Immigration
from Zghazagh Haddiema Nsara

Immigration in the Maltese Islands has become a frequent front page heading as we continue to hear news of irregular immigrants coming to our shores. It is a problem that bares different facades for which the solutions are not easy and straight forward. Yet as the difficulties persist, our society has come to view irregular immigrants and refugees as a ‘threat’; a threat to law abiding citizens, our country, our jobs and even our economy and there is a growing feeling that the EU has abandoned us on the matter.

Zghazagh Haddiema Nsara feels that an outlook that views irregular immigrants as a threat just worsens the situation and is not conducive in finding a positive solution to the problem. It makes us hesitant to respond appropriately to those who need our help and instead we respond with anti-African graffiti and manifestos in the streets delivering a message of hate and fear. We are over analysing a social crisis and coming up with inaccurate theories that blinds us from the fact that at the centre of the problem there is a human being. We also neglect that the phenomenon of irregular immigration is primarily caused by sad realities that different countries around the world face; realities that involve war, political and religious persecutions, hunger and extreme poverty. The need for safety and security is a common human need and a basic human right so it is only natural that human beings try to seek a better life. It could be that irregular immigration is a burden on our economy but they are not the main cause of our financial problems.

The bitterness that is growing among the Maltese population requires immediate attention because the citizens are also part of the solution and with their cooperation the situation could be tackled much better. Education plays an important role to assist people in explore their own ignorance and limitations on the matter. In these respects, ZHN appeals that human diversity should become an educational priority as much as sexuality and the environment are in today’s schools. Moreover, people have the right to be informed about the irregular immigrant’s situation if they are expected to learn to live with them just like any other non-EU immigrant such as Serbians, Russians and Chinese. In fact, young people who worked as volunteers with irregular immigrants and refugees have described the experience as a positive one and that helped their personal development and growth.

It is true that there is a lot going on in the immigration field in attempt to ease the problem, but with all the incidents being reported it is evident that there are lots of difficulties in the current system. Things are not working out and this is creating lots of frustrations for all parties involved. A different approach is needed to the problem; one that sees and defines what the difficulties are, judge in the spirit of human dignity and take action that is concrete and enforceable. In short, we need to see the true facts, the true situations before we can take action that truly promotes positive social change. ZHN strongly believes in the worth of every human person and because we are all created in the image of God regardless of our background and country of origin.

Zghazagh Haddiema Nsara wants to see the concept of shared responsibility between the EU countries to welcome refugees further enforced. It is not acceptable that a person spends several months in a detention centre where the living conditions are stretched because the resources are limited. The EU has to assist the countries such as Malta who are dealing with this reality to provide a dignified service to the irregular immigrants coming to our shores. Concrete ways and means has to be found to make the process of identifying between the persons qualified for refugees or humanitarian status and those not qualified more efficient and faster. Positive diplomatic relations has to be established with African and other countries for deportation and for exchange of information to be more affective. Moreover, there are several volunteers, teachers and ecclesiastical representatives that can help in the action taken but they require support from the state to fulfil their work.