Chronicles of ordinary racism 2011 - Cronache di ordinario razzismo

Moreover, as has been rightly observed, the number of refugees who escaped from
Libya and landed in Italy in the last few months is greatly inferior to those who sought
refuge in Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria and other African countries. 303 The warnings issued
since mid February are thus relatively unjustified.
Secondly, the official stances and initiatives, far from being geared towards welcoming
the new arrivals with a proper respect for their dignity and human rights, and
reassuring the general public as to the manageability of the migratory influx, have
given priority to other considerations: yet another manipulation of the phenomenon for
electoral purposes; the attempt to obtain additional resources from the EU; a further
push towards privatization in the reception system.
There can be no other possible explanation for the choices and decisions made by the
Government since the beginning of February 2011 304 : the shameful controversy initiated
with the European Commission and the French and German governments about the
division “of burdens and responsibilities” regarding the reception of immigrants; the
completely unprecedented declaration of a state of emergency “in Italy and in North
African countries”; the resolute conversion of Lampedusa into an “open‐air reception
center”, where immigrants end up living in disgraceful conditions of sanitation and
hygiene, until exasperation leads them to the point of preventing the arrival of other
boats; the decision to not immediately distribute incoming immigrants between various
other ports and cities around the country; the attempt to impose the presence of Italian
soldiers to patrol the coasts on Tunisia; the late adoption of a decree on temporary
protection that arbitrarily and paradoxically grants permission for a residence permit
only to Tunisian immigrants who reached Italy by midnight on the 5 th April; the
arbitrary detention of asylum seekers and immigrants in the same structures and the
disorderly handling of the reception process, establishing centers with unspecified
juridical positions; refusing the media, lawyers and associations not associated with the
Interior Ministry admittance to CIE (‘identification and deportation centres’); the
detention of unaccompanied minors in unsuitable structures and at close quarters with
adults; the mass deportations carried out without guaranteeing the right to ask for
international protection or the possibility to appeal; the approval of Decree n. 89 on 23
June 2011, that extended the period of administrative detention in CIE to 18 months. 305
The portrayal of these sea voyages given by the media, furthermore, does nothing to
reassure the general public after the warning issued by certain ministers.
When only 190 immigrants had arrived in Lampedusa, an article already alerted us to
the impact that the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt might have on the the resumption of
the migratory influx, under the all‐too explicit heading “Revolutions & landings.
Lampedusa quakes in its boots”. 306 The use of dramatic and colourful vocabulary, the
303 According to Laura Boldrini, 686.000 have so far fled from Lybia towards other African countries. See: L. Boldrini, La
mozione e gli obblighi internazionali, (The motion and international obligations) 4 May 2011, boldrini.blogautore.repubblica.it/
304 Precise observations on the government’s decisions have been made by Asgi through numerous press releases. Cf. in
particular P.R. of 19 February 2011 Urgent Adoption at EU level of measures for temporary protection. Warning as to the risk of
unsettling asylum procedures in Italy; P.R. of 31 March 2011, The only rational way to manage the exodus from Tunisia is the
establishment of temporary protection; C.S. of 7 April 2011 Tragedies at sea may and must be avoided. In a document dated 11
August 2011, Asgi reported several violations committed during the detention, rejection and deportation of immigrants and
asylum seekers in some CIE and CARA. Press releases and the document itself are available on: www.asgi.it
305 For a detailed of how the reception of Tunisian immigrants and refugees coming from Libya was run, see the contribution by
Maria Silvia Olivieri.
306 The article from Laura Anello, was published on “La Stampa”, 2 February 2011.
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