While search and rescue operations continue in the sea between Lampedusa and Lampione for survivors of last Thursday's sinking, those already on the island of Lampedusa continue to be transferred to other destinations. Yesterday evening, a group of 17 Tunisians who arrived on Lampedusa in the last couple of days, were sent to the hangar in the Port of Pozzallo to await repatriation. The Ragusan CSPA (First Reception Centre) is therefore still being used to all extents and purposes as a Centre of Identification and Expulsion, despite not possessing the legal status to operate in this way.
What is happening are collective expulsions, and not even the Praesidium organisations are being granted access to the site, despite the fact that have an agreement to do so with the Ministry of the Interior. Together with the group of Tunisians, there were also two Maroccans who were transferred to the Caltanisetta Cara (Hosting Centre for Asylum Seekers), and an Algerian who has been locked up in the CIE (Immigrant Detention Centre) Pian del Lago, also in Caltanisetta. This evening a group of 11 unaccompanied minors is expected to arrive in Sicily to be placed in various housing facilities for minors.
The survivors of Thursday's catastrophe are still in the Centre on Lampedusa, but it is likely that they will face the same fate as the other Tunisians who arrive on Sicilian shores: repatriation. Yesterday, a woman's body was found. She was identified by survivors as being part of the group that left Tunisia. No others traces of any of the survivors or even the boat have so far been discovered.
P.O. Borderline Sicilia
