Immigrants rise up in protest at Safi
A broken water boiler sparked a commotion at the Safi detention centre last night, with some 200 immigrants using the mishap to protest against being locked in.
The incident occurred at 7.30 p.m. when the immigrants realised that their source of boiling water for hot drinks had broken down, army sources said.
In the pandemonium that ensued in Block B, an employee was slightly injured when he was hit in the head by a can of shaving foam. The immigrants pushed their way into the recreational yard, chanting loud protestations.
Police reinforcements, including the Special Assignment Group, were called in as Commander Brian Gatt, who oversees the detention centres, attempted to calm the situation down. Things began to return to normal after a couple hours.
An army source said immigrants tend to use minor incidents to highlight their plight.
Similar incidents have taken place within the same centre. Just three weeks ago about 300 immigrants staged a five-hour protest to demand their freedom.
Last month, Block B immigrants, who were denied humanitarian status to remain in Malta, caused a similar racket.
Asylum seekers who reach Malta's shores illegally can stay in detention for up to 12 months, while rejected asylum seekers or immigrants who do not apply for asylum can remain locked up for a maximum of 18 months.
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Charles Sammut
Jan 31st 2009, 10:04
"Last month, Block B immigrants, who were denied humanitarian status to remain in Malta, caused a similar racket."
Yet they will still be freed into the community after a maximum of 18 months.
That's rewarding criminality. That's the norm in today's politically correct world.
Michelle Dali
Jan 30th 2009, 15:22
Protests of this kind are becoming commonplace in southern Europe's illegal immigrant detention centres.
Residents on the island of Lampedusa protested recently because they fear it is being turned into a 'Mediterranean Alcatraz'. This was in response to the Italian governments announcement of plans to build a new detention centre on the island, where thousands of illegal immigrants landed last year.
The Italian government no longer intends illegal immigrants to be transferred elsewhere in Italy but wants them to be detained on Lampedusa, identified and deported, unless they are eligible for asylum or refugee status.
The government in Italy is taking firm action to safeguard the national interest. Malta's government must do the same - crisis situations call for drastic action. Malta's security is at stake and it is the duty of the elected government to ensure the safety of its citizens at all costs.
Joseph Cauchi
Jan 30th 2009, 14:43
“A broken water boiler sparked a commotion at the Safi detention centre last night …”.
If this is the real reason for this protest, then without a shadow of a doubt, these illegal immigrants are really an ungrateful bunch of people!
Is it perhaps because, they have not yet collected their 5,000 Euros?
../..
Edwin John Matthews
Jan 30th 2009, 11:03
Perhaps these people should be reminded that in their own country they probably didn't have water let alone a water boiler. They should consider themselves very lucky to be where they are, even if it only be TEMPORARY?