Government urged to end blanket detention policy
Malta’s policy of mandatory detention for migrants arriving by sea resulted in prolonged detention of unaccompanied children and other abuses of migrants’ rights, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.
It called on the government to end the blanket detention policy and ensure that children are not detained pending age determination.
Human Rights Watch’s new 50-page report, “Boat Ride to Detention: Adult and Child Migrants in Malta,” details treatment of migrants, typically from sub-Saharan Africa, who arrived in Malta after treacherous boat journeys across the Mediterranean, in unseaworthy boats, without enough food, water, or fuel.
Upon arrival in Malta, virtually all irregular migrants are detained – and the conditions in detention can exacerbate the trauma of the journey. The July 2012 death of Mamadou Kamara, a 32-year-old Malian migrant who was found dead inside a Maltese Detention Services van, has increased concern over the country’s treatment of migrants, it said.
“Malta’s automatic, indiscriminate, and blanket detention of migrants – including unaccompanied migrant children – is inhumane and unnecessary,” said Alice Farmer, researcher in the Children’s Rights Division at Human Rights Watch.
“It doesn’t deter migrants from coming to Malta and it violates international law.”
Since 2002, approximately 15,000 migrants have landed by boat on Malta, arriving in the country without permission, or “irregularly.”
The report documents Malta’s routine detention of unaccompanied migrant children – who are often fleeing violence or conflict in countries such as Somalia and Eritrea – pending the outcome of a lengthy age determination procedure.
Unaccompanied migrant children are children traveling without parents or other guardians; typically they travelled in dangerous conditions for many months before reaching Malta.
"If Malta determines that they are under age 18 – often only after a lengthy period in detention – they are released to group homes for children."
Among the children interviewed by Human Rights Watch, the average length of time spent in detention awaiting age determination was 3.4 months.
Most unaccompanied migrant children travelled without passports or other identifying documents, which might be impossible to obtain in their countries of origin.
The Maltese government treated unaccompanied children who lacked proof of their age as adults and detained them in adult facilities. Human Rights Watch interviewees related being detained with children as young as 12 years old.
“Malta should treat migrants who claim to be under age 18 as children until proven otherwise and never detain them,” said Ms Farmer. “The fact that unaccompanied children, who have made long and dangerous trips without their parents or other caregivers, are locked up until they can prove they are children demonstrates the brutality of the detention policy.”
Abdi M., who was 17 years old when he was detained, told Human Rights Watch: “Every day a big man from Mali came and said, ‘Give me your food.’ And one day I said no, and he hit me. I was out on the floor [unconscious] for half an hour. I told the soldiers but they said, ‘We don’t care.’ No one helped me, I just cried and went to sleep.”
Malta’s policy of prolonged detention took its toll on the mental health of adult and child migrants alike. Respected medical journals have stated that lengthy immigration detention correlates with higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression, and that detention exacerbates pre-existing symptoms, including mental trauma sustained while fleeing torture or persecution. Children and young people who are detained for extended periods of time are likely to experience feelings of isolation and detachment.
Kelile T., who reported that he was 17 years old when he arrived in Malta in 2011, was detained for nine months before he was hospitalised for 15 days for mental health treatment. After treatment, he was nonetheless returned to detention, he said. He described his experience: “I take medicine now, for sleep. No medicine, I can’t sleep … my mind is no good, it is very hard.… I can’t, I can’t ... this is a hard place. I need a free place.”
Malta justified its detention policy by referring to European Union migration policies, including the Dublin II Regulation, which obliges the country to process all asylum seekers.
Other EU states have also been slow to respond to calls by the European Commission to relocate recognized refugees from Malta to other parts of the EU; for example, in 2010-2011, only 228 migrants were relocated from Malta to other EU member states.
While EU policy together with greater flows through North Africa have undoubtedly put pressure on Malta’s migration system, the mandatory detention of irregular migrants was neither a necessary nor justified response, Human Rights Watch said.
