Wednesday, 31st December 2008
Illegal immigration
Italy not re-inventing the wheel - Foreign Affairs Ministry
Dinghies have become more popular than boats to transport illegal immigrants... Some of the group of 139 immigrants who met with difficulties while on a large dinghy and brought to Malta by the AFM on Monday.
Italy was not re-inventing the wheel when it decided to deport all immigrants reaching its shores as from next week, a spokesman for the Foreign Affairs Minister in Malta said.
As a spell of good weather led to over 2,000 immigrants landing in the Italian island of Lampedusa over the past few days, the Italian government announced yesterday that, come Tuesday, it will send back illegal immigrants who arrive on its shores.
Reuters reported that 38 Egyptians will be the first group to be flown to Cairo under the new plan announced by Italy's right-wing government, which, since coming to power in May, has made the fight against illegal immigration a top priority.
Foreign Affairs Minister Tonio Borg could not be reached for a reaction but a spokesman for his ministry said Italy was not re-inventing the wheel. In fact, in the past, Malta had repatriated about 100 Egyptians as their mother country had agreed to take them back without problems.
The implication of the announcement by Italy is that expulsion may be fast-tracked. Italian Home Affairs Minister Roberto Maroni, a member of the anti-immigration Northern League, was reported saying: "I have arranged for the activation of a centre suitable for identification and expulsion".
A spokesman for the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, said the move raised the risk of "generalised expulsions" and appealed to the Italian government to respect the rights of immigrants.
When asked about the lack of cooperation from Libya, the ministry spokesman said the government was trying to bring representatives from Malta, Italy and Libya round a table to discuss immigration.
Earlier this month a meeting between the foreign ministers of the three countries had to be postponed because the Libyan Foreign Minister had other diplomatic commitments.
When pressed on when the meeting will be held, the spokesman said the ministry was corresponding with its Libyan counterparts.
The debate over immigration was sparked again by the recent landings which also brought 103 men and 36 women, 10 of them claiming to be pregnant, after they were rescued at sea by the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM).
The immigrants, who were probably headed towards Italy, made contact with the Italian Coast Guard's station in Rome via a satellite phone on Sunday morning. The Italians informed the AFM, which intervened to help them as the engine of their 35-foot grey rubber dinghy stalled.
AFM Commander Carmel Vassallo said that although it is rare for Malta to receive immigrants in winter, it is not that unusual. In fact, the last landing was in November.
"What is strange is that they came in a dinghy at this time of the year when bad weather is expected," he said adding that dinghies have become more popular in the past two years probably because they are more available to traffickers.
This was an organised trip and probably the immigrants that landed in Malta, and who probably left Libya and were headed to Lampedusa, just accepted the window of good weather offered by the organisers without realising that the weather may turn nasty within hours, Brig. Vassallo said.
Army sources said these were not dinghies purchased off-the shelf but rather custom built.
Brig. Vassallo said that just because the immigrants arrived in a dinghy it did not necessarily mean they were released from a mother ship in the Mediterranean. Indications were that they had set off from Libya.
"This group seemed lost as lately the trend was to go to Lampedusa where they were probably headed. However, their engine stalled and they wanted to be rescued when they drifted 45 miles close to Malta, where they were plucked to safety by the AFM," he said.
The UNHCR representative in Malta, Neil Falzon, agreed that the immigrants' arrival in Malta was a "big mistake" as they were headed to Lampedusa.
"It is worrying that people undertake this horrible journey in this weather when chances of arrival are minimal. It goes to show the desperation of these people," Dr Falzon said.
Colonel Brian Gatt, in charge of the detention centres, said he was not surprised by Monday's arrivals given what was going on in Italy. Though Malta's detention centres were full at the moment they will manage. "Our motto is to improve, adapt and overcome and that's what we'll do," he said.
The 139 immigrants will be accommodated in tents until mobile homes that have been ordered are delivered, he said. So far, 2,704 immigrants have landed in Malta this year, the bulk of them in summer, making 2008 a record year.
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Comments
I am saying that indefinite detention should apply to all those not granted refugee status, with fewer exceptions covered by the secondary status of humanitarian refuge. The status of humanitarian refuge should be far more strictly interpreted even if this goes against the spirit (the law is another matter - there is room for leeway in the legal jargon that would require more than the 200 word limit of this forum to explain) of conventions to which Malta is a signatory either by virtue of its EU membership (which I full support by the way) or as a signatory in its own right.
Wrt those with no ID, indefinite detention would obviously apply too. Africans willing to be repatriated who have no ID, regardless of whether they would have purposely lost their ID at some point or never had it, will, somehow or other, be repatriated even if this takes longer. Detention is a good way of helping them make up their minds that home is better because willing cooperation is the crucial factor that helps repatriate an illegal immigrant, with or without ID. Harsh - but is there a choice?
Mr.Vella my group SAVE MALTA will put $1000 IF you match it and place two African families rental in your area. Will you take up the group SAVE MALTA'S offer.
Yes, very well said, the islands history has alot to say regarding what the Maltese had to struggle for. That's why the Maltese should still hold onto what they have earned so dearly and to promote virtuous values and not to do what foreign occuppiers did to the Maltese people in the past.
So we've been fighting for our rights in Malta and didn't leave our country and now that we've got something you want to allow others because they may have economic hardship to come over and destroy what we and our fathers have built through great sacrifices. Tell it to the marines Jesmond.
