ChristenUnie demands Dutch government response on migrants' deaths after Tunisia deal

The Cabinet must speak out about the increasing reports about migrants dying in the desert in Tunisia and Libya, the ChristenUnie said. The rising death toll may be linked to the European Union's asylum deal with Tunisia, resulting in migrants being sent back into the desert. It is not known how many people have already succumbed there.

ChristenUnie MPs Don Ceder and Nico Drost want to know from the caretaker Cabinet whether they’ve received more signals of human rights violations and whether the Netherlands or EU can be held liable for this. The parliamentarians submitting the questions also want to know whether Tunisia’s actions align with the agreements and whether the promised European millions will be spent on improving human rights. They also ask whether the government drew a line beyond which the deal is unsustainable.

In addition, they also want clarification on caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s role in closing the deal. He went to Tunisia with Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to negotiate with the country’s president, Kais Saied.

The Belgian State Secretary for Asylum, Nicole de Moor, has already spoken out about the deaths. She called on the European Commission to monitor human rights in the North African countries. It is unacceptable that people are left behind in the desert, she said in the Belgian newspaper De Morgen. Ceder and Drost asked whether the Dutch government would join this call.

The Ministry of Justice and Security, responsible for Asylum, referred ANP to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a response. The Ministry has yet to respond.