Italy rebuffs German migrant appeal as rescue boat docks at Lampedusa

By Valentina Za

 

A still image from a video footage shows police officers guarding a migrant rescue boat, which docked at the port of Lampedusa in defiance of a ban on entering Italian waters, in Lampedusa, Italy, July 6, 2019. Local Team/REUTERS TV via REUTERS

 

MILAN (Reuters) - A migrant rescue boat on Saturday breached a ban on docking in Italy for the second time in a week, arriving illegally in Lampedusa, as Italy rejected a German call to open its ports to charity vessels.

 

Italy's migration policy is deepening rifts in Europe as NGOs clash with Italian authorities over rules that effectively close off the country's ports to their boats.

 

Italy's coalition government, which includes the right-wing League, blames European partners for leaving it alone to deal with sea arrivals. New rules were adopted last month threatening NGO ships entering Italian waters without permission with a fine of up to 50,000 euros and the impounding of their vessels.

 

German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer on Saturday asked his Italian counterparty, League leader Matteo Salvini, to rethink the ports shutdown.

 

The sailboat Alex, carrying 41 migrants, docked at the same quay where a week ago another charity vessel collided with an Italian police boat when it decided to bring migrants ashore after two weeks in international waters.

 

The German captain of the Sea-Watch 3 boat, 31-year-old Carola Rackete, was arrested in Lampedusa last Saturday before a Sicilian judge ordered her release a few days later.

 

The German interior minister said he was working with the European Commission to find solutions for people aboard the Alex and the Alan Kurdi, a second NGO ship which is close to Italian waters and has also been denied permission to enter.

 

"We cannot allow ships with rescued people on board to be left sailing the Mediterranean for weeks because they can't find a harbour," he wrote in a letter. "We need swift European solutions in a spirit of common responsibility and solidarity."

 

But Salvini replied in a Facebook video that a policy change was out of the question.

 

"Dear German government I'm not reopening the ports ... if anything we're going to put ... [the migrants] in a car and take them to the German embassy," he said.

 

"If someone is used to considering Italy a dumping site for all the problems Europe pretend not to see, that's over. And this applies to the French and the Dutch," Salvini said, adding he "felt lonely" and called on fellow ministers to help more over migrants.

 

INTIMIDATED

 

The Alex was escorted to Lampedusa by an Italian naval vessel and a sea patrol boat, but the migrants were not allowed not leave the boat and policemen stood on the quay.

 

"The migrants must be immediately disembarked and taken care of," Italian NGO Mediterranea, which operates the Alex, said in a posting on Twitter.

 

Mediterranea had declined a Maltese offer to go to Valletta saying the people aboard could not sustain such a long journey.

 

But Salvini says Rome would not "yield to blackmail" and that armed forces were ready to intervene.

 

"I'm not authorising people who ignore Italian laws and help human traffickers to disembark," he said on Twitter.

 

According to Mediterranea spokeswoman Alessandra Sciurba, the charity had no choice but to head to the closest port due to health and hygiene conditions aboard the Alex.

 

But Italy's interior ministry said it had provided food, medicines and 400 litres of water, while another 400 had been refused by the Alex due to a lack of space.

 

"They refused water so that they could declare the state of emergency ... we won't be intimidated," Salvini said.

 

The League will propose increasing fines for NGOs violating the docking ban up to 1 million euros and making it easier to seize vessels, he added.

 

(Additional reporting by Wladimir Pantaleone in Palermo and Thomas Escritt in Frankfurt, Editing by William Maclean)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-07-07

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And still they come.........

"A third rescue ship, German charity Sea-Eye's vessel Alan Kurdi, carrying 65 shipwrecked migrants rescued off Libya on Saturday arrived and held its position in international waters off Lampedusa."   https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/07/italy-migrant-rescue-vessel-defies-salvini-docks-lampedusa-190706171724359.htm

 

Alex the boat currently docked declared that it was overloaded with 60 people over a nominal capacity of 18. As there are 41 "refugees", it was already overloaded when it left port with the stated intention of searching for stranded migrants.

