Amidst all the numbers, scare stories and fear mongering, it is easy to forget the basic human dimensions of the migration challenge. Because of its geography and history, Malta cannot avoid migration as an ongoing policy issue, as a political challenge and as a human tragedy that it is surrounded by.
On World Refugee Day, a few days ago, the Refugee Council of Malta reminded us of these realities in calling on the government to reopen dialogue on the laws, policies and practices as it engages the issue.
The council asserted that Malta must ensure real safety, protection and the dignity of refugees in addition to promoting their effective integration into society.
Those three values – safety, protection and dignity – remain the core pillars of refugee law, strategy and obligations worldwide. The council appealed that Malta be a place of shelter for all forced to flee their homes, whether they be from Ukraine, Nigeria or South Sudan. The three principles should apply regardless of context.
As with all human beings, safety for those fleeing is a basic requirement; without it all else is secondary. It follows from this that Malta has an obligation to rescue those in immediate distress and to ensure everything possible is done to avoid further harm.
In such circumstances, ignoring their distress calls or pushing them back to countries where they will clearly be at risk is not an acceptable policy by any metric.
Whatever the context (at sea or on land) respecting the basic human dignity of all refugees and avoiding further indignity must be the starting point in any development of policy and strategy. Proper and appropriate protection can only be provided in such a context.
In its statement, the Refugee Council felt obliged to call on the government to reopen what it labelled an “honest dialogue” on the issue, depressingly describing Malta as offering an “extremely hostile environment” to refugees.
The council noted that the government still refuses to explain why it abandons people at sea or why it prevents them from safely disembarking, how hundreds remain detained in “squalid conditions” in dubious legal circumstances.
In asserting this, the Refugee Council is fulfilling its mandate and its basic obligations with respect to refugees.
It is self-evident that, on its own, Malta cannot effectively deal with all the challenges associated with migration in the Mediterranean. The EU and each member state cannot be allowed to ignore their duties.
However, Europe’s ongoing failures on migration do not excuse Malta from its appropriate obligations including the development of an ethical, robust, defensible and proactive policy based on the principles outlined above.
Much has been made of Malta’s election to the UN Security Council in recent weeks.
The values, principles and objectives of Malta’s two-year membership have highlighted the country’s loftiest ambitions on the world stage. These include promoting political consensus, protecting women and children in armed conflict and greater literacy on international peace and security. Each of these ambitions relates directly to migration and provide the government with an immediate opportunity to translate lofty sentiment into living policy and practice.
Much has also been made about Malta “punching above its weight” in international affairs, yet, when it comes to migration, Malta is demonstrably punching well below its weight.
The Refugee Council is to be commended for reminding us of this appalling human tragedy unfolding daily on our doorstep.