Lampedusa. August 22, 2009. Reliable sources near the Agrigento public prosecutor’s office reveal that the Italian Government intends to wait a few days in order to avoid heavy criticism, then to deport the five survivors of the tragedy that took place in the stretch of sea that separates Libya from Italy.
We emphasise that two of them are under-age, one is a woman and they all they come from a country where a serious humanitarian crisis is underway. EveryOne Group is appealing to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and to the international institutions to prevent this new crime against humanity.
We have written to the President of the Chamber of Deputies in Italy and other politicians, asking (praying to) them to grant humanitarian protection to the survivors on the basis of the Geneva Refugee Convention, but so far we have received no answer, apart from general solidarity from some parliamentarians. Unfortunately, the Italian Government and parliament are being held hostage by the Northern League, a xenophobic political party, without whose support the Italian premier would lose his institutional role and have to endure numerous court cases.
But in the present situation, refugees, foreigners and ethnic minorities are being persecuted, and this often leads to death.
Gruppo EveryOne
Tel: (+ 39) 334-8429527 (+ 39) 331-3585406
