The local administration in Cassibile, near Siracusa in Sicily, announced that it has evacuated the area that was hosting a shanty town for seasonal migrant workers.
On July 25, a migrant shanty town in Sicily was evacuated, located in an area of the town of Cassibile in Siracusa.
The mayor of Siracusa, Francesco Italia, and the town councillor for gender policies and volunteering, Rita Gentile, explained the city government's actions.
"The city government called on the last remaining seasonal workers who were still living at the unauthorized camp in Cassibile to leave, helping those who didn't have definite destinations to find suitable housing," they said.
"This was made possible thanks both to the presence of the local network of associations as well as the humanitarian organization InterSos," they said.
Evacuation took place in a climate of collaboration
"Everything took place peacefully in a climate of collaboration," they said.
"The end of the harvest season and the evacuation of the camp do not mark the end of the administration's work," they said. "The administration is aware that it needs to continue to work together with other institutions, in particular the prefect and the region, to find the necessary resources for suitable housing for seasonal migrant workers."
"At the same time, it also needs to promote all projects necessary for overcoming the many forms of workforce engagement that are still largely in the hands of illegal gangmasters," they added.
Commitment for 2021
The local administration said that it aims to build a 'Cassibile model' and that the coming months will be decisive. It wants to provide suitable housing and to fight against illegal gangmastering. It also wants to provide answers to local resudients who expressed "uneasiness and many fears" in recent months.
The mayor and town councillor added they are aware that they are "unable to currently provide certain reassurances to a problem that has persisted for decade."
"However, we reaffirm that the city government will work with maximum determination, calling on all the authorities involved, as a network, to implement the actions needed to provide dignity, decorum, and legality to the 2021 harvest season."