Hunger strike against delay in renewal of Permits

Government asked to respect the law just as it expects immigrants to do,

7th January 2010: Some 300 immigrants have been on hunger strike in Rome for three weeks to ask the Government to speed up the process of issuing and renewing Permits of Stay.

The hunger strike which was initiated by Mr. Gaoussou Outtara', an official of the Radicali Italiani party on 13th December 2009, has the party’s full support as well as the support of several associations of immigrants in the country.

Mr. Mario Staderini, Secretary General of the Radicali Italiani party challenged the Ministry of Home Affairs to state how they intend to clear the backlog of 500,000 Permits of Stay.

Mr. Outtara' said that between eight and 15 months are needed to renew a Permit of Stay which is valid for a year. “Usually the Permit of Stay is handed to the holder when it has already expired,” he said. 

Mr. Outtara' together with all the people taking part in the hunger strike are asking the Government to respect Article 4 of the Immigration Law which states that the Permit of Stay must be issued or renewed within 20 days. 

Mr. Shukri Said, spokesperson of Migrare Association who is also on hunger strike asked the Government to respect the law just as it expects immigrants to do. The 20 day deadline established by the law must be respected in this technological era and the current delay is not acceptable, he said.

Many immigrants waiting for renewal of their permits have problems with finding jobs, renting apartments and accessing many other essential services because the public is not informed that they are entitled to such services. In this respect the hunger strikers are calling for a campaign to inform Italians of all the rights and services an immigrant who has applied for the Permit of Stay is entitled to. They in a particular way want the public to be informed that an immigrant who has applied for the Permit of Stay has the right to work and to rent an apartment.