Last week, 816 displaced people, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, landed in Malta, marking the opening of what could be a new and bigger wave of immigration towards Malta. This time there is a difference.
These people are fleeing the dangers of a civil war in Libya and, in this sense, they are no different from the 17,000 people who were recently evacuated to Malta. But unlike those evacuees, we cannot send them to their countries of origin because countries like Somalia and Eritrea are failed states. This means these people would, in the main, qualify for international protection. And since they landed here, we have the primary responsibility to look after them. And, of course, there is no question of turning them back to Libya.
So after a lull of almost two years, the issue of immigration comes back with a vengeance.
What to do?
There are no ready-made solutions and we should beware of those who give the false impression they do exist. But I would propose three points for reflection.
The first is that we should treat these people with fairness and dignity. It sounds obvious but it bears stressing. We cannot extend our hospitality to 17,000 evacuees who had a home to go but then fall short with 800 people who do not. We are either hospitable and respectful of our humanitarian duties with everyone or we are not.
Likewise, we should continue to explain why these people are stranded here and why we should assist them. This will help mitigate xenophobic tendencies and anti-immigration sentiments that often mark the arrival of boat people.
The Maltese people demonstrated a great sense of understanding of the ongoing crisis in Libya and showed remarkable solidarity with the Libyan people and with evacuated foreigners. It is this same understanding and solidarity that are now necessary with the boat people. I have no doubt we are all mature enough to rise to this occasion.
The second is that we must make sure the prevailing situation in Libya is not abused by people who do not deserve international protection but still want to come to Europe illegally. We must have an efficient asylum policy that separates people who need protection from those who do not. For example, a lot of migrants from Tunisia are making it to Lampedusa and there are doubts as to how much they need protection. If they do not, then they should be sent back and we must be firm on this.
The third is that we must call upon the international community, especially the European Union of which we form part, to help us carry this responsibility.
It is for this reason that, along with an Italian MEP colleague, I asked the European Commission to trigger the solidarity mechanism that is envisaged in EU law in the case of a mass influx of displaced persons.
The Maltese government has also requested its activation.
This law provides for two things:
First, that in the event of a mass influx of displaced persons, temporary protection must be granted in all EU countries.
Second, that there must be “a balance of effort between member states in receiving and bearing the consequences of receiving such persons”. In other words, it promotes burden sharing.
EU countries “shall receive persons who are eligible for temporary protection in a spirit of Community solidarity” and “shall cooperate with each other with regard to the transfer of the residence of persons enjoying temporary protection from one member state to another”.
This particular law has never been used and, therefore, this would be the first time such a mechanism is put into operation. It is now for the Commission to make its proposal and for the Council to decide.
It will not be easy to trigger this mechanism because we all know many EU countries still resist solidarity.
This is understandable because they all have their difficulties with migration and in their place we would probably have done the same.
But it is not acceptable because what is happening in Libya does not affect just one country but everyone. And, therefore, its consequences must also be carried by everyone.
This week in Strasbourg, I put this issue on Parliament’s agenda and a debate was held on Monday. I also called for a direct meeting with EU Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom that took place yesterday.
Many rightly decry the absence of Europe and residents of Lampedusa summed it all up by displaying a European flag daubed with a big yellow question mark in the middle. But it is precisely on these occasions the Europe we believe in must be built.
www.simonbusuttil.eu
Dr Busuttil is a Nationalist member of the European Parliament.