Brussels, 22/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 21 March, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) expressed deep concern about a potential humanitarian and health crisis on the small Italian island of Lampedusa, Sicily. According to the latest figures given by Italian authorities, some 15,000 Tunisian and Egyptian migrants have flooded the island since 1 January this year. These migrants may be followed up with arrivals from Libya, AP reports.
Lampedusa has already taken in around 4,800 Tunisians, almost doubling the island's population of 5,000. The reception centre has room for only 850 people. Italy has therefore transferred the migrants to other centres, all now full to the point of overflowing. The HCR warned in a press release that some 3,000 migrants have been forced to sleep outside, either close to the centre or on the quayside, with nothing to protect them from the elements and in increasingly appalling conditions of hygiene.
Italy's Interior Minister Roberto Maroni announced on Monday that measures would be taken in coming days to alleviate the pressure on Lampedusa. He above all affirmed that he would go to Tunis on Wednesday to request review of the immigration and border control agreements. Italy has turned back most of the 14,918 Tunisians and Egyptians that have reached its borders in recent weeks further to the uprisings in their countries, saying that they could not be granted refugee or asylum seeker status.
According to AFP, the Greek harbour police have rescued 113 migrants, Afghans, and are seeking another three who were reported missing to the north-west of the country when their boat heading for Italy sunk. (S.P./transl.jl)