NO MORE MR. NICE GUY (III): INEFFECTIVE ITALIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 ROME 000438 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2014 TAGS: PREL PGOV PREF IT SUBJECT: NO MORE MR. NICE GUY (III): INEFFECTIVE ITALIAN RESPONSE TO IMMIGRATION CHALLENGES ROME 00000438 001.2 OF 004 ... SUBJECT: NO MORE MR. NICE GUY (III): INEFFECTIVE ITALIAN RESPONSE TO IMMIGRATION CHALLENGES ROME 00000438 001.2 OF 004 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Elizabeth L. Dibble for reasons 1.4 (b ) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) This is the third in a series of three reporting cables on immigration in Italy. This first reporting cable described the current situation. The second reported on the government's reaction to the immigration challenge. This third cable examines the concerns raised by the government's security-based approach and previews the outlook for the future. ¶2. (C) In 1991, Italy had an immigrant population of 360,000 persons. By 2008, that population had grown to some four million persons, with an estimated additional population of at least 650,000 irregular immigrants. Recent EU expansion has enabled large movements of Eastern European citizens, including a doubling of the number of Romanian citizens arriving in Italy in 2008. The Italian region of Lombardy, which is home to one of Italy's largest cities, Milan, reported a 13 percent increase in immigrants in 2008, half of whom were irregular. The number of irregular migrants fleeing Africa from Italy to Libya by boat jumped 75 percent in 2008. These trends are likely to continue: the Italian Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) forecasts an annual intake of foreigners ranging from 150,000 to 240,000 over the next few years. This pressure persists despite an aggressive government effort to limit immigration, resulting in calls for a shift to a comprehensive approach to integration that addresses Italy's likely economic and security concerns in the near future. It is unlikely this government will move to such an approach in the near-term, although the U.S. mission in Italy can take steps to encourage government action in support of integration. The View from the Critics -------------- ¶3. (C) Not new. Most observers agree that irregular immigration poses a legitimate challenge to Italy's security and society. But critics argue that the phenomenon has been apparent for almost two decades and express exasperation at the consistent lack of political leadership to address it. Le Quyen Ngo Dinh, who has led Caritas' work with immigrants in Italy and Europe for 17 years, says immigration is not a new phenomenon, citing previous waves of irregular immigrants from Albania in the early 1990s and of Kurds from Iraq in the late 1990s. Jean-Leonard Touadi, who was born in the Congo, is Italy's first black member of Parliament where he represents the Democratic Party. He spoke to the embassy recently and explained his view that Italian leaders -- whether center-right or center-left -- have failed to recognize and respond to the demographic and social changes that have occurred in Italian society as a result of immigration over the past two decades, including inter-marriage. For example, Caritas reports that in 2006 one in ten marriages in Italy involved an Italian and a foreign partner, and the percentage of inter-marriage reached 25 percent in nine northern regions. Touadi further argued that demographic changes within the traditionally Italian population, particularly an aging population and declining birth rate, mean it is in Italy's national interest to welcome immigrants, the benefits of which include augmenting Italy's tax base from those who obtain full-time permanent employment. Recalling that for most of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries Italy had been a country of emigration, Touadi said Italians now need to adapt to this reversal of position and define an Italian model for integration of immigrants. Claudio Betti, a senior policy advisor for Sant'Egidio, shares this view about the need for integration. He admitted he likes to blame Berlusconi for all of Italy's problems, but noted ""in fairness"" that previous center-left governments had also failed to pursue a policy of integration. ¶4. (C) Inevitable. Most of our contacts, including those from the Interior Ministry, believe that it will be difficult to stop irregular immigration. They agree that Italy's geographic location, stronger economy relative to source countries, and lax border controls serve as a magnet. Italy's Director of Border Police, Rodolfo Ronconi, said he understands they are immigrating for work, for liberty, and for security -- enduring aspirations. Ngo Dinh shared her assessment that Maroni's tough rhetoric and call for extended detention are designed to put ""psychological pressure"" on would-be migrants, but predicted this approach would fail because migrants don't believe that Italy has the capacity to block their arrival. It is clear, she said, that ""the state institutions are not in control."" During an embassy visit to a center for identification