It noted that in July 2010, the European Court of Human Rights found that Malta’s detention of migrants was arbitrary, lacking in adequate procedures to challenge detention, and in breach of its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights.
Malta has argued that this ruling applied only to the plaintiff in the case, Khaled Louled Massoud, an assertion rejected by the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe.
Human Rights Watch urged the Maltese government to:
- Limit detention of migrants to exceptional circumstances, with individualized determinations and access to procedures to challenge detention;
- Treat those who claim to be children as such pending the outcome of age determination proceedings, and do not detain them while their ages are assessed; and
- Bring policies on detention in line with standards articulated by the Council of Europe and provided for by the European Convention on Human Rights, namely by executing fully, effectively, and immediately the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in Louled Massoud v. Malta, which found Malta’s detention of migrants arbitrary and in violation of the European Convention.
Human Rights Watch also renewed its call on the EU to reform the Dublin II Regulation to permit more equitable burden-sharing among member states.
See also http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/07/18/malta-migrant-detention-violates-rights
Popular Stories
Old buses, drivers to return
Former Judge Ray Pace found dead
Updated: Minister apologises for...
Three new Nationalist MPs elected –...
Where’s Everybody staff is given notice
Updated - Director of Prisons submits...
Update 3 - Woman trapped as car crashes...
Revealed...the face of a Maltese woman...
PL reacts as PN labels Franco Debono's...
In Discussion
Old buses, drivers to return
Updated: Minister apologises for...
PL reacts as PN labels Franco Debono's...
Updated - Director of Prisons submits...
Enemalta seeking minimum five year gas...
Protected birds shot and trapped as...
Mario de Marco, Zammit Dimech concede,...
PN postpones salaries as financial...
Updated - PM's offer to Opposition MPs...
58 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Colin Stanley
Jul 18th 2012, 22:35
I think the goverment should stick to his guns and shouldn't be intimidated by our supposedly EU big brothers., if we really believe that although we are small we are equal to the rest, then keep fighting for malta.
Kleaven Maniscalco
Jul 18th 2012, 20:32
OMG! I think if as cited we are violating human rights, I think we should declare Malta as an unsafe port.....I think we would love to be an unsafe port and keeping our culture safe
Jurgen Farrugia
Jul 18th 2012, 18:45
Instead of painting migration as a good and brave act, why don't the EU and other NGO's explain how the EU is the biggest donor in the world to help third world countries and we are still the most continent that receive illegal immigrants. Instead of trying to encourage immigrants to come to Malta, why don't these NGO's and the EU try to reach an agreement with North African countries to share the burden with us. And let me remind you that when a Libyan or Egyptian comes to Europe without the proper documents we send them back because. and I quote "Their country is safe to live in". So isn't it safe as well for these illegal immigrants. With the same money we are paying, we can spend that money to educate them, help them to find a job and live in Northern African countries.
J.C. Borg
Jul 18th 2012, 16:41
These Human Rights Watch, armchair critics should try some action and not only words.
GL Calleja
Jul 18th 2012, 15:56
I must protest that these pictures are discriminating and very upsetting. These photos give a very different picture from that of a detention centre. These iron bars give the impression of a prison cell and that is very misleading, a very disturbing picture indeed. I think this picture depicts animosity and incites more hate.
Andy Farrugia
Jul 18th 2012, 15:52
Once again, in his long, cut-and-paste diatribe, Herr Waschnig from Oldenburg, Germany makes unsubstantiated claims, false allegations (eg there is NO detention centre at Marsa; pregnant women, children, sick people ARE NOT kept in detention centres) and generally distorts the local situation with regards to irregular migrants. Incidentally, Herr Waschnig never mentions the illegal and criminal activities of people traffickers. Unfortunately, the competent authorities may not be aware of the great harm which such willful distortions of reality are causing our nation. I repeat, it is up to the competent authorities ( I earlier mentioned ex-minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici) to seek to defend the good name of the nation, its authorities and its citizens from the foul-mouthing of the likes of Herr Waschnig.
