Messina’s Hotspot: Deficiencies in Redistribution of Migrants. An Complaint by ASGI*, Borderline Sicilia and ActionAid
We are publishing our letter to the administration, in which we describe the highly critical situation of migrants regarding their access to medical, psychological, and legal support as well as the material conditions of the reception in Messina’s hotspot.
11Messina: the entry of the hotspot – photo by Silvia Di Meo
In light of the monitoring, ASGI*, Borderline Sicilia, and Action Aid ask the administration to take all measures required to guarantee adequate living conditions and support for the people affected by the redistribution processes according to national and European law. For this we give the following recommendations:
1. The right to a private and family life has be guaranteed. People should not have to live in mixed accommodation. For this reason we suggest to accommodate couples on their own and single women apart from families and unaccompanied minors. In addition, we consider adequate access to food, water, and personal hygiene products as essential. 1. The right to a private and family life has be guaranteed. People should not have to live in mixed accommodation. For this reason we suggest to accommodate couples on their own and single women apart from families and unaccompanied minors. In addition, we consider adequate access to food, water, and personal hygiene products as essential.
2. We demand the guarantee of unrestricted access to the medical and nursing care of the national health care provider made possible by a quick registration process, admission to the hospital if necessary, support with medical examinations and every other doctor’s visit or necessary examination depending on the need of the foreign fellow citizen. In addition we recommend to give people the opportunity to get psychological support inside and outside the center.
3. It is absolutely necessary that every inhabitant is provided with adequate legal advice by a professional and social workers who are capable of providing specialist support with the difficult process of redistribution, a process that should be viewed critically. At the very least, access to legal advice should be provided by creating a list of specialist lawyers that can intervene if deemed necessary by the inhabitants.
4. Foreign citizens at the hotspot have to be provided with comprehensive language and culture mediation going beyond the official languages: for data protection and ethical reasons it is not possible to have language support by other inhabitants during hearings.
Translation by Annika Schadewaldt
*ASGI – Associazione per gli Studi Giuridici sull’Immigrazione: Association for Judicial Study on Immigration