What Italy need to do is just ship the entire boat load to germany. You want them you got them. 

28 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

The League will propose increasing fines for NGOs violating the docking ban up to 1 million euros and making it easier to seize vessels, he added.

Sounds like a good start. I would rather an Australian type policy that offers no chance whatsoever for illegal economic migrants to be able to enter and stay in Europe.

 Going forward I think the only real solution is for wealthy productive western nations to start re-colonizing Africa. The African leaders have made no progress, it is a perpetual basket-case of a continent. Send over our industry captains and entrepreneurs and let's get these inefficient corrupt nations up and running again. We just can't pay for all of Africa to move to Germany and the UK, there is neither the room, the will or the funds for such extreme folly.

Want to see a huge attitude change in Europe? Wait until the first case of Ebola lands there.

10 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

What Italy need to do is just ship the entire boat load to germany. You want them you got them. 

You're right but there is no seaway to Germany from Italy.  

 

It's unlikely the Alex nor the passengers would make the voyage into the Atlantic, through the English Channel and into the North Sea to Germany. But a coach could do it in a day or two.

 

Perhaps there is a canal system that could be used.

 

Merkel issues an invitation and Italy has to suffer. The marvelous idea of a united Europe. No wonder the UK wants out.

14 minutes ago, yogi100 said:

Perhaps there is a canal system that could be used.

There is. From Budapest up the Danube, canal to Rhine and Germany.

Edited July 7, 20197 yr by Ozman52

If the German ngo/charity vessels are so keen to help, why don't they take these unfortunates to Germany or possibly a muslim country. Picking them up and dumping them in a land with enough already and problems of their own is more than a bit cheeky.

 

"And a poll published in the Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera on Saturday said 59% of Italians approved of Mr Salvini shutting Italy's ports off to NGO-run vessels." https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-48896038

The Corriere della Sera is an Italian daily newspaper published in Milan with an average daily circulation of 410,242 copies in December 2015. First published on 5 March 1876, Corriere della Sera is one of Italy's oldest newspapers and is Italy's most read newspaper. Wikipedia

 

"sea-eye
@seaeyeorg
 The so-called Libyan Coast Guard assigned us a Libyan port for the 65 persons on board. We have rejected this instruction.

The EU-funded Coast Guard requests us to violate int. law. We will not return the rescued persons to Libyan torture camps. #AlanKurdi
163
11:24 PM - Jul 5, 2019"

 

Hard to refute you are nothing but a taxi service when your refusal to land illegal immigrants is based on BS hyperbole. 

2 hours ago, Ozman52 said:

Want to see a huge attitude change in Europe? Wait until the first case of Ebola lands there.

We have had an aids epidemic and a crime epidemic , why not Ebola ? On another note this is the best European leader . Wish british politicians represented its citizens like this . 

 

4 hours ago, LomSak27 said:

What Italy need to do is just ship the entire boat load to germany. You want them you got them. 

Who says we want them? I for sure don't. I support my country's humanitarian offer to refugees over the past 3 years but now DE is full and and I applaud Italy's tough line not to give in to this new 'tactic' by the NGOs to blackmail the EU into accepting more migrants in this manner. No one ever wants to see people drown. But if you are going to act as a 'Coastguard' for stranded refugees at sea, have a plan B where to offload and resettle them afterwards.

5 hours ago, Ozman52 said:

And still they come.........

"A third rescue ship, German charity Sea-Eye's vessel Alan Kurdi, carrying 65 shipwrecked migrants rescued off Libya on Saturday arrived and held its position in international waters off Lampedusa."   https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/07/italy-migrant-rescue-vessel-defies-salvini-docks-lampedusa-190706171724359.htm

 

Alex the boat currently docked declared that it was overloaded with 60 people over a nominal capacity of 18. As there are 41 "refugees", it was already overloaded when it left port with the stated intention of searching for stranded migrants.