Peter Bonello
Jul 18th 2012, 15:36
what do they expect? that they arrive here and we automatically provide them with an EU identity card and maybe an indefinite stay at a minimum 4 star hotel until they decide how they want to rip us off? AN illegal immigrant is an illegal - a criminal and should be retained in detention until investigated!! at least they are safe enough not to worry that they might end up killed.
Kurt Waschnig
Jul 18th 2012, 15:18
Human Rights Watch is right to call on the Government of Malta to end the blanket detention policy and to ensure that children are not detained pending age determination.
The report released today by Human Rights Watch is very important and I hope that the report will have an impact on the Government of Malta to review Malta´s detention policy.
Trying to cross the Mediterranean is very dangerous for migrants. They are forced to use unseaworthy boats, without enough food, water, or fuel.
Their life is at risk by trying to cross the Mediterranean and after arriving in Malta all illegal migrants are detained and the migrants are exposed to inhuman conditions in detention centres and these conditions exacerbate the trauma of the journey.
The Amnesty International 2012 annual report pointed out that the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights had criticised living conditions in reception centres for migrants, particularly in Marsa and in the Ħal Far tent village and hangar complex. The commissioner suggested measures to improve refugee determination procedures, called for a programme to address the social exclusion of migrants and others and for a strategy to promote local integration and combat racism and xenophobia.
Even. vulnerable people – pregnant women, children and sick people – are all kept in detention centres and are only eligible for release once a decision is taken based on their individual case.
Illegal migrants live in misery and poverty in their countries, they fights daily to survive, no jobs, no health care, no education, no social welfare system, no future for their families, wives and children, exposed to torture, no legal system.
Full of despair because they do not know how to feed their children.
Therefore is it natural to flee their impoverished countries and to cross the Mediterranean.
Alice Farmer, researcher in the Children’s Rights Division at Human Rights Watch is right when she says:”“Malta’s automatic, indiscriminate, and blanket detention of migrants – including unaccompanied migrant children – is inhumane and unnecessary.”
Respected medical journals have stated that lengthy immigration detention correlates with higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression, and that detention exacerbates pre-existing symptoms, including mental trauma sustained while fleeing torture or persecution. Children and young people who are detained for extended periods of time are likely to experience feelings of isolation and detachment.
Malta joined the European Union and is a member of it and therefore Malta is bound to observe certain core values that define it.
Article 2 of the Treaty states: “The Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. These values are common to the member states in a society in which pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between women and men prevail”.
And Malta as a member of the European Union is bound to ensure on its territory such values as respect for human dignity, the rule of law and respect for human right, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities.
The Government of Malta is bound to the treaty and must ensure that there is no breach of human rights
Illegal migrants are human beings and they deserve dignity and respect.
Best regards
Kurt Waschnig Oldenburg Germany
e-mail: [email protected]
V Cassar
Jul 18th 2012, 15:47
A puppet of ultra-liberalism.....
angelo cilia
Jul 18th 2012, 16:52
Instead of wasting your time writing the same thing over and over again on the T.O.M regarding illegal migrants in Malta Kurt, how about doing something really useful and writing to Angela Merkel and the German Government to accept these unfortunates into prosperous and large and industrious and disciplined Germany, pronto as there are too many in tiny 314 square kilometer Malta for us to take of properly.
It would be the act of pure christian charity on your part that will impart a thousand blessings that will give needed help to these people that want badly to live in a large and rich first world nations just like your fatherland with all its perks and easy to access first world goodness for a much better life than in huge Africa or in tiny Malta. You can make a difference.
GL Calleja
Jul 18th 2012, 18:25
Excuse me Mr Farrugia but isn't Mr Waschnig doing the same to the Maltese people? Is he entitled to ascribe collective responsibility or to demonise people on particular grounds. People living in glass houses should not throw rocks. And please I wish Mr Waschnig don't use the EU as an excuse for Human dignity. Where are the share burden promises they were supposed to observe? Germany was a part of that share burden agreement. The only thing the EU is doing is using Malta as a scapegoat to protect the other EU States, maybe excluding Italy. The Island of Lampedusa. I am sure Mr Waschnig can speak for himself.
