An episode at Parma, Northern Italy, in which a young Ghanese student reported that he was beaten by six municipal policemen, has once again put the problem of integration of immigrants into the Italian society on the front page of the newspapers. “We ask that the competent authorities act quickly in clearing up exactly what occurred to this student” declared Bruno Loraschi, President of the Council of the Parma and Mezzano Methodist Church. The Mezzano congregation is in fact made up of a majority of Ghanese immigrants. Loraschi, who is also a member of the Methodist Committee in Italy, hoped that in the face of “the repeated episodes of violence against immigrants a space is created for meeting together and dialogue for building up non violent politics for social integration. For years now, in particular in the Mezzano Church, there has been a strong commitment in this direction, both because of the African and especially the Ghanese presence in the community, but mainly because as Christians we feel it our duty to guarantee welcome and respect of the fundamental human rights”.

The churches have joined with unions and associations in demonstrating against racism. “The Protestant churches are united in the struggle against these episodes of racism that are becoming ever more frequent in Italy, even if they are being minimized and reduced to mere violence against immigrants – stated France Di Lecce, Director of the Refugee and Migrant Service of the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy – and it's because we trust in the role of the institutions and in the municipal and national police forces that we ask that not only will this episode be fully investigated, but that programs be created for the formation and up-dating of those who are called to safeguard the security of everyone, including the immigrants”.

Another aspect dealing with the problem of immigration comes to the front in new legislation on the matter. France Di Lecce strongly criticized the amendment of the Law 733 on immigration presented by the “Lega Nord” aimed at modifying Article 35 of the Law which refers to the availability of health care for foreigners. In particular the amendment, if ratified, would cancel paragraph 5 which gives “access to health structures to foreigners who are not regularly present in the country without reporting them to the authorities”.

“We are once again faced with an attack of one of the fundamental principles of the Italian Constitution: the right to health. The proposal, striking for its lack of humanity, would exclude access to medical care to those who have the greatest need, with serious repercussions on public health. The foreigners, in fact, deprived for various reasons of regular permits to stay in Italy, presumably will not turn to national health services for fear of being reported and will seek alternative and illegal paths, increasing the risk of spreading diseases that have not been cared for or cared for too late. As Protestant churches we hope that this proposal will be defeated because excluding the weakest and making them vulnerable to retortion would create inequality that would cause serious social tensions, segregation and degradation”. This proposal of the “Lega” has caused a chorus of indignation from many against this amendment which wants to block emergency health care, life saving interventions, to irregular citizens.

From press service NEV - Notizie evangeliche, 31 October 2008