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In a memorandum addressed to the Italian foreign ministry on the second anniversary of the Lampedusa tragedy of 3 October 2013, the Eritrean People's Democratic Party (EPDP) blamed Italy for failing to fully identify and give proper burial to the over 360 Eritrean victims of the Lampedusa tragedy whose bodies still remain "just numbers in unnamed graves"

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Italian Foreign Minister P. Gentiloni at Palazzo della Farnesina

Dated 1st October and addressed to Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni, the EPDP memorandum intended not to accuse but to remind the Italian Government of the pledges it made soon after the Lampedusa disaster as well as the historical and moral responsibility Italy should have towards Eritrea and its problems.

The memorandum reiterated the deep appreciation Eritreans expressed to Italy after the tragic incident and the marking of its first anniversary last year that was organized in Lampedusa in the presence of dignitaries from Italy and the European Union. The EPDP regretted that " both Italy and EU have this year failed to hold a second memorial day this October at least as a sign of respect and recognition to the tens of thousands of Eritrean and other lives that perished in the Mediterranean Sea while crying for help from Italy and the rest of Europe".

Likewise, the EPDP also found it pertinent to point out that the pledges it received from the Africa Committee of the Italian Parliament in December 2013 have not yet seen the light of the day. It is to be recalled that following messages addressed to the two chambers of the Italian Parliament only two months after Lamppedusa, an EPDP delegation was able to meet with the Africa Committee of the Italian parliament which then promised to draft a special project on Eritrea expected to study ways of providing concrete support for Eritrean democratic forces opposed to the dictatorship in Asmara in addition to formulating an enhanced assistance to Eritrean refugees both in Italy and in the Horn of Africa region. Regretablly, the Italian Parliament has not yet discussed such an issue

The EPDP memo is copied to Italian Parliament at Montecitorio via Senate President Pietro Grasso, and Lower House Speaker Laura Boldrini

The EPDP memo concluded by once again appealing to Italy to address the requests submitted to it through its foreign ministry with copies to the two chambers of the Italian parliament.