Employers of two of the detained Ethiopian migrants waiting for deportation over their refugee status have opened up about the arrests, saying they were lost and perplexed to see their “honest” employees taken away in detention.

Albert Mangion, the managing director of a food production company, told Times of Malta that he feels “lost” without his employee – Ephrem Gize Salamon – who was arrested in August.

“Ephrem knew his job so well and was so integrated into the company that we relied on him greatly in his department, and when he was detained, we felt it,” he said, urging the authorities to reconsider keeping him in Malta.

“I can personally vouch for his honesty, integrity and strong work ethic. He has integrated positively into the community and has been nothing but law-abiding, respectful, and reliable.”

Salamon was among five Ethiopian migrants who were arrested and detained in August and told they would be deported to their home country as they cannot be granted refugee status in Malta.

They have been in detention for over 100 days.

Times of Malta first reported the issue in August, describing how the Ethiopian community is in shock and living in fear as a number of people who have been living and working legally in Malta for up to 17 years were being arrested at their place of work.

Another of the five migrants, Yosuf Ahmed Adam, who has lived and worked legally in Malta for 13 years, claimed in an interview with Times of Malta last week that he was going to be deported back to a region plagued with conflict and was fearing for his life.

He said he was sure he would be either jailed or killed if sent back. But the government insisted its repatriation procedures were legal and according to the best human rights standards and practices.

‘This makes no sense’ – Adam’s manager

Adam’s manager at a local construction company – Karl Vella – also spoke to Times of Malta after that interview. He described the ordeal as a bolt out of the blue and saying that when Adam called him to tell him he was arrested, he thought it was a joke.

He stressed his employee never had trouble with the law, was employed legally, paid social security contributions and rented an apartment, and yet, they were arrested like criminals.

Adam was a good, loyal, hard-working and honest employee, he added.

“I can’t tell you whether the government is right or not to send them back, but what I can tell you is that this man did not commit crimes while he worked for us and was employed legally and registered with Jobsplus and other state entities,” Vella said.

“This makes no sense and the situation was handled inappropriately.”

Two migrants agreed to return

Times of Malta is informed that earlier last week two of the detained migrants agreed to return to Ethiopia, although sources close to the case insist they did so not because they truly wanted to return, but because they were exhausted and could not take detention any longer.

He was a good, loyal, hard-working and honest employee

One of them is Salamon, an employee of Mangion who is certain this was not his true wish.

“Just four days ago I went to visit him and he told me he was adamant he wanted to stay in Malta,” Mangion said in a reaction to the news.

“He couldn’t have genuinely changed his mind that quickly.”

He emphasised the traumatic circumstances of Salamon’s arrival in Malta 18 years ago and the subsequent challenges he faced in overcoming mental health issues.

He said that despite the hardships, Salamon has proven himself to be a dedicated and reliable employee, consistently fulfilling his work obligations and paying taxes, thanks to the support of his colleagues and employers.

“Ephrem has been an exemplary employee and a respected colleague, and we are fully committed to retaining him as a valuable asset to our business should he be allowed to remain in Malta,” he said.

“His quiet resilience, humility and dedication to rebuilding his life in Malta are testaments to his character, and I am confident that his continued presence would benefit our community.

“His deportation would not only cause him further distress but would also be a loss to our organisation and to the community as a whole.”

Months of controversy

The issue has been the subject of controversy for weeks but the government defends its decision to repatriate the migrants, citing EU initiatives to increase readmission efforts with Ethiopia.

It argues that allowing irregular migrants to remain in Malta would encourage more to make the dangerous journey, putting lives at risk.

However, critics argue that this approach is harsh and inhumane, particularly for those who have been living in Malta for many years and have become integrated into society.

The issue has led to protests and demonstrations, with civil society organisations, the Church and the Nationalist Party joining in condemning the government’s actions.

They have been urging the authorities to reconsider their stance and adopt a more compassionate approach, especially for individuals who face serious threats to their lives and safety.