Migrants at an asylum seekers' hosting center in Bari have raised concerns over poor hygiene, sharing footage of flooded and unsanitary bathrooms. Earlier this month, residents staged a demonstration to denounce poor living conditions after the death of a guest.
Migrants housed at the Cara hosting center for asylum seekers in Bari, Puglia, have spoken out against deplorable living conditions, citing issues such as the lack of warm water and filthy, flooded bathrooms. In a video released by the association Solidaria, residents highlighted unhygienic facilities and inadequate cleaning.
Following protests in early November over the death of a resident, concerns about poor medical care, insufficient hygiene, and limited resources have intensified. “Residents lack warm water and are forced to use unclean bathrooms, often without proper cleaning supplies,” the association stated.
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Overcrowded facility with 'eight people in one container'
Solidaria further criticized the center for overcrowding, with “eight adults confined to a single container” in what it called “shameful conditions.” The center, isolated on the outskirts of Bari and encircled by barbed wire, was described as designed to hide its realities from public view. “By sharing this video, we aim to break the secrecy surrounding the Cara and expose what the State prefers to conceal,” the organization declared.
Video follows protests following death of a youth from Guinea
Tensions at the facility peaked after the November 4 death of Bangaly Soumaoro, a 33-year-old migrant from Guinea. His passing sparked an overnight protest by residents that continued into November 5. Around 200 migrants marched from Palese, where the Cara is located, to the city’s prefecture, demanding better living conditions, freedom of movement, and an end to alleged abuse within the facility.
A delegation of migrants was received by Prefect Francesco Russo and in the afternoon the situation went back to normal. During the protests, migrants denounced how Soumaoro was the third migrant to have died at the Cara in Bari this year.
A number of migrants have also hurt themselves, including a young Tunisian on November 17 who slashed parts of his body with a razor blade after fighting with canteen personnel.
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