Dragonball (POL)
19-03-02, 23:48
Da The Times:
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,343-241332,00.html
March 19, 2002
Q&A: Italy's illegal immigration problem
The arrival of 1,000 mainly Kurdish people in Sicily on Monday aboard a rusting ship has provoked a bitter split in the Italian cabinet over the politically sensitive issue of illegal immigration.
Richard Owen, above, Italy Correspondent of The Times, reports on the war of words in Silvio Berlusconi's government.
Where are the immigrants who landed on Sicily now?
They have been taken off the island and have been housed near the southern Italian port of Bari in a camp, which is made up of mobile homes and used to house refugees from Kosovo. They are being fed and given medical attention and their applications are being processed; however, there are said to be 15 more boats carrying people on their way to Italy. Many of these refugees, who are Kurds, are said to be heading for Germany, which has a sizeable Kurdish population.
How are Italians reacting to the arrival of nearly 1,000 refugees?
The Italians have a long tradition of extending hospitality to those in need. It comes partly from being a Catholic country - Catholic charities have been at the forefront of helping these refugees. Last year Italy received about 20,000 immigrants; there a million in Italy legally and probably another million illegally.
How has the Italian government reacted to the arrival?
President Carlo Ciampi has said that Italians have a duty to offer help to these people. His comments were echoed by another member of the Cabinet, Claudio Scajola, the Interior Minister, who said that Italy is the natural entry point for the West - “an aircraft carrier from which they can take off”. Signor Scajola also pointed out that immigrants fulfil a very useful role by doing jobs that many Italians are unwilling to do as Italy has a labour shortage.
Is everyone in Itlay welcoming to immigrants?
No. The tradition of hospitality is at odds with calls by some members of the Italian government for tighter restrictions on illegal immigration. Umberto Bossi, the leader of the Northern League, who is Minister for Reform in the Cabinet, has turned on Signor Berlusconi, whom he has accused of going "soft" on immigration and reneging on his election promises to do something about the “foreign invasion”.
He has also said that the Italian Navy should blow the boats used by "people smugglers" out of the water, and he is also “fed up with all the crocodile tears over immigrants”.
In Milan, Turin and Bergamo, where the Northern League has a strong constituency, there is support for tougher laws on illegal immigrants.
Are Umberto Bossi's anti-immigrant comments considered important?
Signor Bossi was the man who brought down the last Berlusconi Government after nine months in 1994. Signor Berlusconi did make an election promise to try to prevent illegal immigration and he cannot afford to ignore Signor Bossi, who does command quite a following. There are local elections here in May and they will prove a litmus test on the issue.
How are the Italian authorities coping with the influx?
They are struggling, as they cannot rely solely on the Catholic charities. The taxpayer is being asked to pay for the cost of processing these immigrants' applications and then housing the ones who have been given permission to stay.
What will happen in the future?
There is a Bill going through the Lower House at the moment which will criminalise illegal immigration. It will give the Italian Navy powers to intercept and board smugglers' boats, and will require immigrants to gain a work permit and a guarantee of a job before they set off.
The number of family members who can join an immigrant once they have been accepted as bona fide by the Italian authorities will also be limited. As an issue this is one that is confined in the main to political circles. I suspect Signor Bossi will calm down, he usually does, but the problem will not go away.
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,343-241332,00.html
March 19, 2002
Q&A: Italy's illegal immigration problem
The arrival of 1,000 mainly Kurdish people in Sicily on Monday aboard a rusting ship has provoked a bitter split in the Italian cabinet over the politically sensitive issue of illegal immigration.
Richard Owen, above, Italy Correspondent of The Times, reports on the war of words in Silvio Berlusconi's government.
Where are the immigrants who landed on Sicily now?
They have been taken off the island and have been housed near the southern Italian port of Bari in a camp, which is made up of mobile homes and used to house refugees from Kosovo. They are being fed and given medical attention and their applications are being processed; however, there are said to be 15 more boats carrying people on their way to Italy. Many of these refugees, who are Kurds, are said to be heading for Germany, which has a sizeable Kurdish population.
How are Italians reacting to the arrival of nearly 1,000 refugees?
The Italians have a long tradition of extending hospitality to those in need. It comes partly from being a Catholic country - Catholic charities have been at the forefront of helping these refugees. Last year Italy received about 20,000 immigrants; there a million in Italy legally and probably another million illegally.
How has the Italian government reacted to the arrival?
President Carlo Ciampi has said that Italians have a duty to offer help to these people. His comments were echoed by another member of the Cabinet, Claudio Scajola, the Interior Minister, who said that Italy is the natural entry point for the West - “an aircraft carrier from which they can take off”. Signor Scajola also pointed out that immigrants fulfil a very useful role by doing jobs that many Italians are unwilling to do as Italy has a labour shortage.
Is everyone in Itlay welcoming to immigrants?
No. The tradition of hospitality is at odds with calls by some members of the Italian government for tighter restrictions on illegal immigration. Umberto Bossi, the leader of the Northern League, who is Minister for Reform in the Cabinet, has turned on Signor Berlusconi, whom he has accused of going "soft" on immigration and reneging on his election promises to do something about the “foreign invasion”.
He has also said that the Italian Navy should blow the boats used by "people smugglers" out of the water, and he is also “fed up with all the crocodile tears over immigrants”.
In Milan, Turin and Bergamo, where the Northern League has a strong constituency, there is support for tougher laws on illegal immigrants.
Are Umberto Bossi's anti-immigrant comments considered important?
Signor Bossi was the man who brought down the last Berlusconi Government after nine months in 1994. Signor Berlusconi did make an election promise to try to prevent illegal immigration and he cannot afford to ignore Signor Bossi, who does command quite a following. There are local elections here in May and they will prove a litmus test on the issue.
How are the Italian authorities coping with the influx?
They are struggling, as they cannot rely solely on the Catholic charities. The taxpayer is being asked to pay for the cost of processing these immigrants' applications and then housing the ones who have been given permission to stay.
What will happen in the future?
There is a Bill going through the Lower House at the moment which will criminalise illegal immigration. It will give the Italian Navy powers to intercept and board smugglers' boats, and will require immigrants to gain a work permit and a guarantee of a job before they set off.
The number of family members who can join an immigrant once they have been accepted as bona fide by the Italian authorities will also be limited. As an issue this is one that is confined in the main to political circles. I suspect Signor Bossi will calm down, he usually does, but the problem will not go away.