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Lampedusa Declared Non-Safe Port, Rescuing at Sea at Risk: Concern for Migrants' Detention on the Ships
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the
International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Save the
Children – working together as partners since 2006 in the
framework of Praesidium Project at the Reception and
Rescue Centre of Lampedusa – are expressing their
concern over the Italian authorities' decision to
declare Lampedusa an unsafe port.
This decision could undermine the entire rescue at sea system
for migrants and asylum seekers and at the same time could make
rescue operations much more hazardous and complex.
Since it is no longer possible to dock in Lampedusa, the
ability of the Coast Guard and the "Guardia di Finanza" to carry
out rescue at sea will be compromised by the distance they will
have to travel to reach the next safe port, e.g Porto Empedocle,
120 nautical miles away. This would have severe
implications on rescue operations when the weather is bad, or when
it involves transporting people in need of urgent medical
assistance, minors and other vulnerable individuals.
Therefore, the partner organizations of the Praesidium Project
hope that the Lampedusa centre will be
re-established as soon as possible to ensure adequate
reception and swift transit for migrants who should be hosted
in the centre only for a minimum period of time to allow for
assistance and identification before being transferred to
appropriate facilities elsewhere in Italy.
Whilst the three partner organizations understand the pressure
the island has been under in recent times and the limited capacity
of the reception and rescue centre, it is important that Lampedusa
remains a safe harbour in order to save lives.
The organizations are also expressing their concern over the
recent de facto detention of migrants on ships and question its
legal basis and the conditions under which the migrants are kept.
UNHCR, IOM and Save the Children hope this practice will not
continue and that relevant authorities will find
appropriate solutions as soon as possible in line with
existing provisions in Italian and international
law.
For further information:
IOM
Tel: +39 06 44.186.207
+39 347 089 89 96
UNHCR
Tel: +39 06 80.21.23.18
Save the Children
Tel: +39 06 48.07.00.23