Malian migrant brothers Gari Arouna, center, and Dibassi Arouna, being taken care of in Sicily In the green hills of southeastern Sicily, the Don Bosco Oasis hotel is turning tourists away this season.
Instead, it has taken in 112 African migrants, survivors of the kind of risky, clandestine crossing of the Mediterranean which has cost at least 900 people their lives this year alone.
Across southern Italy, where the bulk of migrants seeking a better life first set foot in Europe, an unprecendented influx has filled the usual processing centres.
The interior ministry has had to turn to hotels and other residential structures to take them in.
For 29 euros ($31) per person per day, the hotel Oasis Don Bosco responded to the call and prepared its rooms for the influx: each has three beds and a bathroom, with a small balcony.
Construction has begun to expand the hotel’s capacity to 200 beds.
The premises include a big recreation hall, a little classroom for Italian lessons and a football pitch.
For security reasons the huge pool has been fenced off and will be drained. Don Bosco Oasis Hotel, in Sicily: first point of refuge for African survivors
Don Bosco Oasis Hotel, in Sicily: first point of refuge for African survivors
The latest batch of migrants, who arrived late Thursday in the nearby port of Augusta, spent their first night in Europe in tents.
“Hi, I’m Ciccio,” says Francesco Magnano, the director of the centre. “I’m here to give you dignity, something to drink and eat, a bed to sleep in, and honour.”
Then he does the roll call, cheerfully mispronouncing all the names.
– ‘Where are we?’ –
Visibly exhausted, the migrants begin to relax.
Then the questions gush out.
“Where are we?” “What day is it?” “Where is there a phone so I can call my family?” “Are there any cigarettes?”
Most are from sub-Saharan Africa — Nigeria, Guinea, Senegal, Mali, Congo — and their stories are familiar.
They begin with a costly and exhausting trek from their home countries, crossing unforgiving desert before reaching Libya.
There they face violent militias and arrogant traffickers before finally boarding a rickety, leaky vessel that will take them to the safety of the “big boat” — when the Italian coastguard comes to the rescue.
“I paid 400 dollars to come to Italy. When I saw the inflatable boat I didn’t want to get in. It wasn’t a boat, but those vultures told me that if I turned back they would kill me,” said 24-year-old Mamadou Bari, from Guinea.
“There were Christians and Muslims on board. When the water started coming in we bailed it out together, praying together.”
“Now I am happy to have a future,” Bari said.
Oasis Don Bosco has officially become an emergency intake centre, where the migrants are supposed to stay 72 hours as their situation is clarified.
“In reality, we know it will be much longer, unless they escape,” Magnano said.
Police will soon be along to take the inmates’ fingerprints, which many want to avoid, knowing that EU rules will bar them from seeking asylum in Germany or France if it is established that they arrived via Italy.
On Friday morning, several dozen new immigrants who had arrived a few days earlier in the Sicilian capital Palermo were sleeping in Catania in the shadow of Mount Etna.
They all escaped processing in the hopes of pushing further into Europe — “France and Calais, then England where you can have a residency permit in three or four months,” one said.
Meanwhile, Magnano wants to make the new immigrants feel at home in their temporary shelter, with plans to convert the reception area into a mosque and make space in the grounds to grow vegetables.
He has a bitter memories of the last centre he managed, whose owners “just wanted to make money” off of 170 minors housed in deplorable conditions.
Violent fights broke out regularly between Somalis and Gambians, and a riot was narrowly avoided the day the owners decided to cut food rations in half.
Magnano himself blew the whistle on the centre. “It wasn’t a good start for possible future European citizens,” he said.
I specialize in investigative reportage across several subject matter and sectors but mainly focus on metro events and investigation. Do leave your thoughts and opinion on my reports to let me know what you think about them. Thank you
Posted: at 18-04-2015 10:59 PM (10 years ago) | Addicted Hero
raybenzino at 18-04-2015 11:21 PM (10 years ago) (m)
God bless dem
Posted: at 18-04-2015 11:21 PM (10 years ago) | Upcoming
God will never forgive our politicians right from our indepedent.how long will Nigerian citizens continue to live and survive with other countries reminant.some times i feel pain when i see how comon people from turkey,romania,ugoslavians,bosnia treat nigerians in my place of work.our politicians no go die better
Posted: at 18-04-2015 11:58 PM (10 years ago) | Addicted Hero
dickman2 at 19-04-2015 01:48 AM (10 years ago) (m)
noise..after that food ..them go know say water don pass gari....nothing is going on in europe today..no work ,,and them hate black people...to make it here..u most go into crime...this why africans many for jail here..europe don finish...please tell them to stop coming to europe..truth is that europe of today is not for black people..them dont need us..if not for united nation..europe dont need us..because 93.4 africans are into crime in europe..because no work..
Posted: at 19-04-2015 01:48 AM (10 years ago) | Addicted Hero
Centuries ago, black Africans were stolen and used as SLAVES and NOW in the 21st century bkack Africans are RUNNING away from Africa for a "better life!"
Shame on our leaders for embarrassing the motherland!
Posted: at 19-04-2015 04:21 AM (10 years ago) | Gistmaniac
nametalkam at 19-04-2015 10:38 AM (10 years ago) (m)
Quote from: dickman2 on 19-04-2015 01:48 AM
noise..after that food ..them go know say water don pass gari....nothing is going on in europe today..no work ,,and them hate black people...to make it here..u most go into crime...this why africans many for jail here..europe don finish...please tell them to stop coming to europe..truth is that europe of today is not for black people..them dont need us..if not for united nation..europe dont need us..because 93.4 africans are into crime in europe..because no work..
I respect that you are trying to pass a point, but generilisation of blacks or blacks man future can be seen as racism too. I am positive that some of these migrants will make it in the EU life
I specialize in investigative reportage across several subject matter and sectors but mainly focus on metro events and investigation. Do leave your thoughts and opinion on my reports to let me know what you think about them. Thank you
Posted: at 19-04-2015 10:38 AM (10 years ago) | Addicted Hero
noise..after that food ..them go know say water don pass gari....nothing is going on in europe today..no work ,,and them hate black people...to make it here..u most go into crime...this why africans many for jail here..europe don finish...please tell them to stop coming to europe..truth is that europe of today is not for black people..them dont need us..if not for united nation..europe dont need us..because 93.4 africans are into crime in europe..because no work..
you make a point anyway.....,because however is forever, i thank italian govt for rescues our african brother from this huge trauma,involving into crime in europe is individual belief ,europe is not easy really ,but with focus ,patience you can still turn out to be a good migrant and make it,the problem of many africans in europe is impatience .
Posted: at 19-04-2015 12:24 PM (10 years ago) | Gistmaniac
TRENDING GISTS 
Police Arrest Suspected Ritualist With Human Organs In Lagos
VIDEO; Reactions As Peller And Jarvis Arrive In Dubai For Streamer’s 20th Birthday
Southampton v Manchester City: UEFA Champions League Semi-Final Match,Team News,Goal Scorers &Stats
PHOTOS: Troops Arrest Notorious Gunrunners, Recover Arms In Kaduna