“We will not leave the port.” Duel between Viminale and NGO- Corriere.it

First emergency landings of the Meloni government, second day. The eyes of Muhammad, 25, from Pakistan become liquid with disbelief. “Almost all of them got out. Maybe because I’m not sick enough? »He asks. 35 migrants remained on board Humanity 1, the German NGO ship that arrived in port on Saturday evening, from which 144 disembarked, including 102 minors, 100 unaccompanied. “They saw their traveling companions leave, it was heartbreaking,” say the operators as a hot meal is distributed.

The atmosphere is restrained. A handful of Pakistani boys huddle in woolen blankets. “Many have the signs of torture on the body. But there were not even translators during the health screenings by the staff of the Ministry of Health and the Red Cross », is angry Camilla Kranbusch, 27, of the staff. On the bridge, also a lawyer from the pool trained for asylum requests. The fear, now, is that someone decides to jump into the sea and flee. «The most difficult moment? A boy felt ill, he had a real breakdown », explains Kranbusch, sitting on the quay of the Levante pier.

At 11.30 the injunction arrives from Rome, according to what is now the protocol of “selective landings”, as those who criticize them call them. The NGO Humanity 1 must leave the port and return to sea with the 35 on board. From the Viminale the line therefore does not change: women, children and fragile people are saved but the blackmail of NGOs is not accepted. For this reason, if the ship does not decide to leave the port, the request for the seizure of the boat to the judiciary and the complaint to the captain are not excluded. In that case the migrants would go ashore and then the deportation order would be triggered.

On the pier, the comings and goings become more frenetic. The senator of the Democratic Party Antonio Nicita and the deputy and deputy secretary of the party Beppe Provenzano go back and forth relentlessly. «Psychologists must also monitor the inspections. We are talking about traumatized and abused people“, they say. The deputy of Verdi and the Italian Left, Aboubakar Soumahoro, appeals to President Sergio Mattarella as a hundred activists shout into megaphones: “Get them all off”. Then, it is the turn of the captain of the ship. Joachim Ebeling, German, from Bremen, 59, for 20 years at sea. “I do not move from the port: I would violate dozens of laws of international law if I obeyed the Italian government,” he explains to journalists. Smiles, kind. If he is tense he certainly does not show it. “I’m not ready to be the new Rackete,” he jokes.

Just before 3.30pm, over two hours late with respect to the convocation of Rome, also the Geo Barents of Medici Senza Frontiere enters the port. He has many more migrants on board than Humanity 1: 572 of which 60 male minors, 50 unaccompanied and 6 female minors of which 3 pregnant. Prevailing nationalities, Pakistan and Bangladesh. But there are also Syrians, Libyans. A little less than two hours and one of the first to touch the ground is M., a newborn with a cleft lip, from Togo. The aqua green wool cap covers her from the cold. Her dad and mom lift her in the air in their arms to make her smile in the neon lights of her bus. They worked in Libya to put money from her to treat her, while at the same time trying to get a visa for Europe which was always denied.

Same procedure adopted for Humanity 1 applies to the Geo Barents but bigger. First the maritime health inspectors get on board, observe the shipwrecked, a first quick check to determine who is on the list. Whoever gets out is put on a red plastic bracelet. Then, once ashore, the medical examinations in the tents and the buses ready to leave for the reception centers. Priority to unaccompanied minors, women and families. Only in the end will it be the turn of the frail male adults. “Too many say they are under the age of 18 but that’s not true “an official says in a low voice.

Riccardo Gatti follows the operations, emergency coordinator of Doctors Without Borders. “There have already been a few moments of tension,” she says. At 10 pm 357 will be disembarked, of which 56 unaccompanied minors, 3 women and 41 family members. There are 215 left on board. “Will you also do as Humanity 1 if they ask you to return to sea?” Is the question. “For us, a rescue involves the disembarkation of everyone in a safe place”replies Maurizio Debanne, spokesman for the NGO. Night falls on Catania, back to the days of the Diciotti and the seizures of ships while the announcement of Sos Humanity arrives: we will appeal against the Lazio TAR. Meanwhile, in the chats, a new message runs: “The next could be the Ocean Viking of Sos Méditerranée”, which until now – unlike other ships – has remained on the edge of territorial waters. She carries 234 castaways.