一些身上有着骇人听闻的遭遇：有的来自混乱的利比亚；有的遭受走私者非人折磨；还有一些直接在海洋上失去了生命。4月12号，因为一艘船只倾覆，约400民非法移民者丧生，因为当救援船出现时，他们同时涌向了船的一侧。

　　地中海移民.jpg

　　Migrants sometimes lie to get sympathy. But the Italian authorities are taking seriously a claim that a trafficker threw to sharks the body of a dead (or perhaps unconscious) migrant, apparently overcome by fumes.

　　这些非法移民有时候会通过撒谎来博得同情。但是意大利当局发布了一份严肃的声明说有一些走私者将死者（或者说仅仅是丧失意识）的躯体扔给鲨鱼，不过这明显是一种掩人耳目的做法。

　　The latest wave of arrivals confirms that the EU faces a challenge of unprecedented proportions. According to the International Organisation for Migration, more than 15,000 people have reached Italy since the start of the year. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees says not enough is being done to save lives.

　　最新一波的移民潮肯定会让欧洲面临一次前所未有的挑战。根据联合国移民署的统计，从年初开始已经有超过15000人抵达了意大利。但是联合国难民署的高级专员表示为了拯救生命，我们做的还远远不够。

　　On humanitarian grounds alone, the EU's present response, Operation Triton, is inadequate. The remit of its vessels is to patrol within 30 miles (48 km) off the Italian coast. Triton replaced the bigger Operation Mare Nostrum, which Italy suspended at the end of 2014 partly because other EU countries would not share the burden of search and rescue. Italy's partners say they have migration and asylum problems of their own. Anyway, many migrants who come ashore in Italy disappear north before being identified—with the connivance of the Italian authorities. Both numbers and drownings seem likely to rise.

　　从人道主义的角度上来说，欧盟对此现象的反应—Triton组织的行动并不够。该组织在意大利30海里（48千米的）海岸线上巡逻。Triton代替了之前一个更大的组织——Mare Nostrum，该组织因为欧盟其他成员国不愿负担搜索和救援的责任而被搁置。意大利的盟友们则表示，他们有各自的移民和救助问题。无论如何，因为意大利当局的默认，之前那些通过意大利渐渐消失的北部海岸线入境的非法移民都获得了正式身份。而现在，无论是移民人数，还是溺亡的人数看上去都会继续增加。