Migrants ‘scared’ to report abuse

Neil Falzon

Oct 1st 2011, 07:54

Your news report 'Migrants scared to report abuse' of Friday September 30 is an incorrect and unfair account of the event and discussions held on that day. Contrary to your statements and as may be verified on our website (www.aditus.org.mt), aditus is not an immigrant NGO but a general human rights NGO with a broader focus than asylum and migration. The latter themes feature more prominently in our current activities due to serious human rights concerns with the national asylum and migration scenario.

Secondly, and more importantly, your report focused on what was in fact a minor element in a much wider discussion. Whereas the participants did comment on the difficulties faced by migrants in accessing their fundamental human rights, the scope of Thursday's activities was not limited to this analysis.

The morning and afternoon events were capacity-building sessions targeting national stakeholders (governmental, non-governmental and also private), focused on presenting the international and regional human rights framework relevant to any migration discourse. Technical presentations were made on general human rights principles, international refugee law, human rights in the Maltese context and also on substantive elements such as the detention of migrants and the nature of economic, social and cultural rights. Discussions were then held on these themes, focusing on migration mainstreaming, empowerment and ultimately the overall relevance and effectiveness of human rights standards in Malta.

It is regretted that your report failed to portray or even refer to these important themes, limiting its coverage to a rather simplistic and cliched overview of the activities.

Mr carlos ellul

Oct 1st 2011, 05:27

Free housing facilities, free day care services, these are services that aren't even offered to Maltese citizens. Its already ridiculous enough that local homeless people can't live in the open center were free food and shelter is offered to immigrants let allow increasing such services which Malta cannot and shouldn't afford to do.

What I do criticize the government for is the lack of freedom of movement specifically imposed by the EU under the Dublin 2 law and the closing an eye over illegal work. Immigrants should be allowed to leave Malta and go to Europe if they want to and companies should not exploit them.

Mr Robert Callus

Sep 30th 2011, 17:40

Sadly, this is true.

I meet quite a lot of migrants, most of whom are employed legally, pay taxes and definitely are not exploited. I've also heard of a couple of success stories where the employer guided the immigrants in areas of life other than the job as well as a case where employer kind of adopted an immigrant who had no relatives in Malta.

However, these are people that have been here for quite some time, know their rights and are fluent in Maltese or English. The "predator" employers feed on the most vulnerable, especially those still at the Open Centres. Like those who go to Marsa and pick up people randomly in the morning. Here I've heard of a couple of horror stories including migrants being paid nothing at all for a week's work and in one case the immigrant was even threatened with a knife - because he asked for his pay.

And here I ask: WHO is protecting these people? Why are they allowed to break the law with impunity? When a migrant commits a crime, there is an outrage. Why isn't there any outrage towards these "predator" employers - chronic offenders.

Those who don't give a hoot for the rights of immigrants, should also keep in mind that thanks to these exploiters, the so much needed tax money on labor (especially amid an ageing population) is not being paid.

Winta Kiros

Sep 30th 2011, 12:22

I must say I am shocked at some of the comments made here. Firstly, it is important to distinguish between illegal immigrants and refugees. Why don't you complain about the MNC's that loot resources from poor countries? why don't you complain about the governments who instigate war in Afghanistan, Libya, Egypt, Iraq, Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Nigeria and many more? Why don't you complain about the system that allows only Europeans to travel freely all over the world and restricts the rest? Why don't you complain about companies that sell destructive fertilisers to poor farmers ? Why don't you complain about your own capitalist system that is rendering you disabled? Some comments made are just plain ignorant and irrational, and it is this very irrationality that breeds hatred and destruction and just know that you are solving nothing but creating more trouble for you are far from the truth.

Moira Heath

Sep 30th 2011, 11:48

I can't understand the argument of this article. If someone, anyone, black, white, yellow etc is kicked out into the street without a work permit and with no one to take care of them, what is he/she expected to do exactly? They can either work without a work permit (with all the problems therein), get involved in crime or sit down in a corner and eventually die from dehydration and malnutrition. I'm frankly astounded and grateful hat we have more choosing the first option rather than the second or third. Why should they bite the only hand that feeds them (albeit it feeds them crumbs)? They cannot work legallly so what options do they have? And please don't go shouting that they have the option to go back where they came from. For most of these oppressed people, it's not an option, otherwise they wouldn't be here in the first place, I'm sure. Why not allow them to leave the open centre only once they have something to go out to? It's true we're a Catholic country, we keep expecting miracles to happen without having to lift a finger. Problems will not go away just because we ignore them or pretend they don't exist.

Mr John Said

Sep 30th 2011, 11:39

How come they didn’t complain in their country……… maybe cause they would have been shot!

If you don’t have any money or a roof over your head, and someone offered you free shelter and food, would you complain if you don’t like the food, or that the mattress is to hard or soft? Would you destroy and burn the place down? Would you try and turn the place the way you like? You should only thank god that you are alive and do your best not to disturb the persons who are helping you. If you don’t like it you are always free to go back where you came from.

We do our best to help these people but they are the ones who have to get used to our system not us to them.

Mr John Azzopoardi

Sep 30th 2011, 11:07

The migrants have it made. Who are you people kidding. They came from oppresive regimes in both their countries and Libya and now becuase they are in an EU country they know they can do what they want, break the law and everything. And they expect to get away with it as well by their constant complaining becuase they know that the media will pick it up. They more more rights than the locals that is for sure.

Kenneth Galea

Sep 30th 2011, 09:50

The NGO's should not encourage more illegal immigration but should encourage these illegals to return to Libya once the NTC takes over. I have my severe doubts on the role of the NTC, they started a senseless war, let's see if they fulfill their promises. Watch this space.

Gustav Svensson

Sep 30th 2011, 09:06

I hope EU will step in and start the integration. The should learn maltese and be provided with proper housing, which is what is happening in all other EU countries.

Ms Louise Vella

Sep 30th 2011, 08:18

Migrants have no political clout! Is this surprising? They left Libya by boat as part of Gaddafi's campaign of punishing Malta for joining the EU. So not only did they enter Malta illegally, they were intended deliberately as a punishment on us. This is now confirmed by all the officials of the new Libyan regime. If they asked for refugee status they probably embellished their stories to increase their chances of getting asylum. They are in Malta temporarily until such time as they find an opportunity to go to some richer EU country to the north. Is it surprising they have no political clout?