OH! so your song now is that Malta should detain indefinitely the ones who have no ID; and not repatriate them as you suggested to which I brought to your attention that one cannot be repatriate if he/she has no documentation or know the country of origin.
That is quite a u - turn from your previous statement that you made earlier.
Let us not forget that Economic hardships have in the past ignited some very nasty conflicts - Poverty is a Human Rights issue.
That is why I stated that quote those detainees who refuse to cooperate in providing identification papers where these have been 'lost' should be detained indefinitely until they do, beyond the 18 month limit unquote. By this I did not mean searching for papers hidden in drawers but in cooperating with the authorities in establishing their countries of origin, the fresh issue of the necessary documentation and their eventual repatriation. Being detained is the stick applied to achieve that objective, to people who have entered the country illegally and who do not qualify for refugee status. I am well aware that this is not easy particularly when dealing with certain nationalities, ex Somalis who I believe are amongst the largest ethnic groups in Malta. However people from Ghana, Nigeria and other African countries come from functioning states. Over 50% of illegal immigrant arrivals are eventually granted humanitarian refuge (where these do not qualify for refugee status) whick keeps on being indefinitely extended. You know the population of Malta, the annual net immigrant inflow and you can do simple maths even while resting. This is unsustainable.
And if they don't give you your diploma you think they''re going to issue passports?
Having said that, yes, there are others who destroy documentation but it's extremely unfair to consider any asylum seeker without documentation as not-cooperating.
Will UNHCR then rectify what it describes as a "mistake" by sending the illegal immigrants back to Libya?
You should read the article again and this time make an effort and try understand what you have just read.
Common sense should tell you that you cannot repatriate someone if you do not know his/her nationality. I rest my case.
I would expect you of all people to stick to the issue. The repatriation of the Egyptians announced yesterday have have nothing to do with the Immigration Pact or the other issues you have raised.
Your comment was that Malta should follow Italy's example and do the same in repatriating the Egyptians illegal immigrants. I simply pointed out to you that Malta does not need to follow Italy's example. It is Malta that took the lead in repatriating Egyptian illegal immigrants.
There is nothing wrong in one admitting in having jumped the gun.
Is this so hard to understand??...the FIRST group it says, probably because sending the Egyptians back is the easiest, so what I gather from this extract is that other 'groups" are expected to follow......
@Joe Vella-----tell me what results we've seen from the Immigration Pact and tell me which countries are taking any immigrants and tell me how the government is trying to integrate those who'd probably stay here and show me the figures telling me how many there are in Hal-Far, Marsa and Bugibba and how they are paying the rent in the latter case and tell me how many are in illegal employment and how many were caught and what fines given to the employers and tell me how many have comitted crimes and were repatriated profusely!! Only then will I believe that this government is taking this issue seriously!!
Oh and, OBVIOUSLY the Honourables Tonio Borg and Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici couldn't be reached. I bet that will change when they find out that no one will vote for them in the next elections.
When one considers how much of this MILITARY quipment is actually used for it's intented purpose, I am sure that the return of investment is pretty negligible, so what is the problem with removing such industries an promoting more investment into the other humane aspects of our world (First World, Second and Third World included...that is)
Should of course, another world war occurr, the return of investment of all the military euipment will be much higher.............................but who will benefit this is another question.
The elements of civilised life that we enjoy should be equal throughout the world, including the former ex European colonies within the African continent. When I say European, I dio include Switzerland and it's banks.......of course.
Louise, the point you have mentioned about UNHCR focusing on refugees... well that is one topic most people fail to understand. Almost every refugee was once an illegal immigrant, running out of his or her home country without permission. So every illegal immigrant is potentially someone who can get refugee status!
I am confused. Can anybody clarify this matter for me? I checked the UNHCR website on:
http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/contact
I found the following:
Contact us
________________________________________
Malta is covered by the UNHCR Branch Office in Italy
________________________________________
To contact this office electronically, please use the form below:
Have we read the same article? Or you meant to say it is about time Italy followed Malta's example?
So it's alright for Italy to say 'full up' we cannot take any more immigrants, but tiny Malta will just have to keep on taking in an endless number, even though and I quote 'Malta's detention centres are full'!
What's going to happen when MALTA itself is full? What will happen when there are so many 'desperate and displaced' Africans living here with no prospect of the 'better life' they had hoped for that the country becomes an overcrowded, lawless hell on earth? Will the government declare a state of emergency then, I wonder?
Listen to what the AFM soldiers are saying. They are already outnumbered 1 to 100 in the detention centres. We read daily about crimes committed by these uninvited guests who have no work and spend their days trying to kill time....with no money... It doesn't take a genius to work out that this is a very unhealthy situation for our country.
How long will it take for the government to realise that the libyans are taking it and the rest of europe for a ride. The meeting will not take place. Libya has an interest in this invason as stated by gaddafi himself on youtube. I ask the UNHCR representative, have you contacted the libyan Governmnet? Do you have a representative in Libya? I am not holding my breath for an answer but i think I know what it is. AFM's motto is"............ to improve, adapt and overcome and that's what we'll do," Does that mean erecting more tents until they flow into the street? How about building a block of apartments on the opera house's site to accomodate the illegal immigrants?that would compliment the block on the opposite side.
You wrote; "About time we start to follow what other EU countries are doing.........
Yeah... Italy started today.
When shall WE start???"
I am afraid that you have missed the boat. Italy is following Malta's lead and not the other way around.
UNHCR should limit itself to its legal mandate - REFUGEES - and not try to stretch itself to deal with IMMIGRANTS.