The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) considers unacceptable manifestations of intolerance towards refugees, often minors, forced to flee from wars, torture and persecution.
Refugees in Italy are 78,000. By way of comparison, both Germany and France host around 200,000 each, the United Kingdom 130,000, Sweden 120,000 and the Netherlands 75,000. In the United Kingdom and Germany, refugees are around 2 every thousand inhabitants, in France and the Netherlands there are between 3 and 4 every thousand inhabitants, in Sweden over 11, while in Italy refugees are just 1 every thousand inhabitants.
Promoting the wrong perception that refugees enjoy privileges and are cause of discomfort for Italian citizens is dangerous as it falsifies reality and foments social tension.
The UN refugee agency strongly condemns the exploitation of citizens’ frustrations which extremist elements of society are riding, encouraging tension and attacking refugees and unaccompanied minors.
“It is shameful that citizens’ discomfort is being exploited by forcing conflict with vulnerable people such as refugees and turning them into scapegoats. We appeal to the Italian institutions, so that they continue to fully guarantee the right to protection and reception of refugees. The right to asylum is a sign of civilization and development and abdicating would have very serious consequences, “said Laurens Jolles, UNHCR Representative for Southern Europe.
Refugees have the right to be accepted as provided for by art. 10 of the Italian Constitution, and it is more urgent than ever to guarantee programs and practical strategies that promote their full integration: refugees wish to contribute to Italian society and partake in it responsibly.
Strategies to support municipalities and districts hosting reception facilities are necessary and help to develop dialogue, coexistence and development.
Rome, in particular, should set an example and could be the capital of acceptance; an opportunity for a city where an estimated 3,000 refugees reside out of a population of 3 million inhabitants.
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