Ministry sees ‘no reason’ to issue press statement; 160 asylum seekers relocated
Raphael Vassallo A hangar used to accommodate residents at the Hal Far open centre was gutted last Monday by a fire which caused no casualties, but resulted in the relocation of as many as 160 people – some of whom are understood to have lost all their belongings in the blaze.
MaltaToday has come into possession of graphic video footage of the incident, taken by a resident of the compound, which clearly illustrates the extent of the fire within the compound.
Curiously, however, no official government press statement was made with regard to this incident. In fact, the fire was given more coverage in the Swedish press – where it was reported by Hal Far residents who have relatives in that country – than in the Maltese media, where it barely received a mention.
The cause of the fire itself has not yet been established, and is currently the focus of a magisterial inquiry. Initial reports have so far yielded conflicting information.
Quoting eyewitnesses within the compound itself, a spokesperson for Migrants Solidarity Movement – the NGO which originally alerted this newspaper to the incident – pointed towards a fault in the electrical system within the hangar.
But an official at the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs hinted that the fire may have been accidentally started by “a drunk resident”.
Either way, it was brought under control quickly by the Fire Department, which happens to have a permanent station very close by.
As can be seen in the accompanying images, damage to the hangar was extensive, and the ministry official confirmed that while nobody required medical assistance, a number of residents lost all their possessions – including documents, money, clothes and other personal belongings.
Work is currently under way to replace the lost documents, some of which are related to ongoing refugee resettlement programmes. The Justice Ministry also said that those who lost money have since been given an emergency allowance by the government.
All 160 of the hangar’s residents have meanwhile been relocated to temporary accommodation, in the form of either tents or mobile homes, within the same facility. The US embassy is providing further assistance in the form of additional bedding and other logistical support, while local NGOs have also volunteered to help.
“The building is now empty, and we are taking advantage of the situation to refurbish it completely before re-admitting residents,” the ministry official said; adding that the ministry “saw no reason” to issue any media release to inform the public of this incident.
Commenting to MaltaToday, a volunteer with the Migrants Solidarity Movement said that this fire, which could have had far more serious repercussions, should serve as a ‘wake-up call’ for government to change its entire attitude towards the immigration issue.
“People shouldn’t be left in these conditions. Those people are now living in tents or containers... in some cases, 16 of them to only one tent. And yet most of them will have subsidiary protection, being nearly all from Somalia. They are refugees under all the recognised human rights conventions, and they must be given a proper place to live, with all the necessary security this entails. This is not charity on our part. It’s their right, and we are legally obliged to provide them with a dignified way to live.”
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