“We ask the Italian government, Europe and the United Nations to do more and do better, establishing safe and legal pathways for migrants and refugees and planning and ensuring, by law, search, rescue and medical assistance”. This is the appeal of Filippo Anelli, president of the National Federation of Doctors’ Orders (Fnomceo), who with a note intervenes on the shipwreck of the caique loaded with migrants that took place yesterday on the beach of Steccato di Cutro, in the Crotone area.
“As doctors, who have sworn to pursue the defense of life, the protection of physical and mental health, the treatment of pain and the relief of suffering with respect for the dignity and freedom of the person – says Anelli – we cannot remain indifferent to the massacre of human beings that took place yesterday along the Calabrian coasts. As representatives of a subsidiary body of the State, which acts in the name and on behalf of the State itself when it comes to the protection of Health, we cannot remain silent. We must be indignant about faced with such tragedies: the real defeat lies in habituation and ‘hardness of heart’ – he warns – in making what should be exceptional and intolerable become a habit”.
“For this reason – continues the number one of the Italian doctors – we share the warning of the vice president of the CEI, Monsignor Franceso Savino: it is time for ‘high and other’ policies, national and supranational. It is time to invite all those who they have political responsibilities to review certain decisions with respect to migratory phenomena. At stake, as Savino recalls, are civilization, real democracy, mature democracy. At stake, we add, are the protection of health, respect for the principles of humanity and of dignity that rightfully belongs to every individual. What is at stake is the realization of that democracy of good which is the ultimate health, social and civil goal of the medical profession”.
‘Not having been able to protect them is a failure of the principles written in our Code of Conduct and in the Constitution’
“This morning, praying in front of the coffins – explains Anelli – Savino affirmed: today as a believer I meet Jesus crucified, Jesus abandoned, Jesus denied, Jesus a refugee not welcomed who dies at sea. Today God dies with these brothers of ours”.
“We, as doctors – concludes the president Fnomceo – feel the suffering of these fragile, of the latter, of these people as ours; we feel like our failure, like a failure of the principles written in our Code of Ethics, in our Constitution, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, not having been able to protect them”.