"They Leave As People, They Arrive As Ghosts” Shipwrecks And Push-Backs At Sea. Italy Closes The Doors, Including To Those Who Manage To Arrive

On June 12th a Swedish ship belonging to Frontex landed at Catania, with 356 migrants on board and 8 bodies. The survivors spoke of a dozen missing and the collapse of their rubber boat, packed with people far beyond its capacity. Only a few days later, a group of Sudanese migrants reported a boat which had broken apart after two days at sea, from which only a dozen people had been saved. Other refugees reported having met Syrian women and children in Libya: they had just been “brought back” to the departure point by the local Coast Guard and themselves told of having seen other small wooden boats go under.

The Italian Coast Guard vessel Diciotti in port at Catania

Out of Initial Reception, Into Mineo: What Future Awaits 18 Year Olds?

“Things are going better now, because they're going to transfer me soon.” 'A', originally from Ghana, turned 18 a few months ago. For the past year he has been living in one of the big centres of initial reception for unaccompanied foreign minors in the Province of Catania, though he asked us not to name it. We met each other here in June last year. He was very different from how he is now. It has been a year of pain, confusion, attempts at dialogue and small “victories”. One of these was signing up at school, something for which 'A' and a dozen other young men at the centre campaigned from the start. It was in fact at one of these 'protests' in the form of a letter sent to the centre's managers that we met him.

The CARA at Mineo

The Eviction of the Former Post Office in Catania

On Tuesday 28 February, at 6am, the local police of Catania evicted the former post office building in Viale Africa. Despite having been completely abandoned for years, it has been used for a long time as an improvised refuge for various homeless persons, especially migrants and asylum seekers. The result of the police operation has been the charging of 18 people for violation of Article 633 of the Penal Code, punishing the invasion of a building or land for the ends of occupying it.

Minors in Tent Cities and Hotspots: Pozzallo, Augusta, Catania and Messina

The year 2016 ended with more arrivals, more deaths, more missing persons. The year 2017 has begun with the proposal for new detention centres and other limitations on migrants' freedom of movement. The criminal policies of Fortress Europe increasingly require new discussions, commemorations and real solidarity. On December 24^th, 111 migrants landed at Pozzallo, but the daily news recounts nothing but the immediate arrest of two alleged boat drivers, which bring the number of arrestees in the Province of Ragusa to 200.

Photo: the Pozzallo hotspot - Lucia Borghi

Market Commodities: Surviving in a System of Rejection

'A's story can be found repeated in many other places in Sicily, a story which includes not only minors but also women and men who have been here for many months and “rejection” from the very centres that were meant to welcome them. In the last few weeks more than 1,000 migrants arrived at the port of Catania, 850 on Sunday alone, on board the Bourbon Argos, and 288 a few days later, along with 20 bodies.

Unaccompanied Minors: When Reception Is Seen Only As a Challenge

“New guys arrive, but their problems aren't over”, commented some migrants outside the Hotspot at Pozzallo. Yesterday 286 migrants arrived at the Ragusan port, including around 20 unaccompanied minors. Young people of 15, 16, 17 – but also 13 and younger, such as those to whom we had already introduced ourselves. Last Thursday a delegation from the OSCE (Organisation Security and Co-operation in Europe) visited the Pozzallo Hotspot, having already stopped at the CARA* at Mineo. In the hours immediately prior to the visit, we assisted in a large number of transfers from the Hotspot to centres nearby. Among the migrants leaving there were many unaccompanied minors who therefore, due to a coincidence that was predictable enough, were not so numerous during the institutional visit.

Child migrants in Sicily must overcome one last obstacle – the mafia

From The Guardian

Many refugee children have disappeared from the island amid allegations of people-smuggling by organised gangs

The diminutive figures were lined up outside Catania’s central station. There were seven in all, aged between 15 and 17. They had recently escaped from the massive government-run migrant reception centres inland or further along the Sicilian coast. Now they were alone, waiting for the city’s matrix of organised criminals to take them north.

                                          Via Garibaldi in Catania, Sicily - Ph. Alamy

The CARA* at Mineo once again at the centre of investigations. And the numbers present continue to rise.

