AD calls for action over Safi report

The inquiry report on the Safi incidents confirms the stand taken by those who were critical of the behaviour of some members of the army in quelling the peaceful protest by asylum seekers, Alternattiva Demokratika's immigration spokesman, Stephen Cachia, said.

He urged the government to study the implications of the report and act upon its findings, which indicate that excessive force was used by the army.

The action should include preparing the army to handle such situations in a professional manner befitting an institution which operates within a democratic society.

Mr Cachia said that AD agreed completely with the call made in the report for more concrete support from European states in helping Malta tackle the issue of irregular immigration.

But it was perplexed by certain conclusions which did not seem to be based on any professional research or advice, such as the recommendation to retain the policy of very lengthy detention for asylum seekers and to continue to deny journalists access to detention centres.

"While AD acknowledges that the situation in detention centres has improved over the last few months and that this issue is a delicate and sensitive one, we believe that a national debate on reforming the policy on very lengthy detention periods for asylum seekers should take place.

"It should be clear to one and all that while the need for detention centres remains, the present situation is keeping too many asylum seekers in these centres for overly long periods.

"This is an unsustainable policy which urgently needs to be reformed. The report does nothing to stimulate some urgently needed creative and innovative thinking to instigate such reform," Mr Cachia said.

AD, he added, strongly disagreed with the policy of not allowing journalists to enter detention centres.

"In a democratic country, the media spotlight ensures an important element of accountability. Malta's detention centres urgently need to be kept under this media spotlight so that mistakes such as the army's handling of the Safi Barracks protest are never repeated again."