SBS, DATELINE
ITALY’S MIGRANT BOOT CAMP
29.10.2019
Producer: Agnes Teek
Reporter: Amos Roberts
Editor: Micah McGown
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Tonight on Dateline Sot: Thank you Bergamo Thank you Bergamo |
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Welcome to Italy’s migrant boot camp. Sot: Straighten up your uniform |
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Hundreds of thousands of migrants have landed on Italian
shores over the past few years. |
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Giving rise to an Australian inspired immigration crack down. in Australia. You have
your own immigration policy, which I admire very well. |
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It’s fuelled a surge in right wing populism. If you on the other hand want to cover your
daughter or your wife with a bourqua, go back to
your home and do whatever you want. Not in my country. |
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And anti-migrant sentiment. RED SHIRT
Now all those boats arrive, we don't know
which country they come from, and they sell drugs. |
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Can this unconventional experiment prove hard-working
migrants deserve to stay? |
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WHAT MIGHT LOOK HARSH AND OPPRESSIVE - IS SEEN BY MANY STUDENTS - AS A GOLDEN
OPPORTUNITY INCLUDING - KEITA KEITA IV: I am Sayomba. Sayomba Keita. I
come from Senagal.
I’m 23. I’ve lived in Italy for
2 years, 8 months. K - this is the place
I like. When I am free I always come here to rest because it's a beautiful
place. |
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Keita was only 15 when he fled ethnic violence in his
village. Vulnerable and often exploited, he eventually made his way
to Libya – and a perilous voyage to a strange new land. |
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KEITA INTERVIEW
: When I arrived here, I saw
that people lived a normal life, like the one I had imagined for so long. (I
thought) What can I do to live like them? |
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He may have found the answer here at the academy for
integration. When I
arrived, they woke me up at 6am on the dot to clean the room, the corridors Following the rules here may be Keita’s unlikely path to residency. SOT: Line up
to the right. Like most students he had his initial claim for asylum rejected and
has lodged an appeal. In Italy, as in other parts of Europe, he’ll stand a better chance if
he shows he can fit it. This means speaking Italian. Thank-you Bergamo. Thank you Bergamo. Thank you
Bergamo! - Enjoy your studies. - Thank you. |
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The Academy enforces gratitude. It’s a way of
battling the misconception that migrants are ungrateful With his appeal hearing only weeks
away, Keita is eager to conform. I have to
know how Italians live, what
they like, what they don't like, I have to know everything, for this reason I
joined. |
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ITALIAN TEACHER: So which Italian football club do you
support? Keita, which club do you
support? - Juventus. Juventus?
You also support Juventus? - Yes. |
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KEITA INTERVIEW: I'm very worried. Yes. My goal today is to get
a residency permit. That is my goal. If I don't have a residency permit
I cannot live like everyone else. |
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ITALIAN TEACHER: And what else would you like to do in the
future? MIGRANT OFF CAMERA@ -
Have my voice heard -
Have a permanent work
contract. TEACHER: Have a permanent work contract, yes. |
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CHRISTOPHE IV: Over a period of time
the goal of the Academy is to help these people and teach them the Italian
language, Italian culture… |
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STUDENT: An Italian woman. TEACHER: An Italian woman. Would you like to
marry an Italian woman? - Sure |
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CHRISTOPHE IV: So that, when they appear in court, they will
have knowledge of Italian and an employment contract that could eventually
help them obtain a residency permit. So we either integrate them or, if we don’t. these people will end up
moving into the black market, into crime, because they have no way of making
a living. |
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So the city of Bergamo makes a deal with the migrants. As well as attending Italian classes every day for 9 months, they to
do unpaid community work four afternoons a week. Then the Academy will help them get jobs with local businesses, and,
hopefully, a permanent work contract… |
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ARRIVING CEMETERY: Hi, good morning. |
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…which could be their ticket to residency. |
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NIGERIAN MIGRANT SINGING AS HE WORKS |
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Today, they’re helping clean the Bergamo cemetery. |
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SINGING |
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CHRISTOPHE IV: Let's not forget that we live in a very 'angry climate' today. Now, the fact that the citizens can see young people who are keen, who
clean the streets, who accompany old people, who bring foods to old people
that are not self-sufficient, who clean their cemeteries. and they have written "Thank you Bergamo" this is also a way
to reconcile the angry feeling towards these people |
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A: People in Australia who see a group of
