18/07/06
Migrants stranded on board the Francisco Catalina

The drama currently unfolding on board the Francisco Catalina reflects a very disturbing trend among EU states to place border control considerations above human solidarity and respect for basic human rights, which they are bound by law to respect.

“We are very concerned that today, three days into the impasse, the migrants are still stranded on board the boat that rescued them,” said JRS Director, Fr Paul Pace SJ.

We urge the authorities to allow the immigrants stranded on board the Spanish trawler to land at least until a final decision is taken regarding their fate and to ensure that any decision taken is in line with Malta’s international legal obligations.

We re-iterate UNHCR’s concern that some of the immigrants on board the trawler might be refugees or people in need of international protection and call upon the authorities to ensure that all who wish to apply for protection are allowed effective access to fair asylum procedures to determine their claims to protection.

“The Maltese government has an obligation to make sure no one is sent, whether directly or indirectly, to a country where there is a risk of ill-treatment or other violations of their human rights. No asylum seeker should be sent to countries which have not signed the 1951 Convention, and have no procedures in place to determine applications for protection. ” said Fr Paul Pace SJ.