In the dispute over refugees rescued from distress at sea, Italy gives in a little: Some of the rescued are allowed to go ashore in Sicily, but others have to stay on board two ships. Rome's attitude has been criticized from many quarters.
Italy has released some of the refugees from two rescue ships in the port of Catania, Sicily. Several minors, a baby and sick adults left the German-flagged "Humanity 1" while 35 men had to stay on board, said Petra Krischok, spokeswoman for the sea rescue organization SOS Humanity. Another 357 people were allowed to leave the ship "Geo Barents" in the evening, 215 had to stay on board.
Three female minors and a baby left Humanity 1 first, followed by male minors and sick adults, Krischok explained. The mood among the survivors was "extremely depressed," she said.
The Italian authorities had previously asked "Humanity 1" to enter the port of Catania. The government in Rome said it would not "back down" on its humanitarian commitments. However, those who are not "qualified" must "leave our sovereign waters and be cared for by the state whose flag they fly," said Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi.
On November 4, after waiting 13 days for a safe port, the ship was served with a decree - signed by Piantedosi, Defense Minister Guido Crosetti and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini - prohibiting "Humanity 1" from staying in Italian territorial waters any longer than it is "necessary for rescue and relief operations for people in emergencies and in precarious health conditions".
On Sunday afternoon, the aid organization then said that "Humanity 1" had been asked to leave the port with the 35 men on board. The ship's captain refused. "It is my duty to complete the rescue of those in need by disembarking all survivors in the port of Catania as a place of safety."
"We are very concerned about the 35 survivors," said Mirka Schäfer, political officer at SOS Humanity. These should not be rejected. "Both the decree and the prevention of the disembarkation of 35 survivors from the Humanity 1 violate international and Italian law," she added. SOS Humanity is now taking action against the decree before the regional administrative court in Rome.
The organization Sea Watch described Italy's actions on Twitter as "scandalous". Rejection would be a "crime". Amnesty International also asked Italy to let everyone disembark. "The law of the sea is clear: A rescue ends when all those rescued have gone ashore in a safe place," said the human rights organization. Italy is violating "its international obligations".
The Italian opposition MP Aboubakar Soumahoro also criticized the "selection of shipwrecked migrants". It violates international law. The government of the ultra-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni treats the exhausted castaways "like objects". If the migrants remaining on the ship are turned away, "we will challenge this decision in all appropriate institutions," Soumahoro announced on Twitter.
Doctors Without Borders, which operates the "Geo Barents", also criticized the "selective and partial disembarkation" as illegal. The politicians were playing with the lives of the migrants, the organization explained. The ship is registered in Norway.
Two other ships are still waiting off Sicily for permission to let their rescued overboard. These are the "Rise Above" of the aid organization Mission Lifeline under the German flag and the "Ocean Viking" of the refugee rescue organization SOS Méditerranée, registered in Norway.
