AD calls for resignation of AFM Commander

Alternattiva Demokratika yesterday urged the commander of the Armed Forces, Brigadier Carmelo Vassallo, to offer his resignation, pending the outcome of an inquiry into the alleged beating of irregular immigrants by soldiers last Thursday at Safi barracks.

And AD foreign affairs spokesman Arnold Cassola, who is secretary-general of the European Greens, said he intended to raise the Safi incidents in the European Parliament and with Commissioner for Justice Franco Frattini.

AD chairman Harry Vassallo told a news conference he would be requesting permission to visit the detention centres housing immigrants, amid fears that Thursday's incidents would only fuel more tension inside the camps.

"This is a very serious incident and people in power should shoulder responsibility," Dr Vassallo said.

He hoped that the inquiry the government has ordered would be concluded in a reasonable time and that concrete steps would be taken in the light of its conclusions.

"It is vital that all those who ordered, permitted or committed illegal acts of violence are prosecuted and if found guilty condemned and demoted," he said. "The incident had discredited the AFM and damaged Malta's international reputation."

Dr Vassallo said the government should also carry out a reform in the army and measures to prevent or uproot any racist sentiments in the army should be introduced.

The daily difficulties faced by soldiers in detention centres should be addressed to ensure that bad working conditions did not create a fertile breeding ground for racial hatred. It was also clear that the policy of detention should be seriously revised.

James Debono, AD's spokesman on civil rights, added that while a minimum period of detention was necessary to screen irregular migrants, long periods of detention were resulting in distress.

"Delaying justice is a denial of justice," Dr Vassallo added.