Written declaration No. 422 | Doc. 11823 | 29 January 2009

Humanitarian situation of “boat-people” in Lampedusa (Italy)

Signatories: Ms Gunn Karin GJUL, Norway ; Ms Sonja ABLINGER, Austria, SOC ; Ms Tina ACKETOFT, Sweden ; Lord Donald ANDERSON, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Jorodd ASPHJELL, Norway ; Mr Ioannis BANIAS, Greece ; Mr Mevlüt ÇAVUŞOĞLU, Turkey, EDG ; Mr John GREENWAY, United Kingdom ; Mr Andreas GROSS, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Mike HANCOCK, United Kingdom, ALDE ; Mr Doug HENDERSON, United Kingdom ; Mr Stanisław HUSKOWSKI, Poland ; Ms Corien W.A. JONKER, Netherlands, EPP/CD ; Mr Giorgi KANDELAKI, Georgia, EPP/CD ; Mr Tiny KOX, Netherlands, UEL ; Mr Göran LINDBLAD, Sweden, EPP/CD ; Mr Jorge MACHADO, Portugal ; Mr Akaki MINASHVILI, Georgia, ALDE ; Ms Mailis REPS, Estonia, ALDE ; Mr Björn von SYDOW, Sweden, SOC ; Mr Tuğrul TÜRKEŞ, Turkey, EDG

This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.

1. Nearly 2000 “boat-people”, including asylum seekers, are currently packed into a reception center on the Italian island of Lampedusa which has a capacity to hold only 850 people. Hundreds of people are having to sleep outdoors and adequate reception conditions can not be guaranteed.

2. The situation in Lampedusa gives rise to serious concerns:

3. The number of arrivals in Lampedusa has risen dramatically in 2008

4. The Italian authorities have changed the status of the reception centre into a centre for identification and expulsion leading to overcrowding.

5. The Italian authorities are insisting that persons remain in the centre until their status is decided, raising fears of accelerated and unfair procedures which might have serious consequences for asylum seekers and refugees.

6. Local inhabitants have demonstrated on the island concerning the situation and plans to build a further centre.

7. The undersigned members of the Assembly invite the Italian authorities to immediately re-examine the situation in Lampedusa, together with UNHCR and IOM in order to safeguard the humanitarian needs and human rights of the arriving “boat-people” and to tackle tension amongst local inhabitants of the island.