NEWS | Wednesday, 24 December 2008

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NGOs deplore superintendent’s outburst on Marsa migrants

Matthew Vella
Development and asylum NGOs have pointed out that negative comments made by a senior police officer during a court case, on the Marsa’s migrants’ centre were untrue and led to negative labelling of the migrants living in the area.
Moviment Graffitti, Peace Lab, Amnesty International (Malta), Third World Group, Migrants Solidarity Movement and Koperattiva Kummerc Gust were referring to comments by newly-appointed Police Superintendent Silvio Valletta, who told a magistrate that people were scared to go to Marsa, where open centres hosting migrants were located.
The officer, promoted from inspector last week, was making his submissions on punishment in a court case against an 18-year-old Somali, Ali Mohammed Abhukhadir, who admitted to stealing a pair of sunglasses and some other items worth some €233 from a car in Marsa.
“We have reached a point where Maltese people cannot even go to Marsa because they are afraid… The victim could not even go out and buy a Coke. With all due respect, we are not in Somalia. If they do not have laws there, we do and they have to understand this,” Valletta said in court.
The emotional outburst provoked a reaction from the NGOs, who work directly with migrants in Marsa.
“We think the comments made by Superintendent Valletta can be easily understood by the public to mean that the presence of migrants in Marsa is leading to a dangerous situation. From our experience we are convinced that this is far from being true,” Andre Callus, a spokesperson for the NGOs said.
“Members of our organisations frequently visit the Marsa Open Centre and they have never felt threatened by residents there. Various NGOs hold activities in this centre, all of which take place without the occurrence of any problems. Therefore, we cannot understand the comments made in court which give the impression that Marsa has become a place that the Maltese are afraid of frequenting.
“We understand that the part of Marsa where the Open Centre is situated is notorious for the presence of social problems, such as drugs, gambling and prostitution. However this situation has existed long before there were any migrants living there.”
Callus said that it is only natural that with the presence of the Open Centre, where hundreds of migrants live, one will find a few individuals who will break the law.
“This inevitably applies to any community of whatever nationality, including the Maltese. Therefore the fact that a migrant commits a crime should not lead to a negative labelling of the whole group.”
Callus said the incident showed the need for more training for the police force on race relations. “This will help prevent actions or statements that, even if inadvertently, can lead to an increase in racism and xenophobia in our country.”

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