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11/02/07
The following article was published in The Malta Independent on
11th February 2007.
Malta needs to adopt EU policies to protect immigrants
By Juan Ameen
Migrants have considered
Malta as a bus-station – a place in the middle of nowhere – for
many years but an increasing number of them will have to settle
whether they like it or not, Jesuit Refugee Service Malta
Assistant Director Katrine Camilleri said last week.
Dr Camilleri was speaking at a national meeting on the
integration of third country nationals, hosted by SOS Malta as
part of its EUNET Integration Network project and co-financed by
the European Commission through the INTI programme fund.
Dr Camilleri explained that many immigrants compared Malta to a
bus station – a place where they can spend a night but not live
there forever.
Survival becomes the main issue of the authorities and the
refugees – Malta is still not a final destination but a place
where people have to stay for the time being, she explained.
“I know of people who have been living in Malta for four years
yet still feel the need to settle elsewhere to set up home,”
said Dr Camilleri.
Furthermore, said Dr Camilleri, Malta’s quality of protection of
irregular immigrants is not in line with its obligations under
the EU Qualifications and Reception Directives, which should
have been implemented last October.
Dr Camilleri said this directive should have been implemented in
Maltese law last October.
“We need to adopt policies and laws that are in line with EU
laws and provide these people with the protection they deserve.”
Integration should begin from the moment asylum seekers arrive
in Malta.
“The reception policies affect the person’s potential to
integrate in society. If Maltese people see the immigrants in
hospital with handcuffs and an armed soldier, their impression
of these people is negatively affected,” said Dr Camilleri.
A policy of exclusion criminalizes and isolates immigrants, she
explained.
“It also fosters dependence – once a person becomes dependent
for food, clothing and other necessities for 18 months it will
be difficult once they are out of the centres
Tim Peco, a 27-year-old Albanian, spoke about the problems he is
facing in Malta.
“While I have fully integrated in Maltese society I am still not
officially recognised as a Maltese citizen.”
He pointed out that integration should come before citizenship.
“I graduated in engineering from the University of Malta.
However, I was not granted a warrant because it is specifically
stated that warrants are only granted to Maltese nationals.” Mr
Peco added that there is lack of security without citizenship.
Maria Pisani from the Integra Foundation spoke about the
importance of dialogue.
“It is only by listening to these people that we can understand
the situation,” said Ms Pisani.
Furthermore, she said, an 18-month detention policy does not
help integration.
“If the immigrants have to be kept there at least provide them
with information so that they will be less frustrated and angry
when they leave.”
Warsame Ali Garare, a Somali immigrant, pointed out that
although most asylum seekers do not want to come to Malta, it is
a reality that has to be accepted.
“Whether people like it or not, we are here and we must resign
ourselves,” Mr Garare said.
He explained that he arrived in Malta in 2004 and tried to leave
for the UK but was sent back.
“I have to accept the situation and do my best to integrate in
society,” he said.
Mr Garare said that his future is bleak.
“When I look at my future I see nothing. In my situation it is
difficult to look to the future. We cannot go back to visit our
families and they cannot come to visit us.”
Mr Garare said he has a job and is not living in an open centre.
“I have been granted humanitarian status and pay my taxes.
However, if I lose my job I will not receive any social benefits
and have to return to the open centres.”
Living in an open centre is difficult and isolates the migrants
from the rest of the world, he said.
“There are people who have been in an open centre for over four
years and still know nothing about Malta,” Mr Garare said.
Practical solutions are needed, he said. “People living in open
centres do not know what their rights are – there is a great
lack of information.”
Mr Garare had nothing but praise for the Maltese.
“Maltese people are very kind to us. We are here and it is not
our fault – we understand that Malta is a small country but
there is nothing we can do about it.”
Mario Friggieri from Agenzija Appogg said that people should
focus on living together as opposed to integration.
“We are failing in our duty as human beings if we don’t consider
and treat them as human beings.”
He said he had carried out a small study among the immigrants
who participated in the Equal project – an EU funded project
that provides classes for immigrants.
Many of the immigrants who said they were working were not happy
with what they are paid, he said.
Furthermore, certain employers refuse to employ the immigrants
legally and do not pay them adequately for their services, said
Mr Friggieri.
Immigrants who are granted humanitarian status are not given a
work permit but an employer can request permission to employ
them, he explained.
“This system is unfair because the person cannot find another
job with another employer – in actual fact it is as though the
person becomes the property of the employer,” he said.
They also pay taxes when they are working, but do not receive
any benefits or allowed to register for unemployment, said Mr
Friggieri. |
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