Thursday, 9th July 2009 - 11:06CET
92 migrants on their way to France
"We do not want to be alone" - Ambassador
Video: Mark Zammit Cordina
A group of 92 immigrants enjoying international protection left Malta this morning in search of a new life in France.
They were seen off at the airport by the French Ambassador, who said this was France's response to Malta's appeal for burden sharing, but France "does not want to be alone." He said France was interested in taking another group next year but wanted to pull the other EU countries into the initiative.
The 74 adults, five children and 13 infants from Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, Côte d'Ivoire and Sri Lanka will be resettled in three towns in the north of the country.
They will initially reside in reception centres for a maximum of six months and the French Officefor Immigration and Integration (OFII) will also help them integrate through language and cultural orientation training.
This pilot relocation project is in response to the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum agreed in October last year.
This project has been implemented jointly by the International Organisation for Migration's offices in both Paris and Malta, as well as the French and Maltese authorities, local NGOs and other organisations working in the field of migration. IOM Malta has been responsible for the delivery of cultural orientation and arrangements related to the departure, including medical examination.
The migrants had been in Malta for an average of four years. They expressed their gratitude for Malta's assistance but said they wanted to move on because France was a bigger country offering them greater opportunities.
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The average birth rate within the EU is down to about 1.5 children per woman. This is raising fears among EU governments they will not be able to finance pensions systems for ageing European population. Therefore, man power must be imported to collect taxes for future pensioners.
This simply means the irreversible population deficit of aging Europe must be filled by immigrants. All politicians (including far-right parties) know that.
In today’s paper please have a look at the following:
In a statement issued to commemmorate the 20th World Population Day tomorrow, the National Statistics Office said that changes in the total population were a result of natural increase - the difference between birth and death counts, and migration - the difference between immigration and emigration. Nearly 75 percent of the population increase was due to migration.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090710/local/malta-sees-slight-population-growth
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Please don't take it I am in favor of illegal immigrants. In Malta/Europe the Black peoples (LEGAL AND ILLEGALS) are s not welcomed. This is Racism.
Seeing the last of the illegal immigrants leave Malta and no other illegal immigrant being allowed to set foot in Malta.
Is their a reason for your negativity? 92 human beings are starting a new life, God knows what they went through. They are leaving Malta like you wish.
They have full suitcases yes. So?
@ Luke Rocco
As far as I am concerned, NO-ONE has the right to enter our countries illegally when our countries are FULL UP and struggling to cope with existing numbers. Not to mention the fact that is at the expense, in every way, of those already living and working there.....
As far as I am concerned Nick Giffin has got it right in his recent comments about the mass saturation of Europe by sub-Saharan Africans and the mass exodus via Libya.
Having "the right to find shelter and a better life" is one thing, but planning and costing the relocation of people is a different matter altogether. We all have rights, Mr Rocco. Any idea on how much these 92 people will be costing the French government? Maltese taxpayers paid an average of four years per person in upkeep, and these taxpayers had the right to have a say in the matter. They obviously have been denied that right because someone has clearly acted illegally.
And if there were any truth in your claim that 'illegal economic migrants' are sent back almost immediately, why there are thousands of these illegal entrants still occupying Maltese land and being maintained by taxpayer's funds?
Your remark "ageing Europe" is most insulting to Europeans. It is becoming clearer and clearer that this planet needs to reduce population, not increase it. This has nothing to do with "aging" and has everything to do with economics. True. France contributed to soil erosion on the African continent by way of CO2 emissions. It is now up to France to work out what to do with these additional 92 mouths, and thousands more heading for France and elsewhere as time moves on.
The facebook group Save Malta From Illegal Immigration held a demonstration in front of the French Embassy in New York in the first week of December 2008. A Marie-Laure Charrier from the French Embassy came out and accepted our petition and communicated with us for 2 hours on behalf of the French government. She assured me the petition will be sent to Paris to the highest immigration office. The Maltese need to keep protesting. We have a lot of work left, but we are starting to make progress.
Well done Dr. Gonzi and I sincerely wish them good luck in ageing Europe.
Merci bein Monsieur Sarko, more importantly please stop destabilizing Africa and create the conditions for more Africans to quit homes.
@ Mon Dieu
Please God, help me to know what could calm down our ‘patriots’ Vella’s and Galea’s as it seems nothing make them happy.
Anyways this is good news, I dont care what they were wearing or how much cloths they have in their suitcase, what I care about is the fact that we managed to shift 92 migrants to another country. Lets hope they make the best out of this opportunity, especially since there are quite a few children involved. Thank you France.
My comment read "Good, I hope more others follow their example. I wish them a good luck in their new adventure."
What I meant is that more should follow their example so that they alleviate the problem from our country once and for all.
@Luke Rocco
They are not sent back, you must know that these illegal immigrants are unidentified. "illegal" immigrants have no right to be here whether they are economic or asylum seekers.
These migrants do not want our 'pity' but 'respect'. There is a big difference in it. Also, if they have worked hard and bought the said clothes themselves, whats the big deal. It's their hard earned cash!!!
@Adrian Allain
Kindly note, that 'illegal economic migrants' are sent back almost immediately, since they have no rights to be in Malta in the first place. However, those who are asylum seekers and refugees have the right to find shelter and a better life. Ironically, the only way to do that is to enter a country in an illegal manner, since no procedures are in place that allow you to do that, especially in Malta.
These clothes are available in Africa as well... so could be that they brought them along. Do you by any chance know if any of the clothes these migrants are wearing were received as donations from the Maltese public? Just asking, cos it seems judging often comes first especially with such minority groups. I'm surprised you didn't comment about one of them talking on his mobile phone... ah cos maybe you realise that that's the only way he can communicate... ;)
So what you are saying is that you want more to arrive here illegally from Libya by boat, stay for 4 years and them move on?
The 'success' of these 92 in acheiving their goal will I'm afraid encourage more to come.
The only way to stop this peaceful invasion of Europe by illegal economic migrants is to send them back immediately.
Could it be they are quality counterfeit reproductions? Some are so well made that one can hardly tell the difference unless you know exactly where to look!
Still we wish them Bon Voyage and hope that many more will follow soon!
Dawn huma l-istess 92 li ilnha nisimghu li sejrin xhur shah. Grazzi lil Franza.
Issa nistenna li jiehdu ftit mijiet l-iSvezja fejn mara Lawrence Gonzi fil-gimghat li ghaddew u tghidx kemm ftahar kemm se jtuna appogg.