[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The Italian government has allowed 140 people, including children, women, and the injured, to disembark from one of four rescue ships carrying large numbers of migrants stranded near the island of Sicily, according to reports by AP and dpa on the 6th (local time).
According to reports, out of 179 migrants aboard the refugee rescue ship 'Humanity 1' operated by the German relief organization SOS Humanity, 140 disembarked at the port of Catania on the island of Sicily from last night until today. Children and women were given priority to disembark, and some injured adult men also left the rescue ship, SOS Humanity said. More than 35 adult men, judged to be in good health, were not allowed to disembark and remain on board.
Currently, four refugee rescue ships operated by NGOs such as SOS Humanity are requesting entry from the Italian government near the island of Sicily. All are registered in Germany and Norway.
They rescued a total of 1,075 migrants drifting on boats in the central Mediterranean, but both Italy and Malta have refused entry, leaving them stranded at sea for nearly two weeks in some cases.
Italy has allowed temporary docking for Humanity 1 among these ships and has been monitoring the health conditions of the migrants on board. Italy claims that allowing 140 people, including children, to disembark from Humanity 1 is a humanitarian measure, and that the countries where the rescue ships are registered should take responsibility for the rest.
Italy also requested that the Norwegian rescue ship Geo Barents temporarily dock at the port of Catania to undergo the same health inspections as Humanity 1. Currently, 572 migrants are aboard Geo Barents.
The German and Norwegian governments maintain that the Italian government, being closest to the rescue ships, is responsible for accommodating the rescued migrants.
The French government has expressed willingness to share the accommodation of migrants if Italy accepts the refugee rescue ships, but has not specified the distribution ratio.
Italy's strict stance on accepting migrants, including refugees, is seen as closely related to the policy line of Giorgia Meloni, the newly elected far-right Italian Prime Minister. Prime Minister Meloni insists that NGO refugee rescue ships act as a 'shuttle bus' ferrying illegal migrants from Africa to Italy across the Mediterranean and that, unless it is a humanitarian issue, entry of rescue ships cannot be allowed. Relief organizations and some Italian lawmakers are demanding that the Meloni government immediately accept all migrants.
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