Opposition calls for improved facilities for illegal immigrants

Opposition home affairs spokesman Gavin Gulia yesterday called for improved facilities for the detention of illegal immigrants, describing the detention centre at Hal Far as akin to a "concentration camp."

He also called on the government to revive the Security Committee of the parliamentary Social Affairs Committee to harness the efforts and skills of all NGOs and other interested parties in a bid to tackle the issue of detention.

"The Labour Party is not against detention of illegal immigrants but the conditions in which these immigrants are being kept particularly at ta' Kandja and Hal Far definitely need to be improved," Dr Gulia argued.

Addressing reporters during a news conference at MLP headquarters in Hamrun, Dr Gulia gave a detailed overview of visits he recently paid to illegal immigrants who are currently being treated at Mount Carmel Hospital, and others that are being detained at Ta' Kandja and Hal Far.

Dr Gulia said that there were two groups of about 30 men each who were accommodated in two large rooms at Ta' Kandja.

Beds were barely 36 cm apart with no privacy whatsoever. The lack of privacy was also evident in the toilets.

Noting that he had found full co-operation from police commissioner John Rizzo, Dr Gulia said the detainees were given three meals a day and other food in between and that the religious beliefs of the inmates were respected.

"However, there is no TV, no books, no newspapers, nor any other means of recreation. There is only a small heater in each room."

The Labour spokesman felt that the immigrants should be given more time than the one hour a day they are allowed outside their rooms.

He added that the police commissioner who accompanied him gave an order, there and then, to allow the detainees out between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

However, Dr Gulia said, it was important not to go to extremes.

Several immigrants had alleged that they had been maltreated by a number of officials last December and Mr Rizzo immediately ordered an inquiry into these allegations, Dr Gulia added.

Dr Gulia described Hal Far as a "concentration camp". When a reporter pointed out that on a number of occasions, illegal immigrants had escaped while others had destroyed property, he said he too had been taken aback by the insults directed at the police commissioner and members of the police force.

Dr Gulia said that the 16 immigrants who are being treated at Mount Carmel were not allowed out in the garden grounds or the gym, while some of them were being housed in an area accommodating drug addicts.

Dr Gulia said that he had seen "self-inflicted injuries on a couple of immigrants", when asked whether their admission at Mount Carmel had been orchestrated by the immigrants to make a statement about their detention here.

In his press conference Dr Gulia also called on the Church to play a more pro-active role where illegal immigrants were concerned, while acknowledging that the Church was making a valid contribution through the Jesuit Refugee Services and through Mgr Philip Calleja among others.

Reacting to Dr Gulia's comments, the Home Affairs Ministry said it was positive that the Opposition viewed the problem of illegal immigrants as a national issue, which needed everyone's efforts to be eased.

It said that during 2003, the number of illegal immigrants in detention had been reduced from 900 to 300 through repatriation and more effective processing of applications for protection status under the Refugees Act, among other actions.

A total of 700 migrants were repatriated in 2002 and 600 last year, at a cost of hundreds of thousands of liri.

At the same time, Malta was generous with those found to be deserving of protection status - these numbered 500 in two years, one of the highest status approval averages in Europe.

The government had also set up an open centre providing free board and lodging for those granted freedom because they had been granted protection status. The centre currently housed almost 100 people.

As to the possibility of the issue being debated by a committee of the House, the ministry said there was nothing stopping any MP from making this request.

The ministry said that the detention centres had to cope with 1,680 persons in 2002 and 360 last year. The centres offered basic and essential services because a small country like Malta did not have the means to set up new reception centres at enormous costs.

The drop in the number of illegal immigrants this year meant there was less overcrowding.

The government said that given Malta's high population density, it would stick to its detention policy. It was not possible for a migrant to be granted his freedom immediately he applied for refugee or protection status, although the government would continue to give a remedy to those whose detention took too long.