(ANSAmed) - CAIRO, MAY 22 - In 2011 alone, 560 'unaccompanied
children' crossed the sea from Egypt to Italy. Many more could
follow their example in 2012. Immigrants continued to arrive
from Egypt in constant numbers between September 2011 and
January 2012, while the flow from other North African countries
has almost come to a halt.
These results were revealed by researchers of Save the
Children, the organisation that protects children in difficult
situations. Save the Children is based in the U.K. and U.S. and
has presented a report on Egyptian children and young people who
risk their lives to make the voyage to Italy in small boats,
under terrible conditions, to look for work. The figures
themselves are not very impressive when they are put next to the
total numbers of migrants arriving in Italy from various African
countries. But they are important considering the national and
international protection and rights promised and guaranteed to
children, at least in words, allowing them to study, play and
develop a balanced personality.
''There is nothing here, while there is work over there,''
said Sami, 12 years old and Sherif, 13, interviewed in Khamara
and Abu Qir, two towns on the sea near Alexandria. Small boats
carrying 100 people or more start their journey from these
places, some of them never reach their destination. This
happened for example to Gharbya, a 17-year-old boy from the Nile
Delta, who drowned by the end of April. He was thrown out of the
boat off the Sicilian coast and tried to reach the coast, but
could not swim. ''When they reach Sicily, Calabria or Apulia,
most of these children try to go to the three large Italian
cities: Rome, Turin and Milan, where Egyptians from Gharbya,
Qalyubeya and Assiut have been living there for years. They hope
these Egyptians will help them get a better life and find
work,'' said Carlotta Bellini, who coordinated the research in
Italy.
But often these ''uncles'' don't protect them or even abuse
them, forcing them into prostitution for example. If they are
lucky they will find a job at the general markets or pizza
restaurants, or have to harvest fruit and vegetables on the
countryside. (ANSAmed).
