Italy fears massive inflow of African refugees, asks for help from EU members

Monday, March 21st 2011 - 21:37 UTC

Full article 6 comments

Italy is urging other European countries to take a greater share of the immigrants pouring across from North Africa. The tiny island of Lampedusa is just south of Sicily and only 150 kilometers from the Tunisian coast and has borne the brunt of the flood of refugees. Read full article

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Fido Dido
Well Italy, send them to the UK and France.
Mar 21st, 2011 - 09:47 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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briton
Italy , they have had problems with Libyan refugees for years, they even had an agreement with Gaddafi
so using this coalition as a cover to share the burden is a bit low, Italy has stated if nato does not take charge they may pull out, blackmail or just pushing the point, this is Italy’s problem not ours, you deal with it, you and your dolly chasing Berlusconi's did not give a dam when millions were coming to the UK, this is your problem you deal with it, hopefully they will go home after,
that’s my opinion right or wrong .,
Mar 21st, 2011 - 10:26 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Marcos Alejandro
Send them to Londonistan.
Mar 21st, 2011 - 10:51 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Redhoyt
I thought Italy sent its problems to places like - Argentina! No?
Mar 21st, 2011 - 11:51 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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GeoffWard
It had to happen sooner or later.
I thought it would be desertification/starvation that would cause this trans-Mediterranean migration, but political destabilisation is much, much quicker.

My BBC postings recommended zero refugee migration because it makes a great excuse to relocate to more equitable climates, good social security and education, good job prospects for those willing to work at the price. The EU is like a Holy Grail to the millions of poor in Africa.

Italy is asking the right question “can we spread them throughout Europe?”, but the real question is “Should EU countries accept them at all?” The progressively worse and worse refugee flows will not be forever able to be accommodated, anywhere in the world. And when and where they happen they bring tensions and culture-clashes that destabilise host countries for generations. We know, we have experienced it.

Perhaps now is the time to recognise it.
Mar 22nd, 2011 - 04:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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briton
An easy question to answer, but a harder case to solve, i would say the west should give what is needed and drag if necessary the 3rd 4th world onto the /21st century, but we have, in part, but most of the governments keep nicking the money, we try, but they try just that bit harder, and run of with the spoils, the world has given Africa as an example billions over the last 30 odd years, yet in some places you still cannot get a simple clean glass of water, there may be ways of solving the problem , but ?? someone .
Mar 22nd, 2011 - 10:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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