The man in Italy for 12 years: “I only ask for a little humanity”. But the mayor defends the offices: “They acted according to the law, I’m sure of it”
IVREA BANQUETS. “I couldn’t get married by proxy, as was my right, and now I can’t even get a divorce. I have always found understanding and humanity in Italy, except in the Banchette registry office ». Boudigue Ousmanou is a refugee who speaks Italian, French, German, English, some Arabic and some African dialects. In 2009 he fled from Cameroon, where he graduated and was a professor, because he was an opponent of the government.
It was already in the papers. The sun 24 hours on Wednesday 8 June 2011 he told about his business idea: thanks to the help of the Pemicro association, he had managed to start a business that sold telephone credit to call all over the world. “It went well, until the Whatsapp calls arrived – he explains -, then business collapsed”. The idea, however, allowed him to have immediate independence. “I only spent the first six months at the reception center – underlines the refugee -, then I always paid the rent”.
After touring half of Italy – Rome, Milan and Aosta – and attempting the route of Germany and France – he worked in the Afghan embassy but was rejected due to the Dublin treaty -, in 2015 he arrived in Ivrea and in 2016 he was became a resident of Banchette.
As soon as he settled down, he decided to get married. For a refugee, in Italy, it is possible to do it by proxy, that is, at a distance. «So – I told the registry office of the Municipality of Banchette. After three months each time the answer was always the same: “We don’t know anything, we get information”. Exhausted, I decided to organize the wedding in Chad. I could not return to Cameroon, where I would have risked my life. But first I asked the Municipality of Turin where they confirmed that it was possible to do it in the place of residence. By now, however, everything was booked ». Ousmanou married his wife in Chad through a thousand hardships. Only a bridge separated him from the country to which he had fled. He said he was arrested, risked repatriation. That he had to pay for all this not to happen. But then he managed to come back, with her. «On my return – he explains -, I tried to have the deed registered. They told me they couldn’t transcribe it. They always repeated this phrase: he is a foreigner, he cannot be done ».
In 2020 he decides to separate from his wife. He tries to do it in Banchette, but yet another denial arrives. «At this point – he explains – I went to court and again to Turin. Both contacted Banchette and the court explained how. I had to translate again, in full lockdown, an act that had already been translated. I brought all the documentation. I managed to get the two appointments for the separation: February has arrived ».
On August 19, 2021, Ousmanou filed for divorce. On 27 July, however, the letter from the Municipality of Banchette had also arrived informing him of the cancellation from the residence due to unavailability. «Usually – he explains – it takes months, some documents speak of a year to ascertain it. I paid the rent on April 15th, to understand. Instead, on September 10th they call me and tell me that I can’t get a divorce because the cancellation is in progress. But until it happens, I am a resident ». So, on 13 September, Ousmanou decided to report everything to the carabinieri. After losing his job and his wife, he also lost his home. The only possibility of starting the divorce process all over again scares him. After 12 years he returned to a shelter. “But I know I can find work and riaget up, ”he explains proudly.
The mayor of Banchette Antonio Mazza limits himself to commenting that the offices “acted according to the law, we are sure of what we have done. In 2016 everything was ready for his wedding, we have emails in which the gentleman thanks the registry office ».