Help to Malta vital in dealing with influx of migrants

The government has been advised it is vital for Malta to obtain help from EU member states and developed countries in dealing with the problem of illegal immigration.

Such help, the government has been told, could be in the form of resettlement schemes, especially by countries that require migrant labour.

This year, more than 800 illegal immigrants have so far arrived in Malta in about 40 boat landings, plunging the island's migrant facilities into crisis.

This dramatic situation was further exacerbated by Malta's extremely high population density of 1,200 persons per square kilometre. On the basis of population statistics, it has been estimated that one arrival in Malta is equivalent to 114 and 149 arrivals in Italy and the United Kingdom respectively.

The government is planning to increase the number of open centres to accommodate the asylum seekers, and the possibility of obtaining funding to build such complexes is being studied.

Malta is committed to sharing international obligations in addressing this humanitarian problem by pursuing international standards for the reception and assessment of asylum seekers. This, however, comes at a significant cost, both financially and in terms of human resources, sources close to the government point out.

Since the Refugee Commissioner's Office was set up on January 1, 2002, a total of 1,267 cases, involving 1,544 people, were processed. For the first time, refugees in Malta were given legally enforceable rights to a travel document, release on recognition of their status, the right to work and social assistance.

Between 1994-2002, through the active assistance of the Emigrants' Commission, the United Nations' High Commissioner for Refugees' representative in Malta, about 2,700 foreigners were successfully resettled in various countries requiring migrant labour, particularly the US and Canada.

It must be pointed out that as a result of the Refugees Act in 2000, through which Malta could determine the refugee status, all resettlement programmes were terminated.

Malta however remained committed to expressing solidarity with those who were fleeing from political or religious persecution.

But it did warn that severe measures, leading to repatriation, would be taken against those who did not deserve such protection.

With the country's resources being pushed to the limit, the Home Affairs Ministry was exploring potential EU co-funding opportunities, especially in relation to the upkeep of a considerable number of illegal immigrants as well as to possible repatriation following refusal of asylum applications.

The government is not being advised that it was imperative that assistance and cooperation is offered to Malta by other EU member states and developed countries. Such assistance could take the form of resettlement schemes, especially by countries presently in need of migrant labour.

There are 187 refugees in Malta in possession of an active work permit, including 40 women. Twelve refugees, all men, are registering for employment.

The refugees who hold an active work permit include 22 women and 42 men aged between 20-29, 12 women and 75 men between 30-39, three women and 23 men between 40-49, three women and five men between 50-59 and two men over 60.

The largest number of working refugees, 32, hail from Iraq. There are 18 working refugees each from Ethiopia, the Congo, Somalia and Sierra Leone, 15 from Eritrea, 14 from Algeria, 11 from Palestine, nine from Sudan, five each from Sri Lanka and Ivory Coast, three each from Morocco, Egypt and Iran, two each from Syria, Libya and Turkey and one each from India, Bosnia & Herzegovina, South Africa, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Lebanon and Pakistan.