- Tweeter
republish
The dramatic tribulations of the Open Arms in the Mediterranean came to an end on Tuesday evening, August 20th with its berthing in Lampedusa, after 19 days of wandering in expectation of a port of reception, even though several European countries have accepted to welcome the migrants present on board. Earlier in the day, Italian Council President Giuseppe Conte resigned, accepted by President Sergio Mattarella. In this unprecedented context of national and European crisis, Salvatore Martello, an adept of this small Sicilian town in the heart of the migratory phenomenon for more than six years, confides in RFI.
Salvatore Martello denounces a " climate of rage " in Italy
" Today in Italy, there is a climate of tension, rage and even confrontation that no longer allows for a debate in democratic conditions. As soon as there is more or less an issue of immigration, we see the battalions coming out of the counterfeiters who want to put out any discussion, "regrets Salvatore Martello at the microphone of our special envoy to Lampedusa, Juliette Gheerbrant .
→ Read also: Italy: Council President Giuseppe Conte announces his resignation
The "broad responsibility" of the EU
" However," continues the elected representative, " as it is a problem that concerns the whole world, not only Italy, it would be wise to sit around the table to find a way to make common decisions, in rules. The European Union bears a large responsibility for sure, but also the countries directly concerned. I think of Spain's speech the other day: we can not say to the Open Arms after 19 days: " I offer you a port of landing ". You had to think about it before. After 19 days at sea, I would like to know how we can say to the crew, "go! Go to the Straits of Gibraltar, accompany them these migrants" - migrants who in my opinion are also very poorly ship's edge. "
The mayor also reacts to the closing of the ports of which Matteo Salvini made his main political argument: it is false, he says.
"The problem of immigration is not solved"
" We need to clarify something. When there is an NGO ship coming in, everybody is talking about immigration, landings, people coming to Italy - to Lampedusa or wherever. But nobody notices that while one is blocking a ship, at the same time boats arrive directly in the port of Lampedusa, sometimes with more migrants on board than on the ships of NGOs. So obviously, one can ask a question: excuse me but the port, it is closed or it is open? For us, since the boats arrive independently, it's because it's open. But in the collective imagination today in Italy, people are convinced that no one is coming, that immigration is over and that the only problem is NGOs helping people at sea. We must tell people that the problem of immigration is not solved, that ports are open and that the media war of some is aimed exclusively at NGOs. "
→ Read also: The "Open Arms" docked at the port of Lampedusa, the boat will be seized