Malta hits out at Médecins Sans Frontières report
EU Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot visited closed and open centres durting his recent visit to Malta.
The Home Affairs Ministry has hit out at a report published in Brussels by Médecins Sans Frontières, saying the organisation was persisting in criticising Malta "in the most unfair manner" by publishing a dramatised report which was nothing more than thinly-veiled attack on Malta’s detention policy - a matter outside of MSF’s remit.
In a long rebuttal, the ministry said the reason behind Malta’s detention policy was not to deter the arrival of more illegal immigrants, but rather to safeguard the country’s security.
"It should be borne in mind that practically all illegal immigrants reach Malta undocumented, and proper identification is by no means easy. This should also make it clear that detention is not intended as a form of punishment," the ministry said.
"The Maltese authorities also distinguish between illegal immigrants and asylum seekers who enter the country illegally. In fact, the Maltese system foresees a maximum detention period of 18 months for illegal immigrants, and a detention period not exceeding 12 months for asylum seekers who enter the country illegally. Detention is exercised on the grounds of illegal entry."
The ministry acknowledged that that crowding in detention centres was a concern. but said that MSF was failing to appreciate that this situation was a direct result of the larger number of illegal immigrants that landed in Malta during 2008 and the atypical arrival of more illegal immigrants during the first two months of this year.
"In these circumstances blaming crowding and the problems created by it on the Maltese authorities is both unfair and devoid of a realistic appraisal of the situation. This is especially so when considering that the Ta’ Kandja detention centre has just been expanded and is already full to capacity."
The Maltese authorities were doing their utmost to improve reception conditions, but the unusual arrival of over 700 immigrants in the first two months of this year had delayed plans for refurbishment. Still, the Hermes Block which was frequently mentioned by MSF in its report, was currently undergoing major restructuring and refurbishing.
The ministry said the impression that MSF was trying to put across, that the health problems being faced by illegal immigrants were down to Malta’s detention policy, was grossly misleading and unrealistic. It should be evident, it said, that a degree of crowding in any reception facility in Malta, be it closed or open, was in the present circumstances inevitable.
"It should be borne in mind that the purpose of our detention policy is to maintain security – even from a health point-of-view. In this regard, detention also ensures what is for us a priority - that the immigrants be treated for any infectious disease prior to their release into the community. The immediate release of illegal immigrants that MSF seems to be suggesting would only exacerbate these problems."
The Ministry insisted that vulnerable persons were not subject to the detention requirement and they had their freedom restricted only until such time as the necessary medical clearance was obtained – usually in less than a fortnight. Again, the sheer number of arrivals experienced during the first two months of the year had resulted in the handful of exceptions mentioned by MSF which had since been addressed.
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Ivan Attard
Apr 19th 2009, 19:49
@Andrew Camilleri
True, I agree with you. Detention is a must but it should not be for 18 months.
IT SHOULD BE INDEFINITE.
David Caruana
Apr 19th 2009, 09:17
@ Andrew Camilleri, Chris Mifsud:
No one will reach a compromise if two maltese brothers keep on arguing about "foreign guests". Both of you are right, and both of you are wrong.
Chris, our friend Andrew (+ many others) would like to help these people, and I bow to his selflessness in wanting to help these people. I personally wish I was more like him and give more to these people who are in need.
Andrew, our friend Chris does not or cannot help these people and you have to respect this. Unfortunately, all the tax-payers money go in one basket and then Government spends it wherever it wishes. Chris prefers if the money HE is putting in this basket would be spent on better education for his children, better roads, etc etc... and it is his sacred right to do so. I'm sorry my friend but you have no right to judge his choice. Having said this, I really hope that you, with all your rightousness and "sebak dritt", I really hope that you are dedicating your time off, your energy and your extra finances to these people... otherwise you're just a hypocrite.
K. Camilleri
Apr 19th 2009, 07:26
To Everyone; http://www.msf.org/source/countries/europe/malta/2009/2009_04_report_Malta.pdf
The above is the report MSF wrote about Malta. I have reason to believe it is very politically motivated. I don't think that MSF realised the country is STRETCHED, we are the most densely populated country in the world, only seocond to Hong Kong and we have no natural resouces other than SUN and SEA unlike our VERY RICH neighbours Italy and Libya who have their own oil. I think MSF should come to Malta to also help the Maltese. Recent reports state that public health is stretched in carrying local ordeals let alone helping the thousands of migrants arriving to our shores. I think MSF should re evalute their position as a non profit humanitarian organisation. I believe what they wrote is very offensive to the Maltese as a population where we are struggling to keep this situation going. The report is not aimed at finding a solution but at slamming the maltese.