James Dewar
Jul 18th 2012, 18:55
An eloquent contribution interspersed with various supporting quotations. Sadly however the general import of the lengthy "comment" illustrates a serious lack of understanding and reality as to how the situation affects and impacts upon Maltese citizens. All very well to quote chapter and verse of human rights treaties and guideleines whilst conveniently ignoring or overlooking the rights of those who are affected in Malta.
Francis Saliba M.D.
Jul 18th 2012, 19:02
@ Kurt Waschnig, today 15:18.
By now all Maltese citizens, all their cats and all their dogs know that you are heart and soul for dignity and respect towards illegal immigrants but only as long as these deeds of mercy are dispensed by the Maltese within the narrow confines of our island jail, preferably roaming all over the place without documents and
compulsorily prevented from proceeding on their way to their intended destination on mainland Europe.
Your Article 2 applies to every country, not just Malta. That is why you are so adamant that after we save them from drowning we continue to keep them as far as possible away from your bleeding hearts.
Thank you for your gratuitous advice but NO! THANKS!
stephen koludrovic
Jul 18th 2012, 19:47
Dear Kurt,
It is a fact that neither the Maltese nor the immigrants wish for them to stay in Malta. So instead of just criticizing us, you could send some Boston Whalers equiped with gps systems to Tripoli.
In this way the immigrants don.t have to go out on unsafe boats,risking their lives,or ending up in the so called degrading inhuman conditions that we see to have been labeled with.
BTW are the Romas in Germany still living in the same old camps, like the last time I saw them, or have you upped their camps to holiday resort camps.
Greeting from Malta, to you and your kind.
Jessica Smith
Jul 18th 2012, 23:19
Can you stop interfering in our internal affairs and tell Merkel to take them to Germany?
After all Germany was an African colonizing power.
Louise Vella
Jul 18th 2012, 15:18
Same things, from different foreign organisations but having the same Maltese sources. If Human Rights Watch cares about the lives of these illegal immigrants it should tell them: Don't risk your lives in overcrowded and unseaworthy boats. Don't trust the traffickers. Remember that you don't know how to swim. Remember that if you make it to Europe's southern shores you will not find the streets paved in gold - quite the opposite there is unemployment of 10% or more and you will be at the bottom of the queue. You're better off staying in your country and working for its improvement. If Human Rights Watch and all the others which take their cue from UNHCR send this message to the illegal immigrants waiting in North Africa there will be fewer lives lost at sea and we would all be better off.
francis mallia
Jul 18th 2012, 15:18
who is this alice ? no documents x no proof of ill treatment from where they came from ;let them loose on the maltses islands ;how clever
GL Calleja
Jul 18th 2012, 16:08
These are the bleeding hearts talking....
Patrick Zammit
Jul 18th 2012, 14:23
Detention for illegal immigrants who enter other countries without documentation is practiced all over the world including in Israel where it was increased to 3 years last June and in Australia where the High Court has declared that it is constitutionally correct to detain illegal immigrants indefinitely. Australia has also sub-contracted other nations to detain would-be immigrants offshore, like Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Nauru whilst maintaining a detention facility of its own on Christmas Island.
Detention is very important for an overpopulated small country like ours which even lacks resources of any kind. If detention is removed, Malta's abuse by the illegal, economic immigrants and their traffickers would increase substantially. To put things in perspective, this year both Italy and Malta received just over 1,000 illegal economic immigrants. Italy, compared to Malta is vast, underpopulated and rich.
If they are really concerned, these well paid NGO officials should strive to help people in Africa and other countries in building a better country for themselves and not encourage mass emigration which is a drain of valuable resources on their own country.
They know that most illegal immigrants come here for economic reasons and that is why the immigrants destroy their travel documents. That way, they can invent any story and country of origin they like.
