Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – Before leaving for Washington, D.C., where he will participate in the National Migration Conference (July 28-31) organized by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Agostino Marchetto, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, issued the following statement regarding the immigration emergency situation in Italy:
“In order to properly weigh the goodness of the ‘emergency’ initiative in the appreciated balance between reception and security, the contents of the decisions should be examined. In itself, ‘emergency’ is not a negative term in itself because there may be means that take into account the current income from countries that would be in need of protection (e.g. Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea) in terms of the approved international legislation for refugees and those seeking asylum. The owner of a house, forgive the example, also finds himself in a state of ‘emergency’ if two guests suddenly show up on his doorstep, and yet he will try to accommodate them as best he can. What is sought in terms of the general disposition is, therefore, respect for human rights for all immigrant workers and their families, as well as respect for the international laws being implemented in Italy, in as much as they apply to refugees, those seeking asylum, ex-patriots, the Rom and Sinti and all other gypsy families, as well as those who are objects/subjects in human trafficking.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 28/7/2008)