The investigations into the CARA* at Mineo, within the remit of “Mafia Capitale”, is producing new subpoenas for fraudulent misrepresentation and serious fraud, including the falsification of the number of migrants at the centre. The number has continued to rise in recent weeks, with new transfers following on from the disembarkings, not only at the ports of Catania and Augusta, but also Pozzallo, Trapani and Reggio Calabria. At the time of writing, the building houses around 3,500 people and explicitly carries out all the identification and selection procedures pertaining to the Hotspot approach, and seems also to be used as a Hub, given recent mass transferrals of Eritreans who have been agreed to relocation. It is thus simultaneous a location under investigation and also entrusted with a range of new functions, occurrences not only with no clear juridical regulation but, above all, even without pertaining to the duty of protecting migrants' rights. It is a ghetto in the middle of nowhere, outside of which, week after week, the army and police forces multiply.

On 24th August, the delegation of LasciateCIEntrare visited the CARA* of Mineo

Along the access road to the centre are many dilapidated houses in the fields. For some time, it has been witnessed that there are often women from Nigeria living in the centre prostituting themselves.

We meet young people on bicycles or walking; they are going to the surrounding villages, which are far from the centre. The reception centre of Mineo is visible from afar. From the outside it looks like an urban suburb district with its multi-coloured two-storied single-family homes; the same as those in the Sigonella military base for American officers. Everything is fenced, but, already visible from the outside, we discover some "Villette-Bazaars". Within the centre, a few migrants run real shops with clothes and food. (It would have been desirable to check how the distribution of rooms and houses is handled, because all the houses are used apparently as minimarkets, but we didn’t get the permission). This actuates an underground economy: for some it means debt, for others enrichment.

Around the CARA of Mineo

The news about more people investigated for corruption and incitement of corruption related to the affairs concerning the CARA* of Mineo arrived yesterday. The notices of investigation, which have been handed over to five people of the municipal commission suspected of having promised working permits, regard the names of the mayor of Mineo and Paolo Ragusa, who is the former president of the cooperative Sol. Calatino.

Hearing of Doctors For Human Rights at the parliamentary commission of inquiry concerning reception centres for migrants

Medu – The first months of 2015 have been characterized by the rekindling of the discussion on the immigration issue and the sustainability of the current reception system. Episodes of corruption, like those solved by Mafia Capitale, and the high number of migrants arriving via sea impose the constant monitoring of residing conditions as well as of the efficiency of the facilities that are currently prepared to welcome migrants. For this reason, today Doctors For Human Rights (MEDU) carried out a hearing at the parliamentary commission of inquiry concerning the reception system as well as the identification and the detention of migrants, considering the constant presence of the organization within the CARA* of Mineo, which is the facility that hosts the largest number of migrants in Europe.  

Disappearing among the large numbers

They have reached the port of Catania tonight, the survivors of the immense tragedy of these days. 950 missing people to which are added new victims of the shipwreck that happened in the Aegean Sea this night, and others scattered on the coasts of Libya. These tragic numbers announced after the recent tragedies leave without words who for months and years of talk and false promises has heard too many of them. But it’s exactly this hypocrisy and opportunism of the official rhetoric that makes it inevitable to give expression to testimonies of those who have a historical depth in regard to the sensational news of the moment.

Mineo CARA (Hosting Centre for Asylum Seekers): One migrant found dead

L’Urlo – Another dead person at Mineo CARA (Hosting Centre for Asylum Seekers). The dead person is an adolescent, who was found lying on the ground behind a building of the hosting center. This is also were the on-site inspection of the Caltagirone prosecution took place. The investigation does not exclude any possible scenario. 

Mineo: Dead after being discharged from hospital. The woman was pregnant, an inquiry has been opened

Live Sicilia - The woman is Teksa Abraha, she was in her fourth month of pregnancy. Of Eritrean origin, she was staying with her husband in the Mineo Cara (Hosting Centre for Asylum Seekers). She fell ill two days ago. A 28 year old Eritrean, Teksa Abraha, who was four months' pregnant, died yesterday evening after being discharged from hospital in Catania. The women was a resident in the Mineo Cara, where she had been staying with her husband since August 2012. Francesco Paolo Giordano, the Public Prosecutor, has opened an inquiry into the affair although there are no main suspects and the autopsy is as yet unavailable.