Quite, the 'rescue ships' keep arriving, and being defended by the charity organisations that go out to provide a 'taxi service' to the port they think most likely to be unable to stop access.....

 

One forced it's way in, another has landed (but so far has not allowed the (likely) economic migrants to disembark, and there is yet another waiting to enter the same port.....

<deleted>, take them to a german port!

 

Apparently the germans want these supposed 'refugees'., so would have no problem accepting them.

Edited July 7, 20197 yr by dick dasterdly

59 minutes ago, 3MagicBeers said:

Who says we want them? I for sure don't. I support my country's humanitarian offer to refugees over the past 3 years but now DE is full and and I applaud Italy's tough line not to give in to this new 'tactic' by the NGOs to blackmail the EU into accepting more migrants in this manner. No one ever wants to see people drown. But if you are going to act as a 'Coastguard' for stranded refugees at sea, have a plan B where to offload and resettle them afterwards.

Sorry, your 'leaders' feel otherwise.....

 

Edit - I'd add that the vast majority are not likely to be genuine refugees, they're economic migrants.

Edited July 7, 20197 yr by dick dasterdly

"Dear German government I'm not reopening the ports ... if anything we're going to put ... [the migrants] in a car and take them to the German embassy," he said.

 

And hand them over to Mrs. Ferkel, aeeh, my sincere apologies Mrs. Merkel. 

18 minutes ago, dick dasterdly said:

Quite, the 'rescue ships' keep arriving, and being defended by the charity organisations that go out to provide a 'taxi service' to the port they think most likely to be unable to stop access.....

 

One forced it's way in, another has landed (but so far has not allowed the (likely) economic migrants to disembark, and there is yet another waiting to enter the same port.....

<deleted>, take them to a german port!

 

Apparently the germans want these supposed 'refugees'., so would have no problem accepting them.

The Germans don't want them, please be careful to make such generalizations. These evergreen people haven't learnt anything. 

Please have a look at Germany's quote right now.

 

 They have to be sent back if they are not in danger, most of them are just leaving their countries for greener pastries. Why not sending them back where they came from and let them decide what to do?

 

Then it would definitely stop. 

4 hours ago, Ozman52 said:

 

"sea-eye
@seaeyeorg
 The so-called Libyan Coast Guard assigned us a Libyan port for the 65 persons on board. We have rejected this instruction.

The EU-funded Coast Guard requests us to violate int. law. We will not return the rescued persons to Libyan torture camps. #AlanKurdi
163
11:24 PM - Jul 5, 2019"

 

Hard to refute you are nothing but a taxi service when your refusal to land illegal immigrants is based on BS hyperbole. 

BS hyperbole, you say?

 

take them back to Libya, you (and some other soulless posters) say?

 

herein is categorical proof that this is not BS hyperbole. Anyone commenting further on returning refugees to Libya needs to have a good long look at themselves.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-48854420

 

“At least 130 people were injured in the attack, which the Libyan government blamed on an air strike by forces loyal to a warlord, General Khalifa Haftar“

 

But who is Haftar?.... well... seems he is likely a long time CIA puppet, involved in US backed attempts to remove Gaddafi

 

“He did this from exile in the US state of Virginia. His proximity to the CIA's headquarters in Langley hinted at a close relationship with US intelligence services, who gave their backing to several attempts to assassinate Gaddafi.”

 

meanwhile, to underscore this connection;

 

Late on Wednesday, the UN Security Council held a meeting behind closed doors, but was unable to agree on a statement condemning the air strike, after the US said it needed approval from Washington before it could sign it, the AFP news agency reports. 

It was unclear why this approval was not forthcoming, but the Security Council meeting ended without issuing a statement.

 

 

10 minutes ago, jany123 said:

herein is categorical proof that this is not BS hyperbole.

