People on the Move: a perspective on the international migration crisis from Sicily

1/11

On the Move

Late last fall, activists and humanitarian workers from around the globe gathered in Catania, Sicily to engage the current global migration crisis. Called together by the International Fellowship of Reconciliation, "On the Move" was to be a conversation about "Global Migration: It's causes, the journey and strategies of welcome." It would also be an opportunity to observe first hand the reality of the crisis on Italy's "front line,"so to speak. The conversation was supported by and gathered participants from a host of NGOs representing those working in areas of humanitarian rescue, relief, resettlement and policy change. And we would meet with migrants and refugees themselves.

One of the first learnings had to do with language  itself. The words we use to name those on this journey are fraught with shades of meaning, eg, "illegal alien" and "refugee" and "political asylum seeker" vs. "economic refugee." There is agreement that the most appropriate, and accurate, phrase  is simply "people on the move." In reality, there is no real distinction between "political asylum" seekers and "economic refugees." All leave their homes  because of political policy decisions that make life in their home impossible. No one risks their lives to migrate unless home has become unlivable.

We also learned of the concrete reality of Italy. At first, Italy sought to respond in the most responsible and humane ways possible.  in fact, Italy can be credited with having  saved over 100,000 lives. But as a whole, the European Union turned its back on Italy leaving it on its own. Further, the Dublin Accords allow countries encountering migrants within their borders to return them to the "first safe country of entry," which in the vast majority of cases meant Italy. Since 2014, nearly 600,000 have passed through Sicily as a port of call.

The new Italian head of state, Giuseppe Conte, won on an anti-immigrant platform and since taking office, his Interior Minister Matteo Silvani has been the spearhead of a new crackdown on migration, warning immigrants to "pack their bags." Even more troubling has been a campaign of criminalizing humanitarian actions. In a disturbing turn of events, Mayor Dumenico Lucano, hailed by Fortune magazine as one of the world's 50 greatest leaders, has been arrested on a variety of migrant related charges. His city, Riace, had been one of several moribund Sicilian cities virtually revitalized by immigrants. His arrest has sent shock waves through the community of those concerned with migrants. 

Thousands now find themselves trapped in Sicily unable to enter mainland Italy and unable to return home. 

We visited the Misercordia Mosque.

at the Mosque

Misercordia Imam

With the influx of people from Africa..and the Middle East...it is now the second largest mosque in Italy. It must not only be a place  of worship, but a social service center as well. A beautiful piece of artwork with Islamic calligraphy was gift of warm welcome from a local Catholic church in better days. 

a gift from the Catholics

We heard from a wide variety of migrants, including former child soldiers and those playing the invaluable role of cultural  mediators, those selected to act as connectors between their own community and the surrounding social, political and humanitarian communities. 

migrant panel

One of the learnings from the conference was that it is time to move beyond the dichotomy of the for /against debate. Which is to not be for immigrants or anti immigrants but with immigrants, developing a culture of solidarity.

in conversation

At the end of the conversation, these thoughts were clear:
1. Regardless of location, the issues and challenges of this crisis are similar in nature and content. 
(For those of us who work in urban ministry, one simply cannot be engaged in urban ministry without having to face the issues of the global migration crisis in our own cities.)
2. There needs to be enforceable international protocols on the treatment of migrants within a country's borders. 
3. There needs to be enforceable international protocols on the humanitarian rescue of people in motion, especially those imperiled crossing seas or deserts. 

Finally, there can be no resolution of the global migration crisis as long as international predatory capitalism controls the world. No wall, steel or concrete or policy, can hold back people who simply  want to live.

"If you don't like refugees, stop creating them" Hamburg graffiti

Two of our International Sanctuary Declaration work group,  Susan Smith of the Muslim Peace Fellowship

Susan Smith

(https://mpf21.wordpress.com/)and Jenn McIntyre of Toronto's Romero House(https://romerohouse.org/) spoke on a panel on 'Strategies of Welcome." 

Susan and Jenn on the panel

Together  we have been working on a declaration that begins to frame such protocols and building a growing international base of solidarity and support. (Any interested groups are invited to sign on.. see below following...)



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In a union gathering place, there was a concert/party featuring Ciauda and Jhonny's Family Project. Ciauda

Ciauda

featured a spoke word artist who did long piece that sounded like an Italian immigration officer talking about Africans. In the end , it was a 19th Century American official talking about Sicilians.  Jhonny is a charismatic Senegalese singer with a band of Africans and Sicilians. His music is of the day..West African pop, reggae, Euro..with a rolling flowing rhythm. At one point he chants

Jhonny

'I am Sicily, you are Africa..."  The crowd is an eclectic mix of Africans, Sicilians and others. I was reminded of such a night with young Germans and Turks in a waterfront Berlin abandoned warehouse...As you watch the crowd, you know the young (er) people are already living ..and dancing... in the  world to come, that's already here.  The reactionary forces seeking to turn back the tide of history will not succeed. But they can do a lot of damage in the meantime. Our call is clear. 

