Malta decided a week ago that some holders of the "yellow book" should be repatriated. Five Ethiopians are currently in detention and face imminent deportation.
In a bid to regulate immigration, the Maltese government have arrested several migrants in irregular situation who have been living in the country for years: some have been in the island for 20 years.
Known to the authorities, they are allowed to work with a document issued by the same authorities, known as the ‘yellow book’: a document renewed every 6 months at local police stations.
They are being arrested at their workplaces, in their homes and in the street.
Civil society organisations are up in arms against these inhumane practices, which reveal the hypocrisy of the authorities, who on the one hand allow undocumented migrants to work legally, thereby encouraging legitimate hopes of regularisation.
On the other hand, they (the authorities) make agreements with the countries of origin of these people and indiscriminately carry out cruel arrests and repatriations.
A statement issued by 38 civil society organisations have called for a review of policy:
"We appeal to the Government to create a pathway to regularisation for these and other rejected asylum-seekers who have lived and worked in Malta for years with the authorisation of the competent authorities".
The group emphasises the devastating impact of the detention of these individuals on both the arrested individuals and the entire community, leading to a sense of fragility, mistrust, and fear.
They urge the government to take inspiration from successful regularisation programs implemented in other EU member states and call for the immediate release of detained Ethiopian nationals.
The signatories of the statement also call upon the public and people of good will to stand against the inhumane practice of rounding up individuals who have become integral parts of the community.
You can read the full statement here.
Comments