Newsletter BORDERLINE SICILIA – February 2020
- Bad reception between redistribution and quarantine
- Borderline Sicilia 2019: networking in order to denounce the violation of rights
THE BAD RECEPTION BETWEEN REDISTRIBUTION AND QUARANTINE
Our monitoring activities having been executed in several hotspots* and CAS* on Sicily, still show that the social and work-based integration of the so-called “guests”, hence inhabitants, remains exceptionally (it depends on the good will and individual initiative of employees); by contrast, the absence of any services states the norm.
The calls for tender by the prefectures progressively foresee lower expenses for the management of the centers and continue to be awarded to large cooperatives. Those, however, are already responsible for other centers and have been accused of a lack of services as well as deficient conditions of reception throughout the years.
Once again, we have to denounce that migrants are being forced to stay in these large centers, characterized by serious problems regarding hygienic and sanitary conditions, for months, or even years. The reasons for this are the duration of the recognition procedures for international protection, the uncertainties of the European redistribution process and now, additionally the quarantine against the spread of Covid-19. This is just another excuse used to further limit the personal freedom of migrants, helping to nourish the xenophobic climate in our country.
The Coronavirus Emergency and the Racism Generated by Ignorance
The Chains of a Fake Reception
BORDERLINE SICILIA 2019: NETWORKING IN ORDER TO DENOUNCE THE VIOLATION OF RIGHTS
During the last year, we continued our work of monitoring illegal practices executed by institutional and non-institutional actors in order to tell the story of immigration in Sicily, denounce the dysfunctionality of the reception system and the violation of migrants’ rights.
Our monitoring and research activities joined by social and legal support, have been carried out in collaboration with other organizations. Altogether, this work has led to the publication of various reports, announcements as well as press conferences by which we have been following our advocacy activities.
Borderline Sicilia 2019: networking, socio-legal support, and reporting violations of rights
Translation by Marah Frech
*CAS: Centro di Accoglienza Straordinaria – Extraordinary reception center
*Hotspot: Institution where migrants are identified, registered, photographed and their fingerprints are taken.