(Article being updated)
Humanity1 will not restart. The standoff between NGOs and the government revolves around international law. 145 people of these 102 minors and 100 unaccompanied people disembarked from the ship, stopped at the Levante pier since last night. After two weeks at sea they touched land and were transferred to a temporary facility, while 34 other shipwrecked are forced to remain on board. According to the criteria established by the Interior Ministry, after a sea crossing, weeks spent sleeping in the open on the NGO ship would not be at risk, they cannot disembark. And so it will also be for the other humanitarian ships in the Mediterranean.
The temporary parking decree was signed by the ministers of the interior Matteo Piantedosi and Transport Matteo Salvini also for the Geo Barents of Doctors Without Borders with its 572 migrants who arrived in the port of Catania. 240 people got off the Doctors Without Borders search and rescue ship, three women and 56 unaccompanied children.
However, the commander of Humanity 1 has decided that he will not restart the NGO ship, opposing international law to the request of the Italian authorities. “They would like to bring down the frail and then force the commander to leave”, explained the lawyer Alessandro Gamberini, which legally assists the NGO. “Obviously – added Gamberini, who in the past took on the defense in the Rackete and Vos Thalassa and Open Arms cases in Ragusa – the commander of Humanity 1, also on our indication, will refuse and say that they must all go down according to the rules of law. of asylum “.
“Those who remained on board are desperate, a man had a collapse – the crew of Humanity1 said – at the moment we remain in port and wait. We have not been asked to leave”. They ask and hope that in the end everyone will be allowed to disembark, they do not understand how thirty-five people can be a problem for a city like Catania or a country like Italy.
The landed people transferred to the Palaspedini
Yet, at the moment it is stalling. And the tug-of-war continues on the skin of thirty-five people, who were left to watch the others who were accompanied one after another on the buses that accompanied them to the Palaspedini, a sports hall converted into a reception structure, almost at dawn. Three girls, a few mothers with children, then the over one hundred teenagers who faced the crossing without an adult next to them, then the serious medical cases. One after another they got off the ship, were checked, identified and accompanied on board the buses. The others remained from the deck, facing the bulkheads waiting, or rather in the hope, that something would move, that they too could finally touch the ground.
Migrants, the flop of selective landing and the risk of collective refoulement
by Alessandra Ziniti
The arrival of Geo Barents with 572 migrants on board
After yet another round between the Meloni government and the NGOs, another day of tug-of-war. Off the coast of Catania there are two more: the Rise Abovea small mission life line boat flying the German flag, and the Ocean Viking of Sos Mediterranée of Norwegian flag. Both have received notification of the inter-ministerial decree and will be the next to approach the coast for a docking without landing, if not selective. The ship of Doctors Without Borders has arrived. She is the largest, the best equipped, the one with the most castaways on board: there are 572 of them. migrants detained on ships.
“After risking their lives at sea to escape Libya, 572 people remained hostage to inhumane political choices for more than 10 days aboard a ship, instead of being granted the right to disembark in a safe harbor. After all, these people must now also witness the cynical spectacle of politics playing with their lives Geo Barents they must be able to disembark immediately, to receive assistance and to have their right to seek protection recognized ”said Juan Matias Gil, head of mission of Doctors Without Borders.
At the moment there are about 60 migrants who have abandoned the Geo Barents and landed in Catania, but the number is constantly updated.
Migrants, Soumahoro: “This is a selective boat, I’m outraged”
NGOs: “Risk of refoulement”
“According to international law, a rescue ends when all the castaways are ashore in a safe place”, explained the spokesperson of Humanity on the pier tonight. Petra Krischok, underlining a paradox. “On board you have teenagers of sixteen, seventeen, eighteen. Everyone has suffered, everyone has passed through the Libyan hell and everyone is asking for protection and asylum in Italy, they are all people to protect. It is unfair that some go down and others don’t. It’s unfair. illegal”. They have been repeating it since yesterday: “We fear for the protection rights of people who have been saved from the emergency at sea, everyone needs protection. We fear that there will be a pushback”.
Soumahoro: “Migrants will not leave, it’s illegal”
After a night spent on the pier, the deputy elected by independent with the Greens and the Italian Left went on board this morning Aboubakar Soumahoro. “A pool of lawyers is following the legal position of the 35 refugees left aboard the Humanity 1 ship. They will not leave, because it would be illegal. Selecting castaways is contrary to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The lack of cultural mediators, moreover, creates vices of form in the procedure – thunders on his social networks Soumahoro – If the remaining castaways are rejected, violating Article 19, we will challenge this decision in all appropriate fora. We are taking action to enforce the law and international law “.
Migrants, tonight the first inspection on board NGO ships. Crying: “Fragile on the ground, the others will have to go away”.
by Alessandra Ziniti
Letta: “In Catania choices against humanity and law”
“The residual load and selective landing. Unacceptable language for even more unacceptable choices in Catania, contrary to the principles of humanity and international rules. # Humanity1”. The secretary of the Democratic Party writes it, Enrico Lettatheir Twitter.
Fratoianni: “Violated international rights, Piantedosi comes to the courtroom”
“There is a violation of international law. We will ask that Minister Piantedosi come and report to Parliament,” said the secretary of the Italian Left. Nicola Fratoianni.
Migrants, Humanity in the port of Catania. Perego (CEI): “Selective landing attack on democracy”. Orban praises Meloni: “Thank you for defending the European borders”
Provenzano: “We must restore legality”
The vice president of the Democratic Party Giuseppe Provenzano also arrived at the Levante pier. “I am here to reiterate that the restoration of legality is necessary. There is no law, national or international, which makes it possible to differentiate between the castaways. The outlaws are not here, but they are in government in Rome ”.
