Investigating migrant assaults

The Government had ridiculed repeated calls for a National Conference on illegal immigration made by the head of the opposition party back in October. The MLP had suggested that such a conference should be organised with a view to establish a national immigration policy, a subject neglected for far too long by the Government. The idea gained ground, and by December the Government had given in to the pressure and announced that a policy document would after all be approved at a specially convened national conference. True to character, no acknowledgemnt was made to the source of the proposal. The success of such an initiative requires the full participation of the voluntary sector and needs to stay detached from partisan interests. The aggression by members of the armed forces this week demonstrates the urgency for national policies and initiatives. Following a call by Amnesty International, the Maltese authorities have launched an investigation into reports that the armed forces physically assaulted numerous asylum-seekers and unauthorized migrants resulting in many injuries. From the Amnesty statement:

According to the reports received by Amnesty International, on the morning of 13 January 2005, over 90 inmates of a detention facility for aliens at Safi army barracks conducted a peaceful protest, refusing to re-enter the centre at the end of an exercise period. The inmates, some of whom had apparently been detained for over 18 months, were protesting about the length of their detention; lack of information about the progress of their applications for refugee status or humanitarian protection and, in the case of those whose applications for asylum had already been rejected, lack of information concerning their future.

Full Amnesty International statement with background note

Immanuel Mifsud says Malta denies certain basic rights

Toni Sant wonders how this news will be received in Brussels

Amnesty International Malta Section - Annual report (pdf file)

Immigration woes - Minister Tonio Borg interviewed by Washington Times