The UK and European countries must accept some responsibility for the deaths of 39 people believed to be Chinese nationals, found in a lorry container near London, said China-backed media Global Times on Friday.
Officers raided two homes in Northern Ireland on Thursday as part of an investigation into the deaths after the bodies were discovered in a truck in Grays, a port on the River Thames in Essex, to the east of the British capital.
For years, immigrants have attempted to reach Britain stowed away in the back of trucks, often seeking to reach the United Kingdom from the European mainland.
In Britain’s biggest illegal immigrant tragedy in 2000, customs officials found the bodies of 58 Chinese people crammed into a tomato truck at the southern port of Dover. It had started its journey in Zeebrugge.
At the moment it was impossible to say how much responsibility the dead should bear for the tragedy, the Chinese newspaper said in an editorial.
“But such a serious humanitarian disaster has occurred under the eyes of the British and Europeans,” it said. “It is clear that Britain and relevant European countries have not fulfilled their responsibility to protect these people from such a death.”
Even if proved they were smuggled into the country, the victims’ death was not their fault, said the paper, which is published by the ruling Communist Party’s official People’s Daily.
“We hope that Britain and European countries will put into effect their various commitments to human rights and make due efforts for Chinese people to be free from abuse and sudden death.”
Britain appears not to have learned its lesson from the Dover incident two decades ago, it added.
“Imagine how thoroughly European countries would take measures if dozens of Europeans were collectively tragically killed in some way,” the paper said.
“Could the British and European people ask themselves why they have not been able to avoid a similar tragedy…Did they take all the serious remedial action that they could have?”
China has not formally confirmed the victims are citizens. On Friday, the Chinese embassy in London said it had sent a team to Essex that met police.
“The British police said they are verifying the identity of the deceased, and at present are unable to be certain that they are Chinese nationals,” the embassy said.