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The world watched in disbelief as tensions between African immigrants and residents came to an ugly head in Rosarno [Reggio Calabria] last week. To understand what happened we first need to know something about the immigrants’ situation: 8,000 of Italy’s immigrants live in Calabria and the majority of those who come from Africa work picking fruit or vegetables.
Many are in Italy illegally and are therefore illegally employed. They are exploited and work 12-hour days for 20 - 25 euros. At the end of their working day, these immigrants do not return to any home comforts, for they live in groups in abandoned, insalubrious buildings. In Rosarno about 1,000 African workers were living in a disused food warehouse with 8 chemical toilets and 3 showers. There was no electricity and, until last year, no running water.
We also need to look back at 2008, when two immigrants in Rosarno were shot and seriously wounded in the disused factory where they were sleeping. On that occasion the African immigrants in the town protested peacefully about the attack, going to the town hall and asking only to be treated humanely and with dignity. The violence against them is believed to be linked to the ‘Ndrangheta [Calabrian Mafia] and for this reason they also surrounded the house of a former boss of the criminal organisation during their protest.
Many of Rosarno’s 15,000 Italian residents, meanwhile, felt disgust at the “dirty” communities living on the edge of their town, threatened by the number of immigrants in their midst and, in difficult economic times, resentful at any help the immigrants were receiving or were thought to be receiving and particularly resentful towards the illegal immigrants.
Last Thursday a gang of white youths used air rifles to shoot at a group of African immigrants returning from their work as fruit pickers, wounding two of them. The two were hospitalised but their condition is not critical. This time, however, frustration quickly turned to violence as on Thursday evening about 120 Africans set up roadblocks around the town, forcing cars to stop. They then proceeded to beat the cars and a child was injured by flying glass. The immigrants also attempted to attack the drivers, most of whom fled, abandoning their vehicles.
The immigrants then turned their attention to the town centre, where they attacked more cars, set fire to rubbish and threw objects from balconies. Terrified residents locked themselves in at home or wherever they were. Police were quickly on the scene but failed to calm the situation. Some residents tried to fight back but retreated. Finally extra police were drafted in and they used tear gas.
Friday
On Friday shops and schools remained closed as immigrants stormed through the town, smashing windows and again setting fire to rubbish. They carried placards saying, “We are not animals” and “Rosarno people are racist”. A large number marched to the town hall where they demanded to see a government representative. Meanwhile, some residents ventured out: a group occupied the town hall, demanding that the immigrants be removed whilst others, armed with bars and batons, set up a barricade near a meeting place for the immigrants. Unconfirmed media reports say that two immigrants were beaten with metal bars. The residents also clashed with police and another, smaller group of immigrants again set up road blocks. The immigrant groups eventually dispersed when a government Commissioner, Francesco Bagnato, agreed to speak to a delegation. In all 67 people were injured: 31 immigrants, 19 police and 17 residents.
Saturday
By Friday night residents were claiming that the immigrants had “devastated” their town and it was clear that the situation was even more dangerous. During Saturday several busloads of immigrants left Rosarno. Other immigrants later left by train and ANSA reports that in all 1,128 immigrants left voluntarily or were escorted out of the town. Even those whose papers were in order were ready to flee.
By Sunday morning the fire brigade had already begun to destroy the “shanty towns” on Rosarno’s outskirts where the immigrants had lived and there were pathetic scenes as the few possessions they had had – cooking pots, bedclothes, a few kitchen utensils and the odd bicycle which its owner used to travel to and from his work – were destroyed too. The immigrants have been taken to holding centres in other parts of the south.
The fallout
Italy’s Lega Nord [Northern League] Interior Minister Roberto Maroni has blamed local and regional authorities for “doing nothing” about the immigration situation in the area, which he described as “a bomb waiting to explode”. To this, the President of the Reggio Calabria Region, Agazio Loiero has replied that a situation which has existed for at least 16 years, and which the government knew about, has been made worse by Italy’s new immigration laws. He added that a year ago Mr Maroni promised to help the immigrants whereas now he is deporting them, thereby “removing rather than resolving the problem”.
The Lega Nord’s Roberto Calderoli has also weighed in, saying that, with unemployment at 18% in the south, jobs should go to Italian citizens. He suggested that agricultural sector wages should be increased so that Italians would accept this type of work.
Pope Benedict said on Sunday that,
“The immigrant is a human being with a different culture and traditions. He should be respected.”