black men working in the hot sun, for free, supervised by some white men,
they’re going to find that quite disturbing? CHRISTOPHE: Excuse me, but in Australia, if
I’m not mistaken, you keep migrant prisoners on an island, don’t you? A: Yes. And you’re shocked because some kids in
uniform do hours of volunteer work? |
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MUSIC – boorish excitement, anticipation, but
with some ironic distance |
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It’s no accident the Academy was
dreamed up in the Lombardy region – THIS IS THE HEARTLAND OF A FAR-RIGHT POLITICAL PARTY CALLED THE LEAGUE
Today it’s holding its annual rally, not far from Bergamo – supporters have travelled here from across
the country. |
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QUESTION: What do you think of the migration crisis in
Italy at the moment? |
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RED SHIRT: We are in favour of controlled migration. Now
all those boats arrive, we don't know which country they come from, and
they’re selling drugs, so it’s better to control it. |
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QUESTION: Why do you think the migrants are such a
problem? |
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BALD GUY: Drug smuggling, prostitution, theft. |
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RED SHIRT: Around the cities it is not possible to live any more and you risk going out and getting all sorts of
diseases. |
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The party used to be known as the Northern League,
and joked that anything south of Rome was Africa. |
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But its wildly popular leader, Matteo Salvini,
has rebranded the party to attract support from across the country,
exploiting concerns about uncontrolled migration. |
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SALVINI SPEECH: If you on the other hand want to cover your daughter or your wife
with a bourqua, go back to your home and do
whatever you want. Not in my country. |
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Salvini was the interior minister, but left government in August after a
failed bid for more power. TODAY HE’S RALLYING SUPPORT FOR A
COMEBACK. Moved sot up Someone in
the crowd – Salvini you have to
fix this chaos His party is still Italy’s most
popular and he’s Europe’s most-followed politician on Facebook. |
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Facebook gfx SALVINI FB LIVE 00:12:22] The ones who
got out of jail are coming, and because to be a criminal in Tunisia or in
Morocco is dangerous, they come to be criminals in Italy. [00:12:32] |
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HE REGULALRY USES SOCIAL MEDIA TO
DEMONISE MIGRANTS |
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Facebook GFX UPSOT FB LIVE MIGRANT: I don’t understand Italian. SALVINI: “Don’t understand Italian.” Is there
anyone who speaks Italian? Thank
you. He’s tired because he’s fleeing
war. |
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When in government he controversially removed humanitarian protection
from tens of thousands of migrants. Crowd chanting – Capitano |
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MUSIC hard-line_33430 Unlikely League senator, Toni Iwobi is an
immigrant from Nigeria and has been a key supporter of Italy taking back
control of its borders. What we trying to achieve with this law is to stop this illegal
immigration, Our policy doesn't stop anybody coming into Italy, through the
right channel. Do you know how many immigrants enter the country, through the
right channel? A – How many Thousands of thousands of immigrants, from all
over the world. trying to defend one’s border is not a crime. And he
admires Australia’s policy on asylum seekers
This is happening all over the world, even in
Australia. You have your own immigration policy, which I admire very
well. A- Why what do you think of our
policy? I - I admire because a massive control against the illegal
immigration, |
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Like senator Iwobi, league SUPPORTERS
AREN’T OPPOSED TO ALL MIGRANTS |
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QUESTION: Do you think it's possible for immigrants from
other places, like Africa, for example to integrate, to become Italian? BLONDE WOMAN: It could be possible as long
as they have a job, a home, and they pay taxes and respect the laws
and rules. In this case yes. |
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If they arrive they
have to be integrated into our city, into our nation. To become part of us. |
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Move VO up
under Amos walking into academy This is music to Christophe’s ears. He is out to show migrants who
embrace Italian values deserve to stay. MUSIC Pinoneer 6 SOT: Okay Diedhiou, come with me for the inspection. You too. We’ll inspect the rooms together. QUESTION : what do you expect from the students? CHRISTOPHE IV: I expect them to slowly come to love the
country that is hosting them, to be grateful for the country that is hosting
them. |
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CHRISTOPHE
INSPECTION: It’s not
OK. The bed is not straight. Look here, here. It isn’t straightened. It’s not you who has to straighten it. |
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CHRISTOPHE IV CONT: I often tell them, 'You cost 35 euros a day,
which is about 1,080 euros a month, in Italy we have welfare benefits of 400
euros a month, so keep that in mind.' |
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CHRISTOPHE INSPECTION: OK.