Francis Bonello
Jul 18th 2012, 14:15
Do as they tell you Dr. Gonzi and you wil lose more votes
Louise Vella
Jul 18th 2012, 13:50
Same things, from different foreign organisations but having the same Maltese sources. If Human Rights Watch cares about the lives of these illegal immigrants it should tell them: Don't risk your lives in overcrowded and unseaworthy boats. Don't trust the traffickers. Remember that you don't know how to swim. Remember that if you make it to Europe's southern shores you will not find the streets paved in
gold - quite the opposite there is unemployment of 10% or more and you will be at the bottom of the queue. You're better off staying in your country and working for its improvement. If Human Rights Watch and all the others which take their cue from UNHCR send this message to the illegal immigrants waiting in North Africa there will be fewer lives lost at sea and we would all be better off.
Joe Fenech
Jul 18th 2012, 13:46
RIDICULOUS! Anyone who enters a country illegally has broken the law and should be detained or sent back.
GL Calleja
Jul 18th 2012, 16:10
RiDICULOUS is the fact that they are arrested and put in prison if they try to to go back.? Only in Malta.
Sarah Mallia
Jul 18th 2012, 23:26
If they are refugees they cannot be sent back. Refugees apply for protection in Malta because they cannot go back to there country as they will face serious harm? Are you suggesting that we send refugee back and face serious harm? I's sure if you were in a reugees shoes you would not want to go back. Ignorance and close mindedness at it's best!!
Steve M. Engerer
Jul 18th 2012, 13:36
How about sending the Illegal Immigrants to The Human Rights Watch Headquarters & they offer them a bed, TV, Air Conditioner & so on!!!!!
Alfred Cassar
Jul 18th 2012, 13:25
Oh my God, hasn't any one come up with the idea to FEED THEM TO THE PIGS,
these
are
HUMAN BEINGS,
it is a matter of colour, nothing else, there are thousands of Europeans who come to Malta and earn their living through illicit means and prostitute our adult children.
And we tend to focus on these poor chaps?
carlos ellul
Jul 18th 2012, 15:31
Lets hope that these 'thousands' of Europeans are sent to jail.
cesco di luigi
Jul 18th 2012, 13:21
May be the time has come for the Maltese public to ask the Government and the EU which are the countries from where real refugees are coming. Maybe it is time for the Governments of ALL the Member States of the European Union to break off immediately diplomatic relatiinships with these countries, because after all if the conditions in said countries are so bad that a person fleeing that country is granted refugee status in the EU, then the question arises what business does the EU or any Member State thereof have to resume dealing with that particular country on a diplomatic and business as usual basis?
D Muscat
Jul 18th 2012, 13:19
"Malta should treat migrants who claim to be under age 18 as children until proven otherwise and never detain them,” said Ms Farmer.
Do you want a twenty year old to be in a class of fourteen/ fifteen year olds?
It has happened in the UK. It will happen here. Check first, verify, then proceed to treat him/ her as a juvenile.
Charles Alamango
Jul 18th 2012, 13:03
I have a question to to ask. Why is it that ONLY illegal immigrants arriving by sea are being held at the detention centres?? What about the thousands of WHITE illegals who are residing in Malta without permit, visa or invitation? This is pure discrimination! Illegal entry by sea, plane or otherwise SHOULD be treated the same way. All illegals should be placed at the detention centres until a decision is taken as to what to do with them. Blanket detention should be strengthened NOT removed, but it should not be discriminatory. Treat all illegals the same.
francis mallia
Jul 18th 2012, 15:23
mr alamango ,that is what youi got by joining the e/u ;half of europe wants to come here x enjoy the sunshine ;lol
Austin grech
Jul 18th 2012, 13:00
free for all? who will pay! no thanks, enough of this I say. lets stop paying tax and we will see what happens.
carlos ellul
Jul 18th 2012, 12:56
I wonder when we'll start seeing 50 pages reports on when mandatory burden sharing will start functioning.
Joanne Micallef
Jul 18th 2012, 12:52
Whilst I do agree that children should not spend 1 day in detention, I do not agree that a 16 or a 17 year old is considered still a child.