Andrew Camilleri
Apr 18th 2009, 16:32
@Igalea: Won't bother replying, since I'm an ostrich with my head in the ground. At least I'm not an idiot and a racist.
Andrew Camilleri
Apr 18th 2009, 16:30
@Chris Mifsud: From where do you get your statistics? Off the top of your head?
Detention is not a holiday, no. But neither is it a farm. And detention is a must, but not for a period of 18 months. Immigrants owning those things you mentioned are those who have been freed and who actually work for those things (below the minimum wage, may I add). I have not seen any immigrants with designer clothes. You may be mistaking tourists for immigrants, of course. Since they're black.
I'll tell you what they want. They want to be treated like humans.
Marianna Galea Xuereb
Apr 18th 2009, 14:24
To safeguard the interests of the REAL Maltese people we should be doing much more " to deter the arrival of more illegal immigrants" and not speak as if deterring the arrival of illegal immigrants is something to be ashamed of.
FRANK MERCIECA
Apr 18th 2009, 14:01
Carmen Caruana,
TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU DEAR.
Frank Calleja
Apr 18th 2009, 10:47
@ Andrew Camilleri
So what is the limit Malta can support before it's economy collapses due to the huge number of africans wishing to go to Europe? 15,000? 50,000? 100,000?
Where are they going to work? And where will the maltese work then?
lgalea
Apr 18th 2009, 10:43
carmen caruana
Why don't you go and live with them to see how innocent they are?
J Farrugia
Apr 18th 2009, 09:42
Bravo the Minister. They renounced their brief here in Malta but had the audacity to interfere in our internal matters. If we still had the foreign interferance act, this MSF would have had to be extradited to Malta and face charges. No foreigner NGO should be admitted to offer its services.
Chris Mifsud
Apr 18th 2009, 07:56
@Andrew Camilleri
You only speak for yourself and maybe 0.1% of the population .
You do not speak for me or anybody else .
Fact: Detention is a must
Fact: Detention is not a holiday resort
Fact: At least 95% of the population disagrees that their hard earned money is through taxes being spent to house and feed these illegal immigrants .
What more do they want ? They have roof over their heads , They have food , They have medical attention , They have water ...... They even have mobile phones , top up cards , designer clothes , watches and sunglasses .
What more do they want ?
Michelle Dali
Apr 18th 2009, 07:45
MSF should be ashamed of themselves! They are supposed to be a charitable organisation, there to help those in need, yet they abandoned the illegal immigrants when the going got tough. As if that wasn't bad enough, they have the gall to criticise Malta, which unlike them, is stuck with the problem and cannot simply walk away from it!
Once again, for rescuing, housing, feeding, clothing, giving medical treatment and social benefits to illegal immigrants, all Malta gets in return is criticism from all and sundry. This is the publicity Malta receives for all it does for these uninvited 'guests'. Never once does our country get the recognition it deserves for dealing with the unprecedented and unsustainable situation it finds itself in, through no fault of it's own!
David Caruana
Apr 18th 2009, 06:23
MSF and/or any foreigner who thinks that they can tell us how to run our country should be simply IGNORED, as other already suggested on previous posts. The problem here is that we Maltese should stand as a united people. It's useless to argue between us, those in favour and those against. On the other hand, it's quite understandable in a country where our political scenario was always built on "divide and conquer". While everyone is alienated fighting red against blues, our political class just sits down and looks pretty while taking decisions which do not really reflect the people's will. One cannot say that the Maltese people are ill-hearted or non-charitable people... we all know that that's far from the truth. As much as we would love to help these people, one has to admit that we cannot cope with such and influx of illegal immigrants. It is also a well known fact that some of these illegal immigrants are abusing the system. You can ask anyone who works with these people that they do call their families and friends to "invite" them to Malta where "everything is paid for"!!
carmen caruana
Apr 17th 2009, 23:58
ooo god.....a bunch of politicians that never talked to a single immigrant, try to talk and take actions against immigrations. I bet no minister knows the real situation both in Africa and in the detention centers.
Detention centers are not healthy, all immigrants will be free after 18 months so what's the purpose? do you think that immigrants will stop trying to save their lives just because of a detention center????
where are the socialists of joseph muscat to defend these innnocent people???
