Patrick Cooke penned a very human and humane story in today’s Times of Malta. Titled “Would you want to live here?” he gave us an inside peek into the Hal Far open centre for irregular migrants.
The story brings us in contact with fellow human beings in need of our help and assistance. They spoke in a very realistic and reasonable way. They are no parasites, as Malta’s xenophobic far right wants to depict them to be.
The question they put to us is very pertinent. It was put gently and with no hint of arrogance or rancour. They told us that life is good over here but that they wish to leave Malta as they dream for a better life somewhere else. Who wouldn’t? Who can blame them?
I would have loved to have been given more information about their background, their families, their education etc. Perhaps Patrick Cooke would give us a follow-up.
The asylum seekers that come to our shores are far different from the stereotypes conjured up by fear or ignorance, sometimes fuelled by sensational reporting, irresponsible comments by some politicians or mass hysteria on Facebook.
I had close contact with Iraqi refugees that came to Malta in large numbers in the 1990s. Two of them lived with me and my father for several months till they eventually found a job and after some time left for Canada.
On January 1 I skyped two other refugees, a married couple, now living in larger Toronto. I had employed the husband at RTK. He was an engineer. His wife had an MA in meteorology from a British university. She did her PhD and is currently lecturing in a Canadian university. Their two sons, today in their middle twenties have good jobs in Ottawa, Canada.
There is a lot of talent among several of the asylum seekers over here. A more humane treatment of these fellow human beings would enrich us and them.
Unfortunately some of the comments accompanying the story show anything but a humane attitude. Besides, they are horribly misinformed.
Louise Vella tells us, for example, that the tens of millions of euros we received from the European Union to help us cope with this situation are just a red herring. Jay Oatmon is also oblivious of this assistance or wants to ignore it. Moreover he completely disregarded Times of Malta’s story which clearly says that they are working for their keep. He, in fact wrote “their accommodation and meals and medical etc., are all paid for by the public for 365 days every year.”
By the time of writing this piece there were only 8 comments. Undoubtedly many more gems of wisdom will soon be added.