I sincerely hope that the goverment will not give into this blackmail and will cont with our detention policy.
B. Storace
Jul 18th 2012, 12:30
Our government has managed to manoeuvre itself into a very tight corner indeed. Allowing all illegal arrivals to roam freely is definitely not the way to go about doing things. Malta cannot support them to the extent that is being expected of us. We offer shelter, clothing, food, pocket money, phones and much more All these very well intentioned NGO's should tackle the problem at source. They should interfere in the African country of origin and talk with the authorities there. Promises should be made for aid at source, clean water, jobs, housing and so forth and the people should be educated to work at a trade or profession. What's wrong with these people that they cannot help themselves.
cesco di luigi
Jul 18th 2012, 12:51
Well said!!!!
John J Borg
Jul 18th 2012, 13:37
they are illegal immigrants and they are staying here illegally....and that prompts detention....
Kenneth Galea
Jul 18th 2012, 12:18
Stop these 50 page reports and so on. We do not need to be told or we don't need anyone to meddle with our internal affairs. These human right groups fear for their own jobs if they are not seen that they have enough to do. This 50 page report must have taken ages to complete. They are not defending the illegal immigrants but thinking of themselves ONLY, which in this case is their own jobs. The same old, same old, blah blah blah, talk, talk, talk and NO practical solutions. Just stay away from Malta and leave us alone once and for all.
cesco di luigi
Jul 18th 2012, 12:52
You hit the nail on the head..you should see the amount of funds these people handle..including their own salaries!!!!
Mr Anton Portelli
Jul 18th 2012, 12:54
You hit the nail right on the head. All the bla...Bla...Bla.... by NGOs is to defend and justify their cushy often well paid jobs.
Carmelo Aquilina
Jul 18th 2012, 13:07
they are not "internal affairs" they are human rights that we have signed up to as an international obligation... or do you only care about human rights when yours are infringed ?
Joseph Mifsud
Jul 18th 2012, 13:14
Does the 50 page report state that the conditions in detention center is already an added benefit and a bonus? There are alreadt protected from rough sea, other weather conditions.
Also they have a free roof, free food, free water, free mobiles, cigaretes and for us Maltese in order to have a roof on our head we need to pay the loan more than double for 40 years.
Do also note that us maltese are subsidising them through our taxes plus additional costs into our state hospitals.
The irregular imigrants they don't have the decency to do some community work!
Jessica Smith
Jul 18th 2012, 23:23
Carmelo Aquilina YES they are internal affairs. If foreigners want to help them they should take them to their own countries or SHUT UP.
Andy Farrugia
Jul 18th 2012, 12:18
“Malta should treat migrants who claim to be under age 18 as children until proven otherwise and never detain them,” said Ms Farmer.
How can these claims be verified? Benefit of the doubt? I remember the case of the ex-Torino footballer, Abedi Pele, who claimed he was 25 years of age and Olympique Marseilles wanted to sign him they discovered he was over thirty. Same with the Chievo player, the Brazilian Luciano, who was previously with Bologna under the name of Eriberto.
j brincat
Jul 18th 2012, 12:17
If if Malta does as 'urged' the end result would be obvious!
And then where would we house all the illegal immigrants?
Can Human Right Watch come with a solution which is equitable and just to all EU countries?
(jb)
Eric Soames
Jul 18th 2012, 12:13
“Malta should treat migrants who claim to be under age 18 as children until proven otherwise and never detain them,” said Ms Farmer. And you can be sure that every small statured person will be passing themselves off as under 18. Remove detention, open the floodgates.
John Azzopoardi
Jul 18th 2012, 12:11
IN teh US, illegal migrants are detained and deported. I don't know why this whole issue has became a maltese problem. The only good thing about this is that the vast majority of the Maltese are still united against illegal migrants coming to our small island. Migration should be legal. Also, we talk and talk, but I have heard one too many stories of what goes on in the detention center that are not pretty and how our detention oficers are at times taunted. These are the facts and the maltese all know it. Time has come to get serious. this week I was looking a BBC story and they showed a port in Somalia thriving with business and how they were saying that many part of Somalia are doing good. So why are we accepting the bulk of the people coming from 'somalia. I am a firm beliver that the people of a nation must fight for their freedom and work to make it better. These are not overpopulated lands. We the maltese cannot be responsible for everyone illegal migrant coming to Malta. And where is the voice of the Maltese people. We only hear what the NGOs or the migrants have to say. Is this democracy. No it's not.
