Maltese detention centres ‘a paradise compared to Libya’
Karl Stagno-Navarra The Armed Forces of Malta categorically deny ever having committed forced deportations of migrants back to Libya, as reported by an international human rights agency this week.
The report, published by Human Rights Watch on Friday, quotes a 26-year-old Eritrean migrant who told rapporteurs about an incident at sea that happened in 2005.
According to the eyewitness – given the pseudonym ‘Daniel’ in the report – an AFM patrol boat had intercepted their boat laden with 264 migrants, towed them for some distance, only to throw the rope towards a Libyan fishing vessel which took them back to Libya.
However, AFM Commander Carmel Vassallo dismissed the allegation when contacted by MaltaToday.
“The AFM denies having ever turned any would-be immigrants to Libya,” Brigadier Vassallo said. “The AFM also categorically denies having ever towed a boat with 264 people on the high seas and then hooked them on to a Libyan fishing trawler that took them back to Libya. The AFM also denies any forced repatriations at sea.”
Forced deportation is an infringement of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – entrenched in the Maltese Constitution since 1987 – and is considered a crime against humanity. Nonetheless, Italy has been openly conducting such operations since June, when an accord was reached between the two governments.
In the report Daniel also speaks about the brutality of the smugglers, the dangers of the journey, and systematic ill treatment at the hands of the Libyan authorities upon being returned.
“The smugglers beat us with a stick to get us to board the boat. They crammed 264 of us, including pregnant women, babies and children,” he said.
“After 10 hours, our engine broke down and we had no food or water. We drifted for five days. The battery ran out on our Thuraya [satellite phone]. We just waited to die.”
Daniel goes on to tell Human Rights Watch that on the fifth day, they were spotted by a Maltese patrol boat that came to assist them and gave them water.
An old woman said, “I will see my son in Malta,” while the boat nearly capsized because people stood up in desperation to get the water.
He goes on to say that another Maltese boat also came to assist and took photos of the migrants.
“The Maltese brought a rope and tied it to our boat and towed us. After two hours as the sun was setting, the Maltese boat changed direction and took us towards Libya. We saw we were going in the wrong direction. Everyone said: “Please, no.”
We pleaded with the Maltese and they just waved their hands to say ‘no’. ”
“We saw a green Libyan flag on a fishing boat. The Maltese gave them the rope. Everyone was crying. Water was coming inside the boat. There were high waves. Our boat was tipping. For 20 minutes it looked like it really was capsizing. Then the Maltese cut the rope and they were gone. The fishing boat took us to Libya,” Daniel says.
The ordeal – according to Daniel – continued once back in Libya. When they arrived, there were no doctors, just military police who allegedly started to punch them, mock them and beat them with sticks.
“You think you want to go to Italy?” they joked.
According to Daniel’s story, as told by Human Rights Watch, the Libyan police put all the migrants into a closed truck and transported them to Al Fellah Prison.
The report lists a series of recommendations to Italy and Malta on rescuing migrants at sea, and implores both states not to repatriate any migrants to Libya.
It includes stories of rape and abuse of migrant women in Libyan prisons, while it also alleges collusion between police, military and smugglers in the lucrative business of human trafficking.
Human Rights Watch rapporteurs visited migrants in Malta and Italy and collected their stories that are included in the 96-page report.
It concludes by quoting a migrant held in Malta who, while denouncing the conditions of the camp he is currently held in, nevertheless describes it as “paradise” when compared to the conditions in Libya.
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