After several reports of degradation and human rights violations, the Italian government has called for the temporary closing of the migrant hotspot on Lampedusa, which will undergo renovations. The Italian interior ministry has ordered the temporary closing of the Lampedua hotspot "for renovation."
The center for migrants arriving on the island after crossing the Mediterranean sea has long been in the spotlight of humanitarian associations, who have spoken out about the ''degrading'' conditions and protracted periods in which the migrants are forced to remain.
Progressive emptying of facilities
The decision was made after a meeting at the ministry in which an assessment was made of the conditions of the hotspot, especially in light of the ''recent case of arson, which made another lodging section unusable after having been damaged in previous incidents''. Thus, there will be a ''progressive and rapid emptying of the facilities'', with their temporary closing ''to make it possible to carry out renovations, beginning with previously planned ones on the fence, cafeteria and videosurveillance''. ''In the case of an emergency,'' the ministry said, ''there will be only initial rescue and identification procedures guarantee, ahead of a subsequent distribution of the migrants'' over national territory.
Unacceptable conditions In February, the interior ministry and the Agrigento prefect's office began tighter monitring of the hotspot, which is currently holding 139 migrants, ''for several consecutive days.'' The assessment came after several reports of unacceptable conditions therein. ''It is not possible that there are still toilets without doors and dirty mattresses at the Lampedusa hotspot,'' said Mauro Palma in recent weeks, the national detainee ombudsman, while also stressing ''the dedication and skills of those working in the hotspot''. Palma called for a timeline to be set for the migrants' stay and for identification procedures to be sped up since ''there needs to be the right to go out, and not through holes in the fence''.
The Red Cross, which takes part in the management of the center, has also spoken out against excessive stays of those forced to remain within the center, saying that the center should be only for 24 or 48 hours, while many end up there for many weeks or even months''. A request was thus made for ''rapid and effective intervention'' taking into account the ''humanitarian profile'' as well as that linked to ''security, both for guests and for those working'' in the center.