and expulsion located near Rome's airport, the center's director told us tongue-in-cheek that the only way to stop illegal immigration would be to seal the coast of Africa or turn the boats away. He also expressed frustration that he and his staff were unable to confirm the identities of many of the detained migrants, because many governments refused to cooperate. Because of limited detention capacity, the end result is that despite being subject to expulsion orders, the majority walk away from the centers. Given the unwillingness of many source governments to assume responsibility for their citizens, he was pessimistic that an extended detention period would lead to meaningful improvements. ¶5. (C) Irresponsible Rhetoric. Paolo Ciani, who works with immigrants for Sant'Egidio, described the government's anti-immigrant rhetoric as ""demagoguery"" and argued it was dangerous and short-sighted. He noted that the government uses the negative terms ""clandestino"" and ""illegal"" to describe irregular immigrants, and argued that official rhetoric about the crisis in Lampedusa consciously alludes to Italian history, when invaders raided and colonized southern Italy. Ciani, like many of our contacts, also blame the media for sensational and biased coverage that maligns all immigrants. Ngo Dinh, sharing her assessment of Italians as generally hospitable and compassionate people, expressed concern that anti-immigrant rhetoric will provoke racist behavior, and observed it is hard for societies to ""return"" from extremism once unleashed. Moreover, she said, such rhetoric will antagonize legal immigrants. Sant'Egido's Betti shares the same concerns. He told us immigrants are intimidated by the official and societal suspicion of foreigners. He said an enforced deferential ""scusa mi"" behavioral pattern will backfire and speculated that Italy's ""second generation"" of immigrants will be the country's number one problem in the future. He observed that most ""second generation"" immigrants feel little sense of belonging to their parents' home country. If they are rejected by Italian society, he argued, they will become psychologically vulnerable. ¶6. (C) Muslim Alienation? Although Muslims in Italy can worship freely, there is only one mosque in the entire country that is legally recognized by the state, in part because the government has not concluded a formal accord with the Islamic community. This lack of formal recognition is a top concern among Muslim immigrants. Many of our Muslim contacts complain that there are suspicious delays in permits for the construction of mosques and Islamic community centers from municipal officials whom they believe deploy bureaucratic regulations as a smokescreen for societal prejudice. The government position, not without merit, is that it is difficult to identify an authoritative representative of the Muslim community. Khalid Chaouki, a Muslim immigrant who started an Italian website for young Muslims and who is attempting to organize Italy's Muslim community, told us it is true that the community is divided by nationality and political views (he himself is considered too conservative by other Muslim figures),but says the government is just looking for an excuse to avoid the issue. Even well-integrated immigrants who speak Italian flawlessly and graduate from the Italian university system tell us they are frustrated by citizenship restrictions and a perceived inability to compete with Italians for white collar jobs because of alleged prejudicial hiring practices. ROME 00000438 003.2 OF 004 ¶7. (C) Need for Assistance. Drawing on her long experience with immigration in Italy and Europe, Ngo Dinh told us she believes the education and skill levels of irregular immigrants are declining and expressed concern about their ability to integrate and become productive members of society. As an example, she said Somali immigrants are squatting in the former Somali embassy in Rome, and she described recent Afghan immigrants as unlettered and illiterate about urban societies. These folks need active assistance from Italy's state and society, she said. A ""laissez faire"" attitude is no longer acceptable. She also expressed frustration with migrants who refused to acknowledge their identities to avoid repatriation. ""Not many NGOs would say this,"" she informed us, ""but the government is right to insist on this matter."" Touadi echoed a widespread view that Italy does not receive ""mid- and high-level immigrants,"" and warned against the ghetto-ization of insular migrant communities. He and other activists would like to see the government encourage the migration of skilled workers. ¶8. (C) Impact of Economic Crisis. Touadi also warned that the global economic crisis could aggravate the problem of illegal immigration. Because residence permits are linked to employment, if immigrants lose their jobs they will lose their legal status. Ngo Dinh reported that Caritas had recently noted an increase in unemployed immigrants. Touadi criticized Interior Minister Maroni for saying he doesn't want to risk Italian employment by issuing more work permits. The fact is, Touadi