Thursday, 14th August 2008
Brussels asks Malta about March Safi incidents
The Maltese authorities have been asked to provide more information to the European Commission on the investigations conducted following clashes last March between illegal immigrants and officials at the Safi detention facility.
An inquiry report, drawn up by Martin Scicluna last May investigating allegations of beatings of immigrants, had found that the detention authorities had used excessive force.
Italian MEP Giusto Catania, who is in favour of abolishing detention centres across Europe, raised the incident at the European Parliament through a parliamentary question.
European Commissioner Jacques Barrot said that the Commission does not have the necessary information at hand to pass any comments on these violent incidents but promised the Italian MEP that the Commission would look into the issue closely.
Mr Catania informed his fellow MEPs that on March 24, a number of migrants at the Safi Barracks were victims of violence and were ill-treated by guards. He said that according to a number of witnesses, the Maltese police evacuated a wing of the Safi Barracks centre - because the migrants had held a protest on March 13 - and separated them from the group of 13 migrants who were thought to be among the organisers.
"The 13 migrants were kept in isolation for several hours. They were subjected to physical and verbal violence, handcuffed and were even, allegedly, denied food throughout the whole period of detention. "Does the Commission take the view that the behaviour of the police towards the migrants ran counter to the standards of protection of human rights, the dignity of the person and the rights of migrants recognised at international and European level?" he asked. "Does it take the view that the actions criticised by the inquiry could be a consequence of the widespread Maltese practice of systematic detention of migrants? Could it make representations to the Maltese government with a view to ensuring that such events do not happen again?"
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Comments
If you don’t mind I will answer your points from bottom to top.
• Everybody has the right to talk, however this right is not absolute as many peoples may think.
• The EU with or without Malta will grow. The European Union project is itself a triumph over barbarism wars, racism and all forms of discrimination Europe suffered for decades
• We have been complaining. Any result? On the contrary, get slammed from both the EU and human rights organizations.
• True, no politician talks about surveys. But human rights watchdog does. Do you remember the AI report of last June?
• Are you ignoring the long history of war because of racism among European citizens ? Do you expect the EU to keep silence about racism?
• Shall we also forget racism in Malta among fellow Maltese brothers and sisters?
Certainly, I am not a 'thought' police. But again, I understand about the population deficit that threat the ageing population in Europe. (please read about this sad fact)
Please calm down. Have a cold ‘Caqnu beer’ and you will see things differently. :-)
People have the right to express themselves how they like viz. foreigners and immigrants (legal and illegal). Are you the 'thought' police? That survey you continously hamper upon was done when this illegal invasion started. It would have given the same result in Greece, the Spanish islands or Lampedusa.
Your logic is warped - "Malta has a problem with overwhelming illegal immigrants, but we should not help the Maltese because 90% expressed themselves how they did on immigrants, so lets give them a lesson etc. etc.". That is what I gather from your posts.
Have you ever heard EU politicians in executive positions mentioning your survey to our politicians?
Do you think up there they are as fussy on sentiments expressed about immigrants?
Can you make a simple political seperation in your mind between the State, the country and society?
Have you ever heard that even African illegal immigrants are racists among themselves, and even with us?
And you want to teach us 'How they do politics in Brussels'.
The EU may be indifferent, but that is not going to WORK forever.
Nobody is going to shut us up.
@ apgrech
Okay, Its not racism. Can you please refer to my post (here under) and tell me how should I understand the result of such survey? Thanks
Do immigrants legal status has any thing to do with hosting country culture? If it does, enlighten me how please. Thank you
Sorry for being late in replying to your comment. I happened to be out for drinks with 2 African friends and came in late. By the way you got me there but it takes more than that to shut me up because I am an open minded person and enjoy freedom of speech. I t is not my intention to be draged into politics but if you want we can go on a separate blog and chat till death do us part promising you a hard time in a friendly way.
