Migrations into Europe: second half of August. From R.A.F. to Banksy

Johan Leman, 31 August 2020

August 16. R.A.F. (UK) uses a second plane to control migrant boats crossing the Channel. https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2020/08/16/migrants-dans-la-manche-l-armee-britannique-renforce-son-soutien-logistique-aux-gardes-cotes_6049073_3210.html

August 17. Referring to an August 14 NYT article, it is reported that the Greek government during the month of March has dropped at least 1072 asylum seekers via masked men and small ramshackle boats in the high seas, away from Greece. https://www.dewereldmorgen.be/artikel/2020/08/17/gemaskerde-agenten-van-griekse-overheid-ontvoeren-vluchtelingen-en-droppen-hen-op-volle-zee/

August 19. This week, at least 45 boat refugees, including 5 children, died off the Libyan coast. http://alwasat.ly/news/libya/292844 ;  https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20200819_96781433

August 19. A 16-year-old Sudanese migrant’s body washed up on the French coast in an unsuccessful attempt to cross the Channel in a rubber dinghy to the UK. https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20200819_93963181

August 19. The first results are known of the regularisation campaign in Italy of irregularly staying migrants who worked undeclared. There have been 207 542 applications including only 30 694 (15%) for people working in agriculture. The other applications were for migrants in home care and elderly care at home. The fact that there were so few applications from agriculture is attributed to the fact that only employers had right to submit an application for regularization. https://www.corriere.it/economia/lavoro/20_agosto_19/immigrati-regolarizzati-solo-15percento-l-agricoltura-288b12ce-e1de-11ea-a4fa-66caaba57e85.shtml

August 19. In Bosnia -Herzegovina, tensions between residents and migrants in transit are growing. For three consecutive nights, residents of Velika Kladusa, in north-west Bosnia, intercepted buses carrying migrants near the border with Croatia. https://balkaninsight.com/2020/08/19/on-bosnias-border-with-croatia-tensions-build-over-migrants-refugees/

August 21. In the night of 20/21, 5 boats arrived in Lampedusa, with a total of 276 migrants. There are currently 1400 migrants living in Lampedusa. https://agrigento.gds.it/articoli/cronaca/2020/08/21/migranti-5-sbarchi-nella-notte-a-lampedusa-sono-circa-1-400-sullisola-0cc547fd-b94f-4b2f-83b4-77b0c0189511/

August 23. Musumeci, Prime minister of the ‘Regiona Sicilia’, issues an ordinance that, because of Corona, from August 24 to September 10, no migrant with irregular residence may enter or stay in Sicily. https://gds.it/articoli/cronaca/2020/08/23/coronavirus-e-migranti-ecco-lordinanza-di-musumeci-firmata-nella-notte-la-sicilia-non-sara-invasa-ee4fab23-f5c7-4b68-9ec8-f71e51dc4db5/; https://palermo.repubblica.it/politica/2020/08/23/news/entro_le_24_di_domani_i_migranti_fuori_dall_isola_musumeci_firma_l_ordinanza-265271652/?ref=RHPPTP-BH-I0-C12-P2-S1.8-T1

August 23. Italy’s interior minister said that the ordinance of Musumeci, Prime minister of Regiona Sicilia, has no force of law because decision-making power lies with the national government. https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2020/08/23/news/sicilia_fonti_viminale_a_repubblica_musumeci_non_puo_farlo_-265276094/?ref=RHPPTP-BH-I265256849-C12-P1-S5.4-T1

August 24. Musumeci (Sicily) says that he wants to confront the national government and that he will turn to the magistracy in case of violation of his ordinance. His thesis: it is not acceptable that 70 migrants live densely packed in centres in Sicily. So, I refuse or forward them. https://palermo.repubblica.it/cronaca/2020/08/24/news/migranti_musumeci_va_al_braccio_di_ferro_col_viminale_sullo_sgombero_impugnativa_vedremo_cosa_decidera_la_magistratura_-265335485/?ref=RHPPTP-BH-I265288785-C12-P1-S2.4-T1

August 25. The national level is appealing against Musumeci’s decision in Sicily. FYI, situation in the hotspots in Sicily: Lampedusa: 1000 migrants, Pozzallo: 200, Caltanissetta: 400, Messina: 350, Trapani: 150. The national level is moving some migrants from Lampedusa to two ships. https://gds.it/articoli/politica/2020/08/25/coronavirus-e-migranti-il-viminale-prepara-il-ricorso-al-tar-contro-lordinanza-di-musumeci-f89632ba-9123-490d-986d-d0113cb04089/

August 28. A Nord-Irish haulier declared himself guilty for the death at 23.10.2019 of 39 Vietnamese migrants in a refrigerated truck. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-bodies-ireland/irish-man-pleads-guilty-over-vietnamese-truck-deaths-in-uk-idUSKBN25O24E

August 29. A positive note. Bansky supports an ngo-rescue ship on the Mediterranean Sea.. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/28/banksy-funded-boat-in-state-of-emergency-as-it-shelters-200-people ; https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2020/08/28/banksy-sponsort-reddingsschip/

August 29. Tweet from the ship supported by Banksy:  “Alert! #LouiseMichel assisted another 130 people – among them many women & children – and nobody is helping! We are reaching a State of Emergency. We need immediate assistance, @guardiacostiera & @Armed_Forces_MT. We are safeguarding 219 people with a crew of 10. Act #EU, now!”

August 29. A ship of the Italian coast guardians has helped the Louise Michel near the Libyan coast. From  the 219 persons on the boat, they toke over  32 women, 13 children and 4 men who were part of a nuclear family.  https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-europe-migrants-banksy-alarm/banksys-migrant-rescue-boat-stranded-at-sea-with-more-than-200-on-board-idUKKBN25P0EX?il=0 ; https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20200830_93693550

August 30. Last night 450 migrants arrived at Lampedusa coming from Tunisia. At Lampedusa there stay now 1500 migrants. https://www.repubblica.it/cronaca/2020/08/30/news/lampedusa_sbarcano_450_migranti_il_sindaco_superate_le_1_500_presenze_siamo_in_ginocchio_-265805704/?ref=RHPPTP-BH-I265824760-C12-P2-S1.8-T1 ; https://agrigento.gds.it/articoli/cronaca/2020/08/30/maxisbarco-a-lampedusa-soccorsi-450-migranti-e-scoppia-la-protesta-3ceb2a6d-9cd8-42e7-8cd0-ee51440d641b/

August 30.  In the environment of Crotone (South Italy), 4 migrants died in a fire on a small boat.  https://apnews.com/8a7f815f6ab9a34fe652552a1b65e06e

August 31. Italian government sends 3 quarantine ships to Lampedusa to pick up 300 migrants. Lampedusa’s mayor menaces with a general strike of the inhabitants.  https://www.repubblica.it/cronaca/2020/08/30/news/lampedusa_sbarcano_450_migranti_il_sindaco_superate_le_1_500_presenze_siamo_in_ginocchio_-265805704/?ref=RHPPTP-BH-I265824760-C12-P9-S1.8-T1 ; https://agrigento.gds.it/articoli/cronaca/2020/08/31/record-di-migranti-a-lampedusa-iniziati-i-trasferimenti-ma-il-sindaco-tuona-chiudo-tutto-395b2bb8-d7ae-4819-be01-03ad742b961e/

August 31. The general strike is delayed. Lampedusa’s mayor and Mr Musumeci are invited by PM Conte for a talk.