Messina. The minors have been transferred from the gym of Gravitelli

It is with pleasure when the association Borderline Sicilia learned about the transfer of 58 minors from the gym of Gravitelli where they were located, towards two reception facilities – also considering the fact that the flooding on the night of October 14, had further worsened the already bad living conditions in the building, showing even more its complete inadequacy for hosting people, especially minors.

Also, we are happy to learn about what has been declared by the municipal councilor [for social affairs and migration] Santisi with regard to future intentions of the administration for the management of the reception and integration of unaccompanied minors who arrive in the city. In relation to this, we point out that the facilities that are hosting hundreds of people are not in line with said objectives.

Furthermore, we reiterate that there is no emergency situation (apart from certain natural disasters which, as such, occur unpredictably) that can in any case justify the locating of minors within a gym (that is still open for activities). Also the application of norms for which the gym would be used cannot be regarded as a guarantee for the minimum standards of reception.

We catch this opportunity for underlining the fact that the identification occurring in the ports is only a pre-identification consisting in the overall registration of personal data in order to transfer the migrants arriving at the port to the respective reception facilities. We also want to underline that what was written in our press release regarding the volunteering service of the cooperative Sines Hospes corresponds to what has been declared by the representative of said cooperative. When directly asked about the supply of meals, he excluded that the cooperative received any compensation and replied various times that he was moved to act purely by the spirit of solidarity.

Editorial office of Borderline Sicilia

Translation: Chiara Guccione