EU Grapples with Aftermath of Lampedusa Tragedy as Eritrea and Italy Make Funeral Plans for Victims

The Lampedusa boat tragedy occurred on October 3 2013 when a 20m-boat ferrying over 500 illegal immigrants—mostly from Eritrea and Somalia—capsized in the Mediterranean Sea near the Sicilian Island. Those on board had moved to one side of the overloaded boat after it caught fire. Fishermen who were the first to arrive on the scene managed to rescue 155 people.

 So far, divers have retrieved 311 bodies from the wreckage, which represent one of the worst boat disasters involving illegal immigrants. Rescue efforts have been hampered by the fact that most of the bodies are trapped in the wreckage of the boat.

Eritrea has sought to assure its citizens that it is planning on returning the bodies of the Eritrean victims of the Lampedusa boat tragedy for a state funeral. This announcement comes in the wake of Italy’s declaration to honour the over 300 victims with a state funeral.

However, the Eritrean Embassy in Italy announced that it is negotiating with Italian authorities so that the deceased can be taken back to their homeland for burial by their kin. Furthermore, the Eritrean government has undertaken to cater for transport costs as well as other expenses that may be involved. 

 

Eritrea has set aside a day of national mourning for the Lampedusa victims (Photo Credit: www.tesfanews.net)

The Eastern African country’s plan, however, may never come to fruition after the Italian government granted posthumous citizenship to the victims. Ironically, the fate of the survivors of the tragedy is unknown. Under the 2002 Bossi-Fini Immigration Law, the survivors were to face criminal charges for ‘clandestine immigration’—an offence, which carries a fine of €5,000. 

In light of the tragic events, the government has set in motion plans to repeal this law.

Italy’s decision to grant posthumous citizenship to deceased and deprive survivors of the same has been labelled as a politically motivated move that is aimed at salvaging its conscience. Mary Dejevsky described in her article  in The Spectator, that “this is grotesque and proves to would-be refugees and activists that receiving countries prefer dead migrants than those who make it alive”.

Prime Minister Enrico Letta met a hostile reception when he visited the Southern Italian island of Lampedusa alongside European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. Shouts of ‘disgrace’ and ‘killers’ filled the air as the two arrived at a makeshift mortuary to meet survivors and rescue workers.  One protester shouted, “Shame on them! They should solve this humanitarian crisis”.

Barroso announced the disbursement of 30 million Euros to assist Italy resettle the refugees. He also explained that the EU would focus on people who smuggle illegal migrants into Europe and cooperate with the illegal immigrants’ countries of origin. 

Lampedusa residents throw flowers at the scene of the boat disaster in memory of the victims (Photo Credit: www.dailymail.co.uk)

 On his part, PM Letta promised to push for migration to be included at the centre of the EU’s agenda. He acknowledged the mushrooming of a huge humanitarian drama on Lampedusa. France has already called for an urgent EU meeting to discuss Italy’s concerns.

Lampedusa has been one of the three key entry points for illegal immigrants into Europe. Other routes include the West African route via the Canary Islands and the West Mediterranean route. Lampedusa was in the news back in 2010 when 63 illegal immigrants lost their lives—an event that incurred the anger of activists on Spanish and French military for ignoring the immigrants’ distress calls.

According to BBC, 2013 has seen over 30,000 illegal immigrants enter Italy by sea. Three thousand Eritreans often try to flee their country every month because of political persecutions and forced conscription into the army. The Al Shabab menace in Somalia is one of the reasons many Somalis flee the country for a better life in Europe. This situation is compounded by the lawlessness in the country, which has been rocked by over 20 years of war.

In light of the Lampedusa boat disaster, should EU be more accommodative of illegal immigrants fleeing their countries?

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Malawian Migrants Suffer Wrath of Tanzanians

Hundreds of Malawian migrants have fled to their country from Tanzania where they have become susceptible to xenophobic attacks from the natives. The attacks seem to have been sparked by the Tanzanian government’s crackdown on undocumented migrants.

Those who have returned home explain that Malawians have become targets of attacks by Tanzanians who have taken advantage of the government’s crackdown on undocumented migrants. “The locals criticise us for making life difficult for them because of our economic superiority. Since we do not bargain when buying things, prices of commodities have increased and become expensive for them,” one of the returnees said.

According to the Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), other foreigners have not been spared either but Malawians seem to have been affected the most. This is because they are perceived to be doing well than most locals. “Malawians are usually hard working and we invest the little that we get,” one of those affected told IRIN.

The border town of Songwe has been a common entry point for those returning home from Malawi’s northern neighbour. They then connect to the northern town of Mzuzu where many are stranded because they do not have enough money to complete their journey. 

Malawian migrants from Tanzania arrive in Northern Malawi after fleeing attacks by some Tanzanians (Photo Credit: www.nyasatimes.com)

In July, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete had ordered all illegal migrants to leave the country by 11 August 2013 or risk forceful deportation. Upon the expiry of the deadline, 15,000 Burundians and 7,000 Rwandese illegal migrants were expelled, an event that prompted relief agencies to warn of an impending humanitarian crisis. The operation, christened ‘Kimbunga,’ has also seen the arrest of over 1,000 Malawians.

Those who were apprehended were given a reprieve by Tanzanian authorities who gave them 6 months to apply for residency permits. However, the upsurge in xenophobic attacks has discouraged most of these nationals from pursuing this option.

The Malawian government has adopted a cautionary approach to the matter with Information and Civic Education Minister Moses Kunkuyu stating that the government was yet to receive official information about the situation of its nationals in Tanzania.

Malawian Vice-President Khumbo Kachali is the highest profile government official to speak on the issue. During a visit to the CCAP Synod of Livingstonia where some of the returnees are housed, he offered the sympathies of the Malawian government but did not make concrete promises of assistance. “The government acknowledges that you have suffered in Tanzania. The Head of State Joyce Banda sends her apologies and we say sorry,” he said.

Xenophobia has a long history in Africa, which dates back to the 1970s when Nigerians and Burkinabe nationals were brutally expelled from Ghana under the Aliens Compliance Order. The events were replicated in Nigeria in the 1980s when hundreds of Ghanaians in the country lost their lives in xenophobic attacks.

In Cote d’Ivoire, during the political tussle between Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Outtara, Malians living in the country were victims of xenophobia. In 2001, African immigrants residing in Libya had to contend with volatile treatment from locals who branded them as foreigners.

Most notably, South Africa has been in the spotlight for increased incidents of xenophobic attacks, which dates as far as 1994. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), significant steps have not been made towards addressing this problem in a country, which was hosting close to 3 million foreigners in 2012. 

Black racism: Such hostility against fellow Africans have earned xenophobia the tag of being apartheid's 'sibling' (Photo Credit: www.deesserudigan.blogspot.com)

An article by the Socialist Party of Great Britain in 2001 reveals that xenophobia is tied to the economic lives of the masses. The locals usually blame the foreigners—who are usually poor—for their economic woes instead of blaming the powers that be. “The rich people in the society create divisions among the poor by laying blame on foreigners to create nationalistic feelings and divert attention from mismanagement,” the article reads in part. 

The masses (often illiterate, sick and hungry) are easily duped by these tactics and hence direct their wrath towards poor foreigners.

However, IOM describes xenophobia as a two-way phenomenon in which foreigners can also propagate it. It cites the case of South Africa where it is commonplace for foreigners to describe the natives as ‘lazy,’ ‘diseased’ or ‘uneducated’—sentiments that are sometimes expressed in the presence of South Africans.  Respecting each others’ rights and dignity will be important in co-existing peacefully.

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