said, there is little competition between Italians and immigrants, given the disparity in skill sets. He added that Italian industry continues to see a role for immigrants. Betti agreed that the weakest are often the scapegoats in a worsening environment. Ronconi observed to us that economic crises often led to tensions between majority and minority populations, and said there were already examples of Italian workers viewing foreign workers as the enemy. ¶9. (C) A Different Vision. Given his personal experience, Touadi has thought deeply about the problem, considering the experience of the UK and France. He says Italy must not follow the British model of multiculturalism, which he argues has resulted in isolated and alienated immigrant communities. He also rejects the French model of integration, which he believes forces an immigrant to choose between his religious and national identity. Touadi believes the way forward is twofold: the government needs to make it easier for immigrants to become legal, productive and integrated members of Italian society. To that end, he says it is time for Italy to revise its citizenship law, which dates to 1992 and narrowly limits opportunities for naturalization. Second, he argues, Italian society, given its own emigrant history and its experience with Catholic and communist co-existence, has the capacity to absorb and be enriched by non-Christians. Citing the publication of Italian novels by foreigners, he said: ""Imagine the language of Dante being used to tell non-Italian stories."" Comment -------------- ¶10. (C) Few of our contacts fault the government for seeking improved security. But they object to the narrow focus on the security aspects of immigration. Moreover, they argue that by limiting opportunities for citizenship and integration and by portraying immigrants as criminals and potential terrorists, the government could well increase the threat to Italy's security by alienating its immigrant communities. There is little public discussion of the implications of Italy's changing demography and its potential impact on the economy, nor of the role that immigrants could play in the labor market or the support they could contribute to Italy's extensive pension system. Socially, ecumenical views such as Touadi's tend to be muffled by the views of leaders like Marcello Pera, a former president of the Italian Senate, who argues that Italy must reinforce its Christian identity. ¶11. (C) There are some ad hoc examples of successful integration programs in northern Italy, where local governments in immigrant heavy communities tend to take a more pragmatic and progressive approach, regardless of political stripe. For example, some towns have established a ""one stop shop"" for immigrants staffed by cultural mediators who speak the languages of the main immigrant groups. These offices explain immigration law, provide advice about employe rights, and offer counsel on how to open a business. They may also assist with medical appointments and provide information on where to learn Italian. Some cities have made government facilities available on weekends to immigrant communities for language lessons: classes in basic Italian for stay-at-home mothers who are otherwise isolated, and classes for the school children in the language of their parents. Some local and regional education authorities have emphasized instruction in Italian-as-a-second-language for teachers in for public schools. But these services are made available in a patchwork fashion and vary greatly from city to city. ¶12. (C) The issue of national identity is rightly an issue for Italians, but there may be a role for the U.S. to promote a constructive discussion of the benefits of immigration. Although we judge the current government has little interest in altering its approach to immigration, the U.S. mission believes the United States serves as a positive alternative model and we will continue to promote our experience in discussions and activities with the public and interested government contacts. We have an active public diplomacy program designed to transfer communication and organizational skills to young Muslims and other Italians interested in Italy's ""second generation"" immigrants, including support for Martino Pillitteri, who launched ""Yalla Italia"" (Let's Go Italy),a Milan newsweekly that seeks to inform Italians about Islamic and Arab cultures and to fill the information gap in Italian society. We are also seeking to encourage contacts between immigrants and Italian communities, and will look for ways to encourage the dissemination of pragmatic programs established by cities in the north. Contacts in the Interior Ministry have reached out for U.S. expertise in providing familiarization training for police officials working in Muslim communities. There may also be opportunities to draw on Italy's experience with immigration in America to illustrate the benefits of integration. Finally, we will seek opportunities with our government contacts to promote a longer-term vision for immigration, including the benefits of concluding an accord with the Islamic community. DIBBLE "