Well it's not herein. In fact the word torture is completely absent, just a report of deaths in a war-zone hyped up to meet the agenda.

 

BTW how did these people from sub-Saharan Africa come to be in Libya? They chose to go there because it is a base for people smugglers. the people of Italy DO NOT WANT THEM, nor are they prepared to take responsibility for choices they made themselves.

22 minutes ago, jany123 said:

BS hyperbole, you say?

 

take them back to Libya, you (and some other soulless posters) say?

 

herein is categorical proof that this is not BS hyperbole. Anyone commenting further on returning refugees to Libya needs to have a good long look at themselves.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-48854420

 

“At least 130 people were injured in the attack, which the Libyan government blamed on an air strike by forces loyal to a warlord, General Khalifa Haftar“

 

But who is Haftar?.... well... seems he is likely a long time CIA puppet, involved in US backed attempts to remove Gaddafi

 

“He did this from exile in the US state of Virginia. His proximity to the CIA's headquarters in Langley hinted at a close relationship with US intelligence services, who gave their backing to several attempts to assassinate Gaddafi.”

 

meanwhile, to underscore this connection;

 

Late on Wednesday, the UN Security Council held a meeting behind closed doors, but was unable to agree on a statement condemning the air strike, after the US said it needed approval from Washington before it could sign it, the AFP news agency reports. 

It was unclear why this approval was not forthcoming, but the Security Council meeting ended without issuing a statement.

 

 

Ummm any chance you could open YOUR house to them ? You can also pay their medical bills and to educate their children . We except all credit cards / check / cryptocurrencies/ but you must pay first ? 

Open the port near Rome. Load the migrants on cheap buses (but safe, everything working), take them to the rail station, load in the lowest class carriage and send them to Munich.

54 minutes ago, Ozman52 said:

Well it's not herein. In fact the word torture is completely absent, just a report of deaths in a war-zone hyped up to meet the agenda.

 

BTW how did these people from sub-Saharan Africa come to be in Libya? They chose to go there because it is a base for people smugglers. the people of Italy DO NOT WANT THEM, nor are they prepared to take responsibility for choices they made themselves.

Lmao.... yesterday you were criticizing sub Saharan Africans for traveling to a southern port to find a path to seek refugee  status ( re your attack on the intent of three Mali refugees exiting Africa thru the Ivory Coast)..... today you criticize refugees going northwards... damn... there’s simply no pleasing you.

 

anyway... the people of Italy are a part of the EU, and EU laws are determining events in Italy, but don’t let that worry you.

 

meanwhile.... of course your going to get people smugglers operating out of a war zone.... happened with Jews and allied soldiers before and during ww2... happened during the napoleonic wars... happened during the American civil war. Always happens. All those efforts are now universally applauded... what’s the issue?

 

And maybe it’s just me, but I’m pretty sure that being prepared to die at sea, in an attempt to reach safety, qualifies as taking responsibility for yourself... hell, trying to get your family to safety, is in the highest order of caring for your family, and taking responsibility.

 

That you see the carnage incurred by an attack on a refugee camp that was near a “legitimate” target, which the UN called to be moved to a safe location, months ago, because of this potential, as “reports of deaths in a war zone” and “hyped up” is despicable.

 

and ironically, you just referred to Libya as a war zone, whilst elsewhere maintaining that refugees should be sent there as it’s a safe place... a war zone... safe... crikey

 

Now... I know you have problems with links... they disappear on you, or don’t support your argument... or are to unsecured sites... or just simply don’t work.... but this link (mine) should support the whole torture bit somewhat. It’s a crying shame that you need to be led by the nose to the truth, all the while decrying it. 

 

https://www.dw.com/en/widespread-torture-and-rape-documented-in-libyas-refugee-camps/a-48070588

 

lol... just the other day, I saw a fool in a maga hat claiming trumps assertion that he could get away with shooting someone, was fake news, despite the fact that they were running the recording for her. 

