Sicilian Immigration
Detention Centres (CIEs) loaded with violence and tension
Arrivals
and rescues on Lampedusa and in the rest of Sicily
During
the month of October approximately 800 migrants reached Sicily, many
of whom were rescued
at sea.
Every
day thousands of people continue to find ways to cross over the
border, risking their lives at sea, in the deserts and the mountains.
And in response to this the Fort of Europe continues to deploy more
and more sophisticated and technological methods for the war against
migrants. These operations are backed up by the European Border
Agency, Frontex and the soon to be functioning Eurosur project,
scheduled for next year.
Sicily
can be considered as the very centre of an enormous process of
militarisation which has now been going on for several years. It
places the Mediterranean as an outpost both for an any eventual wars
against distant countries and also as a military means to tackle the
flux of migrants. The region also has a drone base at Sigonella.
Anti- migrant radars have already been installed in various place on
the island. At Niscemi, in the heart of Sicily, a MUOS satellite
system is currently under construction by the American Marines.
The
government,
for its part, have done nothing to change the course of action
already established under previous ruling parties. On 3rd April, the
Minister Cancellieri signed an agreement in Tripoli which outlined
what had previously been stipulated in agreements with Colonel
Gaddafi. It included illegal refoulements at sea, something for which
Italy has already been condemned by the European Court.
http://fortresseurope.blogspot.it/2012/02/la-corte-europea-condanna-litalia-per-i.html
The
Contrada Imbriacola Centre, a place of Reception or of the illegal
holding of migrants?
The
Lampedusa CSPA continues
to function at full regime. Yet the reason for prolonging the length
of time the migrants who arrived at the end of summer, are held on
the island remains unknown. In recent weeks, the exasperation of
these migrants has led to numerous moments of tension.
The
mayor of Lampedusa, who, in recent weeks, has been the object of
numerous threats and racist insults on the internet,
was invited onto the Rai 3 programme Che
Tempo Che Fa.
During her appearance she was able to reiterate the stance that the
real emergency taking place on the island is not the migrant
situation, but other more serious problems.
http://siciliamigranti.blogspot.it/2012/10/il-sindaco-di-lampedusa-ospite-alla.html
Nearing
the end of the North Africa Emergency: what's
next for the 20 thousand asylum seekers in Reception?
We
have already spoken out against the fact the North African Emergency
was merely yet another deception which served to allow millions of
euro to flow into the country without any controls. Whilst at the
same time, it was incapable of ensuring a minimum level of Reception
to those who have escaped the atrocities of Lybia and Tunisia.
The
magazine
Espresso
has published the findings of an inquiry which highlight the waste
and the speculative use of funds which should have been allocated to
the reception of thousands of asylum seekers.
From
31st December, the funds allocated for the Emergency will finish and
around
20 thousand people will be left without anything.
The
end of the financing should also bring the closure of the Mineo mega
CARA (Hosting Centre for Asylum Seekers). However, no one has yet
explained what will happen to the thousand plus people who are
currently receiving Reception there.
As
part of the 'mobilisation
against the militarisation of Sicily' week, the 3rd October saw the
Catania Anti- Racist Network organise a meeting with migrants outside
the Mineo CARA denouncing oppression. The Catania Anti- Racist
Network has always spoken out against the enormous waste produced by
the way in which the CARA is run and the absurdity of a model based
on isolation and excessive growth, where procedures are so lengthy
that the waiting times are exasperating. The meeting also served to
demand the necessity for permits of stay to be issued on humanitarian
grounds to all refugees who arrived from Lybia in 2011. This demand
comes as a result of the increasing number of rejections which have
been coming from the Territorial Commission.
Sicilian
Immigration Detention Centres (CIEs) loaded with violence and tension
The
Milo
CIE (Immigration Detention Centre) in Trapani continues to witness
scenes of violence and be a place where even the most elementary of
rights are denied. Repeated escape attempts continue to occur which
are then 'discouraged' through acts of violence. The most recent
story to emerge concerns a young Tunisian who broke his foot while
attempting to escape. After being discharged from hospital he was
sent back to the CIE. The Judge of Peace validated the extension of
his detention despite the fact that his ongoing incapacity to move
around is absolutely incompatible with detention in the Centre.
The
9th October marked the end of a week of inspection on the migrant
situation in Italy. The "special reporter" from the UN High
Commission for Human Rights, François Crepeau, declared that the
detention system for illegal migrants in Italy violates human rights.
Our
blogs
sicliamigranti.blogspot.com
→ in Italian
siciliamigrants.blogspot.com
→ in German
migrantsicily.blogspot.com→
in
English
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