Simon Ciantar
Jul 18th 2012, 12:35
You know why the voice of the Maltese people are not heard ? Because as soon as one of us dares defend our own interests , those living in fairyland call us Racist and we are censored , this newspaper being among the first . But 99.9% of Maltese are fed up with this situation and want our politicans to have the spine to stand up to the EU and we WILL have our voice heard.
Jessica Smith
Jul 18th 2012, 23:24
Simon Ciantarfully agree with you, but our politicians do not have the marbles to do it.
cesco di luigi
Jul 18th 2012, 12:07
instead of detention they should deport them as is usually done in any country where people turn up at the borders without identification ............that would solve everybody's problems..
Mr Anton Portelli
Jul 18th 2012, 12:57
Punto e Basta.
Edgar Apap
Jul 18th 2012, 15:09
Thats What The European Countries Did To Us When We Where Not In The E.U. They Deported Us Back To Malta And All We Where Seeking Was A Better Future Right ? What Goes Around Comes Around > They Should ALL Be Deported Back To The Oil Rich Libya Where They Came From And If Need Be The U.N. Provides A Safe Heaven In Libya Until They Find Work Which Libya Will Have Plenty Of Jobs To Offer In The Very Near Future
alfred seguna
Jul 18th 2012, 12:00
These people should be helped at source.Their country should be helped to return things to normal.Refugees camps should be erected in stable countries nearby so that they could easily return home when things get better.The E.U and the African Union should embark on such a program.This will help so that these people will not have to risk their lives and they won't encounter any other form of hostilities.
Paul Zammit
Jul 18th 2012, 11:50
Sure nough, speaking ex cathedra is easy and may also sound cool .... but should Ms Farmer et al pop in here (122 sq mile island with half a million native inhabitants) I bet she'd change her mind pretty quick.
Francis Saliba M.D.
Jul 18th 2012, 11:34
"Upon arrival in Malta, virtually all irregular migrants are detained – and the conditions in detention can exacerbate the trauma of the journey" (Human Rights Watch)
Correct diagnosis. Wrong treatment. Human Rights Watch should be insisting on a effective pro-active and preventive treatment, that is by enabling their onward journey towards their true destination, or their repatriation.
The cure cannot be the forced detention in Malta of illegal immigrants traumatised by their perilous sea journey and rescued from drowning by Malta's AFM. The sure is not by trapping them in Malta, whether inside detention centres or roaming freely all over this overcrowded small island, in a latter version of Ellis Island or Alcatraz.
S Azzopardi
Jul 18th 2012, 11:33
This is a sad state of affairs indeed for all involved. Removing the detention policy will effectively make illegal immigration equivalent to a lawful activity. Illegal immigrants are indeed in a difficult situation and are to be treated with respect and dignity at all time, HOWEVER sensitivity to pressures being weighed upon Malta is equally crippling. Detention should remain it is the only deterring factor that can 'control' this over-populating influx in such a tiny space. It is the burden sharing which needs to be implemented and the ultimate solution
John Vella
Jul 18th 2012, 11:28
Burden sharing in itself is not the solution. This will encourage more people from Sub-sahara Africa to immigrate, knowing that coming to Malta means a free trip to other European state.
Also such system needs to be institutionalized and therefore other European states will be
obliged to give shelter and jobs to immigrants.
This will have a reverse action, it will send a message to prospective illegal immigrants that it’s worth trying.
M. Schembri
Jul 18th 2012, 11:49
Wrong sir. Illegal immigrants are not eligible for resettlement under a burden sharing scheme. Even if it's compulsary.
Please choose the reason of your report below: