Thursday, 28th August 2008 - 17:46CET
UNHCR shocked by tragedy off Malta
The large, half submerged dinghy from where eight migrants were rescued. Picture:Mark Tabone, Maritime Squadron, AFM.
The United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees, L. Craig Johnstone has expressed shock at the reported loss of some 70 migrants after their dinghy capsized off Malta. Eight survivors were brought to Malta yesterday.
“I am deeply saddened by this latest tragedy," Mr Johnstone said in statement in Geneva. "This terrible loss of life highlights the urgent need for a concerted international effort aimed at addressing the root causes of migration and at offering international protection to those in need."
The UNHCR meanwhile urged the Maltese authorities to provide medical care to the survivors and to release them from detention because they were badly traumatised by what they had gone through.
It said that its Malta representative had spoken with some of the rescued migrants, who included a 15-year-old boy. They said that their dinghy set off from the coast of Libya last Thursday with 78 passengers on board, mainly of Somali, Eritrean and Sudanese origin.
On Monday, the boat capsized in rough seas. Eight migrants managed to hang on, but the rest – including four women, three of them pregnant – were swept away and are missing.
On Tuesday night, the known survivors were picked up by a Maltese fishing boat, which transferred them to a Maltese patrol boat. They were brought to Malta yesterday.
The UNHCR said they were in poor physical and it believed that these deeply traumatised people should not be held in detention any longer.
"They should be released into medical care and given adequate support, including proper counselling."
The high commission noted that three bodies had so far been spotted in the sea and said that if no survivors were found, this incident would rank as one of the deadliest losses at sea involving people trying to reach Europe from North Africa.
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Comments
However we should separate issues! Any comments in defence of our country are not to be taken as an anti sentiment towards these people. We have our own problems and we definitely cannot continue supporting these people without a care in the world from the other countries that have themselves exploited these same people and their motherlands.
That is what I am against !!! The UN is made up of nations within Europe and beyond who have exploited these African countries for centuries. It is therefore the UN that should insist with the UNHCR that these same nations live up to their responsibilities and share the burden alongside us. If not, then the UNHCR is simply an accomplice to such tragedies and to the travesty of justice in Malta's regard.
L. Craig Johnstone would do well to action this as a priority before he speaks out next time
The point you are making addresses only the demand for cheap labour at the European end (and similarly at the USA end) from a historical point of view. Under present conditions, this type of demand is no longer legal; that is, although businesses in Europe would still want to hire cheap labour, this activity is not endorsed (at least officially by law) by the respective states. For this reason, human traffickers are operating at the supply end, mainly in Libya. As a result, Malta is being caught in between, while some businesses in Malta are also copying those in Europe. It is for this reason that many object strongly to illegal immigration and speak out against the UNHCR who refuse to acknowledge the extreme difficulty that Malta is in.
Yes you are more than right. But how about using technology which nowadays is compensating for lack of human resources? Thailand, for example, is implementing sensors all over the Indian Ocean to warn of Tsunamis. The idea is still far from perfect but if all those people who wish our country well put their technical brains together the idea can be enrichened. After all we only need to protect the southern part of the Maltese territorial waters as thats were the concern is.
@ Enzo Caruana
‘the United Nations and the European Union to put pressure on Libya to stop this shameful export of human beings who end up victims of the sea as we have seen in this latest tragedy.’
Reading few lines of immigrant’s movements you will know that, the trafficking of immigrants is a European industry. Not Libyan or African business.
Europe as we know it today, was re-built by workers from North African. This with systematically happening post WW11.
USA as we know it today was built by immigrants from Europe. This European migration to USA was due to religious conflicts in Europe, mainly by the Roman Catholic Church.
@Karl Abela
Thank you for the idea. imma, you are forgetting the most important elements: Human beings and resources. Do you know that if all the population of Malta plus, the tourists, plus the legal immigrants, plus the illegal immigrants could not surveillance our shores?
There are other countries in the world besides Malta. The UNHCR is not one of them.
The UNHCR's statement is not the only one it has ever issued. It is the only one reported in today's news.
The UNHCR does not focus solely on Malta, nor does it rule the world.
The UNHCR's remit is not to help citizens who are safe in their own homes, but those who are not safe, those who are not at home and those who are not in possession of citizenship because they have no state to belong to.
Psychological ill health is possible even in people who are physically healthy.
The trauma of immigrants' arrival in Malta is greater for the immigrants than for the Maltese.
Immigrants arrive by sea in all Mediteranean/European countries and not just in Malta.
In an international context, 'the problem' that whingers go on about is not how to make life easier for Maltese whingers but how to manage and cope with migration flows.
As if we Malta need to be advised what to do, with those who survived !!
UNHCR & ALL OF THE E.U , know's quite well how Malta deals with illegal migrants. We treat them well.
Mr Johnstone if you have any doubt, just come over here to the smallest island in the EU
and see for yourself.
Its useless slamming down the UNHCR, pointing at the government; attacking the EU....WHAT are we going to do about it? Folks, stop pointing fingers at everyone. Us Maltese are just so good at shifting the blame on someone else. Instead we should be brainstorming and coming up with ideas.
1. Sending back the migrants home is inhumane. We are expected to take them in as soon as they cross the border.
2. Keeping all the migrants here is physically and financially impossible.
3. Sending all the migrants to other EU countries isn't a good idea as this would lead to even more migrants crossing over to Europe.
My idea: Do it the hard way like the Americans do on the borders to Mexico. Patrol the borderline of our territorial waters and intercept them before entering our seas. After all, the EU has got physical borders if it’s touching a non EU country with passport control and everything. Why can’t we have that? If necessary we should install detectors to help us intercept immigrants. I don’t know if its physically impossible out there, but hey its an idea.
The debate is interesting because it transcends political views.
Malta has been invaded before and probably will be again, you will survive without the un, unhcr and others.
Malta, I am afraid, is in for a long haul this time round.
But I don't see why the other survivors should be released immediately. Nearly all the immigrants that land here are traumatised by what they go through. So what should we do, release them as soon as they land?
This is a classic case of the local UNHCR representative trying to pull a fast one on the authorities.
We all remember the fine words and hollow promises before Mlata became a member of the EU . You shal not stand alone they told us. Your security is our concern too they said. And what have we got now? Illegal immigrants sailing in casually and unhindered in Xlendi Bay, Birzebbugia, the Sliema waterpolo pitch and wherever the wind blows them. Some fine security set ups we have! What if these boat people were armed and trained merceneries employed to stage a coup d'etat?
This problem shows how powerless and toothless our govenment is in its dealings with the EU and other international organisations. Dr Gonzi, Dr Tonio Borg do wake up
How about Europe imposing new sanctions on Libya?
Any thing else you want us to do UNHCR.?
The good Arab tradition is to welcome strangers and feed them. clothe them and accomodate them.It is even in the Qoran.But you have to be able to afford it,for your information even the Qoran gives you the means of sending away the unwanted stranger in our midst.I am not asking for a jihad.On the contrary I am asking that these people wether Blacl Brown White or yellow be sent back to wher ethey came from.
ara how L Galea talks.
we are talking about dead peoples and still cant forget for a while the haetful sentiments
Quote of the day:
If racism were fire, and you just ignore it. It will die by itself
Please LGalea stop using the word 'us.' i for one would never wantto sit at the same table asy ou, let alone be associated with you. You are one very sad,sick puppy. I hope that in your hour of need you want find another of your ilk to help you or you'd really be out of luck. What a selfish ,hypocritical country this has become. we probably spend more money in a weekend of fireworks over santa marija then on our fellow humans in a year, and we want to sound self righteous!
The way thes buraucracies are run and managed is nothing but disgraceful. They serve little purpose more than to paper over super powers meddling in africa.
Malta is doing way more than it can handle and all we got so far is criticism!
... only solution i see is give them a passport passport that expires in a year and a boat!
I also agree that those rescued should be given special attention, due to the trauma they went through. I think the bishops, as spirtual leaders, should concentrate on how to solve this widespread racisim and hatred, governing most people. The way things are, concentrating their energies on solving this problem is by far more urgent than divorce.
Lately the technique involved 'dropping' off 'clients' at the nearest tuna pen. This is not wise - remote sensing equipment can track down the 'ferry'. So now, it's cheap, fragile dinghies which offer little chance of making a safe crossing from Libya to mainland Europe. Sad story indeed.
You have absolutely no right to dictate to us.
They came here illegally and they must be treated according to our laws.
If they don't like it too bad.
We didn't invite them here.
If you don't like it too bad.
Take them to your country and put your money where your mouth is.
Gerroff your butts and do something then. WE certainly cannot do much more and the whole EU barring 4 countries couldn't care less.
Until recently, by good Arab tradition, Malta has squeezed out every single human being that
happened to land on its shores. What's so bad about being a bit 'Christian' for once?
course we all do..and it seems that it's just us that do! it seems to
have become our problem alone! it's easy to just point fingers and not
lift any of them. what is everybody else doing? & how long can this go
on? at this rate i hate to think what kind of 'Malta' we are leaving
for our children....something needs to be done.
ARMCHAIR CRITIC
Allow me to define it: one who criticises heavily and yet does absolutely nothing to help.
Now watch me glue it to UNHCR and the rest of the world powers who have the capacity to root out the problem of illegal immigration and stop it once and for all (which yes, is possible).
Pin the tail on the donkey!
Wake up and smell the coffee UNHCR and like Joe Morana said, stop picking on little Malta whose people are doing much more than their share.
"chickens talks"
Is this some new nonsensical language?
Can that dinghy actually take 78 people onboard??
Whilst loss of any human life is a tradegy, I can't help but feel sceptical in view of the inconsistencies of this story.
@ D fenech
Talk is cheap!
And talking nonsense is cheaper
@Simon Attard
Most of the comments are just hateful.
@ Mark Rizzo
Please note that, some peoples turn serious human beings tragedies to chickens talks
DO SOMETHING !!!!
WE HAD HAD ENOUGH !!
Please do not talk/write "rubbish"!
Pardon me for not being able to find a better adjective!
Who said that the Maltese people taking a stand on this issue do not care about these immigrants and the tragedies that the responsible bodies are pushing them into?
It is precisely because we care that we take a stand!
Saying jahasra! Alone will not get them out of their plight!
Patronizing attitudes do more harm to them than good.
Malta has the grace of a relatively peaceful and wealthy society, and with this comes our responsibility to our brothers and sisters.
Charity begins at home, but must not end at home.
2. Former foreign minister Michael Frendo said in Parliament that the Finnish government had been prepared at one stage to take 400 of our refugees. the deal fell through when UNHCR did not agree to let Finland count the 400 in the agreed quota for refugees.
Can UNHCR please stop harrassing Malta?
Yes we do have a problem but it somehow pales into insignificance when you think of what these people are going through. I am not saying that we shouldn't demand international support, but is it possible that we are so taken up by our problems that we cannot even feel the slightest bit of compassion for these people?
Malta and its citizens have been shocked and saddened ever since this exodus began hitting our small shores!
What you people in Geneva need to do is stop preaching and posing and telling others what to do!
Talk is cheap!
Has Mr L Craig Johnstone ever drove through Marsa or Hal far ?
Funds Available: US$ 1,383 million
Requirements: US$ 1,750 million.
So UNHCR has a deficit of US$ 367 million
Mr. Johnson, Malta is already doing everything possible to help these people. Now it's up to the other countries of the EU to get off their collective butts and start helping MALTA.
“The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), known as the UN Refugee Agency, is the Cindirella of UN agencies. Its budget comes mostly from voluntary donations, rather than obligatory contributions by UN Member States. UNHCR’s website (www.unhcr.org) says: ‘DONATE NOW - … the UN refugee agency relies on voluntary contributions for 96.5 % of its income. The 3.5 % of funding from the UN is spent entirely on administration.’ As its finances are shaky, UNHCR functions like an NGO and is the least stable and well-regarded of UN agencies. Its staff members have short-term contracts as UNHCR could not pay salaries if donations dry up.”