INTI National Meeting Summary
Posted Date: 19/02/2007
INTI National Meeting
The Integration of Third Country Nationals
Tuesday 6th February 2007
The Music Room, St James Cavalier, Valletta
8:30 – 13:00
Summary
Introduction
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Michael Frendo opened the meeting by expressing his support for the meeting of cultures and the integration of third country nationals in the EU. He said that the absorption capacity of the host nations should be respected and that immigrants should adopt a sense of citizenship in order to facilitate their social and economic integration.
Mr Mark Rizzo of SOS Malta introduced the EUNET Integration Network, a transnational project for the integration of third country nationals, of which the INTI National Meeting forms a part. The EUNET Integration Network is allowing the sharing of knowledge, experiences and best practices of integration amongst various partner organisations in the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Portugal and Malta.
The Integration of Third Country Nationals – Policy
Mr Joseph Mizzi from the Department for Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs of the Ministry for Justice and Home Affairs said that membership of the EU obliges Malta to implement EU directives for the rights of residence of third county nationals and these will soon improve their social and economic integration in the EU. Maltese citizenship is currently available for spouses of Maltese citizens after 5 years of marriage and also to children of Maltese citizens. The Minister for Justice and Home Affairs has total discretion over the granting of citizenship.
Monsignor Philip Calleja from Emigrants Commission noted the fact that nearly all the irregular immigrants who arrive in Malta do not plan to remain here as they often have family in other bigger countries in Europe or North America. There are four qualifications givens to the irregular immigrants. There are those given refugee status, who are given all the rights of a Maltese citizen, those with temporary humanitarian status, who are given the right to work but who are often separated from their families abroad, those who are rejected asylum seekers, who it is difficult to repatriate and who are given little opportunity to work, and fourthly those who are inadmissible who have no right to work though they remain in Malta. The Maltese however are generous in giving the irregular immigrants the employment, healthcare and other things that they need while they are here. The population density of Malta is 3000 per square mile, whilst in Canada it is 10 per sq mile, in Australia 10 and in Libya 7. Integration of irregular immigrants in Malta forever is not generally possible therefore, and most immigrants want resettlement in bigger countries.
Mr Terry Gosden of the Marsa Open Centre said that in London there was much racism 40 years ago but now many cultures have integrated into society. Malta too is a mix of cultures and we must treat all people with humanity, respect and dignity.
Fr Joe Inguanez of Discern, the Institute for Research on the Signs of the Times, stated that Malta cannot be an immigrant country due to its size, but it could help people in their transit. The Maltese are not against migrants due to their race, but because they are afraid of large numbers of people on the island.
The Integration of Third Country Nationals – Practice
Mr Alex Tortell from the Ministry for Family and Social Solidarity noted that Malta has dealt with integration of migrants many times in the past and although the current scene is different in certain ways, it is not completely new by any means. The Ministry is working as much as possible to help the integration of refugees through the management of open residential centres, which cater for 1600 people, and the opening of an information centre (for housing, health and other issues) through the Organisation for the Integration and Welfare of Asylum Seekers and Refugees that is being created.
Miss Maria Pisani of Integra Foundation also highlighted the good work being done by various NGOs for the integration of migrants, NGOs such as Red Cross, Moviment Graffitti, JRS, and Suret il-Bniedem, and she asked that migrants in detention centres would have the chance to use their time constructively in order to aid their possible integration into life in the EU. Dialogue is very important as it is only by listening to migrants that we understand the situation. Whatever the status and future of migrants, they are here in Malta and while they are here they should be helped to integrate.
Mr Warsame Ali Garare who comes from Somalia and who has Temporary Humanitarian Protection in Malta said that the Maltese are very kind, but that life for him and those like him here is very difficult and uncertain. “There is no future; it is like being in a dark room. It is difficult to know what is going to happen to you with Temporary Humanitarian Protection,” he said. “You have left your family behind, and you cannot bring them here, but also you cannot go there to be with them.” Living in an open centre for an indefinite time is difficult and as it is isolated from Maltese society it is difficult to integrate. Migrants have a problem gathering information on Malta and their rights.
Mr Godfrey Kennely of the Malta Resource Centre observed that migrants should be given information directly on arrival in Malta and that the education of Maltese people on the issue of migration is important.
Fr Joe Inguanez of Discern noted that it is necessary to look at the philosophical side of the issue of integration, which can be called the ideology or the policy in other contexts. Employment law and conditions are a key area for migrants as many are struggling with temporary, low pay jobs.
Mrs Antoinette Zammit of the Red Cross pointed out that many migrants would not be able to access the new information centre and that information could also be taken out directly to those in need.
Mr Andre’ Callus of Moviment Graffitti thought that the fear of migrants is sometimes over exaggerated and that in reality irregular migrants only make up 0.4% of the Maltese population. Their integration is needed and there should be a political discourse on the topic.
Dr Josianne Gatt of the Nationalist Party said that we must respect the reality and efforts are being made for integration by the Government and by the citizens of Malta.
