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Transcript/ScriptBRITAIN CHANNEL MIGRANTS ITALY (TV)
HEADLINE: Britain looks to Italy for help amid surge in Channel migrants
TEASER: Human rights groups question legality of Italy’s migrant clampdown
PUBLISHED AT: 09/17/2024 at
BYLINE: Henry Ridgwell
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: London
VIDEOGRAPHER: Henry Ridgwell
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: MAS, LR
VIDEO SOURCE (S): Zoom, APTN, Reuters, AFP
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB _X_ RADIO __
TRT: 2:45
VID APPROVED BY: Reifenrath
TYPE: TVR
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO)) [[Human rights groups have urged Britain not to copy Italy’s approach in trying to reduce the number of migrants arriving on its shores. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer travelled to Rome this week to learn more about its success in tackling migration, as a surge of people arrive on small boats across the English Channel. Henry Ridgwell has more from London.]]
((NARRATOR))
At a makeshift camp outside the French port of Calais, a group of mostly Sudanese migrants waits for an opportunity to reach Britain.
Last week eight people drowned crossing the English Channel in small boats. The migrants - who asked not to be identified - say they are not deterred.
((Sudanese Migrant (male, in English))
“Everybody here is afraid, but we must take this risk, because we want to reach to UK. There is no way, no other way.”
((NARRATOR))
More than 22-thousand migrants have made the journey in small boats across the English Channel from France this year. More than 800 people arrived last Saturday alone. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/15/several-dead-in-attempt-to-cross-channel-say-french-authorities
((NARRATOR))
It has become a major political issue. Prime Minister Keir Starmer travelled to Italy Monday to learn from its recent success in cutting migration across the Mediterranean from north Africa.
((Keir Starmer, British Prime Minister))
“You've made remarkable progress working with countries along migration routes as equals, to address the drivers of migration at source and to tackle the gangs. As a result, irregular arrivals to Italy by sea are down 60% since 2022. So, I am pleased that we are deepening our cooperation here.”
((NARRATOR))
Italy has struck multi-million dollar deals with Libya and Tunisia to stop migrants leaving their shores. Human rights groups accuse those countries of committing widespread abuses against migrants.
Rome also signed an agreement with Albania last year to send thousands of asylum seekers there for processing.
((FOR RADIO: Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni.))
((Giorgia Meloni, Italian Prime Minister (in Italian)))
“If it works, as I hope it will, everybody can understand that this can become a new way to deal with migration flow.”
((NARRATOR))
Critics question Italy’s approach.
((FOR RADIO: Sacha Deshmukh is the CEO of Amnesty International UK.))
((Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK CEO))
((cf. Zoom logo))
“Amnesty International has some deep concerns as to whether Italy is being compliant with its international legal obligations and its human rights obligations in elements of its approach. // What we would hope for would be countries like the UK to have a functioning asylum system, one that considered claims properly but swiftly, and dealt humanely with people who are fleeing terrible situations in many cases.”
((NARRATOR))
Britain is giving France nearly 600 million dollars over three years to boost the policing of French shores. But the number of migrants continues to increase.
Starmer said his focus would be on returning failed asylum seekers to their countries of origin – and on better intelligence and policing to ‘smash’ the smuggling gangs.
((Henry Ridgwell, VOA News, London))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
Subtitles / Dubbing AvailableNo
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateSeptember 17, 2024 15:53 EDT
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