 

Reminded me of you.... she was an embarrassment to America... while your an.... Australian 

 

anyway... a screenshot to your link in post 1.. maybe I have to subscribe, I don’t know, but here is you trying to educate people... well done.

Edited July 7, 20197 yr by jany123

6 hours ago, Ozman52 said:

There is. From Budapest up the Danube, canal to Rhine and Germany.

 

No Budapest.  The Hungarian government (wisely) threw up a wire fence around their country after or during the Merkel-sponsored invasion of 2015...

4 minutes ago, jany123 said:

Lmao.... yesterday you were criticizing sub Saharan Africans for traveling to a southern port to find a path to seek refugee  status ( re your attack on the intent of three Mali refugees exiting Africa thru the Ivory Coast)..... today you criticize refugees going northwards... damn... there’s simply no pleasing you.

 

Actually I showed a couple of maps which led YOU to suggest that the Malians had left from the Ivory coast. To refute this I posted a link stating they had left from west Libya.

My response was "I suppose there might be morons stupid enough to sail from the Ivory Coast, completely miss Europe and end up sailing south into the Med, but 82 in the one boat is highly unlikely." 

Your fabrications and distortions of events have led me to ignore you in the past, and in the future.

•  

On 7/5/2019 at 1:55 PM, jany123 said:

however, to the south of Mali, down rivers and what not, lies the sea.... you just need to cross over one country (if you take the shortest route)... and that country is the Ivory Coast.

 

yall can get a boat in the Ivory Coast.... which I can only assume is what happened, because mr Ozman provide a BS geography lesson instead of a link.

8 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Sounds like a good start. I would rather an Australian type policy that offers no chance whatsoever for illegal economic migrants to be able to enter and stay in Europe.

 Going forward I think the only real solution is for wealthy productive western nations to start re-colonizing Africa. The African leaders have made no progress, it is a perpetual basket-case of a continent. Send over our industry captains and entrepreneurs and let's get these inefficient corrupt nations up and running again. We just can't pay for all of Africa to move to Germany and the UK, there is neither the room, the will or the funds for such extreme folly.

 

Adopting the Australian policy is certainly a good idea. Make it a rule, widely known and enforced rigorously that anyone who enters any European country illegally will not be granted permission to stay - whatever reason.

 

That would effectively stop the customers of the smugglers as they know that once caught, game over.

 

African countries, are by and large undemocratic corrupt shit-heaps. But allowing hordes of young male economic migrants to enter Europe illegally, and then provided lots of assistance to them (whilst ignoring impoverished European citizens) isn't going to work or help solve the problem.

8 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Sounds like a good start. I would rather an Australian type policy that offers no chance whatsoever for illegal economic migrants to be able to enter and stay in Europe.

 Going forward I think the only real solution is for wealthy productive western nations to start re-colonizing Africa. The African leaders have made no progress, it is a perpetual basket-case of a continent. Send over our industry captains and entrepreneurs and let's get these inefficient corrupt nations up and running again. We just can't pay for all of Africa to move to Germany and the UK, there is neither the room, the will or the funds for such extreme folly.

Europe is not a country.

2 hours ago, jany123 said:

BS hyperbole, you say?

 

take them back to Libya, you (and some other soulless posters) say?

 

herein is categorical proof that this is not BS hyperbole. Anyone commenting further on returning refugees to Libya needs to have a good long look at themselves.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-48854420

 

“At least 130 people were injured in the attack, which the Libyan government blamed on an air strike by forces loyal to a warlord, General Khalifa Haftar“

 

But who is Haftar?.... well... seems he is likely a long time CIA puppet, involved in US backed attempts to remove Gaddafi

 

“He did this from exile in the US state of Virginia. His proximity to the CIA's headquarters in Langley hinted at a close relationship with US intelligence services, who gave their backing to several attempts to assassinate Gaddafi.”

