Tuesday, October 8, 2013

When Survival is a Crime

Two outrageous developments about the ship packed with refugees that went down off the coast of Lampedusa, Italy: 

In published interviews, some of the first rescuers, tourists boats and fishermen, describe a nightmarish scene in which the water was full of people calling for help and clinging to pieces of wood. They claim that the Italian coast guard ordered them back to port only to then to wait for "instructions" before beginning to rescue the drowning people. The coast guard deny this.

Under Italy's harsh immigration law, the survivors of the shipwreck, will be prosecuted for illegal entry into the country and face punitive fines. The magistrate's office has stated that they are ashamed of having to prosecute, but that they have no flexibility.

The Prime Minister and the Minister of Interior are making noises about modifying this "shameful" law. Meanwhile divers continue to bring up dead bodies from the sunken ship, 300 so far.

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