For me it is immaterial whether these immigrants are red, black, white, or blue but it is a fact that they are slowly invading our island and that all those who are responsible are shirking responsibility. These include the government, the opposition, the church, unions , the media etc. At some time or other all these are going to feel the pinch but by then the bird would have flown out of the cage and it would be too late in the day to repair the damage done. I appeal to people like you to offer constructive criticism so as to perhaps drive our point home.
Good luck.
@ Joanne Micallef
I have read something you may laugh or cry at ...lol
I quote:
None of the 27 prime ministers have read what they signed on 13 December 2007 in Lisbon. The Irish Prime Minister admitted in Ireland before the referendum that he had not read it, but he was certainly not alone. Not one of them read it before signing. I doubt if any of them read it afterwards.
---------
Back to EU.
In Malta case it true, 50 + of the Maltese population voted to join the EU, but apparently 90 + of the Maltese still yet to be more familiar with the whole thing about EU. In doubt? Just ask a group of university students what are the EU member states and you will hear surprises! (Once a student told me that NATO is an EU member state!!).
The future dose not look bright indeed!
- First and foremost, stop looking to and expecting help on illegal immigration from the E.U.
- Our Government's credibility has been seriously eroded with the Maltese people.
- This issue of illegal immigration (to Malta) is for the Maltese and the Maltese alone to resolve; nobody, least of all our EU partners wants them!
-How dare Mr. Catania insinuate that detention centers should be abolished! Whatever accomodation his compatriots can provide will suit Malta just fine!.
-As often as there are illegal immigrant landings in Malta (now twice daily x a 28 person average), there are complaints and comments in this newspaper, similar to what we read below. Yyet no Government statement telling the Maltese not to worry, "that things will be alright!" has been forthcoming.
-What to do? What to do? Mr Zarb of the GWU said it best: "Next stop, Castille!" Maybe it's time Maltese, who see illegal immigration as a genuine threat, should start by flooding Castille with letters voicing their concerns. What is there to lose? We have all been branded racists anyway!
Also, culturally, it is not healthy to accept a huge number of foreigners which will throw the whole cultural system off balance.
To me, an illegal is an illegal and we cannot accept them as we would accept legal immigrants.
The hardest thing to do in politics is to create interest in your party.
Thank to illegal immigrants, they proved this right.
"Creating fear of the Roma, and then selling yourself as the best person to handle them, has been an effective way for Italian politicians to mobilize voters." However, it’s still too early to celebrate!
Same thing happening in Malta by ANR. AN, and Mr. Norma Lowell.
After their failures in the election, now we have them on line
@John Spiteri Gingell
To may knowledge, the federal European States is something like, the United States of Europe? Is this right please?
Resolution 1605 of the Council of Europe
Council of Europe member states should continue to be vigilant in their work to prevent and combat the phenomenon of Islamophobia.
9. In light of the above, the Assembly calls on the member states of the Council of Europe to:
9.1. act strongly against discrimination in all areas;
9.2. condemn and combat Islamophobia;
9.7.6. encouraging the participation of people with an immigrant background in political parties-trade unions and non-governmental organisations;
9.7.7. taking all the necessary measures to eliminate the inequality of opportunity faced by immigrants, including unemployment-and inadequate education;
9.7.8. removing unnecessary legal-or administrative obstacles to the construction of a sufficient number of appropriate places of worship for the practice of Islam;
9.7.9. ensuring that school textbooks do-not portray Islam as a hostile or threatening religion;
11.6. encourage young European-Muslims to become imams;
11.8. encourage the promotion of fair-coverage of Muslim reality and views in the media and ensure that the voice of moderate Muslims is also reported;
11.9. develop ethical-guidelines to combat Islamophobia in-the media and in-favour of cultural tolerance-and understanding, in co-operation with appropriate media organisations;
Wake up Malta, take your politicians, those who have SWORN to SERVE you - to task. otherwise, prepare your bags and seek countries which still value their own freedoms and culture such as the US and Australia. what make you thinks that the multicultis in Europe are going to come to your aid? this invasion of Europe is useful to them - it is the primary tool to dissolve the european peoples allegiance to their nation states.
