Some Tamil immigrants are thriving

Police in Catania are inspecting the frail 15-metre (five-foot) craft in which some of the new arrivals beached near Catania after a journey which began in South Asia two months ago.

The gruelling 2,500-mile sea journey is made in small boats through the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.

Those who have relatives in northern Europe will try to make their way there after being processed by Italian immigration authorities.

Easy acceptance

Others will try to find jobs and homes locally in Sicily, where relations are surprisingly good between the new arrivals and local inhabitants.

Italy is revising its immigration laws which at present allow most illegal arrivals to go free after a short period of detention, although they have been officially issued with expulsion orders.

Expulsions are expensive to carry out, and the countries of origin of the illegal immigrants are not always willing to take back their citizens who have fled poverty or hunger at home.

Tamil organisations help newcomers

Silvio Berlusconi's government plans to make illegal entry into Italy a crime subject to arrest followed by expulsion within 48 hours.

Whether such draconian measures will succeed in discouraging further arrivals is uncertain.

Demographers say Italy needs a steady flow of immigrant labour to make good the labour shortfall which has resulted from a shrinking Italian birthrate.

There is no labour reservoir, particularly for agricultural or other manual work, either.