Rosarno, as left-wing politician Luigi Manconi has said and as today’s Guardian reports, now holds the dubious honour of having become the world’s only “white town”.
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Many are in Italy illegally and are therefore illegally employed. They are exploited and work 12-hour days for 20 - 25 euros. At the end of their working day, these immigrants do not return to any home comforts, for they live in groups in abandoned, insalubrious buildings. In Rosarno about 1,000 African workers were living in a disused food warehouse with 8 chemical toilets and 3 showers. There was no electricity and, until last year, no running water.
We also need to look back at 2008, when two immigrants in Rosarno were shot and seriously wounded in the disused factory where they were sleeping. On that occasion the African immigrants in the town protested peacefully about the attack, going to the town hall and asking only to be treated humanely and with dignity. The violence against them is believed to be linked to the ‘Ndrangheta [Calabrian Mafia] and for this reason they also surrounded the house of a former boss of the criminal organisation during their protest.
Many of Rosarno’s 15,000 Italian residents, meanwhile, felt disgust at the “dirty” communities living on the edge of their town, threatened by the number of immigrants in their midst and, in difficult economic times, resentful at any help the immigrants were receiving or were thought to be receiving and particularly resentful towards the illegal immigrants.
Last Thursday a gang of white youths used air rifles to shoot at a group of African immigrants returning from their work as fruit pickers, wounding two of them. The two were hospitalised but their condition is not critical. This time, however, frustration quickly turned to violence as on Thursday evening about 120 Africans set up roadblocks around the town, forcing cars to stop. They then proceeded to beat the cars and a child was injured by flying glass. The immigrants also attempted to attack the drivers, most of whom fled, abandoning their vehicles.
The immigrants then turned their attention to the town centre, where they attacked more cars, set fire to rubbish and threw objects from balconies. Terrified residents locked themselves in at home or wherever they were. Police were quickly on the scene but failed to calm the situation. Some residents tried to fight back but retreated. Finally extra police were drafted in and they used tear gas.
Friday
On Friday shops and schools remained closed as immigrants stormed through the town, smashing windows and again setting fire to rubbish. They carried placards saying, “We are not animals” and “Rosarno people are racist”. A large number marched to the town hall where they demanded to see a government representative. Meanwhile, some residents ventured out: a group occupied the town hall, demanding that the immigrants be removed whilst others, armed with bars and batons, set up a barricade near a meeting place for the immigrants. Unconfirmed media reports say that two immigrants were beaten with metal bars. The residents also clashed with police and another, smaller group of immigrants again set up road blocks. The immigrant groups eventually dispersed when a government Commissioner, Francesco Bagnato, agreed to speak to a delegation. In all 67 people were injured: 31 immigrants, 19 police and 17 residents.
Saturday
By Friday night residents were claiming that the immigrants had “devastated” their town and it was clear that the situation was even more dangerous. During Saturday several busloads of immigrants left Rosarno. Other immigrants later left by train and ANSA reports that in all 1,128 immigrants left voluntarily or were escorted out of the town. Even those whose papers were in order were ready to flee.
By Sunday morning the fire brigade had already begun to destroy the “shanty towns” on Rosarno’s outskirts where the immigrants had lived and there were pathetic scenes as the few possessions they had had – cooking pots, bedclothes, a few kitchen utensils and the odd bicycle which its owner used to travel to and from his work – were destroyed too. The immigrants have been taken to holding centres in other parts of the south.
The fallout
Italy’s Lega Nord [Northern League] Interior Minister Roberto Maroni has blamed local and regional authorities for “doing nothing” about the immigration situation in the area, which he described as “a bomb waiting to explode”. To this, the President of the Reggio Calabria Region, Agazio Loiero has replied that a situation which has existed for at least 16 years, and which the government knew about, has been made worse by Italy’s new immigration laws. He added that a year ago Mr Maroni promised to help the immigrants whereas now he is deporting them, thereby “removing rather than resolving the problem”.
The Lega Nord’s Roberto Calderoli has also weighed in, saying that, with unemployment at 18% in the south, jobs should go to Italian citizens. He suggested that agricultural sector wages should be increased so that Italians would accept this type of work.
Pope Benedict said on Sunday that,
“The immigrant is a human being with a different culture and traditions. He should be respected.”
Rosarno, as left-wing politician Luigi Manconi has said and as today’s Guardian reports, now holds the dubious honour of having become the world’s only “white town”.
link
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