News • 13 October 2002

Excessive force denial

AI calls to suspend deportations

By David Lindsay

Sta Venera: The Home Affairs and Environment Ministry has "strongly denied" suggestions from Amnesty International that Maltese police had used excessive force during the recent deportations of Eritrean nationals.

The Ministry also affirmed its position on the human rights organisation’s call to suspend the deportation of Eritreans to the war torn country, which, according to the United Nations, is facing an imminent humanitarian crisis.

This week the international NGO cited unconfirmed reports of "alleged use of excessive force during recent forcible deportation operations" and urged the government "to ensure that police officers have clear instructions that no more force should be used in deporting a person than is reasonably necessary".

In reply to the allegations, the Ministry stated, "We strongly deny allegations of the use of ‘excessive force’ during the repatriation exercise."

Amnesty also called to suspend the deportation of Eritrean illegal immigrants to their homeland.

"The government should ensure…that those deported will not be subjected to human rights violations on return," Amnesty International said, calling for a suspension of deportations until "a thorough, independent investigation has been made as to their fate and an assessment made as to whether Eritreans can be forcibly returned in safety and dignity, with full respect to their human rights."

Replying to Amnesty International’s appeal, the Ministry said that suspensions would be granted if "the immigrant acquires a refugee or humanitarian status; there is a court order; or if the authorities have a well founded suspicion that upon his return the immigrant will face persecution or torture".

Over 220 Eritreans have been deported from Malta between 30 September and 3 October, who, Amnesty cites anonymous sources as saying, were arrested on arrival in Eritrea and detained in a military camp incommunicado. The Eritrean authorities have reportedly neither acknowledged the detentions nor revealed the whereabouts of the detainees to their families or the public as yet.

However, the Home Affairs Ministry cites its own "reliable contacts" in the war ravaged west African country, who dismissed the claims, adding that they had originated from a London-based organisation whose interest was to create further unrest in the country.

Speaking with MaltaToday yesterday, Refugee Commissioner Charles Buttigieg confirmed that two Eritreans have been recognised as refugees, another two have been granted humanitarian status and that more appeals are still pending.

But of the 223 Eritreans who were recently deported, 170 had failed to apply for refugee status, despite being "repeatedly informed" of their right to do so and the consequences if they ignored the avenue of pursuit.

Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg elaborates, " They were given the standard four weeks to decide [whether to file for refugee status], which they refused. They were given an additional four weeks to make up their mind, but they continued to refuse, so they had to be deported.

Charles Buttigieg adds, "There was an occasion when I personally spoke at length to representatives of a group of boat people who did not apply for recognition of refugee status, but who had nonetheless expressed their desire to speak to the Refugee Commissioner.