Messina: A Mega Tent-City for Migrants in the Old 'Gasparro' Barracks. The €1,932,000 Contract Already Announced in the Official Gazette. And that's not all...

By Stampalibera.it

In a few months' time the former barracks of 'Gasparro' in Messina (in the urban area of Bisconte) will be transformed into one of the largest centres in Italy for the forced “welcoming” of those migrants awaiting the authorities' decision on whether they will be eventually relocated to other structures for asylum seekers in Europe or – as will be the case for the vast majority of them – to be deported by military force to their countries of origin. Dozens of tents and containers will be installed next to the buildings of the 'Gasparro' (where around 200 young migrants have already been stuck for three years) allowing for the tripling or even quadrupling of the number of residents, and – just a short walk from the town centre – replicating the infamous failure of the “Mineo” model of reception.

[photo: Enrico di Giacomo]

Pala Nebiolo in Messina: Forceful Fingerprinting and Lying to Those in Need of Protection

At the end of the seminar “Sicily, crossroads of the Mediterranean: Between open war and (open) borders,” which we attended on January 30th, we went to the Palanebiolo* with representatives of Migralab to monitor the situation there throughout interviews with some of the inhabitants.

An evening in the square in Lampedusa

It's 7 pm, and a group of young Eritrean men and women are sitting silently on the steps in front of the church, holding in paper signs in their hands reading “we are refugees”,and “no to fingerprints”:squeezed up against each other due to the cold weather.

I am passing by, carrying my shopping bags and stop in front of the group to get an idea of what is happening. They are a group of about 200 Eritreans who have been here since beginning of December, refusing for their fingerprints to be registered, as they have the right to request asylum in countries other than Italy, where they would however have to remain if they were to be give their fingerprints here in Lampedusa, Italy’s first Hotspot. This was certainly not a threatening crowd. They blank stares, and weren't even talking among themselves, but when I smiled and got closer, they reciprocated. 

Eritreans: placards and slogans on Lampedusa: “We are refugees, not fingerprints”

Redattore Sociale – Around 250 people protested this morning, mainly Eritreans who have been on the island for at least two weeks and have been held in the CPSA* of Contrada Imbriacola**. Many are on hunger strike.
ROME – Around 250 people held a political rally in the streets of Lampedusa, holding signs and chanting slogans including: “Freedom, freedom!” The majority of the group are Eritrean citizens who have been on the island for at least two weeks – the final group having arrived on December 4th. They are being held in the CPSA* at Contrada Imbriacola**, a couple of kilometers from the port. According to local sources the protest was caused by the issuing of an order yesterday to take everyone's fingerprints. 

“Beaten with electric truncheons”

Parliamentary question by Ms Spinelli, Member of the European Parliament

Meridionews - Salvo Catalano May 13 2015

Last April Meridionews reported the stories of a group of Syrian and Palestinian nationals who denounced of having been beaten by the police with electric truncheons in a CSPA, a first reception centre of the Italian authorities. Today some MEPs demand an explanation to the European Commission. And a multilingual leaflet, allegedly given by the police to the migrants, appears.