"Astonished and deeply disappointed and surprised." This is how they say they feel at Emerlan after not being able to intervene in the care of the 48 immigrants who arrived on the island this Thursday, in a boat rescued 20 miles from Arrecife. The NGO blames the Red Cross for denying them access to the port and announces that they will file a "formal complaint" with the health and emergency authorities.
According to a statement, it was the National Police who gave them notice at around 11 a.m., requesting their "collaboration" to participate in the operation that was being deployed in Puerto Naos to assist the occupants of the boat, who were being transferred by Salvamar. In addition, they claim that they had the "agreement" of the Canary Islands Emergency Service, who they had informed that they were heading to the area.
"Our surprise comes when, upon arriving at the entrance of the port area, the Port Authority present there denies us entry, claiming that the Red Cross had informed them not to allow our access to the port. We do not know the authority of the Red Cross to allow such action," they criticize from this other NGO.
According to Emerlan, the National Police officers who were also in the area asked the Port staff to allow them entry, but they claim that they were still denied. "Saddened, bewildered, disappointed and, why not say it, sad, we withdrew to our headquarters," adds the organization, which defends that it "has always collaborated selflessly in rescues and other actions of this type," although it is the Red Cross that usually attends to the arrival of boats.
"The bigger the operation, the better"
"From Emerlan we understand that in these situations, and even more so while still in the alarm phase, the bigger the operation that is willing to help, the better, so it is clearly incongruous that our help is rejected as it was today by the Red Cross, an institution that, like us, plays a role of help, as one more institution within an operation of these characteristics," he questions.
"This attitude of arrogance, bad manners and refusal of humanitarian aid by the Red Cross towards legally established and trained personnel for these situations, such as the Emerlan volunteers, is outrageous and reprehensible, and as such we want to show our indignation at this attitude," they add in their statement.
In addition, they announce that they will file a "formal complaint" with both the health authorities and the Security and Emergency Consortium. "Lanzarote has always been characterized by its desire for humanity and voluntariness, certainly two of the 7 principles of the Red Cross, so we reiterate that today we have been set aside as never before on this island," they add in their statement, with which they affirm that they want "the public to be aware of this inadmissible and absurd fact."
"Our staff is still in shock, since to the disbelief they still have is added that all the protective equipment used has to be discarded, in this case without even having been used, and this is a cost that costs us God and helps us to bear," adds Emerlan. And it is that he affirms that they transferred to the port two ambulances, three vehicles and different troops between lifeguards, technicians and drivers, "all of them duly trained and protected by PPEs and material necessary for the reception, contact and transfer of immigrants."
Finally, this organization that emerged about 20 years ago on the island, with several members from the Red Cross, maintains that it will continue "working for those who need it most both in this Covid-19 crisis and in emergencies and Rescue on the islands of Lanzarote and La Graciosa."