The Integration of Third Country Nationals – Challenges
Mr Mario Friggieri of Appogg presented the EU co-funded Equal Project, a project which, together with the ETC and Red Cross, gave education, training and counselling to over one hundred refugees and which was even chosen as a best practice amongst similar projects throughout the EU. The Equal Project also researched the employment conditions of migrants and found that many are employed illegally or are bound directly to their employer who effectively owns the worker. Many workers are underpaid and feel exploited. Mr Friggieri said that integration is not the only idea, but we could use the idea of ‘living together’ where we respect human rights and live out our Christian faith.
Dr Katrine Camilleri of the JRS noted that Malta has been a ‘bus stop’-like transit country for many years but that migrants may increasingly have to settle in Malta. The current reception policy tends to exclude rather than integrate migrants and there is a culture of dependence on the state that is dangerous. Malta has obligations for equal treatment and human rights under EU law and it is a positive challenge for us to develop into a truly inclusive society.
The final presentation was made by a Somali with Temporary Humanitarian Protection Mr Osman Abdulkadir who said that there is a sense of fear between the migrant and host community in Malta but that this can be eased through the learning of the local languages, the achievement of the basic human needs and the interaction of cultures. These integration activities can begin in detention centres and can include sports, arts, festivals, education, training and interaction of people.
Mr Mario Sacco of the UHM trade union said that his union is happy to help migrants, but that it is difficult to trace cases of abuse unless workers come forward.
Mr Godfrey Kennely of the Malta Resource Centre suggested that migrants should be empowered to help themselves and to be part of the solution. The open centres risk becoming ghettos and it is costing the Government a lot of money.
Mr Mario Friggieri noted that the Government has had 5 missions from COA from the Netherlands who have suggested good and bad practices. The practice of giving different amounts of money to different refugees is not popular.
Mr Tesfamichael Mekonnenberaki said that it is very hard to integrate with temporary humanitarian protection as you only have the security of a one year residence permit, which makes it impossible to make plans for education, work or housing. The primary issue is the law and the policy because if migrants are given refugee status this helps them with everything.
Mrs Claudia Taylor East closed the meeting by concluding that integration is an important issue that we cannot run away from. Measures and actions are needed as not only irregular migrants but many TCNs do not have full access or rights in Malta.
Links
www.sosmalta.org
www.eunet-integration.eu
http://ec.europa.eu/justice_home/funding/inti/funding_inti_en.htm
List Of Participants:
Name | Organisation | Role |
Claudia Taylor East | SOS Malta | Host |
Mark Rizzo | SOS Malta | Host |
Lilian Miceli Farrugia | SOS Malta | Host |
Dr Frances Camilleri-Cassar | SOS Malta | Host |
Philippa Said | Impetus Europe | Chair |
Dr Michael Frendo | Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Speaker |
Joseph Mizzi | Ministry for Justice and Home Affairs | Speaker |
Alex Tortell | Ministry for Family and Social Solidarity | Speaker |
Mario Friggieri | Appogg - Refugee Service Area | Speaker |
Msg Philip Calleja | Emigrants Commission | Speaker |
Dr Katrine Camilleri | Jesuit Refugee Service | Speaker |
Maria Pisani | Integra Foundation | Speaker |
Warsame Ali Garare | Somali national and Marsa Open Centre | Speaker |
Osman Abdulkadir | Somali national | Speaker |
Hadish Haile Gebremariam | Eritrean national and Appogg | Participant |
Joe Gerada | Appogg | Participant |
Tesfamichael Mekonnenberaki | Eritrean national and JRS | Participant |
Helputt Lumbu | Congolese national | Participant |
Layla | Moroccan national | Participant |
Marvin Schembri | Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity | Participant |
Mary Grace Vella | Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity | Participant |
Fr Joe Inguanez | Discern | Participant |
Nicola Critien | Malta Resource Centre | Participant |
Godfrey Kennely | Malta Resource Centre | Participant |
Nicolette Zammit Lupi | Malta Resource Centre | Participant |
Jesmond Debono | OIWAS | Participant |
Miriam Micallef | I.C.A.S. (integrating children of asylum seekers) | Participant |
Sefora Livori | I.C.A.S. (integrating children of asylum seekers) | Participant |
Robert Callus | AD | Participant |
Dr Josianne Cardona Gatt | PN | Participant |
Bodonyi Claire | French Embassy | Participant |
Myrthe Kusse | Dutch Embassy | Participant |
Dr Mohamed N El Attug | Libyan Embassy | Participant |
Andy Hamilton | British Embassy | Participant |
Vladimir Komarov | Russian Embassy | Participant |
Jose Manuel Ramirez | Spanish Embassy | Participant |
Edward Demicoli | EU representative | Participant |
Dr Jamie H Cremona | SMOM | Participant |
Andre’ Callus | Moviment Graffiti | Participant |
Jean-Pierre Gauci | Amnesty International Malta Group | Participant |
Antoinette Zammit | Red Cross | Participant |
Terry Gosden | Suret il-Bniedem | Participant |
Mario Sacco | UHM | Participant |
Joe Farrugia | Employers Association | Participant |
Sylvan Borg | Office of the Commissioner for Refugees | Participant |
Public Broadcasting Services | Television Malta | Participant |
Ariadne Massa | The Times of Malta | Participant |
Gerald Fenech | Standard Publications Ltd | Participant |
Rahael Vassallo | Malta Today | Participant |