 

meanwhile, to underscore this connection;

 

Late on Wednesday, the UN Security Council held a meeting behind closed doors, but was unable to agree on a statement condemning the air strike, after the US said it needed approval from Washington before it could sign it, the AFP news agency reports. 

It was unclear why this approval was not forthcoming, but the Security Council meeting ended without issuing a statement.

 

 

 

The illegal economic migrants are willing to illegally enter Libya, a country in which they know the dangers, and pay illegal smugglers, to facilitate their illegal entry into Europe.

 

They now know that NGO's, with their often rich kid "heroes" will pick them up, maybe by planned rendezvous, and take them to an Italian port. There expectations is that they will then be well looked after and can wangle being allowed to stay in Europe, in a country of their choosing, and be transported free to that country and provided with all sorts of nice benefits. When the don't get what they want, or believe their entitled to more, they expect to behave like thugs and be treated more kindly as a result.

 

The UK has a real problem with Somali young men who believe they're totally entitled and untouchable, for example.

 

And, like so many liberal politically correct do-gooders, you believe allowing this to continue will somehow solve the problem.

 

It won't and will create one helluva backlash which is coming sooner than later.

13 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Adopting the Australian policy is certainly a good idea. Make it a rule, widely known and enforced rigorously that anyone who enters any European country illegally will not be granted permission to stay - whatever reason.

 

That would effectively stop the customers of the smugglers as they know that once caught, game over.

 

African countries, are by and large undemocratic corrupt shit-heaps. But allowing hordes of young male economic migrants to enter Europe illegally, and then provided lots of assistance to them (whilst ignoring impoverished European citizens) isn't going to work or help solve the problem.

Australia has not stopprd illegal immigration at all. It has slowed the boats but most overstays and asylum seekers come in via air, and always have.

9 hours ago, rooster59 said:

The League will propose increasing fines for NGOs violating the docking ban up to 1 million euros and making it easier to seize vessels, he added.

As they damn well should- it is time the world stood up to these extremists masquerading as  NGO's. Let them try it here!!!! 

8 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

And, like so many liberal politically correct do-gooders, you believe allowing this to continue will somehow solve the problem.

Bingo!!!!

4 minutes ago, jany123 said:

The below is my part of your post above... I said...

 

No fabrications... no distortions... just an assumption ( apparently incorrect.. no worries) based on your post, which as I pointed out, had no link

 

i do not see any subsequent link that I assume you intended me to see.

 

so.... yesterday and today, you are criticizing refugees from departing via Libya... ok... assuming they will immigrate, where is better, from the refugees standpoint, than Libya, if that’s your issue?

 

use your words to prevent confusion.

IMMIGRATE!!!!! lmao

24 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

The illegal economic migrants are willing to illegally enter Libya, a country in which they know the dangers, and pay illegal smugglers, to facilitate their illegal entry into Europe.

 

They now know that NGO's, with their often rich kid "heroes" will pick them up, maybe by planned rendezvous, and take them to an Italian port. There expectations is that they will then be well looked after and can wangle being allowed to stay in Europe, in a country of their choosing, and be transported free to that country and provided with all sorts of nice benefits. When the don't get what they want, or believe their entitled to more, they expect to behave like thugs and be treated more kindly as a result.

 

The UK has a real problem with Somali young men who believe they're totally entitled and untouchable, for example.

 

And, like so many liberal politically correct do-gooders, you believe allowing this to continue will somehow solve the problem.

 

It won't and will create one helluva backlash which is coming sooner than later.

No... no no no no no

 

i believe that every ships master has a duty to protect life at sea.

 

i believe states should conform to international law on these matters

 

i believe that every potential migrant, immigrant, refugee, displaced person or whatever term you pick, should have his/her case heard, and be assessed, then dealt with accordingly (accepted/ admitted or denied/deported)

 

And... i believe they should be treated humanely throughout this process.

 

What I don’t believe is that just because some folk are able to exploit a loophole, that all should be tarred similarly.