Heartfelt appeal for help to immigrants

The Emigrants' Commission is in financial dire straits and unless some kind souls bail them out they will be unable to help illegal immigrants who have been given refugee status.

Commission director Mgr Philip Calleja said that its resources had been stretched beyond the limit and the lack of finances was crippling the commission's ability to help the refugees start a new life.

In a heartfelt appeal, Mgr Calleja said that in the past few weeks 25 immigrants had been given refugee status and the commission had successfully managed to house all of them.

However, providing them with a roof over their heads was not all and Mgr Calleja said the refugees needed the basic necessities such as toilet paper, soap, toothpaste and bedding - items which most of us took for granted.

"Meanwhile, there are another 32 immigrants who have also been officially recognised and they are waiting to come out of detention centres. We do not have anywhere to accommodate them at this moment," he said.

Mgr Calleja explained that once the illegal immigrants become officially recognised and given a legal status the government asks the commission to find accommodation.

The commission also works hard to try and find employment for these people so that they would be able to sustain their way of life.

Ms Claudia Taylor-East, who is helping the commission in its mission to support refugees, said the problem was helping these people sustain their dignity once they were given freedom.

Until they find employment the refugees are provided with Lm2 a day per adult and Lm1 a day for every child they have.

"But how can you survive on this kind of money, especially when you have children or need to buy medication?" Mgr Calleja said.

The Ahmed Nurs are one such family of five who subsist on Lm5 a day and though they are extremely grateful to the commission for providing them with a flat, they desperately need white goods and mattresses.

The mother, I Badado, embarked on the dangerous trip to freedom from the civil war of Somalia two years ago, accompanied by her three girls and two grandchildren.

Speaking through an interpreter I Badado said that after witnessing the brutal murder of her husband she sold all her gold jewellery and planned her escape.

Forking out the phenomenal sum of $1,000 for each person, the family took a boat to Yemen where they stayed for a year, before continuing on their rough journey to Turkey.

"We wanted to go anywhere that would accept us," she said gesturing with her hands as she recounted her horrible trip.

On the trip the men tried to rape the girls and they were forced to fork out more money to put an end to the sexual abuse, she said.

"On our way from Turkey to Malta another man told us he would dump us into the sea if we did not pay him more. We had to pay another $200 each to save our lives. We never thought we would arrive alive," she said, her dark eyes clouding over.

After spending six months at a detention centre in Malta the family was finally granted legal status, but with absolutely no money, they depend totally on non-governmental organisations such as the commission.

Mgr Calleja said the commission's funds were being exhausted on things such as excruciatingly high electricity bills.

"We are being driven to despair. We have an electricity bill for the Good Shepherd Home in Balzan for Lm900 and another bill of Lm3,000 for a home in Valletta. We cannot afford to pay them all at once so the bills keep piling up," he said.

Mgr Calleja said that though surviving from day to day was an effort, providence was great and somehow there was always someone who provided them with help.

However, the commission is appealing to anybody who could help in whatever way they can, from providing bedding, offering the refugees a job, warm blankets or basic necessities.

"These people are not beggars and we need your help to be able to give these people the basic items they need to lead a dignified life," he appealed.

Those who wish to help can also send a donation to the HSBC Refugee Account: 33079096001.