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Placed Jews in Italian Camp End Hunger Strike; Win Concessions on New Refugees

May 16, 1948
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A week-long hunger strike at the Scoula Cardona camp displaced Jews, in Milan, and in several satellite camps in the area has been ##led with assurances by the Italian Government and the International Refugee Organization that new refugees who cross the border from Austria and elsewhere will be fitted, it was announced here today.

The I.R.O. has already begun distributing food in the camps and some of the ## today started moving to the Senegalia Camp, near Ancona. The originally off DP rations when the Jews refused to move out of the Milan camps.

Displaced Jews in the camps of northern Italy viewed with suspicion the trans-order border latest of a series of moves by the Italian Government apparently aimed at ring all of northern Italy of DP’s, thus making it extremely difficult for new see to enter the country en route to Palestine. The refugees who occupy five or centers and some 35 small training centers refused to move pending a clear ?tement of intentions on the part of the Italian Government.

The Jews believed that the series of moves, which began with the evacuation of Inhabitants of a camp in Milan to the south because the authorities informed the I.R.0. that the center was needed for a police camp to guard against disturbances pg the April 18 national elections, was inspired by the British or African a or both. They pointed out that the elections are long since over and at the Milan camp remains empty and abandoned.

The Jews stressed that if all the northern camps are emptied there will be refuge for new DP’s who cross the border. Many of the DP’s now in northern Italy ##ect other members of their families to join them. Beside attempting to close up camps in the Milan area, the government also demanded that a Joint Distribution committee-operated camp between the border and an I.R.O. reception center in Milan turned over to the government.

If the entire chain of camps is withdrawn a new DP would have to go into hiding he had covered half of Italy and arrived at a J.D.C. or I.R.O. center where he ###ld be relatively safe. If apprehended “before he is processed by the I.R.O. and with international identity papers he could be arrested and kept in jail for time without further legal recourse, as has happened in the past.

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