Malta not institutionally racist, PN politicians say

Nationalist politicians who joined Wednesday’s “walk against institutional racism” did not actually agree that Malta is institutionally racist, according to MP Beppe Fenech Adami.

Migrants are treated as sub-humans and some have been savagely beaten- Evarist Bartolo

When contacted, Dr Fenech Adami said he and seven other PN politicians attended the walk to send a message they were against all forms of racism and violence.

However, Dr Fenech Adami said that he and the other Nationalist figures in attendance “obviously” disagree that racism is institutionalised.

He described the government’s policy of mandatory detention for undocumented migrants – which was repeatedly criticised during Wednesday’s protest – as “necessary in the local context”, though he acknowledged that conditions in detention could be improved.

“What is needed most of all is a clear policy for integrating migrants once they leave detention,” he said.

The protest walk was called after Malian man Mamadou Kamara died in the custody of soldiers following his escape from Safi detention centre.

Asked if his attendance at the walk meant he believed Malta was instutionally racist, MEP Simon Busuttil replied “of course not”.

Describing detention as “an essential part of our migration policy”, Dr Busuttil added, “detention policy is not in itself illegal, still less is it tantamount to racism”.

However, Dr Busuttil said he has never been satisfied with conditions when he visited detention centres.

Centres should be the subject of a review and independent monitoring on an ongoing basis, Dr Busuttil added.

Nationalist MP Charlò Bonnici, who also joined the walk, wrote in a blog post afterwards that detention is necessary “to ensure things are kept under control especially at the point of arrival of immigrants. It is also necessary as a deterrent for other potential immigrants.”

Nevertheless, conditions at detention centres should be improved as “degrading conditions... only serve to drive these people crazy and rebellious with tragic results,” Mr Bonnici wrote.

Nationalist MP Karl Gouder, PN officials Frank Psaila and Paula Mifsud Bonnici, Labour MP Evarist Bartolo and Alternattiva Demokratika’s Arnold Cassola also attended the protest.

They listened to several speeches that denounced the detention system for encouraging racism and violence towards migrants and creating mistrust between Africans and Maltese.

Labour spokesman for civil rights Evarist Bartolo told The Sunday Times he believed “the way migrants are treated in detention centres is institutionally racist”.

“Keeping people in conditions much worse than prison diminishes the humanity of those caught in the system either as migrants or as security guards. Migrants are treated as sub-humans and some have been savagely beaten,” he said.

He called for reduced detention periods, improved conditions and better training and resources for those looking after detainees.

Asked if he had expressed his views on the matter to senior Labour Party figures,Mr Bartolo replied: “They are being discussed as part of the policy-making process”.

The PL has often been criticised for adopting a populist tone when dealing with the issue of irregular migration from Africa.