MP says UN should be asked to take over detention centres

The government should invite the United Nations to take over the detention centres for illegal immigrants, Nationalist MP Franco Galea has suggested in Parliament.

He also insisted in an adjournment speech that the former colonial masters of the countries from which the migrants came should assume their responsibilities and receive those migrants which could not be sent back home. These former colonial powers should honour their historic and moral duties, failing which Malta should consider taking the case before the international courts.

Mr Galea said he wanted to condemn those members of the armed forces who may have tarnished the image of the AFM during the recent incidents at Safi barracks. He could never accept that an injured person was dragged face down, or that migrants were hit from the back, he said.

But he also wanted to condemn those who pointed an accusing finger at the AFM. Had orders actually been issued for force to be used against the migrants at Safi? Was it true that there were weapons at Safi fashioned by the migrants? One needed to be careful that such arms, if they existed, would not lead to fresh incidents.

It was important, Mr Galea said, that the migrants should have better conditions at the detention centres. Was it true that some of the migrants slept on wet mattresses on the floor? Was it true that some had neither socks nor shoes and there was a shortage of warm water and no heaters? Was is true that a migrant who had gone to work illegally was robbed while his leg was amputated following an accident?

Indeed, it was shameful that migrants who were given a job were treated almost like slaves and paid a pittance for their labour.

Mr Galea said it was unacceptable that illegal migrants should continue to live in tents at detention centres. In view of Malta's lack of resources, the government should formally ask the United Nations to take over the centres. He insisted, however, that migrants should, where possible, be repatriated.

Those who were allowed to stay here should be taught Maltese traditions, customs and culture. Studies should also be carried out on the state of affairs, cultures and religions of the societies which the migrants came from so that one would know what he was going in for.

Mr Franco said he hoped next week's national conference on illegal immigration would not be used as a tool for character assassination. Many valid people were not giving their contribution in this sector because of being labelled in one form or another.

Earlier, Nationalist MP Clyde Puli also hoped that political parties would show maturity at the national conference. He said recent racist remarks made during a public activity were disgusting. The country could not ignore the people's concerns but one should not provide fertile ground for those who wanted to stir irrational emotions. One only needed to see the rise of Haidar in Austria and Le Pen in France. Malta needed to be humane in its treatment of the migrants while ensuring that their behaviour was not a threat to society. The processing of applications for refugee status should be speeded up and those who did not qualify should be repatriated quickly.