Asylum Seeker's latest protest momentarily suspended at the Mineo Cara (Hosting Centre for Asylum Seekers)

This morning's manifestation which saw several hundred asylum seekers take part, has recently drawn to a close. The action started when the asylum seekers, the majority of whom were from Eritrea, left the Mineo Cara (Hosting Centre for Asylum Seekers) this morning and blocked the roundabout on the Catania-Gela road for several hours. The migrants then headed towards Catania and, for hours, blocked the slip roads for Palagonia and Ramacca. They were protesting against several factors: the recognition of the right to asylum, which they have seen disappear from many cases similar to their own; the slowness of the bureaucracy which keeps them waiting for months on end; and, the overcrowding of the Centre. Many asylum seekers are having to wait over ten months before receiving their permit of stay. The delays are mainly caused by the numerous, often fabricated application rejections which entail biblical waits: firstly, to actually arrive and secondly, to carry out the consequent appeals.

An angry shout from the Mineo Cara (Hosting Centre for Asylum Seekers): "We want freedom, not the food and lodgings which are given to prisoners"

by Leone Venticinque, for the Citizens' Committee of the Mineo, Caltagirone Support Group. And so this most recent manifestation which has been carried out since the Mineo Cara (Hosting Centre for Asylum Seekers) became fully operative, brings the total number of protests to nine. Is it a lot or a few? What is certain is that the continuation of the root causes of what is leading to these protests has not been addressed by those who, as it would seem, have so many more important things to do than listen to the legitimate reasons for this disaster which has been created by those who are being paid to run the structure. Just to make it clear, here not only do we intend those running the centre but also those who are paid to prevent rather than comment on the problems when they become visible and can no longer be hidden.

Management of the Mineo CARA (hosting centre for asylum seekers) Mayor Marletta's proposal

While some mayors in the Caltagirone area are holding meetings ever higher up the political ranks in order to run the Mineo Cara (Hosting Centre for Asylum Seekers) independently, the mayor of Palagonia, Valerio Marletta strongly reiterates that he wishes to take a stand against this politics which deviates huge sums of public money into a structure that after the departure of the Americans would never have been able to find a better way to make money.

Report from the Mineo Cara (Hosting Centre for Asylum Seekers)

The interethnic meeting in front of the Mineo megaCara (Hosting Centre for Asylum Seekers) finished a short time ago. The event did not get off to a good start due to the excessive military presence at the entrance (some groups of Police and Carabinieri, several vehicles and a significant army presence). They were there as the result of yet another protest within the Centre which took place yesterday morning involving dozens of Ethiopian asylum seekers who were complaining about the length of time their applications were taking.

Mineo- revolts against slow bureaucracy

ctzen - Di Desirée Miranda. Riots have broken out between the Finance Police and immigrants at the Mineo Centre for Asylum Seekers in the Province of Catania. The problems started due to the failure of the Commission, which issues foreigners with documents, to show up and resulted in the throwing of stones, fences and, amongst other objects, manhole covers. Red tape, nonetheless, remains a big problem. "I have been here for a year and ten months and still have to wait," one of the residents of the Centre, which as a result of the recent arrivals on Lampedusa is becoming ever more crowded, told us.

MIGRATION EQUALS LIFE! STOP THE TRAGEDIES NOW!

Migration is a choice that will affect the rest of your life. It is made in order to escape misery or war, or to build a future for yourself or your family. Unfortunately nonetheless, crossing borders- be it land or sea, often entails putting your life in dangerous or risky situations. The world's main migratory routes are lined with trenches and tombs. They are also places where thousands of people disappear each year without a trace, leaving behind families who must deal with the anxiety of never being able to find out what happened. It happens on the border between Mexico and the United States, along the stretches of the Sahara at Ceuta and Melilla, in and out of, as well as within, China and in the Mediterranean Sea. Not forgetting, of course, the borders that still separate eastern and western Europe and those which divide the United States from the countries of the South American continent.