@ a.cassar
Sorry sir/madam
If you dont like what i say...simply ignore it. You can also trash it.
But just for your information.....what Ia m saying is what the EU /Malta are heading for.
You have all right to blame-shout-strike-comment as much as you want and do whatever you want. But what the EU want from Malta MUST WORK.
By the way, the EU also knows how to tame 'racist' peoples.
Yes, dear bleeding hearts, you read right - invasion.
Don't really care that this term puts you into paroxysms. Now bring on the old 'racist' chestnut.
Thank you for confirming, that even you have been taken for a ride and a very expensive one at that too.
Now put up, and shut up, and roll your sleeves to fork out more in taxes to feed what EFA signed for!
Enjoy the scenery as it unfolds in front of you!
Enough said!
Considering what goes on outside certain football stadiums in Italy after certain games are played, Mr Catania should very well understand that race had nothing to do with what went on in Safi that day. Anyway guess any reason is good for certain individuals to keep pressing for the closer of our detention centre, as by doing so they would create a precedent for the whole of the EU.
Let us wait and see how our Government will respond.
@ M.Mercieca. Racism in malta will continue to grow. I for one do not care if I'm called a racist if that means speaking up for Malta. I'd rather be called a racist than a traitor and an ostrich. If you prefer to accept the situation that's your business but don't expect to come and preach about human rights when you are forfeiting yours.
What Mr.Catania should conscientiously do, is to perform his duty as an MEP and help to find a realistic solution to this problem. Roll up his sleeve and promote burden sharing. Beef up the funny Frontex operation and stop Italian vessels from bringing over the immigrants to Malta and instead take them to Italy where, according to him, they will lead a better life. Shake up his friends the MEP,s to help and really care and proof their mettle in such an unfortunate situation.
Ah! but sweet talking is much more easy to profess than true honest action.
Come on Mr.Catania, remember you are an MEP - act accordingly.
Sorry sir, I am sad to say it , racism is living and kicking in Malta
Survey carried out by Mr. Mario Vassallo on 14-8-2005 shows:
An overwhelming 97.3% of the Maltese said that nobody had the right to come and settle in Malta, (here we are talking about illegal and legal peoples).
In the case of other races, rejection is much stronger. Palestinians and Arabs in general were unwelcome by 95.3% and 93.7% of the Maltese respectively, with Africans (90%) and Jews (89%) faring only slightly better.
The same level of intolerance was shown to persons belonging to different religions: 79.3% would not give asylum to Muslims, and 76.7% would refuse it to Jews. There was a similar degree of objection to atheists (78%), while there was a somewhat lower level of rejection of asylum - at 67.3% - to Christians.
Are we still Catholic? Wasn’t Jesus born in Palestine?
@ A Daley
You are right 100%
By that time, we wanted to feel more European. (Inferiority complex)
M Tabone, why not ask EFA what he was signing for when he put his signature on the dotted line.
That was the time to negotiate, but , no no no, he just swallowed it without even tasting it!
Now put up and shut up!
Observing human rights is number one priority in the EU.
Racism first, must be abolished from Malta at any cost. This is what counts for the EU.
If we think by complaining the way we are doing could solve anything, please think again.
Do you understand that all these illegal immigrants are badly affecting our GDP, do you understand that such a micro country cannot cope with the influxes, do you know that we dedicate almost all our Army for illegal immigrants. What do you pretend to roll them the red carpet after some were involved in violent incidents!!!!.............DEAR GOV WAKE UP AND SPEAK OUT FIRMLY AGAINST THESE ACCUSATIONS BECAUSE YOU ARE REPRESENTING US MALTESE!
you are so quick in giving us judgement,
but so slow in giving us help.