M.Bezzina
Apr 17th 2009, 23:54
Min fuq il grazzi xorta naqilaw bis sieq!!
Anthony Zammit
Apr 17th 2009, 23:40
When the going gets tough, the chickens chicken out......
and that's what MSF actually did...
now, they are back with talk, talk but no do, do....
malcolm seychell
Apr 17th 2009, 23:38
Malta is doing more then enough towards illegal immigration. Medecins sans frontieres are just a political tool.
M Ellul
Apr 17th 2009, 23:18
Why do we bother what the report says when we do not bother much about national issues that effect the legal citizens of this tiny country...... whats the big deal....they dont like it here who asked them to come in the first place......
lgalea
Apr 17th 2009, 23:07
Andrew Camilleri, Rocco Cauchi
What you mention should be provided by their ex-colonial masters of which the countries the MSF comes from are some of them. We have NO obligation whatsoever towards the ILLEGAL immigrants. You are acting like ostriches hiding your heads in the sand trying to believe that the problem is no problem at all. Go to the illegal immigrants countries and help them there.
Franco Xuereb
Apr 17th 2009, 22:42
Dear fellow citizens, let us not waste any more time writing on MSF. Let us not give them the importance that they want, thus if they are so concerned about the illegal immigrants which had landed in our shores then they should have taken all illegal immigrants with them when they had decided to leave our island, the problem would have been solved from both angles.
As I have stated previously I agree with the detention for all illegal immigrants, not for 18 months but UNTIL THE DAY THEY ARE REPATREATED BACK.
In my opinion the Government and the Minister responsible KMB should show more determination and start acting in the interest of our country before it’s too late. Please stop dreaming that Europe will help Malta in this respect, the Maltese people do not want founds from Europe but action. It had showed all along and will continue to do so that the proposed burden sharing will not work within the EU, thus by doing so will not solve the problem but will continue to encourage more influx.
Ernest Vella
Apr 17th 2009, 22:36
I ask MSF to see what the so called "European Friends" are doing to help Malta in first place, maybe better, what is the French Goverment doing. These doctors are to be blamed and condemed for they always shut there mouth and nver got the courage to accuse the UN and the EU.
We are small, yes, but we are not going to let such guys insulting us...we are a respected country who suffered and suffering a lot from the commodities of the rich countries of the west. I, first voted YES for the EU but I knew a better EU. Maybe EU is just cosy cosy telling Malta....There is the Burden Sharing...how funny...JPO said it right...EU forgot us
EU must note that this problem is causing in the Maltese citizens to become racists. I tell my co-citizens that if we are to become racist, lets be racist against the rich countries and not against those poor people which EU forgot...I am disgusted by the EU
john fenech
Apr 17th 2009, 21:33
Our friends, MSF are still peeved at the statements of two EU commissioners about Malta’s exacerbate situation with the added influx of visitors in an ever reduced space. May I suggest that the good doctors will set shop on the shores of Benghazi to dispense anti EU euphoria medicine to the European hopefuls; maybe they will change their mind and stay with Colonel. So they will be not subject to our barbarian ways after having put their life’s in jeopardy during their expensive cruise!
This is a prime example of burden sharing! I wonder if by a long shot oil deposit is found in this international
A Cassar
Apr 17th 2009, 21:26
MSF should go to work in African countries like Somalia in order to test their capabilities. Or is this too much for them?
Michael Neville Cassar
Apr 17th 2009, 20:51
Rocco Cauchi No more sermons please just go and help them make a decent administration in their country. You do not get it, do you. Malta is too small for US ALL.
Franco Farrugia
Apr 17th 2009, 20:41
While every effort should be made to ensure that immigrants, illegal and ... otherwise, are treated with dignity, Malta should make it clear both to the EU as well as to everyone concerned, that it does not intend to renounce from its detention policy simply because the country cannot afford otherwise. And that's it. If people abroad think otherwise, let them start taking the immigrants to their country.
