Page 29 - bon-dia-aruba-20201001

A29
world news Diahuebs 1 OctOber 2020

Tunisians fleeing economy, not COVID, cause tension in Italy

(AP) Once it was just the Their arrivals have strained Interior Minister Luciana
jobless young men who set the ability of Italy's southern Lamorgese has traveled to
off from Tunisia's rocky regions to take them in amid Tunis twice since July to ne-
northern beaches for Sicily, the coronavirus pandemic, gotiate with the new govern-
usually defying their parents given Italy's quarantine re- ment on the need to stem the
in hopes of a better future. quirements for anyone arriv- flow, including with offers of
ing from outside the EU. assistance from Italy to better
Now Tunisian families, even patrol the coasts. She blamed
those with work or seem- When a huge fishing boat the increase in Tunisian ar-
ingly good prospects, are fol- of 450 Tunisians pulled into rivals on the country's socio-
lowing that path across 130 port in the Sicilian island of economic problems that have
kilometers (80 miles) of open Lampedusa on Aug. 30, some been exacerbated by COV-
water nearly 10,000 since the residents took to the docks to ID-19, and has offered Italian
beginning of the year and far protest, shouting at them to assistance to address them.
more than have left in re- go back. Italy's former interi-
cent memory. The stretch of or minister, the anti-migrant She told a parliamentary
Mediterranean can be dan- League leader Matteo Salvini, committee last week that
gerous, the chance of get- criticized the government since Aug. 1, Italy had re-
ting asylum in Europe is near for letting them in and noted sumed repatriating Tunisians
zero, and a long quarantine in wryly that most will never be who don't qualify for asylum,
a ferry anchored offshore will granted asylum because they after reaching an accord with compared with 23% last year veillance camera in the port,"
be followed by expulsion if are fleeing the non-existent the Tunisian government and 22% in 2018. The year said Mohammed Taweb, a
they're caught. "famous Tunisian war. to accept two flights a week before that, Tunisians only fisherman in Bizerte. He said
with 40 Tunisians apiece. She accounted for 5% of arrivals, small groups come to steal
But many who leave from To keep new migrants safely said the number of weekly with Nigerians topping the boat engines in preparation
the Bizerte coastline think isolated, the Italian govern- flights would increase start- list. for their departures, but only
the potential reward far out- ment has commissioned five ing in October. Tunisian mi- from pleasure craft — not
weighs the risk. Those with ferries for newcomers to grants fleeing their country's Romdhane Ben Amor, from the fishing boats he and
relatives in Europe are the complete 14 days of quaran- worsening economic situa- spokesman for the Tunisian others need to make a living.
ones with the new cars and tine, with 2,238 currently on tion aren't generally consid- Economic and Social Rights He said he understands why
kitchen upgrades. My son is board the ships. But there are ered eligible for asylum. Forum, said this level of emi- they go, and believes it's up to
a month and a half old, and if also centers on land for oth- gration hasn't been seen since Tunisia's government to solve
I get a chance to emigrate im- ers, and the interior ministry While Tunisians have been the Arab Spring uprising of the problem
mediately, I will go to make a has lamented that Tunisians, by far the biggest group of 2011 started in Tunisia. It's
better life," said Tarek Aloui, more than others, tend to try migrants in 2020, the 23,517 no longer restricted to those The parents of Ghofrane
a 27-year-old who has tried to flee welcome centers and migrants in Italy this year who drop out of school, the Hlel fear it's too late for their
10 times to reach Italy since evade quarantine require- are a fraction of the nearly unemployed and the unedu- son, who left last September
2014. He has succeeded only ments. 120,000 people rescued at sea cated," he said. at the age of 20 and was lost
once, last March at the height and brought to Italy in 2017, He said between 150 and at sea. His mother, Kalthoum
of the coronavirus lockdown, Their escapes have sparked or the more than 181,000 200 families have left Tu- Fraj, has resigned herself to
and was expelled almost im- protests by local residents who arrived in the peak year, nisia on boats, avoiding the his fate, but not to the un-
mediately back home, where fearful of new infections af- 2016. This year's arrivals, north African country's coast certainty. I accept everything
he was jailed for six months. ter Italy's brutal coronavirus however, are more than the guard despite ramped-up that happened to him, and I
He is undeterred. outbreak, especially since ar- numbers seen in the previous surveillance paid for by Italy do not hold anyone respon-
riving migrants have been two years. and other European Union sible," she said. "I want him
All Tunisian men, women linked to several dozen re- More striking is the propor- countries. dead or alive, and I will ac-
and even children want to cent clusters. tion of migrants who are Tu- cept either one.
leave this way," he added. nisian 9,284 or 42% this year, "We can see them on the sur-

Virus outbreak pushes Steelers-Titans to Monday or Tuesday

(AP) – The Tennessee Titans result came back Wednes- test positive, with the Titans
have at least one more day to day, a day after the Titans had The Titans hope to be al- learning Saturday of his re- The league's infectious dis-
see if the team's coronavirus three players and five team lowed back inside their facil- sults. He didn't make the trip ease experts have been help-
outbreak is under control personnel test positive for ity Saturday, though coach to Minnesota, where Tennes- ing the Titans and the Vikings
before their game with the COVID-19. More daily test Mike Vrabel said that could see won 31-30. track down anyone in contact
Steelers is rescheduled for results are upcoming. The happen before then or later. with those who tested posi-
Monday or Tuesday. league announced the post- The Titans are preparing to On Tuesday, the Titans tive. The Vikings had no pos-
ponement from Sunday af- play as early as Monday. Vra- placed three players on the itive test results Wednesday
Only one new positive test ternoon on Wednesday. bel said he's confident the reserve/COVID-19 list, in- and were preparing to reopen
NFL will allow them some cluding key players defensive their building Thursday, with
time to practice before the captain and lineman DaQuan a game Sunday at Houston.
game. Jones and long snapper Beau
Brinkley. Outside linebacker The Titans also have evalu-
We've worked on short Kamalei Correa became the ated all of the protocols and
weeks before," Vrabel said. fourth on that list Wednesday. how they've handled meet-
"We've played three games in ings and social distancing.
13 days. I'm sure the other Vrabel is not identifying the Vrabel said he and general
teams that we played before five other personnel who manager Jon Robinson al-
had a few extra days of prac- tested positive, saying only ready had taken steps Mon-
tice. And so it'll be important that he was not among that day to severely limit who had
that the time that we do get group. The Titans coach said access to the team's head-
to spend practicing, we take some of those who tested quarters this week before the
advantage of it. positive are experiencing NFL decision to close the
"flu-like symptoms" and he building.
Outside linebackers coach expects they will feel better
Shane Bowen was the first to shortly.