Pope Francis urged the
faithful Wednesday to forgive people and institutions "who close
the door" to refugees, calling on the international community to
give them "a home where they can live without fear".
"I invite you all to ask forgiveness for the persons and
institutions that close the door to these people who are seeking
a life, a family, who are looking for protection," the pontiff
said during his weekly general audience in St Peter's Square.
Francis noted that many people seek a "refuge far from
their land," and "a home where they can live without fear, so
that their dignity can always be respected".
The Argentine pope encouraged "the work of those who come
in aid" of refugees and said he hopes that "the international
community will act in a united and effective manner to prevent
the causes of forced migrations".
The pope spoke as elsewhere in Italy, leaders from the
anti-immigrant, anti-euro Northern League party clamored for an
end to migrant arrivals and redistribution across Italy.
Among these is the League governor of Lombardy, Roberto
Maroni, who has been leading a drive to reject asylum seekers
being relocated to other parts of the country after landing in
southern Italy.
Maroni was echoed Wednesday by fellow League member and
newly re-elected Veneto Governor Luca Zaia, who said his wealthy
northern region is not racist, but there is no room for more
refugees.
"I live in a territory that is not racist, but now there's
no more room to spare," he told a parliamentary commission on
the migrant reception system in Italy and the application of the
Schengen accords.
Veneto is already hosting 3,966 refugees and is not willing
to accept more, said the governor.
In Venice, newly elected Mayor Luigi Brugnaro called for a
naval blockade to stop migrants from arriving in Italy.
"We need to impose a naval blockade, given that migrants
are departing from all over Africa as we speak," said the mayor,
who hails from Silvio Berlusconi's center-right Forza Italia
(FI) party and won a run-off vote at the weekend with Northern
League backing.
"State officials swear an oath on the flag and on the
Italian people," Brugnaro went on.
"They are supposed to defend our homes, our people and the
fatherland," he said.
"Whoever is up for it must militarily defend our borders,"
the mayor added. "Those who are not up for it must resign".
Also on Wednesday, Northern League leader Matteo Salvini
said he doesn't need the pope's forgiveness.
"How many refugees are there in the Vatican?" Salvini, who
has called for a hard-line stance in dealing with the
Mediterranean migrant crisis, told his party's Radio Padania.
"The problem is only a quarter of those who arrive are
refugees (while the rest are economic migrants)".
"We do't need to be forgiven," Salvini said.
Later in the day, parliament mandated the government of
center-left Premier Matteo Renzi to come up with proposals for a
new European political asylum system that would be fairly
distribute refugees between member states.
The vote took place as Foreign Ministry Undersecretary
Sandro Gozi told French radio that "the Mediterranean is a
cemetery of European selfishness and indifference" to the plight
of migrants.
"If we want the populists and xenophobes to win we will
continue" (along these lines) he told Europe 1.
"It was said the Mediterranean is the cradle of European
civilisation - today it is the symbol of European selfishness
and indifference," Gozi said.
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