What is this? |
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Nothing escapes Christophe’s eagle eye. |
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CHRISTOPHE INSPECTION: Whose is it?
- Souare. Souare? Reprimand for Souare. |
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QUESTION: Why are all the rules so important, because
some of the rules they seem like little, little things, the bed, the collar….
Why do…? (Christophe looks aghast) CHRISTOPHE ON BALCONY: It's very, very important, it's an attitude,
it's a respect we ask something, they have to do. |
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Despite his tough stand on immigration, Christophe’s not actually a
populist or a right-winger – in fact, he supports the centre left Democratic
Party. SOT GORI ENDS SPEECH: Thanks everyone. APPLAUSE And he is also the chief of staff for Bergamo’s Mayor. UPSOT MAYOR TALKING TO CHRISTOPHE Mayor – - I have to update you on the meeting. |
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Christoph 6C What I hope for is that the
Academy becomes a model that is replicable in other parts of Italy. |
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6C And I want to add that the
issue is not aimed at right-wing voters, because if us on the left have lost
so many votes it is, in fact, because we did not manage immigration before
The fear, the perception, the insecurity is found among right wing and left-wing
voters alike. |
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While the image of an obedient migrant might win over voters, the
academy rules and regulations aren’t for everyone. |
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SAMBOU INTERVIEW@ My name is Abdou Sambou. I’m from Gambia. |
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Far from home and missing his family Sambou
feels like the Academy demands too much.
SAMBOU
INTERVIEW: The
difficulty here about the control. Definitely we are here... for me, that’s
my observation, just like the military camp. |
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QUESTION: You don’t think anybody is comfortable here? SAMBOU: Here? Everybody’s afraid here. I don’t know, apart from Keita everybody’s
afraid here. It’s totally desperate
here, everybody here. Q / What are they afraid of? Because of
life. We don’t have the freedom here,
we don’t have the freedom here. This project
is politic, I don’t know is kind of politic, for me it’s politic. Q / You think it’s more about the
politics than the people? Yeah. For me. |
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I WANt to
know what life IS |
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OPENING DOOR |
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…and I DON’T have to go far to find
out. |
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Most of the men in the Academy used to live next door – at a temporary
migrant centre which hosts 250 asylum seekers. |
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DANIELLA GREETING MIGRANTS :
Good morning. Is everything OK? |
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Daniela Testa is in charge here - AND compared to Christophe SHE
SEEMS VERY LAID BACK |
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DANIELA TOUR: We have on the wall the set of rules that are
the rules that every guest has to sign upon entering. They are very simple
rules about living together essentially based and little more than that. |
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The migrants certainly have a lot more freedom here than at the
Academy… |
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DANIELA ENTERS ROOM |
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…and Christophe would have a fit if he saw their bedrooms. |
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DANIELA ENTERS ROOM: Ok this is one of the rooms, in the rooms we
host between 3 and 5 people. This is the African way of making the bed. It
is rather difficult to get them use to using three bed sheets. So they have a
rather unique use of the sheets. Some of them don't use them at all. Some use
the blanket instead of a bed sheet. |
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QUESTION: This is very different to the bedrooms in the
Academy. DANIELA: Well, even the bed in my house is a bit
different… |
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On the one hand it seems
friendlier and more welcoming here – but then again, almost no one here
expects to get residency. Every week 5 people are
asked to leave when their
