Italy: Hundreds of child immigrants arrive alone, says NGO
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Italian Guardia di Finanza employees assist a would-be immigrant child on his arrival in Italy's Lampedusa Island on April 21, 2008: AFP/Getty images
Lampedusa, 20 August (AKI) - Hundreds of illegal immigrant children who have arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa in the past three months landed without parents or family members, a major international aid organisation said on Wednesday.
Save the Children said more than 775 illegal immigrant children arrived on the island near Sicily in the past three months and 82 percent came without either parents or family members.
The children make up 8.5 percent of the total number of illegal immigrants that arrived off the Italian coast.
According to the organisation, the majority come from former Italian colonies such as Eritrea (19%) and Somalia (17,1%), followed by Nigeria (16,8). A smaller number come from the Palestinian Territories, Ghana, Togo and the Sudan.
"Some of the minors arrive in Italy from crisis zones such as Somalia, Eritrea, Nigeria or Sudan and are forced to flee their homes and leave their family ties behind due to war, civil disorder or persecution," said Carlotta Bellini, coordinator for protection, of Save the Children Italy.
The organisation's report is part of a wider programme called Praesidium III, jointly conducted with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organization for Migration, and the Red Cross.
Italy has the European Union's longest coastline - 4,500 kilometres - making it difficult to police and a preferred destination for migrants.
The would-be migrants usually travel aboard people smugglers' boats, typically paying thousands of dollars for their passage. Scores drown or die of dehydration, hunger and/heatstroke on the perilous journey.
Lampedusa is a tiny island that is closer to Africa than the European continent and a favourite drop off point for the people smugglers.
Save the Children said more than 775 illegal immigrant children arrived on the island near Sicily in the past three months and 82 percent came without either parents or family members.
The children make up 8.5 percent of the total number of illegal immigrants that arrived off the Italian coast.
According to the organisation, the majority come from former Italian colonies such as Eritrea (19%) and Somalia (17,1%), followed by Nigeria (16,8). A smaller number come from the Palestinian Territories, Ghana, Togo and the Sudan.
"Some of the minors arrive in Italy from crisis zones such as Somalia, Eritrea, Nigeria or Sudan and are forced to flee their homes and leave their family ties behind due to war, civil disorder or persecution," said Carlotta Bellini, coordinator for protection, of Save the Children Italy.
The organisation's report is part of a wider programme called Praesidium III, jointly conducted with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organization for Migration, and the Red Cross.
Italy has the European Union's longest coastline - 4,500 kilometres - making it difficult to police and a preferred destination for migrants.
The would-be migrants usually travel aboard people smugglers' boats, typically paying thousands of dollars for their passage. Scores drown or die of dehydration, hunger and/heatstroke on the perilous journey.
Lampedusa is a tiny island that is closer to Africa than the European continent and a favourite drop off point for the people smugglers.
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