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I am aware that this blog has many readers from Italy..please share this post with friends and feel free to comment....

INTERNATIONAL SANCTUARY PRINCIPLES STATEMENT CALL FOR ENDORSERS
The following statement sets forth five principles of sanctuary that can be used to guide grassroots and governmental response to the global escalation of displacement. It is in conformity and solidarity with the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees of 1951, a multilateral treaty that defines who is a refugee, and sets out the rights of individuals who are granted asylum and the responsibilities of nations that grant asylum. To sign as an individual or organization, please contact globalsanctuarymovement@gmail.com
We express ​​our deep concern for the well-being of the refugee children, families and all migrants currently arriving at our borders, as well as those struggling to live within our borders. In response to the increased numbers of people around the world who are being forced to leave their home countries, and the simultaneous increase in punitive enforcement in many receiving countries, we affirm the following principles to guide and inspire our efforts to respond:

• ●  Compassionate Response: ​​We care deeply about refugee children, families and all migrants, and we urge our countries to have open arms to protect them and preserve their human dignity. We reject detention of migrants as a violation of human rights and dignity.
  
• ●  Due Process: ​​We advocate for fair and timely legal proceedings, ​competent legal representation, and due process for children, asylum seekers, and all migrants.
  
• ●  Family Unity: ​​We uphold and respect the unit​y of families as a basic human right.
  
• ●  Restorative Justice: ​​We desire revitalization and healing of our borderlands, not militarization.
  The only long-term solution is a holistic approach that prioritizes safety and opportunity for
  migrants and addresses root causes.
  
• ●  Civil Initiative: ​​As long as our governments are not adequately addressing these huma​nitarian
  crises, citizens have the right and responsibility to respond with an approach that follows the mandat​e to provide sanctuary when needed and, above all, to love our neighbours.
  Based on these principles, ​we covenant with one another ​​to work together for just and humane response to all migrants both at our borders and within our countries. We call on our governme​nts, and the governments of all countries receiving migrants in response to the current and ongoing international humanitarian and refugee crisis ​to embrace these principles.
  Organizational Endorsers:
  

1. Asyl in der Kirche (Asylum in Church), Germany
   
2. No More Deaths, Arizona
   
3. Community of Living Traditions, New York
   
4. Presbyterian Church USA
   
5. Canadian Sanctuary Network
   
6. Muslim Peace Fellowship
   
7. International Fellowship of Reconciliation
   
8. Burma Task Force
   
9. Our Common Beliefs, New York
   
10. Coalition for Peace Action and Peace Education Fund, New Jersey
    
11. The Women’s Islamic Initiative in Spirituality and Equality (WISE)
    
12. Peace Action New York
    
13. International Qur’anic Studies Association, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
    
14. Westchester Peace Action Committee Foundation (WESPAC)
    
15. Books Not Bombs
    
16. Voices for Creative Nonviolence (VCNV)
    

17. Muslim Jewish Solidarity Committee 18. Interfaith Network on Drone Warfare 19. Action Corps NYC
20. The Message Islamic Center, Berlin 21. Jewish Voice for Peace
22. Interfaith Center of New York
23. Comboni Missionaries JPIC North American Province
24. Rhode Island Council for Muslim Advancement
25. Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition
26. House of Peace, New York
27. Presbyterian Peace Fellowship
28. The Alliance of Baptists, USA
29. Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative (Muslim ARC), USA
30. The Muslim Network, New York
31. Fellowship of Reconciliation, USA
32. Ambazonia Prisoners of Conscience Support Network, USA and UK
33. African Women and Children Empowerment Initiative
34. Church World Service
35. Hope Border Institute, USA and Mexico
36. International Tribunal of Conscience of Peoples in Movement, Mexico City, Mexico
Individual Lead Signers:

• ●  Hanns Thomä, Asyl in der Kirche, Berlin, Germany, ​hari.thomae@t-online.de
  
• ●  Rev. John Fife, No More Deaths, Arizona, ​jfife666@aol.com
  
• ●  Juergen Quandt, Former Pastor, Holy Cross Church, Berlin, ​j.quandt@evbs.de
  
• ●  Rick Ufford-Chase, co-moderator, Presbyterian Church USA, ​rickuffordchase@gmail.com
  
• ●  Rev. Dr. Robert L. Brashear, Pastor, West Park Presbyterian Church, ​rlbrashear@gmail.com
  
• ●  Susan Smith, Muslim Peace Fellowship, ​susanhsmithmsed@gmail.com
  
• ●  Ulrich Sonn, Internationaler Versoehnungsbund-Deutscher Zweig, International Fellowship of
  Reconciliation–German Branch, ​ulisonn1@gmail.com