F Borg
Apr 17th 2009, 20:35
Well-said Charles Sammut, R Gatt and Sam Barbara. TO WHOEVER WANTS TO MENTION INJUSTICE, I'M UNDEREMPLOYED AND CANNOT MAKE ENDS MEET AND HAVE TO LIVE ON THE CHARITY OF RELATIVES. THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FROM BEING A DAMNED LEGAL CITIZEN, BECAUSE OUR WELFARE STATE IS A JOKE IN THE FACE OF LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS LIKE MYSELF. These illegals have thousands of dollars to spend on coming here, and once here, everything is provided for them for free. What a great return on investment! MSF should go to where the sun does not shine as far as I'm concerned. Wait till the summer weather kicks in and see how these illegals will be coming here in their thousands to enjoy the benefits we provide them free of charge paid for from OUR TAXES at the expense of the welfare of people like myself. This is does not bode well for law and order and social cohesion. The way things are going, all this will lead to more crime, violence, social unrest, riots and what have you.
jimmy vella
Apr 17th 2009, 20:34
Why bother trying to defend the system the problem is bigger than us and soon it will explode and MSF will not be here to pick up the pieces
JF Vassallo Ebejer
Apr 17th 2009, 20:14
MSF have shown their true colours – Real doctors, real charities would have never walked out on the people they were supposed to be taking care of!!
Trevor Lorenzo Mizzi
Apr 17th 2009, 20:08
Who and what is behind all these NGOs? Follow the Money is a good way to do it. Maybe all the NGOs should go to Jesuitland along with all the illegal invaders and their NWO enablers ;-)
Charles Sammut
Apr 17th 2009, 19:49
Why does the Maltese government feel obliged to rebut MSF rantings? Just ignore them.
R.Gatt
Apr 17th 2009, 19:47
MSF, why not take your sorry selves, hightail it to Libya or wherever these illegal immigrants are embarking from and whine about the problem over there?
Sam Barbara
Apr 17th 2009, 19:33
MSF should open their eyes and see the truth. The bottom line is they are illegal immigrants. I see that Malta is doing all it can to help these people and the MSF should mind their own business. What do they want next, to put these illegals up at the Hilton.
john borg
Apr 17th 2009, 19:33
THE CABS BROUGHT HERE BY BIRDLIFE ARE A SIMILAR SCENARIO , BLA BLA BLA BLA BUT AT THE END ALL MALTA AND MALTESE ARE BEING SLAMMED, THEY COME HERE TO REPORT ON AFEW DAYS OF HUNTING WHILE IN THEIR COUNTRIES IT`S OPEN SEASON ALL YEAR ROUND................
Rocco Cauchi
Apr 17th 2009, 19:21
Is our geographical position a bane or a vocation?
Is it by coincidence that we sit astride a European - African border,
where plates rub against each other,
and St Paul made landfall because after 14 days,
it was the first rock his vessel came across?
Is it all chance or Providence, religion or faith?
Here comes the big test.
We use our smallness to beg for ourselves
but do not let beggars find refuge on our shores.
Pope Benedict did not utter wasteful words a couple of Sundays ago.
Christians have to show their mettle - on any frontier they sit on.
Andrew Camilleri
Apr 17th 2009, 19:21
MSF is not a political organization, and is simply a group of medical professionals who dedicate their time to helping those in need. I think that the irregular migrants arriving in Malta are in need. As MSF had pointed out, it is useless trying to help these people when the government persists in defending it's position.
The detention centres are a travesty, and migrants are not even given basic things they need to make their life less miserable. These poor people are crying out for justice and we are giving them none, what with our pompous statements and ridiculous arguments spreading fear out among the uninformed.
People should realise that this is nothing to do with money, or with what is fair or not: we are dealing with people here, and human lives which need to be safeguarded and granted all the dignity befitting the human person.
Mario Borg
Apr 17th 2009, 19:18
What are MSF going about? They left Malta because the conditions were too much for them. Now what? We are still here and we still have thousands of illegal immigrants to look after and provide with everything from our heavily-taxed miserable salaries, thanks to ever increasing numbers and problems. What's their flipping problem now?
Joseph calleja
Apr 17th 2009, 19:18
Why is the MSF complaining about Malta and the detention camps? After all they are the ones that BAILED OUT when the task they were sent to do got a bit hard. A detention camp is what it is, and not a hotel. I think the government and the people are doing the best they can for these illegal immigrants who come to Malta by choice. MSF is a charitable organization and they should have stayed and helped the immigrants, cause that's what their mission is, to help the under privileged, and not to criticize.
louise vella
Apr 17th 2009, 19:06
It is now more than obvious to everybody that MSF came to Malta on a political mission disguised as humanitarian aid. It is time we started to recognize these ‘Greeks carrying gifts’. Next time a humanitarian or do-gooder organization offers its services, we should examine closely its background and its contacts in Malta. It would not be surprising if one found that all these organizations have the same contact point in Malta. From their fruit you will know them.