appeals are rejected – some will work illegally on farms and in
sweatshops, others might end up begging in the streets, and some could turn
to crime - fuelling the stereotypes that drive anti-immigrant feeling. |
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KEITA: HI, HI OWNER – And this t-shirt? KEITA – Well, it was
in the bag. OWNER – It’s not ironed. If Sanchez sees you
with this, he will get mad. You know that? |
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Keita, like most of the other migrants at the Academy, has a proper
job. |
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Upsot Kieta – Glass? Okay, do you want to try it? C – No, it’s fine |
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KEITA INTERVIEW: I work as a waiter at Mimmo's
restaurant in Bergamo, in the old city. I've been working there as a waiter
for four months. |
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If there’s a poster boy for
the Academy, it’s Keita. He’s just been offered a permanent work contract
here UPSOT K – We have the dessert menu C – Yes please, leave it so I can have a look. – and in a week’s time,
he’ll be the first student to find out if he gets residency. |
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CHRISTOPHE IV: Keita is a great guy. I'm very happy for him
because he did a wonderful job at the Academy. He had a lot of motivation, he learned Italian
very well |
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CHRISTOPHE IV: We introduced him to a restaurant manager who
put him on a trial period, he was very happy with him, and today he was hired
on a permanent basis. For me, Keita is a success story that gives me
great joy. |
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But not everyone is doing so well. Despite a couple of work placements Sambou
still doesn’t have a job. |
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It think it's
because I'm black. There were many women, no men were working there. males, not skin colour. - I
think it's the colour. no, don't make up an excuse.
It's the ability to work. What job is there? Everybody who
worked there were women. - Sambou, Sambou! it's about the capability
to work. Because if I'm an employer, and you are a productive person I'll take you. And these people
who agreed to participate in projects with the Academy don't have any problem with
racism. Is this clear? With the date of his residency court hearing in three months - Sambou is understandably nervous. |
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So instead of brooding, or being
angry, roll up your sleeves, be good at school improve your Italian. We're
in September, you still have three months to go. is this clear? - yes.
- good. - Do you have other questions? No. Thank you Sambou.
-You're welcome. - |
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Tonight’s a special night
at the Academy – Christophe is
holding a ceremony to honour some of his hard working
students. |
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CHRISTOPHE SPEECH: Student Keita. Keita has come a long way. |
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The Academy for Integration
is a bold but risky experiment in a time of populism… it serves a political
purpose, but for its founder, there’s more at stake than votes. CHRISTOPHE SPEECH: Today he’ll receive the third rank
because he’s done a job, his job has been approved of, and he received a
permanent work contract, which is the goal that we all have
to keep in mind. OK? My compliments. APPLAUSE |
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CHRISTOPHE IV: I believe in common sense; if a man speaks
Italian, has a permanent job, is financially independent, it would be very
crazy to take this person and throw them into illegality, and in so doing
marginalize them. |
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QUESTION: What will you do if you’re not allowed to
stay? KEITA INTERVIEW: If there's no other possibility I don't know
how it will end. I really don't know. My thoughts don't get there. They don't get there. |
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Q / What is your dream for the future? What do you hope for? KEITA: I would like to get married, have a family and
become Italian. |
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TEXT: Keita has now been granted temporary
residency. The judge said it was due to his success at the Academy. |
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TEXT: Sambou has found a job and is still waiting for his appeal to be heard. |
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END |